Matt Fitzpatrick Wins Third DP World Tour Championship In Play-off Against Race To Dubai Champion Rory McIlroy

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the DP World Tour Championship final round.

Currently, Rory McIlroy leads by two strokes on 18-under at the Earth Course and is odds on to lift both the DP World Tour Championship title and the Race To Dubai.

He is under severe pressure from many of his Ryder Cup teammates, though, and is needing to keeping the gas pedal pressed to the floor coming in.

Meanwhile, away from the top of the leaderboard, there are 10 PGA Tour cards to be handed out once the dust settles, and many of those fighting it out for one are beginning to finish their weeks.

Over the next few hours, we will bring you all of the key updates from the closing holes of the DP World Tour Championship as well as what it all means from a wider context.

Thank you for tuning in!

CANTER CATCHING UP

Laurie Canter makes light work of the 14th and drains a long-range birdie putt to move within one of McIlroy, who is now struggling for par at the 12th as a result of a clumsy approach and return chip...

Elsewhere, Aberg looks set to join Canter on -17 at the 15th hole and Fleetwood has just moved to 16-under via a stunning approach into the 14th.

ROSE CAN'T BELIEVE IT

At the 15th, Rose pushes a lovely-looking putt towards the hole but it just wiggles left at the last minute and stays up. The Englishman, aghast at what occurred, throws his putter up into the air in front of him and it bumps down into the turf. He stays at 15-under.

MCILROY DROPS BACK

McIlroy's attempted par save at the 12th dribbles by the left edge and he falls back to 17-under, alongside Canter, who is now tackling the par-4 15th.

BOUNCE-BACK CHANCE

McIlroy had hit nine of 12 greens in regulation before stepping up to the par-3 13th. Make it 10/13 now after his ball just creeps on to the front-right corner, not far from where the flag is located.

The Race To Dubai's champion-elect should have a good chance to recover the shot he recently gave away.

OVER-BORROWED

McIlroy will have to make do with a par at the 13th. He over-borrowed on the right side and it never really had a chance.

Luckily for the Northern Irishman, Canter is unable to make birdie at the 15th and Aberg is in a bit of bother in the right rough on 16. Holes are running out now for the challengers...

LOWRY FROM DOWN TOWN

Shane Lowry hasn't enjoyed his best day, but the Irishman ends the 2025 DP World Tour Championship with an absolute monster eagle putt. That sees him finish on 13-under, which may be enough for a top-10 still...

PGA TOUR CARDS

Away from the lead of this tournament for a moment, Keita Nakajima has secured his dual-status for next season via a closing birdie. The Japanese pro is projected to finish 14th in the Race To Dubai, one place in front of Jordan Smith.

The Englishman missed out on PGA Tour starts in cruel fashion 12 months ago, but it looks as though he will finally gain his chance after another incredibly consistent year. Congratulations to both!

FITZPATRICK CLOSING IN

A lot of people had tipped Fitzpatrick to do well in Abu Dhabi last week (myself included) but he didn't quite live up to expectations. However, the Englishman is flying in Dubai and is now two strokes back of the co-leaders following a birdie at the par-5 14th. This leaderboard is absolutely incredible!

HOW IS YOUR LUCK?

Canter slightly pulled his drive at the 16th and shouted 'fore left' as his golf ball headed towards the fans. But instead of hitting a person, Canter's ball clipped the incredibly thin metal stick that holds the rope up and deflected back in towards the fairway. It didn't quite reach the fairway, but it still ended in the first cut which is a great result all things considered.

DISAPPOINTING PAR

Despite the aforementioned luck, Canter is unable to benefit via a birdie at the 16th. His birdie try curled firmly from right to left from 10 feet, but he just didn't hit the ball hard enough and it tamely came to a halt short and left. He has two holes left to set McIlroy a daunting target.

MASSIVE EAGLE

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen has not enjoyed a good day so far, but the Dane holes a rare eagle at the par-5 14th to launch himself back in the right direction on one-under. He is projected into 20th on the Race To Dubai, so he still needs to gain a few places if he is to snatch one of the final PGA Tour cards for next year.

FITZPATRICK INTO A SHARE

What was only recently a two-stroke lead for Rory McIlroy has turned into a three-way tie alongside Laurie Canter and Fitzpatrick. The latter has just birdied the par-4 15th while McIlroy is facing a stiff task to escape the awkward 15th with a par.

