Rory McIlroy (left) with his record-equalling eighth Order of Merit trophy alongside Tyrrell Hatton, winner of the 2026 DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Sunday. Image courtesy DPWT.
By Rahul Banerji
Tyrrell Hatton produced a masterclass to win the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at a canter as Rory McIlroy sealed yet another Race to Dubai career title in a photo-finish on Sunday
McIlroy’s triumph at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in one of the most thrilling final round battles ever drew him level with Colin Montgomerie on eight titles, the DP World Tour said.
Hatton started the day with a one-shot lead but ran away from the field with a sublime 6 under par 66 to finish five shots clear of second placed McIlroy on 15 under par 273 who closed with a 67.
“This is really special. I was really nervous today,” Hatton (70-69-68-66) said on the 18th green after sinking the winning putt.
“I’ve had a bit of heartbreak around here in the past and I felt like it was going to be a difficult day. But I’m just really proud of how I played on the back nine.
“My putter was amazing and certainly saved me all week. It feels so good to win here.
“I tried not to look at leaderboards too much today. I was just trying to keep my head down and trying to make birdies.
“It felt like the conditions were marginally easier today because there was less wind but some of the greens were so fast, it was hard. I found it difficult at times to get the pace right but just glad it worked out in the end.
Ryder relevance
“It’s an important time to try and earn Ryder Cup points. This helps a lot. I want to be on that team in a year’s time. The last two weeks have been great so I’m really proud of that, and I’ll also enjoy Christmas now.”
McIlroy (69-70-72-67, 10 under 278) would never normally be content with a runners-up spot but this time it was the perfect result as it gave the double Masters champion his eighth Race to Dubai crown.
It tied Montgomerie’s long-standing Tour record, the Scot having claimed his titles between 1993 and 2005.
“I don’t really know what to say,” McIlroy said once his ascension to the top spot was confirmed.
“I remember Monty being obviously a stalwart of the European Tour, going to watch him at the World Match Play at Wentworth over the years, playing with him for the first time at The London Club at The European Open in 2008.
“So to pull up alongside him and to win eight of these things means the world to me. I’m a very proud European, a proud European player. I’m proud to be a part of the DP World Tour.
“I pride myself on my consistency. You know, look, I would have loved to have come here to the Middle East these last couple of week and got a win. I finished third last week and second this week.
“Think I did the exact same thing last year to win The Race to Dubai, as well. So it’s just my consistency and my finishes.”
No respite
McIlroy was pushed all the way in the race by Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra (72-71-68-69, 8 under 280) whose three victories on the DP World Tour this season – in the Netherlands, Italy and India – saw him arrive in Dubai with a 534 point advantage.
Starting one group behind McIlroy on the final day, the 26 year old from Madrid held the advantage as the duo approached the turn.
But an uncharacteristic run of three bogeys in four holes from the ninth handed the advantage back to the Northern Irishman who reached the turn in 32.
The ding-dong battle was far from over however.
Regrouping admirably, the Spaniard carded back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14 as McIlroy hit a seam of six pars in a row, the second birdie moving Chacarra back to the top of the rankings by an incredible 0.1 of a point.
The drama was still not over.
This time it was Chacarra’s turn to make pars instead of birdies and when McIlroy hit a sensational approach to within a foot on 16, the resulting birdie three moved the Grand Slam winner back to the top.
Two pars to finish saw him hold position but it also made Chacarra’s task easier. Pars at 16 and 17 meant he needed an eagle three at the 570 yard 18th to win the Race to Dubai for the first time.
A perfect drive gave him the ideal platform but a pushed approach into a greenside bunker made the task virtually impossible and so it proved.
A closing par five saw Chacarra end the tournament in tied third with Finn Oliver Lindell, and second in the Race to Dubai.
Good fight
“It was a good fight but I came up just short,” Chacarra noted. “That’s the beauty of golf.
“Obviously, when you play with the best in the world you know it is going to be tough, and he (McIlroy) had a better day than I did.
“I played good and I fought. I knew it was going to be a long day and I tried my best. That’s all I can ask myself to do and that’s what I did.”
While the Race to Dubai excitement was unfolding in front of him, there was no such drama for Hatton who produced seven birdies and a bogey in his closing 66.
It was the 35 year old Englishman’s ninth DP World Tour victory but, on a day where records were equalled, Hatton entered the history books himself.
It out him alongside Ryder Cup team-mate Jon Rahm as the most successful player in this history of Rolex Series events on the DP World Tour with six victories.
Rahm’s sixth triumph came last week in Abu Dhabi where Hatton finished runner-up but he more than put that right in Dubai, at the same time erasing previous heartbreak when he finished runner-up both in 2016 and 2022.
Chacarra’s consolation for his second place in the season-long standings was the fact he claimed the first of the 10 cards on offer for next season’s PGA Tour from the final Race to Dubai rankings.
Joining Chacarra were Patrick Reed, Casey Jarvis, Jayden Schaper, Dan Hillier, Jacob Skov Olesen, Oliver Lindell, Andy Sullivan, Bernd Wiesberger and Joe Dean.
Leading final scores
273 T. HATTON (ENG) 70 69 68 66,
278 R. MCILROY (NIR) 69 70 72 67,
280 O. LINDELL (FIN) 70 74 71 65, E. CHACARRA (ESP) 72 71 68 69,
281 J. OLESEN (DEN) 68 75 70 68, K. REITAN (NOR) 70 70 72 69, F. LAPORTA (ITA) 69 74 68 70, M. LINDBERG (SWE) 72 69 69 71, V. PEREZ (FRA) 69 72 67 73,
282 D. BRADBURY (ENG) 70 76 66 70,
283 A. SULLIVAN (ENG) 76 69 71 67, C HILL (SCO) 71 73 71 68, H. DU PLESSIS (RSA) 77 70 68 68, A. MERONK (POL) 74 69 71 69, N. ELVIRA (ESP) 73 71 69 70,
284 F. SCHOTT (GER) 69 72 72 71, M. WALLACE (ENG) 72 74 67 71, A. SCOTT (AUS) 71 73 67 73,
285 K. KANEKO (JPN) 74 74 69 68, D. PUIG (ESP) 70 72 73 70, D. HILLIER (NZL) 71 75 68 71, J. RAHM (ESP) 71 71 71 72, J. SCHAPER (RSA) 74 68 70 73,
Also read: Hatton in the van as the Race to Dubai heats up behind him
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