Breaking: Rory McIlroy equals Montgomerie's European record as Hatton wins Tour Championship

MR CONSISTENCY: Rory McIlroy's second place finish at the DP World Tour Championship gave him a fifth successive Race to Dubai crown.. Pic: Fadel Senna/ AFP via Getty Images)

RORY McIlroy has netted a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai order of merit title for the DP World Tour after a bogey-free five under par 67 gave him outright second behind Tyrell Hatton at the Tour Championship finale in Dubai.

McIlroy eclipsed frustrated Spanish rookie Eugenio Chacarra, who finished with a level par 72 in Dubai, to claim a fifth successive European order of merit success, equalling Colin Montgomerie's eight successes as the Tour's top player. France's Victor Perez could have conceivably denied McIlroy had he holed an outrageous albatross two at the par 5 last, but once that didn't happen - he pushed his approach right and long - the world No 2 could breathe easy as he celebrated with management, and European colleagues Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm.