RORY MCILROY experienced agony and ecstasy, as he captured a seventh Race to Dubai title but lost out in a thrilling climax to the DP World Tour Championship.
conjured up a brilliant eagle to force a play-off with team-mate in , showing nerves of steel to sink an 18-footer on the 72nd hole.
Rory McIlroy captured a seventh Race to Dubai titleCredit: https://x.com/SkySportsGolf
But he held back tears as he overtook Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros by topping the European money list for the seventh timeCredit: https://x.com/SkySportsGolf
The Grand Slam winner seemed poised to repeat his Irish Open heroics of two months ago, when a 25-footer for eagle at the last paved the way for an emotional play-off victory over Joakim Lagergren.
But the Dubai spectators who let out an enormous cheer when McIlroy’s eagle putt dropped gasped in disbelief, as he put his tee shot in the water at the first extra hole.
That led to a bogey six, and Fitzpatrick scrambled a par to clinch a third win – and a cheque for £2.3million – in one of the most prestigious events on the .
McIlroy, 36, took consolation from moving one ahead of Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros by topping the European money list for the seventh time. He is now just one behind record holder .
He fought back tears as he said: “I had a conversation with Seve’s wife, Carmen, before I went out to play today, and she said he would have been so proud.
“I said this on this green last year how much it meant just to equal Seve because he is such an icon of European .
“To equal him last year was cool but to surpass him this year, I didn’t get this far in my dreams so yeah it’s very cool.
“I also saw Monty here this week – and hopefully I’ve got enough good years left to go past him too!”
Fitzpatrick said he was resigned to an overtime shoot-out with the world No2 after he set the clubhouse target at 18 under par with a final round 66 – even though McIlroy was 16 under standing on the 18th tee.
The English ace explained: “You just know Rory is going to hole that eagle putt, of course you do.
“He’s one of the few that you actually expect to take it to a play-off, even though you’re two clear with one to play.
“In typical Rory fashion, he did it again. You never like to see it end the way it did, but I’m obviously delighted with the win.
“I struggled at the start of this year. But I turned it around in the summer to get a pick, and I’ve been playing great in the second half of the year.
“It felt like it would be hard to top the Ryder Cup I had, easily my best so far, but I’m so proud of the way I played today. Yeah, what a feeling.”
