Rory McIlroy clinched a fourth consecutive Race to Dubai triumph despite missing out on the DP World Tour Championship title in dramatic fashion to Matt Fitzpatrick.

McIlroy went into Sunday's play joint-top of the leaderboard, but a thrilling final day of action saw a host of players challenging for the victory.

However, it was Fitzpatrick who broke clear in the congested fight with a bogey-free 66, finishing at 18-under.

McIlroy initially let a two-shot advantage slip during the back nine, but a stunning 15-foot eagle on the final hole forced the extra holes.

Returning to the 18th, McIlroy's late composure escaped him somewhat as he found the water with his tee shot before missing his putt for par, opening the door for Fitzpatrick to claim his first DP World Tour title since October 2023.

While Fitzpatrick won the season-ending event for the third time, McIlroy's second-place finish was enough for him to top the Race to Dubai standings for the seventh time. He is now just one short of Colin Montgomerie's record of eight.

Winners in Dubai #DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/VUCP6H4xqM

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 16, 2025

"It means the world," Fitzpatrick said of his win.

"I struggled at the start of the year, obviously, and to turn it round in the summer like I did, have the Ryder Cup like I did, which is hard to top, but the way I played here, there was one bad shot all day.

"So proud of myself. The effort everyone puts in behind the scenes. What a feeling.

"I'd not been hitting it amazingly all week, but kind of hit it well [on Saturday] and really well [on Sunday]. In the middle of the round, nothing was going my way, but I managed to roll a couple in late and get into position."

Fitzpatrick's fellow Ryder Cup stars Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood shared third place with Laurie Canter and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, one stroke off the winner.

Rasmus Hojgaard, who held the lead at the midway point, finished at 15-under, with Robert MacIntyre among those who finished tied for eighth.