Tag: DP World Tour Championship

Rory McIlroy wins 2024 DP World Tour Championship, captures sixth Race to Dubai title

“He means so much to European golf and for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.”

A tumultuous year for Rory McIlroy has ended on top.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland birdied two of his final three holes Sunday at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai to win the 2024 DP World Tour Championship for the third more. Even more significant, McIlroy’s win gave him the Race to Dubai title for the sixth time, tying him with Seve Ballesteros for the second most in DP World Tour history. Colin Montgomerie has the most with eight.

“I’ve been through a lot this year professionally, personally. It feels like the fitting end to 2024,” McIlroy said. “You know, yeah, look, I’ve persevered this year a lot. Had close calls. Wasn’t able to get it done.

“So the to be able to get over the line, you know … really pleased with the way I finished and thankfully I hung on on a tough day and got it done.”

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland smiles with his Wife, Erica Stoll and Daughter, Poppy McIlroy alongside the DP World Tour Championship trophy and the Race to Dubai trophy on the 18th green following victory on day four of the DP World Tour Championship 2024 at Jumeirah Golf Estates on November 17, 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

McIlroy earned $3 million for the victory, finishing at 15 under for the week and topping Rasmus Hojgaard by two shots. McIlroy was the only golfer in the field to shoot in the 60s every round, and closing in 69 was enough for his biggest win of the year.

And on top of everything, matching Ballesteros’ record is something that brought McIlroy to tears when discussing.

“Yeah, it’s really cool,” McIlroy said. “I think everyone know what is Seve means to European golf and to Ryder Cup players. European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve. We had a changing room with Seve’s shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played. He means so much to European golf and for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.”

Shane Lowry and Adam Scott were in a group that finished T-3 and four shots back. Tyrrell Hatton came in solo sixth at 10 under.

But the day, and the season, belonged to McIlroy. And if he’s still winning season-long races during what many would believe to be an “off” year, who knows what’s to come for world No. 3.

“It’s been a long year, my 27th tournament, which is a lot to me,” he said. “Looking forward to a little bit of downtime. Have a lot of friends and my family here in Dubai, so I’m sure we’ll have a good night tonight.”

Rory McIlroy among co-leaders at 2024 DP World Tour Championship: ‘Great opportunity to end the year on a really high note’

“Hopefully, things fall my way and I’m able to stand on that 18th green with both trophies.”

With 18 holes remaining in Dubai, Rory McIlroy is among the co-leaders at the season-ending 2024 DP World Tour Championship. With a win — or an 11th-place finish or better — McIlroy will claim his third straight Race to Dubai title and sixth overall. (The Race to Dubai is the DP World Tour’s equivalent of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup.) Rasmus Hojgaard and Antoine Rozner are tied with the Northern Irishman at 12 under.

During a pre-tournament press conference earlier this week, McIlroy was asked to grade his season: “It would be a pass, it wouldn’t be a pass with flying colors,” he said with a slight chuckle. “But, um, probably a B.”

Now, he has a chance to finish the year with another win and maybe improve his grade a bit.

“It’s a great opportunity to end the year on a really high note,” McIlroy said. “Going to go out there tomorrow and give it everything I can and hopefully things fall my way and I’m able to stand on that 18th green with both trophies.”

The world No. 3 poured in six birdies on Saturday, along with two bogeys, to sign for a 4-under 68. He had a chance to enter the final round with the outright lead, but his birdie bid rudely lipped out on the par-5 closer.

More: While Team USA is worried about being paid to play in the Ryder Cup, Rory McIlroy says he’d ‘pay for the privilege’ to play in the event

Hojgaard made six birdies in a seven-hole stretch on his front nine to make the turn with a 6-under 30. However, he made nine pars on the way home and signed for a 66. Rozner’s finish was a little more dramatic, as he struck his second shot to eight feet on the par-5 18th and drained the eagle putt to finish off his 3-under 69.

