Rory birdie blitz seals record €5.5m season
McIlroy recorded a final round six-under 66 to brush England’s Justin Rose and Luke Donald aside and capture his last event of the year by two strokes with a 23-under par tally on the Earth Course.
Rose had set a new course record of a 10-under par 62 to finish on 21-under par and headed straight for the practice ground, expecting to be in a play-off.
But after McIlroy birdied the par three 17th to go one ahead of his victorious Ryder Cup colleague, Rose ran up the white flag and retired to the Caddies Lounge to watch McIlroy end only his fifth full season on Tour with a fifth win of the year.
“I’ve said it all week, as I just wanted to finish off my season the way I thought it deserved to be finished,” said McIlroy.
“I’ve played so well throughout the year, and I didn’t want to just let it tail out timidly. Luke and I didn’t get the greatest of starts, and then Justin had that incredible back nine to shoot 62, and I knew midway through the back nine I needed to do something special. Somehow I summoned up the energy from somewhere to make five birdies in the last five holes. Just a great way to end this tournament, a great way to end the season, and already excited about 2013.”
But after McIlroy mesmerised his rivals it may also take Bannon, McIlroy’s coach since he was aged six, sometime to calm down.
“I’ve never ever seen a finish like that, ever,” said Bannon. “He was two behind after three-putting the par three 13th and then to birdie the next five holes was unreal and that finish was just unbelievable.”
Donald carded a 71 to settle for a share of third with South African Charl Schwartzel (68) on 18-under par, and after congratulating McIlroy, Donald sought out McIlroy’s parents Rosie and Gerry, along with coach Bannon, and McIlroy’s girlfriend, Caroline Wozniacki to congratulate each of them.
McIlroy’s DP World Tour Championship triumph earned him a first prize cheque for €1.041m to set a new record for a single-season earnings on the European Tour of €5,519,117 and that’s €195,717 more than the previous best set a year ago by Donald.
The 23-year-old has averaged €367,941 per event from his 15 European Tour events this year, and has taken his earnings to over €15m from just 115 events in the five full years he’s been on the Tour.
McIlroy also becomes the fourth youngest player in Tour history to win five events behind three greats of the game in Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sandy Lyle. Padraig Harrington eagled the last in a round of 68 for a share of ninth place on 14-under par and to end the year 34th on the Race to Dubai.
“It’s nice for my last shot of the year to be an eagle on the last hole, so that’s a positive to take into my winter break,” said Harrington.
Fellow Dubliner Peter Lawrie, also with a 68, was a shot further back on 13-under and ending his 10th season on Tour 48th on the money list.
Graeme McDowell posted a last day 69 to be tied with fellow Ulsterman Michael Hoey (75) in 52nd place on one under par.
Shane Lowry will arrive home this morning having shrugged off the virus that saw him having to pull out of the Dubai event and visit the Dubai City Hospital twice.
Lowry’s comfort is his 29th place finish in the Race to Dubai has seen him qualify automatically for next year’s British Open at Muirfield.
