Given those circumstances, it surely didn’t even matter how McIlroy made it over the finishing line. Stumbling would be just fine, as long as it happened. Which is just as well. For long enough in the middle of his final-round 69—after four birdies in his first five holes and before two more in the last three holes—the 35-year-old Northern Irishman was doing many of the things golfers do when they end up losing.

Rory McIlroy claimed the sixth Race to Dubai title of his career with Shane Lowry finishing four shots back in third place at the DP World Tour Championship. McIlroy needed just a top-11 finish to take home the end of year title,

World number three Rory McIlroy ended the season on a high by winning the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Sunday, two strokes ahead of Rasmus Hojgaard, to seal his sixth Race to Dubai title. The 35-year-old Northern Irishman carded a 69 in the final round at the Jumeirah Golf Estates to finish on 15 under par after two birdies in the final