It was a season-finale to remember on the DP World Tour as Jon Rahm saw off a stellar chasing pack to win the DP World Tour Championship and become the first player to win five Rolex Series titles, while Rory McIlroy secured the Harry Vardon Trophy to be crowned European Number One.
The victory for the Spaniard cements his place at the top of the European Points List with 1,850.00 points, with McIlroy moving up one spot into second with 1,021.50 points.
Heading into the final round with a one stroke lead, Rahm opened with three consecutive birdies before bouncing back from a bogey on the fourth with a further three birdies to card a five-under-par 67 and win by two.
The two-time Ryder Cup player has an incredible record at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course as he has now secured three wins and a top five finish in his four visits.
"Because of Covid I never got the chance to defend my 2019 title,” Rahm said.
"Even though I decided not to come last year I came here with the mentality of 'well, nobody beat me in the last two years so they're going to have to beat me again'.
"I came in with that confidence. A lot of similarities to the past - the last time I won here I started at 15 under, had a heck of a front nine and I shot 20 under as well to win it.
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"I like this course and this course likes me! I hope this is the third of many more.
"Hopefully people can stop telling me that it was a bad year. Three wins worldwide, three wins in three different continents.
"Yeah, it wasn't a Major Championship but it's still a really, really good season.
"We had a second boy this year, a lot of changes at home - it also helps. I got a lot of videos from my kids back home laughing and doing things.
"Kelley (Rahm's partner) sent me a video of our youngest when he was clapping, and that's what I was thinking on the last few holes, hopefully try to make him clap a little bit more."
Rahm’s history-making victory is even more impressive when you take a look at the Ryder Cup-heavy chasing pack which, alongside McIlroy, included Tyrrell Hatton, Alex Noren, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood, causing a big mix up in the Ryder Cup qualification rankings.
But it was McIlroy who also took home a trophy in Dubai as he won the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex for a fourth time.
In fact, with a fourth place finish in Dubai, McIlroy becomes European Number One, World Number One and FedEx Cup Champion at the same point for the first time in his career.
McIlroy said: "It's an amazing achievement, an achievement I haven't been able to accomplish before - I've been able to win this Tour's Rankings and finish the year as World Number One. But to do it in America as well, it's very cool.
"I keep saying that I've been a pro now for over 15 years, and to still try to figure out ways to try to accomplish new things, that's what keeps me coming back.
"I feel like I'm healthy. I'm 33 and I feel like my body is in as best shape as it's ever been and hopefully it's just moving ahead and keep on moving on.
“I’d like to say I’m right up there as the best player in the World, but Jon (Rahm) is right up there with me. He is such a great player.
“Europe are so lucky to have him and I’m looking forward to playing with him in Rome next year.”
Meanwhile, Noren and Fleetwood entered the automatic qualification places on the World Points List for the first time since qualifying started at the BMW PGA Championship in September.
2018 Ryder Cup player Noren jumped four places into the first automatic qualifying spot, as he moved to 41.83 points thanks to a tied second finish.
Fleetwood followed up a win the previous week at the Nedbank Golf Challenge with a tied fifth finish, alongside 2020 Ryder Cup teammate Matt Fitzpatrick, to jump into the second automatic qualifying spot with 35.70 points.
As it stands Rahm (1,850.00 points), McIlroy (1,021.50 points) and Shane Lowry (898.00 points) would claim the three automatic qualifying spots on the European Points List, with Noren (41.83 points), Fleetwood (35.47 points) and Robert MacIntyre (35.28 points) currently sitting in the top three positions on the World Points List.
The 2023 Ryder Cup will take place between Sept. 25 – Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy.
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