Fitzpatrick arrived on the final day one shot behind the lead but immediately made his intentions clear. He birdied three of the opening five holes to stay firmly in contention and maintained control with a series of steady pars through the middle of his round. The decisive moment came on the closing stretch where two important birdies at the fourteenth and fifteenth pushed him back towards the top of the leaderboard. He then reached eighteen under par with another birdie at the final hole before signing for a flawless round of 66 that set a demanding clubhouse target.

For a moment it seemed that total might be enough, but McIlroy produced a remarkable eagle at the last to match him and force extra holes. The playoff returned the players to the eighteenth tee where McIlroy pushed his opening shot into the penalty area. That left Fitzpatrick with the advantage and he played the hole with calm assurance, finding the green and completing a steady par that secured the title. It was his second Rolex Series victory and his first DP World Tour win since the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2023.

The performance capped a superb resurgence from Fitzpatrick. After a slow start to the year, he returned to form at the major championships with a top ten at the United States PGA Championship and continued that progress with strong performances at the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open. He also finished inside the top six at the Betfred British Masters, the Omega European Masters and the BMW PGA Championship. His season then reached another high point with an important contribution to Europes historic victory at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. His consistency through the summer and autumn carried directly into Dubai where rounds of 69 on the opening two days and another 66 on Saturday placed him within touching distance of the lead.

McIlroy may have missed out on the tournament win but his season long achievement was confirmed. His second place finish secured his seventh Harry Vardon Trophy after a campaign that included a career Grand Slam following victory at the Masters, a win at the Amgen Irish Open and another influential Ryder Cup appearance in Europes successful away performance in New York. He has now claimed the Race to Dubai title in each of the past four seasons and is one behind Colin Montgomeries record total of eight.

The top of the leaderboard reflected the strength of the field. Tommy Fleetwood and Laurie Canter, both based in Dubai, joined Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Neergaard Petersen in a tie for third on seventeen under par. All four remained within striking distance throughout the day but were unable to match the pace set by Fitzpatrick and McIlroy.

The closing scenes on the Earth Course provided a fitting conclusion to an engaging and competitive season. Fitzpatrick leaves Dubai with another prestigious title and a renewed sense of momentum heading into next year. McIlroy departs with the season crown and the clear incentive of trying to equal and surpass Montgomeries record. Both players will arrive at the start of the new campaign with confidence and purpose after an outstanding finale in the desert.

DP World Tour Championship – Final Leaderboard (Top 20)