“I think the eagle on (the) last helped me big time,” Rozner said. “I’m happy with my day overall. I didn’t produce my best golf of the week so far but I was always hanging in there. I managed to hole a couple putts on the back nine that were big for me.”

Two LIV Golf members, Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton, are in the mix heading into the final round. Niemann is 10 under and tied for fourth, while Hatton is 9 under and alone in sixth.

Sunday’s winner will earn $3 million and 2,000 Race to Dubai points.

Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton tied for lead at the DP World Tour Championship

McIlroy needs just an 11th-place finish to win the season-long race.

To win his third straight DP World Tour Race to Dubai title, Rory McIlroy needs just an 11th-place finish at this week’s DP World Tour Championship.

After the first day of play at Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth Course, it certainly appears the world’s third-ranked player won’t settle for a finish that low.

Showing off a revamped backswing he spent weeks working on, McIlroy kept his misses to a minimum in posting an opening-round 67 and is tied for the lead after the first day of the event with Tyrrell Hatton at 5 under.

Saying the course played a bit more difficult than in recent years, McIlroy had one bogey on the front but cleaned things up on the back with three birdies and no blemishes. He said the recent work he’s put in will help him in situations just like this one, where missing the fairway is truly punitive.

“I think it’s a little bit more consistency. I think my start lines will come in a little bit so even my misses will become a little bit better. I think the criticism of my game over the past 18 months is that the misses had become a little too wide and they were getting me into trouble,” McIlroy said. “So we’re not going to hit perfect golf shots all the time.

“But if you can minimize the misses and make sure that they’re not destructive, that’s always a good thing.”

Nicolai Hojgaard wins DP World Tour Championship, Rory McIlroy claims Race to Dubai

McIlroy now owns five Race to Dubai titles.

For the fifth time in his career and second year in a row, Rory McIlroy claimed the DP World Tour’s season-long Race to Dubai title. However, he wasn’t victorious this week as that honor went to his Ryder Cup teammate, Nicolai Hojgaard.

Hojgaard, who finished second at last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, closed with an 8-under 64 at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course that included a stretch of five straight birdies on the back nine – Nos. 13-17 – to beat Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Wallace and Viktor Hovland by two shots. This was the 22-year-old’s third DP World Tour title and first Rolex Series win.

“It means a lot. It’s the sweetest one,” he said. “It’s so much hard work been put in the last couple years, and this year has been a really good year if I look back on it, I feel like the only thing I need, was missing, was a win, and to get it this week, this field, is unbelievable.

“I mean, I can’t believe it’s just happened.”

McIlroy, who tied for 22nd at 10 under, sounded satisfied after winning yet another season-long title.

“It’s great. I think it shows my consistency year-to-year. I think over the last ten years, I think I’ve won eight season-long titles between America and between here, so it just shows my level of consistency,” he said. “I said to Harry on the last green, there’s a few guys that are able to beat me sort of one week or the next week but I don’t think there’s a lot of people that can beat me throughout the entire season.”

Mattieu Pavon, Jon Rahm and Thirston Lawerence rounded out the top five at 17 under.

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Matt Wallace shoots 60 at DP World Tour Championship, birdies every hole on back nine

“I mean, 60 out here, that’s ridiculous.”

It was a special round for Matt Wallace on Saturday at the DP World Tour Championship.

The 32-year-old from England shot 12-under 60 in the third round at the DP World Tour Championship, moving into the lead by one shot with 18 holes to play at Jumeirah Golf Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Wallace, who has four DP World Tour wins in his career, leads Viktor Hovland, the 2023 FedEx Cup champion, and Tommy Fleetwood by one shot.

Wallace’s round was special, marked by nine straight birdies on the back nine to shoot 27 and card a 60, the lowest round on the DP World Tour this season.

2023 DP World Tour Championship
Matt Wallace of England walks to the 18th green during Day Three of the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on November 18, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

“What a day, an amazing day,” Wallace said. “Just tried my hardest to get myself back into the tournament. I’m really happy that I’ve been able to do that. Played great.

