Rory McIlroy has claimed an eighth Race to Dubai title after overcoming Eugenio Chacarra by the barest of margins on the final day of the season.
The Northern Irishman needed to finish outright second or better in the final event of the season to win the order of merit, and match the record held by Colin Montgomerie.
That was the position he held, teeing off at his 72nd hole in the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The World No 2 then hit wildly uncharacteristic tee shot, ending behind a tree a long way to the right of the fairway.
Chacarra was watching this all unfold in the match behind McIlroy.
With Tyrrell Hatton cruising to win the tournament itself, Chacarra knew he would be overtaken if McIlroy finished on his own in second – whatever he did himself. Still, the 26-year-old kept pushing.
He started the par-5 final hole two shots behind McIlroy. As such, if he could eagle and McIlroy parred, their score would be tied for the tournament – and so Chacarra would be crowned Europe’s No 1.
While McIlroy played out sideways, then pitched his third shot into the heart of the green, Chacarra found the middle of the fairway with his drive.
McIlroy made par to finish on 10-under, at which point he was in second place – but in the knowledge he could yet be matched by players that followed.
The drama at the 18th had been symptomatic of the entire final day of the season.
While Hatton sped away from the field towards winning the tournament, all the intrigue surrounded the Race, and McIlroy and Chacarra traded blow for blow.
McIlroy started the tournament needing to overhaul a points deficit of around 530 points to Chacarra at the top of the rankings.
Second on his own would be good enough for McIlroy to win the Race; tied, and he would fall just short.
After McIlroy holed out, Chacarra was in fine position to attack the green with an iron in his hand. He leaked it right to a greenside bunker, though, and his chance of matching his counterpart was gone.
There was still a faint hope: Mikael Lindberg was playing the match behind Chacarra. If he eagled the last, he would match McIlroy.
But, once Lindberg’s drive found the creek at the last, the crown was McIlroy’s again.