FINAL-GROUP BIRDIE

McIlroy needed to take a line-of-sight drop down the left of 15, but he was still in the rough and facing a really tough approach. The Northern Irishman was nervous as the ball was in the air, but it just clambered onto the putting surface.

It rolled out to 25-30 feet, but that was still a good result given the position he was in. It won't be a birdie for McIlroy, but a par is not the worst result on that hole.

Meanwhile, his playing partner Neergaard-Petersen has gone eagle-birdie courtesy of a brilliant approach from the right side of the fairway. He clipped a delicate chip just past the flag and made it bite immediately - consequently setting up the gain.

TRIO MISS OUT

Canter and Fleetwood both make a three at the par-3 17th. Both had outside looks, but a par was always the most likely scenario. At the 16th, Fitzpatrick sent a beautiful putt down the slope and it looked for all the world as if it would drop, only to slam the brakes on an inch or two out. No change at the top.

FOUR-WAY TIE

Ludvig Aberg becomes the latest player to reach 17-under after a wonderful chip from off the left side of the 18th green. The Swede signs for a 66 to set the clubhouse target.

Meanwhile, Justin Rose has endured something of a horror show to close. He bogeyed the 17th despite a brilliant recovery up the slope and has double-bogeyed the 18th to drop outside of the top-10.

MCILROY MAKING HARD WORK OF IT

Off the tee at the 16th, McIlroy found the centre fairway bunker. From there, he shoved one dangerously close to the water down the right, only for it to hold up in the rough. His chip is on the green, but it looks extremely likely that McIlroy will drop out of the four-way tie now.

FLEETWOOD EAGLE TRY

Fleetwood plays the 18th in near-perfect style, hammering a sweet drive down the middle and firing on the green in two. But his eagle putt just dribbles on by the left from 40 feet or so and he will become the latest member of the 17-under club. The party is up to four members again.

Meanwhile, Canter can't quite force his own birdie try to drop and he will hope for a playoff.

BIRDIE LOOK

At the par-3 17th, Neergaard-Petersen is near guaranteed a birdie thanks to a brilliant approach which dropped a matter of feet away. What could that do for his chances of securing a PGA Tour card?

Shortly after, McIlroy's own tee shot probably looked fantastic in the air, only to hit the downslope and tail back some 20 feet away. Still, it's a chance for a birdie.

FITZPATRICK PLAYS CONSERVATIVE

In the best position to win this week, Fitzpatrick takes out a 3-wood on 18 but doesn't quite catch it as he'd like. It's safe, but a good way back down the fairway, so that will be a massive hit to reach. The Englishman is perfectly capable, though.

HARD LIP OUT

Ohh, it looked so good for such a long way, but McIlroy's birdie try at the 17th slams into the left edge of the hole and whips around to the right before staying up. That is tough. McIlroy will need to make something happen down the par-5 18th now.

Meanwhile, Neergaard-Petersen tidies up for birdie and he looks good for the last PGA Tour card if he can make par or better at the last!

FRUSTRATING WAIT

Angel Ayora has dunked his ball in the water near the 18th green, and it's causing a frustrating hold-up for the final two groups behind. Fitzpatrick is in the middle of the fairway knowing a birdie might well close this tournament out while McIlroy is back on the tee knowing he has almost 600 yard between him and a possible double victory today.

TRAFFIC CLEARING

After a long wait and awkward drop for the Spaniard, Ayora makes a closing bogey and Hatton pars the 18th. They clear the way and Fitzpatrick can now finally take aim...

UP AND DOWN FOR THE WIN?

With 274 yards to the pin, Fitzpatrick unleashes one but pushes it slightly down the right side. His ball comes to rest in the rough just before the first bunker, but the lie looks decent. Should he be able to get up and down from there, the DP World Tour Championship title might well be his. Otherwise, we could be in for a stellar playoff.

BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG MOMENT

McIlroy knows he needs a birdie at the very least to force a playoff, but his drive suggests he's going for it all with the Race To Dubai title in the bag already. The five-time Major winner rockets his drive onto the right fairway and he will have a very good look at the green in two.

Up ahead, Fitzpatrick has chipped to within six feet and will have a putt for the clubhouse lead - possibly the win...

