Rory McIlroy didn’t eclipse Matt Fitzpatrick at the DP World Tour Championship on Sunday, but he did claim the Race to Dubai, moving him out of a tie with Seve Ballesteros.
This is McIlroy’s seventh season-long title — fourth consecutively — and he is now alone in second on the DP World Tour’s list, one back of Colin Montgomerie.
The Race to Dubai is a points-based standing for DP World Tour members which includes all tour events as well as the four majors championships. It began in 2009, replacing the Order of Merit (money list) as the way to determine a season-long champion.
In what was formerly known as the European Tour, Montgomerie won seven straight Order of Merit crowns, from 1993-99. He add an eighth in 2005.
McIlroy’s first RTD triumph came in 2012. He won back-to-back in 2014-15, and now has four in a row.
Ballesteros spread out his six from 1976 to 1991.
“I want it, of course I do,” McIlroy said of the Race to Dubai record. “I caught up with Monty this week when he was here a couple days ago. … Look, it seems within touching distance now. I’d love to be the winningest European in terms of Order of Merits and season-long races.
“You know, I’ve probably got a few more good years left in me, and hopefully, I can catch him and surpass him.”
Here’s a list of the most Race to Dubai/Order of Merit victories, dating to the European Tour’s beginning in 1972, including all those with multiple wins:
8 — Colin Montgomerie
7 — Rory McIlroy
6 — Seve Ballesteros
3 — Lee Westwood
3 — Sandy Lyle
2 — Bernhard Langer
2 — Nick Faldo
2 — Retief Goosen
2 — Ernie Els
2 — Henrik Stenson