Rory McIlroy holed a clutch eagle putt on the 18th to force a playoff but Matt Fitzpatrick ultimately claimed his third World Tour Championship title on a dramatic final day of the 2023 golf season.
McIlroy’s consolation prize? A fourth straight Race to Dubai title, capping off a remarkable year that included winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam and helping Team Europe reclaim the Ryder Cup on American soil.
The playoff ended quickly when McIlroy’s drive found the creek on the first extra hole—the par-5 18th—leading to a bogey. Fitzpatrick calmly rolled in a 3-footer for par to secure the season-ending championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, adding to his victories there in 2016 and 2020.
It was McIlroy who delivered the day’s most electric moment. Needing an eagle on the final hole of regulation to force a playoff, he drained a 15-foot putt to complete a 5-under 67 and match Fitzpatrick’s 18-under total.
Fitzpatrick, who posted a final-round 66, watched the drama unfold from the scorer’s hut. He emerged to congratulate his Ryder Cup teammate with a handshake and hug.
They embraced again after the playoff—both leaving Dubai as winners in their own right.