FITZPATRICK TAKES THE LEAD AT THE LAST

What a putt from Matt Fitzpatrick! He birdies the last to sign for a bogey-free 66 and reach 18-under. The news has reached the driving range, where Fleetwood, Canter and Aberg were staying loose. You won't be needed, fellas. It's down to Fitzpatrick and McIlroy now...

MCILROY WILL HAVE PUTT TO TIE

McIlroy has set up the chance to force a playoff! This is so cool. He has 235 yards to go, and he hoisted one miles up into the air before letting it fall gently into the heart of the green. It's inside Neergaard-Petersen's ball at about 20 feet, so the Race To Dubai winner will have a teach. Can he make the most of it? We're about to find out...

NEERGAARD-PETERSEN BIRDIES THE LAST

It's a great eagle try from the Dane, but his try won't come back in time and he will have to make do with a birdie that secures a PGA Tour card - I believe at the expense of Daniel Brown.

Now, over to McIlroy...

HE'S DONE IT

Rory McIlroy has done it! You just knew that was going to happen! The Northern Irishman forces a playoff thanks to a stunning eagle putt at the 72nd hole.

McIlroy and Fitzpatrick will go back down 18 to decide the DP World Tour Championship!

PLAYOFF UNDERWAY

Fitzpatrick will go first after drawing the correct tee. Once again, he takes 3-wood out but this time he's found the left rough. The lie is OK, but that's still probably a lay-up.

MCILROY IN THE WATER

Following up with driver, McIlroy has drawn his tee shot into the penalty area! The ball did bounce before it landed past the red stakes, but he will be playing three from there and that means his chances of victory have slimmed considerably.

CLOSE CALL

Oh, goodness me. Fitzpatrick takes out an iron and tries to lay up further down the hole, but he only just makes it over the stream which cuts through the heart of the 18th. He is in the fairway, though, and this looks like a full wedge into a 10mph wind.

IN THE SAND

McIlroy takes out 5-wood once again from 234 yards - one yard closer than regulation - but pushes it into the huge bunker on the right of the green. Advantage is with Fitzpatrick now.

WIDE RIGHT

What is going on here? Fitzpatrick shoves his approach to the very right edge of the green and it rolls back off into a little collection area. That's two-putt or chip-and-putt territory, so McIlroy might not be out of this after all...

NOT ENOUGH

McIlroy was trying to thump his ball into the ridge which runs all the way across the 18th green and watch it release down to the hole, but he just caught it a hair too heavy and it gets stuck on top. That's a tough par putt from there.

ONE HAND ON THE TROPHY

Fitzpatrick does what McIlroy wanted to do and nudge his ball onto the ridge before watching it roll down to the hole's side. That's a tap-in par for the title.

Over to McIlroy... Surely he can't do it again, can he?

SHORT

McIlroy nudges his ball right down towards the hole, but it comes up painfully short and Matt Fitzpatrick will claim the season-ending tournament!

MATT FITZPATRICK WINS DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Fitzpatrick wins the 2025 DP World Tour Championship via a par five on the first hole of the sudden-death playoff! The Englishman has now won three DP World Tour Championships and denies Rory McIlroy a double victory in Dubai!

RORY MCILROY WINS RACE TO DUBAI

Although it wasn't the end result he was looking for in Dubai, McIlroy was consoled in the knowledge he is now solo second on the all-time list of European Tour Order of Merit titles.

McIlroy's seventh success takes him past Seve Ballesteros and within one of Colin Montgomerie.

HEAR FROM THE CHAMPION

"I DIDN'T GET THIS FAR IN MY DREAMS"

Speaking about his year-long success, McIlroy admitted "I didn't get this far in my dreams" and expressed he is still hungry to surpass Montgomerie at the top of the European Tour's all-time list.

After being asked how it felt to surpass Ballesteros' number of Order of Merit titles, McIlroy said: "I had a chat with his wife, Carmen, before I went out to play today, and she told me how proud he would have been.

"You know, I said this on this green last year, he means so much to this tour and to the European Ryder Cup Team. We rally so much around his spirit and his quotes and everything he meant for European golf.

"To equal him last year was cool but to surpass him this year, yeah, I didn't get this far in my dreams, so it's very cool."