Rory McIlroy Seeking Seve Ballesteros Record At Race To Dubai Finale
McIlroy has been confirmed for the DP World Tour Championship, where he'll aim to match Seve Ballesteros' record of six Order of Merit titles


Rory McIlroy's participation in the DP World Tour Championship has been confirmed, where the World No.3 will aim to win his sixth Race to Dubai title to equal Seve Ballesteros' total of six European Tour Order of Merit triumphs.
McIlroy, who won the Race to Dubai in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023, won the DP World Tour Championship in 2012 and 2015. He'll return to Jumeriah Golf Estates in November aiming to win it for the third time.
He has one win on the DP World Tour so far this year after successfully defending the Dubai Desert Classic in January.
McIlroy won his fourth Dubai Desert Classic title and second in a row in January
He also has two wins on the PGA Tour this year, coming at the Zurich Classic with Shane Lowry as well as the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow.
McIlroy will tee it up in next week's Irish Open and then at Wentworth in two weeks' time at the BMW PGA Championship before playing with his dad at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
He is also confirmed for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship the week before the DP World Tour Championship, which are both part of the DP World Tour Play-offs. The top 70 in the Race to Dubai qualify for Abu Dhabi, with just the top 50 moving on to the Dubai finale.
McIlroy has been on top of the Race to Dubai since January and currently leads Adam Scott in second-place.
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The Northern Irishman won his fifth Race to Dubai title last year
"Competing at the DP World Tour Championship is always something I look forward to at the end of the season,” McIlroy said.
“Dubai has been a special place for me, and I've been fortunate to achieve a lot of success there. To have the chance to equal Seve’s record is incredibly meaningful, he was a pioneer for European golf, and his impact on the world game can’t be overstated.
“It’s going to be a couple of big weeks in the Middle East with the DP World Tour Play-offs and I’m focused on playing some good golf to put myself in contention for more titles.”
The DP World Tour Championship takes place from November 14-17.
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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