Rory McIlroy Clinched His Sixth Race to Dubai Crown at the DP World Tour Championship

Rory McIlroy clinched his sixth Race to Dubai crown at the DP World Tour Championship - AFP
Rory McIlroy clinched his sixth Race to Dubai crown at the DP World Tour Championship - AFP
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Rory McIlroy Clinched His Sixth Race to Dubai Crown at the DP World Tour Championship

Rory McIlroy clinched his sixth Race to Dubai crown at the DP World Tour Championship - AFP
Rory McIlroy clinched his sixth Race to Dubai crown at the DP World Tour Championship - AFP

Rory McIlroy won the DP World Tour Championship for the third time and claimed his sixth Race to Dubai title in the process on Sunday.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland made a crucial birdie on the par-4 16th hole to break a deadlock with Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard.

He then birdied the par-5 18th hole for a three-under-par 69 that took him to 15-under for the four days and was enough for a two-shot win.

Rasmus, who was trying to follow in the footsteps of his twin brother Nicolai and take the trophy back to Denmark for a second year in a row, made a stunning 22-footer par save on the 17th hole, but could not put the pressure on McIlroy on the 18th as he settled for a par and a final round score of 71.

McIlroy, who started with a bogey and then made four successive birdies, dropped a couple of shots around the turn to be tied with Hojgaard after 15 holes at 13-under, AFP reported.

He finally edged ahead with a stunning second shot on the par-4 16th hole from 137 yards to less than a foot for his fifth birdie of the day and drained a six-footer on the final hole.

Including the Zurich Classic that the world number three claimed alongside Shane Lowry, it was McIlroy's fourth worldwide win of the season and secured him the Race to Dubai crown.

Australia's Adam Scott and Ireland's Lowry shot final-round 68s to tie for third place at 11-under par alongside France's Antoine Rozner. England's Tyrrell Hatton was solo 6th at 10-under.

The 10 players who earned their PGA Tour cards include Hojgaard, Thriston Lawrence of South Africa, England's Paul Waring, Dane Niklas Norgaard, Swede Jesper Svensson, Antoine Rozner of France, Italy's Matteo Manassero, Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, Japan's Rikuya Hoshino and Tom McKibbin of Northern Ireland.



Marquinhos Asks Brazil Fans to Keep the Faith

Brazil's player Marquinhos gestures during a press conference following a training of the Brazil national football team at the Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, on November 17, 2024, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match against Uruguay. (AFP)
Brazil's player Marquinhos gestures during a press conference following a training of the Brazil national football team at the Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, on November 17, 2024, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match against Uruguay. (AFP)
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Marquinhos Asks Brazil Fans to Keep the Faith

Brazil's player Marquinhos gestures during a press conference following a training of the Brazil national football team at the Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, on November 17, 2024, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match against Uruguay. (AFP)
Brazil's player Marquinhos gestures during a press conference following a training of the Brazil national football team at the Manuel Barradas stadium in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, on November 17, 2024, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match against Uruguay. (AFP)

Five-times World Cup winners Brazil have struggled to impress in South America's qualifiers for the 2026 tournament but defender Marquinhos had called on fans to stick by the side ahead of Tuesday's home game against Uruguay.

With a run of five wins, four losses and two draws, Brazil are fourth in the standings on 17 points, five behind leaders Argentina, with the top six qualifying automatically for the World Cup in North America. Uruguay are second on 19 points.

Brazil were held 1-1 in Venezuela on Thursday, with Vinicius Jr seeing a late penalty saved, and stand-in skipper Marquinhos said the players still took pride in playing for the shirt even when results did not go their way.

"Even though many things might cause people to lose hope in the national team, we ask that they never lose their passion for it," the 30-year-old told a news conference on Sunday.

Brazil, who were beaten by Uruguay in Montevideo last year, are in a transitional phase under head coach Dorival Junior and it will take some time to iron out the problems, he added.

"We will still make some mistakes because this transition is still very new, with all these changes of players and teams," said Marquinhos, who deputizes for regular captain Danilo.

"But we will make fewer and fewer mistakes and that makes us happy.

"We don't worry too much about the standings as long as we're in a comfortable position. We want to win to move up the table, make the work flow better, and gain confidence."

Brazil go into Tuesday's match without a host of top players with defender Eder Militao and forwards Neymar and Rodrygo among those sidelined due to injury.