Rory McIlroy ends the year as the European Number One as Jon Rahm wins his third DP World Tour Championship title in Dubai, Sunday.
Rahm finished 20 under ahead of Tyler Hatton and Alex Noren. McIlroy takes the fourth spot with four u under 68.
“It feels like a long time since I lifted that trophy,” McIlroy said in an interview with Sky Sports. “It’s been seven years and it feels just as good as I can remember.”
McIlroy’s only rival for the top spot was Matt Fitzpatrick of England. Fitzpatrick would have needed to win and have McIlroy finish second if he was to take the No.1 spot from the Northern Irishman.
Aside from being Number 1 this season, McIlroy also becomes the second player to win the FedEx Cup and the Race to Dubai titles in one season. The first player to do it was Henrik Stenson back in 2013.
McIlroy congratulated Rahm on his win, saying: “It would have been nice to get one win in there at the end of the year but Jon played an incredible tournament and fully deserved it.”
“I would like to say I am right up there in the best players in the world - but he is right up there with me.”
This is the third world title for Rahm this year and he jokingly said: “Hopefully, people can stop telling it has been a bad year.”
“I like this course and this course likes me. I hope this is the third of many more,” he added.
