An emotional Rory McIlroy admits rounding out his rollercoaster 2024 season by winning both the DP World Tour Championship and a sixth Race to Dubai title “means a lot”.

It has been a year of near misses for McIlroy after his decade-long wait for a fifth major title went on following failure to win the US Open from a good position heading into the final stages while he also had to settle for second to Danish ace Rasmus Hojgaard at the Irish Open at Royal County Down.

Despite those shortcomings, McIlroy has enjoyed a consistent campaign and it deservedly culminated in the 35-year-old lifting a sixth season-ending DP World Tour prize, which puts him level with Seve Ballesteros and now just two behind record holder Colin Montgomerie.

"It means a lot,” he said. “I've been through a lot this year professionally, personally. It feels like the fitting end to 2024.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy enjoys the trophy double celebrations with his wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy alongside prizes as winner of both the DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai at Jumeirah. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

"You know, yeah, look, I've persevered this year a lot. Had close calls. Wasn't able to get it done.

“So to be able to get over the line, you know, I got off to a great start and didn't have my best in the middle of the round and Rasmus and I both struggled to get momentum.

“I thought saving par on 15 was huge. I made four great swings coming in, the wedge on 16, the shot on 18 and two shots on the last. Really pleased with the way I finished and thankfully I hung on on a tough day and got it done.

"It's really cool. I think everyone know what is Seve means to European golf and to Ryder Cup players. In the European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve.

"We had a changing room with Seve's shirt from '95, the last Ryder Cup he played. He means so much to European golf and for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I'm very proud.”

McIlroy, who also won the Race to Dubai in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023 and now collects another cheque for $2million, has dedicated more focus to the DP World Tour in recent years and further underlined its importance to him going forward.

The world number three admits it’s now his goal to chase down Montgomerie.

“I'm up for it,” he added. “I've just won my third in a row, and I've really made it a priority of my schedule over the last few years to give myself the best chance coming into the end of the year to win the Race to Dubai.

"I don't see that being any different for the foreseeable future. You know, I’m going to go for my seventh next year and try to chase Monty down.”