Rory McIlroy enters the DP World Tour Championship finale trailing Eugenio Chacarra by 533.93 points in the Race to Dubai standings, despite finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.
- McIlroy remains the betting favourite heading into the DP World Tour Championship at the top of the Order of Merit markets.
- Eugenio Chacarra holds the standings lead but is looking to sharpen his short game and wedges after failing to contend in Abu Dhabi.
- Jon Rahm leaps to sixth in the standings following his victory, offering unexpected value for the season-ending tournament.
McIlroy opened his final round at Yas Links GC with a birdie-eagle sequence. He held a share of the lead with seven holes remaining before finishing four strokes behind winner Jon Rahm.
McIlroy played his final seven holes in one over par to finish the week on 19 under. “It was sort of a week where I felt like I had my chances,” McIlroy said, as skysports.com reported. “Especially today, birdieing 10 and 11 on the back nine to get tied for the lead. Then I had two good chances, 12 and 13, and didn’t make those.”
The result marks the 11th time McIlroy has finished in the top three in 15 appearances in Abu Dhabi without securing a victory. It lifted him past Patrick Reed into second place in the Race to Dubai standings.
Chacarra has topped the standings since October following his win at the DP World India Championship. He admitted to needing improvements after failing to contend at Yas Links.
“Drove the ball amazing the last two days and still made so many mistakes,” Chacarra said, according to skysports.com. “A lot of little mistakes that got me out of being up there.”
Chacarra holds a 533.93-point lead over McIlroy entering the season finale. The DP World Tour Championship offers 2,000 points to the winner and 1,335 points for second place, with nine players maintaining mathematical chances of claiming the Race to Dubai crown.
Jon Rahm claimed his 11th DP World Tour title in Abu Dhabi, finishing four strokes ahead of McIlroy. The victory marks his first win since The Masters in 2023 and his sixth Rolex Series victory.
“I didn’t think I would ever have a chance to win it,” Rahm said, as reported by skysports.com. “Actually gives me a little extra incentive next week. Those are better odds than I expected so looking forward to it and hopefully I can get my fourth one.”
The DP World Tour season reaches its climax at the DP World Tour Championship, where only the top 50 available players in the Race to Dubai standings are eligible to compete for the Order of Merit title.
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