Mcilroy hangs on to win a second Dubai Double

Rory McIlroy wrapped up his second ‘Dubai Double’ in four years as he saw off the challenge of England’s Andy Sullivan to win the US$8 million DP World Tour Championship at the Earth course, Jumeirah Golf Estates by one shot and with it the season-long Race to Dubai title.

McIlroy went into the final day trailing Sullivan by one stroke and quickly slipped three behind as the Englishman got off to a flying start.

But the Northern Irishman was relentless in his pursuit of a title that would guarantee he retained his Race to Dubai crown and he produced a virtuoso display in a final round six under 66, to finish on 21 under par 267, which was enough to reel in Sullivan whose four under 68 saw him finish one shot adrift.

“It’s a fantastic way to finish the season – winning my second DP World Tour Championship and my third Race to Dubai in four years,” said McIlroy. “I didn’t think Andy was ever going to miss – every time I holed a birdie, he matched it. He’s a terrific performer and I had to give it everything to win.

“He played phenomenal golf all week but then you don’t win three times in a season without being a great player. I got to the turn in three-under yet I wasn’t making up any ground. The birdies on the 14th and 15th were definitely a turning point and I managed to get myself out of a hole with the bogey on 17.”

Described by McIlroy as “the best bogey of my career”, the bogey four after finding water on the par three 17th came courtesy of draining a 35ft putt that ensured him a one-shot lead going up the last. For Sullivan, it was a case of ‘hopes dashed’ and proof he was playing against one of the best in the world.

“Being the class performer Rory is, I had to birdie 14 and 15 just stay with him and parring both left me just that little bit too much to do,” smiled Sullivan. “On the 17th, I thought I’ve got a chance. But Rory got a good read on my first putt and I turned to my caddie and said: “I expect him to hole this.” That’s just the quality he is and the world-class performer he is.”

For Sullivan second place guaranteed the largest cheque of his career (US$888,880) and a career-best overall placing of eighth in The Race to Dubai.

“Maybe one shot better and I’d have taken him to a play-off,” he added. “But it was an awesome day and I gave it everything on the front nine. I just couldn’t quite get the putts to drop on the back nine. Just to come up head-to-head with someone of Rory’s quality was absolutely awesome and something that will stick with me for a long time.”

McIlroy’s latest victory – his 12th on The European Tour – continued his love affair with Dubai, the city where he won his first European Tour title back in 2009. And after picking up more than US$2.5 million in prize-money and Bonus Pool earnings, the European Number One will enjoy a well earned eight-week break before picking up his clubs again in Dubai in January.

“My aim was to come here to win The Race to Dubai title and try and win this tournament again,” he said. “The money doesn’t motivate me the way trophies do. I’m not saying that money’s not important. It obviously is. But there are more things important to me and one is collecting trophies, putting tournaments on my resume and I was able to do that this week.”

Danny Willett, McIlroy’s main rival for The Race to Dubai crown going into the final event of the season, made an early charge before the Englishman bogeyed two of his last three holes to drop to 13 under and a share of fourth, with South Africa’s Branden Grace – who closed with a 67 – securing third on his own at 15 under.
 
One of the shots of the day came from Italy’s Francesco Molinari who provided the only hole-in-one of the week when he holed his seven-iron tee shot on the 17-yard par three sixth – the 46th and last hole-in-one of The European Tour season. It helped the Italian to a round of four under 68 and a tie for fourth place alongside Willett, Byeong Hun An, Emiliano Grillo, Charl Schwartzel and Matthew Fitzpatrick on 13 under par 271.
 
The 2015 DP World Tour Championship witnessed a record 65,280 people flocking to Jumeirah Golf Estates to enjoy what has become one of best loved sporting and social events on the calendar.