Rory McIlroy makes Race to Dubai history as Tyrrell Hatton storms to DP World Tour Championship victory
McIlroy matches Colin Montgomerie’s all-time record after a bogey-free 67 in Dubai, while Hatton delivers a stunning final-round 66 to claim the DP World Tour Championship by five shots.
Rory McIlroy made further DP World Tour history after securing a joint-record eighth Race to Dubai title, while Tyrrell Hatton produced a dominant final-round display to win the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
McIlroy held off long-time Race to Dubai leader Eugenio Chacarra to claim the season-long crown, matching Colin Montgomerie’s longstanding record of eight European Tour Order of Merit titles.
The Northern Irishman also secured his fifth consecutive Harry Vardon Trophy, further cementing his status as one of the greatest golfers in European history. Montgomerie won seven Order of Merit titles in a row from 1993 to 1999.
Although the grand slam champion recorded just one DP World Tour victory during the 2026 season, it proved to be a significant one. His successful defence of The Masters in April saw him become only the fourth player in history to retain the Green Jacket at Augusta National.
The 37-year-old also finished solo second at the DP World Tour Championship, closing with a bogey-free 67 to finish five shots behind Hatton on 10-under-par.
Chacarra certainly made McIlroy work hard for it, with the Spaniard finishing in a tie for third alongside Oliver Lindell on 8-under par.
McIlroy earned $2 million for winning the Race to Dubai, with Chacarra collecting $1 million for finishing runner-up in the season-long standings.
Meanwhile, Hatton captured the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, delivering a commanding performance on the Earth Course.
The Englishman entered the final round with a one-shot advantage before producing a superb 6-under 66 to finish at 15-under par and secure a five-shot victory.
The triumph marked Hatton’s first DP World Tour Championship title following several near misses in previous editions. It also saw the 35-year-old secure a ninth DP World Tour title and also match former LIV Golf teammate Jon Rahm’s record of six Rolex Series victories.
"This is really special," said Hatton, who took full command of the tournament with four birdies in the space of five holes from the 10th.
"I was really nervous today. I didn't tell my team. I've had a bit of heartbreak around here, thought it would be a difficult day, but the putter was amazing and it saved me all week.
Hatton, who finished runner-up behind Rahm in Abu Dhabi last week, added: "It's an important time to try and earn Ryder Cup points. This helps a lot. I want to be on that team in a year's time. The last two weeks have been great and I will certainly enjoy Christmas now."
Hatton’s tournament win banked him a lucrative $3 million first prize, while his third-place finish in the Race to Dubai standings added a further $750,000 to his earnings.
With McIlroy matching Montgomerie’s historic record and Hatton delivering a statement victory in Dubai, the 2026 DP World Tour season concluded with two major milestones for European golf.
DP World Tour Championship 2026 – Final Leaderboard
Position | Player | Final Round | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tyrrell Hatton | 66 | -15 |
2 | Rory McIlroy | 67 | -10 |
T3 | Oliver Lindell | 65 | -8 |
T3 | Eugenio Chacarra | 69 | -8 |
T5 | Jacob Skov Olesen | 68 | -7 |
T5 | Kristoffer Reitan | 69 | -7 |
T5 | Francesco Laporta | 70 | -7 |
T5 | Mikael Lindberg | 71 | -7 |
T5 | Victor Perez | 73 | -7 |
Race to Dubai 2026 – Final Standings
Position | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
1 | Rory McIlroy | 5,044.86 |
2 | Eugenio Chacarra | 4,798.29 |
3 | Tyrrell Hatton | 3,996.53 |
4 | Patrick Reed | 3,627.26 |
5 | Casey Jarvis | 2,956.58 |
Andy Roberts first joined GolfMagic on a month's work experience back in April 2011.
Andy then assumed the role of GolfMagic Editor in 2015.
Latest News
