Long before the final putt of the 2025 DP World Tour Championship fell, Rory McIlroy had his hands on his seventh Race to Dubai title. Securing his fourth straight season-long crown in Europe to pull him second all-time behind only Colin Montgomerie (eight), the Northern Irishman nearly added even more hardware to his trophy case by pulling off a double and winning the European circuit's season finale alongside the year-long race.

Instead, McIlroy -- despite an eagle on the 72nd hole -- fell on the first playoff hole to Matt Fitzpatrick, his Ryder Cup teammate and fellow European. The Englishman carded dueling 66s over the weekend to traverse his way through the peloton by tournament's end and finish his 72 holes at 18 under. A par on the first extra hole, the par-5 18th, was all Fitzpatr

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