Tearful McIlroy dedicates record-equalling win to ill dad
- DP World Tour Championship final leaderboard:
- -15: Hatton (Eng), McIlroy (NI)
- -8: Chacarra (Spa), Lindell (Fin)
- -7: Olesen (Den), Reitan (Nor), Laporta (Ita), Lindberg (Swe), Perez (Fra)
- -4: Wallace (Eng)
- -3: Rahm (Spa), Schaper (SA)
- Level: Fleetwwod (Eng), Reed (US), Fox (NZ)
- +1: Rai (Eng)
Rory McIlroy wiped away tears as he dedicated his eighth Race to Dubai victory to his ill father, Gerry. Moments after matching Colin Montgomerie's record of season-long European tour titles on Sunday, the Northern Irishman was asked about Gerry's health. An emotional McIlroy revealed Gerry has been in hospital for two months after "a huge operation" – a double lung transplant – at the end of September.
"He's recovering well, thankfully," McIlroy told the DP World Tour. "But before I left to come here to the Middle East, I went up to Cleveland to see him. He said to me: 'Go win The Race to Dubai'. This one's for him."
It followed a thrilling climax at the traditional season-ending DP World Tour Championship, where Tyrrell Hatton secured a commanding victory, while McIlroy pipped Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra to the overall crown.
Hatton's closing six-under-par 66 helped him romp to a five-shot victory on 15 under par, but most eyes were on the thrilling battle that went down to the final hole.
This is the fifth successive year that McIlroy has won the award and it has drawn him level with Montgomerie, the Scot who set a mark 21 years ago that few thought would ever be matched.
"Yeah, double digits," smiled McIlroy when asked what his final target of Race to Dubai victories would be. "I'd love to surpass Monty next year and we'll go from there."
McIlroy's confidence, along with a bold target shouted out by the fans surrounding the 18th green at the Earth Course in Dubai on Sunday, was refreshing to hear. After Jon Rahm's victory in Abu Dhabi last week, fellow former LIV Golf member Hatton showed his class with a five-shot success at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Despite admitting to being "weirdly nervous" earlier in the week, Hatton appeared serene on Sunday. In the final group and knowing he couldn't win the overall Race to Dubai title, he was detached enough to block out the scramble as he strolled to his ninth DP World Tour victory, even asking an on-course reporter who was going to win as he walked from the 17th green to 18th tee.
The battle between Chacarra and McIlroy dominated the tournament, coming down to the wire after a long hard season. Both players knew victory would win them the title, and there were numerous permutations for finishing second, third, or below.
At one point, just one-tenth of a point separated the pair, but a late surge from Northern Ireland's McIlroy allowed him to finish runner-up behind England's Hatton in the tournament and collect enough points to edge out the gutsy Spaniard, Chacarra.