How Many Times Has Rory McIlroy Won In Dubai?

Rory McIlroy has had a long-standing love affair with Dubai.

Not only did he previously have a home there, but, at least in recent years, seemingly every time he tees it up in the United Arab Emirates city, he either wins or is in serious contention, but how many times has he won there?

The city was the scene of McIlroy’s first win in the professional game, back in 2009.

The tournament was the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club, and he was a 19-year-old up against a man a decade his senior, Justin Rose.

McIlroy appeared to be cruising to the title, too, leading by six with the same number of holes remaining before three bogeys pegged him back and Rose closed the gap to one on his playing partner.

Despite the wobble, McIlroy held on to become the seventh youngest winner on the European Tour.

Three years later, McIlroy won again in the city, on that occasion at the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course.

By that stage, McIlroy was well on the way to cementing his reputation as one of the best players of his generation and had two Major titles under his belt.

He capped a glorious season by beating Rose again, this time by two, as he wrapped up his first Race to Dubai title, too.

It was another three years until McIlroy triumphed in Dubai for the third time, at the 2015 Dubai Desert Classic.

Once again, the tournament took place at Emirates Golf Club, where he took the title in style, with a 22 under 266 matching the lowest in the history of the tournament as he swatted away the challenge of Alex Noren by three.

"I never even thought of winning, Rory’s playing so good," said Noren.

Towards the end of the year, McIlroy won in Dubai again, and for the second time at the DP World Tour Championship.

He shot a six-under final round of 66 to beat overnight leader Andy Sullivan by one, and in doing so, clinched his third Race to Dubai title in four years, having also won the season-long contest in 2014.

Afterwards, McIlroy said: “It's the best way to finish 2015 and I can't wait for next year.”

The next 12 months duly brought McIlroy more wins, including an event with Dubai in the name – the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open – but it would be some time until he triumphed in the city again.

That had to wait until the end of January 2023 at the Dubai Desert Classic.

The week began controversially, when McIlroy ignored Patrick Reed's attempt to greet him on the driving range, with the LIV Golfer reacting by tossing a tee in his direction.

McIlroy later explained that he'd blanked the American because he was subpoenaed by Reed's lawyer on Christmas Eve.

With the controversy of "teegate" still the talk of golf, McIlroy got down to the business of claiming his third Dubai Desert Classic title. The player he edged out by one at Emirates Golf Club? Who else but Reed?

A year later, McIlroy won in the city for the sixth time in his career when he successfully defended his Dubai Desert Classic title.

On that occasion, there was none of the controversy that had dominated the previous edition as McIlroy beat Adrian Meronk by one.

McIlroy was also the defending Race to Dubai champion that year, having claimed his fourth and fifth titles in 2022 and 2023.

That became six Race to Dubai titles in November 2024, after McIlroy won in the city yet again, and for the third time at the DP World Tour Championship, beating Rasmus Hojgaard by two.

While that brought up the seventh time McIlroy has won in Dubai, it could have been even more, but for some notable close calls.

One came in 2022, when, at the Dubai Desert Classic, he needed a birdie to win the event on the 72nd hole. He took the high-risk option of a 260-yard carry over water only to find it. From closing in on what looked like a playoff at worst, he finished third.

He also came close to winning the inaugural Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort in 2024, but he had to settle for a T2 with Thriston Lawrence as Tommy Fleetwood claimed the title.

Even with those near misses, the fact remains that McIlroy and Dubai go together like a hand in a perfectly fitted golf glove, and there's no sign of that ending anytime soon.

After the 2024 DP World Tour Championship, he said: “I’ve really made it a priority of my schedule over the last few years to give myself the best chance coming into the end of the year to win the Race to Dubai. I don’t see that being any different for the foreseeable future."

With one round to play of the 2025 DP World Tour Championship, McIlroy was at the top of the leaderboard again, alongside Rasmus Neergaard Petersen, as he closed in on his seventh Race to Dubai title.

Meanwhile, he will also begin 2026 with two more tournaments in the city, the Dubai Invitational and the Dubai Desert Classic, with the prospect of more titles appearing all but inevitable.

Rory McIlroy Title Wins In Dubai