Fitzpatrick wins DP World Tour Championship; McIlroy wins 7th Race to Dubai

A dramatic finale to the 2025 DP World Tour season came to a close in Dubai on Sunday. The DP World Tour Championship offered a thrilling showdown at Jumeirah Golf Estates, which was only decided in a play-off. In the end, England's Matt Fitzpatrick triumphed with a Par on the first extra hole against his Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy.

Although McIlroy was the runner-up in the individual standings, he was crowned champion of the season with his second place and won the Race to Dubai for the seventh time.

Here you can find the complete leaderboard of the DP World Tour Championship.

DP World Tour Championship: Drama on the 18th hole

The decision for the title in Dubai culminated in a play-off between two of the best players in Europe. Matt Fitzpatrick started the final day one shot behind, but played an impressive bogey-free round of 66 to take the clubhouse lead with a total score of 18 under Par. His strong finish with three Birdies on the last five holes put the 2022 US Open champion in pole position.

The Englishman was overjoyed after the win, especially in view of his season's development: "It means the world. I was obviously struggling at the start of the year, and then to turn it around in the summer like I did and play a Ryder Cup like this... the Ryder Cup in particular, it feels hard to beat given everything."

On the quality of his final round, Fitzpatrick emphasized, "But the way I played today, I feel like I really didn't hit a bad shot all day. I'm so proud of myself, the effort everyone put in behind the scenes. Yes, what a feeling. What a feeling."

McIlroy's spectacular finish and the decider

Rory McIlroy, who led by two shots at one point, had to make up ground on the final holes but came back to produce a spectacular finish. The Northern Irishman needed an Eagle on the Par-5 18th hole in the regular round to catch up with Fitzpatrick - and he delivered. He holed the eagle with a 15-foot Putt and forced the play-off, a scene that Fitzpatrick commented on from the scoring tent: "Of course you think that. He's probably one of the few guys where you know it's going to the Players [if he plays the hole]."

But the momentum quickly shifted: on the first Players hole, McIlroy hit his tee shot into a water hazard, which earned him a Bogey. Fitzpatrick made the most of the opportunity, played Par and secured his third title at the DP World Tour Championship (after 2016 and 2020) and his 10th victory on Tour in total.

Race to Dubai ranking: McIlroy overtakes Seven

Despite the defeat in the Players, Rory McIlroy had every reason to celebrate: his second place was enough for him to win the season ranking, the Race to Dubai, for the seventh time. With this success, the Northern Irishman surpasses the six titles of the legendary Severiano Ballesteros and cements his status as one of the most successful European golfers of all time.

The victory caps an outstanding 2025 season, which included a career Grand Slam at the Masters, the Irish Open and a crucial part in Europe's historic away victory at the Ryder Cup. When asked how it felt to beat Ballesteros, McIlroy was visibly moved: "It's amazing. I had a chat with his wife, Carmen, before the start today and she told me how proud he would have been. ... To surpass him this year, yeah, I never got this far in my dreams, so it's very cool."

The hunt for Collin Montgomerie

His next goal is now clearly defined: The record of eight titles held by Colin Montgomerie. "I want it, of course I want it. ... It seems to be within reach now. I'd love to be the most successful European in terms of Order of Merit wins and seasonal races."

PGA Tour cards: Penge secures second place

While Fitzpatrick and McIlroy were at the top of the tournament, other players were fighting for their places in the season finale. England's Marco Penge finished the season in second place on the Race to Dubai leaderboard, just behind McIlroy.

This success was crucial as it secures Penge one of the ten coveted PGA Tour cards for next season as part of the strategic alliance between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. Fitzpatrick's victory saw him climb to third place in the annual standings. Ludvig Åberg, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and England's Tommy Fleetwood and Laurie Canter finished in a tie for third place in the DP World Tour Championship.