Rory McIlroy secured a dramatic victory at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, fending off Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard to claim his sixth Race to Dubai title.
The Northern Irishman finished on 15 under par at Jumeirah Golf Estates, two strokes ahead of Hojgaard, after carding a three-under-par 69 in the final round.
McIlroy's Race to Dubai triumph was confirmed during his round when closest rival Thriston Lawrence, who needed a tournament win to stay in contention, completed his campaign at one under par.
The South African will still receive a big payday after finishing runner-up in the season-long rankings, capping off a consistent and impressive campaign.
This marks McIlroy's third consecutive year topping the tour's season rankings and his sixth overall, equaling the record set by Seve Ballesteros.
"Everyone knows what Seve means to European golf and Ryder Cup players," an emotional McIlroy said after sealing the victory.
"The European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes from 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."
Starting the final round in a three-way tie for the lead, Rory McIlroy quickly surged ahead with four birdies in his first five holes, opening up a two-shot gap over Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard.
However, bogeys on the ninth and 13th allowed Hojgaard to catch up, setting up a tense battle over the final four holes.
Under mounting pressure, McIlroy delivered a masterclass on the 16th, producing a spectacular approach shot that set up a birdie putt. The bold, aggressive play - sometimes his undoing in the past - proved decisive, giving him a one-stroke lead with two holes to play.
Hojgaard, needing to respond, narrowly missed a birdie putt on the 18th, easing the pressure on McIlroy. The Northern Irishman capitalized, sinking his own birdie putt to clinch the win.
While McIlroy celebrated another Race to Dubai title, his wait for another major trophy continues. Earlier this year, he came unstuck in the final round of the US Open, losing by a single stroke to Bryson DeChambeau after collapsing down the stretch to extend his major drought to over a decade.
"I've been through a lot this year, professionally, personally and it feels like the fitting end to 2024," McIlroy added.
"I've persevered this year a lot, had close calls, wasn't able to get it done, so to be able to get over the line... I'm really pleased with the way I finished and thankfully I hung on on a tough day and got the job done."