“Again at the end, I didn’t even think there was a 59. Honestly I think it helped me a little bit. I just played nicely coming down the stretch, just keep getting one more if I could and I managed to do that.”

Wallace’s eagle chip on the 18th hole came up just short of the hole, however, a closing birdie to cap the stellar back nine was a feather in the cap of the best round of Wallace’s life. With a win Sunday, he would win his first Rolex Series title, even though Rory McIlroy has captured the Race to Dubai, the DP World Tour’s season-long points race, for the fifth time.

Hovland and Fleetwood matched 66s on Saturday, continuing their trend from the first two days after matching 69s and 66s the first two days.

Even the FedEx Cup champion was impressed with Wallace’s day.

“That’s ridiculous,” Hovland said. “You know, it played easier today, not a lot of wind. Greens were soft. But the greens are very grainy. It’s hard to make putts. On some of the pin locations, like 17, for example, I don’t know, that’s a tough one to get close to. So there is a lot of good pins. And yeah, I mean, 60 out here, that’s ridiculous.”

Before teeing off, Rory McIlroy meets up with the most famous athlete in the world you’ve likely never heard of

Tendulkar is huge on social media, with more than 39 million followers on X and another 44 million on Instagram.

It’s been a stretch for sports crossovers.

Jon Rahm recently threw out the first pitch at the World Series. Four PGA Tour stars teed it up with four F1 drivers in Las Vegas in the first-ever live golf event on Netflix. Ahead of the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic this week, some of those wacky Savannah Bananas participated in the pro-am as well as the 11th annual RSM Wiffle Ball Classic with some of the golfer’s wives.

Prior to his first round at the DP World Tour Championship, Rory McIlroy chopped it up with the most famous athlete in the world you’ve maybe never heard of.

OK, perhaps that’s a stretch but most Americans don’t follow the sport of cricket so maybe they don’t recognize the name Sachin Tendulkar, even though he’s a true legend in his own right. Considered the most prolific batsmen in his sport, Tendulkar is huge on social media, with more than 39 million followers on X and another 44 million on Instagram.

McIlroy gave Tendulkar a signed DP World Tour flag and got a wicket and India shirt signed by Tendulkar in return. They also posed for some photos.

McIlroy has already clinched the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai.

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Ryder Cupper Nicolai Hojgaard among leaders after first round of 2023 DP World Tour Championship

Catch up on the action here.

Rory McIlroy has already clinched the season-long Race to Dubai title, but there’s still hardware on the line this week at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

European Ryder Cupper Nicolai Hojgaard is tied for the lead at 5 under alongside Julien Guerrier and Matthieu Pavon. Guerrier and Pavon were bogey free on Thursday, while Hojgaard was 1 over through six holes before closing his round with six birdies over the final 12 holes.

“I played really well today,” Hojgaard said. “Drove it well from hole No. 1 to 18, even though it was a little bit of a circus on 18, felt really solid. Got on a run. You know there’s a few chances out there, so it’s just about keep hitting good shots and stay present, and I feel I did a good job today.”

Jens Dantorp, Antoine Rozner and Adrian Meronk are tied for fourth at 4 under while a group including Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Kim, Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre sit 3 under, T-7.

DP World Tour Championship: Leaderboard

McIlroy opened with a 1-under 71 that included an interesting fan interaction when his tee shot landed in a spectator’s lap.

World No. 3 Jon Rahm, who won this event last year, shot an even-par 72.

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Rory McIlroy playing TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver at DP World Tour Championship

Close-up images of Rory McIlroy’s TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver.

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As Golfweek reported on Monday, several new drivers were added to the USGA’s List of Conforming Driver Heads, including the yet-to-be-released TaylorMade Qi10 LS. While TaylorMade has not released any official information about the Qi10 LS, based on the USGA notes and images, we now see it has a sliding weight in the sole, a carbon fiber face and a sole geometry that is similar to the SIM, SIM 2, Stealth and Stealth 2 drivers.

