It took an extra hole, but Matt Fitzpatrick has won the DP World Tour Championship for a third time.

The Englishman held off Rory McIlroy on Sunday in a playoff to win in Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates' Earth Course. After McIlroy eagled the par-5 18th in regulation, the European Ryder Cup teammates returned to the tee, and a par was good enough to seal the win for Fitzpatrick, capping what has been a stellar end to the year after a sluggish start.

"Three times is very nice," Fitzpatrick said. "The names that have done it three times, it's nice to be a part of that. You know, hopefully use this and go into next year, as well."

Fitzpatrick shot matching 66s on the weekend to get into the playoff. When Sunday began, he trailed McIlroy and Rasmus Neergaard-Peterson by a shot, but a bogey-free performance moved him to 18 under par for the tournament, and he capitalized from there after McIlroy hit a shot into the water and made bogey on the playoff hole.

"Happy for Matt," McIlroy said. "He's had a great end of the season. Played great to get on the Ryder Cup team, and then he sort of kept it going since, so really happy for him as well."

Fitzpatrick won $3 million from the $12 million purse in Dubai.

McIlroy isn't going home empty handed, however, as he claimed his seventh overall – and fourth straight – Race to Dubai title, breaking a tie with Seve Ballesteros for sole possession of the second most all-time. Only Colin Montgomerie with eight has more.

Fitzpatrick said he knew McIlroy's eagle look on the 72nd hole went in because of the crowd reaction before TVs showed the shot.

"It's obviously happening quite slow. Everything is slow. You kind of want to speed up so you know what's coming," Fitzpatrick said. "But in my mind, I was like, OK, this is going to a playoff whether you like it or not, you've got to accept that."

Fitzpatrick had three straight top-10 finishes on the DP World Tour in late August and early September to lock up his spot on the European Ryder Cup team. That week, he was one of the best Euros, going 2-1-1 in the road upset at Bethpage Black.

Now, he gets his first worldwide win in more than two years after a tumultuous season.

"To end the year and win this tournament is very special, and I really want to make sure that I thoroughly enjoy it."

Ten golfers also locked up their PGA Tour cards on Sunday as the top-10 finishers, not otherwise exempt, in the Race to Dubai standings.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Matt Fitzpatrick beats Rory McIlroy in playoff to win 3rd DP World Tour Championship title

Reporting by Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek / Golfweek

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