On Tuesday, as Rory McIlroy was preparing for this week’s DP Tour World Championship in the United Arab Emirates, he said that while he wanted to win the tournament, it might serve as a great place to test the Qi10 LS in competition and that he was considering using it.

On Thursday, as he showed up on the first tee of the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Qi10 LS was under his familiar dog head cover. That gave on-site photographers a chance to take close-up photos of the driver and for us to try to get more details on it.

Here are some close-up looks of the TaylorMade Qi10 LS.

Jon Rahm wins third DP World Tour Championship; Rory McIlroy claims fourth season title

It was the Rahm and Rory show at the 2022 DP World Tour Championship.

It was the Rahm and Rory show at the 2022 DP World Tour Championship.

Jon Rahm shot a 5-under 67 on Sunday to win the tour’s season finale in Dubai at 20 under, two shots ahead of Tyrrell Hatton and Alex Noren. With the win, he becomes the first player to win the tour championship for a third time.

Rory McIlroy’s lucky number this week at Jumeirah Golf Estates was four, as in, he’s now been crowned European Number One four times. McIlroy closed with a 68 for a solo fourth-place finish and clinched the points race when Matt Fitzpatrick tied for fifth. McIlroy earns the Harry Vardon trophy as a result, something he also took home in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

“It’s been seven years I last did it. This is my fourth one but it’s been a while, I’ve won three FedEx Cups since the last time I won this and it means a lot,” he said.

Only Colin Montgomerie (eight) and Seve Ballesteros (six) have more Vardon trophies.

For Rahm, this win marks his ninth DP World Tour victory and third worldwide title in 2022.

“Hopefully, people can stop telling it has been a bad year,” he said.

Rahm began the day with a one-shot lead and started his final 18 with three straight birdies. He bogeyed the fourth but added birdies on Nos. 7, 13 and 15. He now has three wins and four top-5s at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course.

“I like this course and this course likes me. I hope this is the third of many more,” he said.

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Jon Rahm ‘maximized the round’ on moving day to take lead at 2022 DP World Tour Championship

The DP World Tour’s rankings prize is up for grabs.

Following Friday’s second round at the 2022 DP World Tour Championship, Jon Rahm felt as if he left a couple shots on the course during his 6-under performance.

On Saturday, his thoughts couldn’t have been more different.

“I don’t think I could have shot any lower today. Maximized the round,” Rahm said. “Wasn’t my best off the tee, but I was able to actually get some birdies out of some not so good situations. I didn’t hit any of the fairways on the par 5s and still played them 3-under par.”

Rahm fired a 7-under 65 on moving day to nab the lead at 15 under for the tournament heading into the final round. He trailed 36-hole leaders Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton by four shots before the third round, but now those two are chasing the Spaniard.

Ranked fifth in the world, Rahm had seven birdies and no bogeys at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Saturday. He leads Fitzpatrick, who shot 2 under, by one and Alex Noren by two. Hatton and Rory McIlroy are T-4 at 12 under, three back. McIlroy matched Rahm with a 7-under performance.

As it stands, McIlroy is projected to win the DP World Tour points standings. There remains plenty of fluidity in the points race with 18 holes to go, but it’s clear what McIlroy’s goal is.

“It’s really cool, I’ve got to this stage in the game over 15 years as a pro, and I’m still trying to do things for the first time,” McIlroy said. “I’ve never won the FedEx Cup and this tour’s rankings in the same year, so it would be really nice.

“It’s been a wonderful year. I’ve played some really, really great golf and really consistent golf. If I’m able to go out there tomorrow and shoot a good score and get the job done, it would be a really nice way to end what’s been a great year.”

Fitzpatrick, projected second in the standings, could nab the title with a victory as long as McIlroy doesn’t finish solo second.

However, those two are both chasing Rahm heading to Sunday in Dubai.

“I’m hoping come tomorrow I can be a little better off the tee, and still keep the good iron play and good putting going,” Rahm said.

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