McIlroy claims 4th straight Race to Dubai title in playoff loss to Matt Fitzpatrick

By Canadian Press on November 16, 2025.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Matt Fitzpatrick won the DP World Tour Championship with a par on first playoff hole against Rory McIlroy, who ended his banner year with fitting drama and a fourth consecutive Race to Dubai title as Europe’s No. 1 player.

Fitzpatrick birdied the 18th hole in regular for a 6-under 66. McIlroy knew he needed eagle to catch him and did just that, hitting his approach on the par 5 closing hole to 15 feet and making the putt for a 67. He also made eagle on the last hole to force a playoff McIlroy won in the Irish Open.

But in this playoff, McIlroy drove into a creek and made bogey. He had won three times in playoff this year at the Masters, The Players Championship and Irish Open.

Fitzpatrick won the season finale for the third time. McIlroy still had reason to celebrate with his seventh time finishing as Europe’s No. 1 player, one short of the record held by Colin Montgomerie.

PGA Tour

SOUTHHAMPTON, Bermuda (AP) — Adam Schenk closed with an even-par 71 in raging wind to hold on for a one-shot victory in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, his first PGA Tour title in 243 tries.

Schenk was two tournaments away from having to return to Q-school at No. 134 in the FedEx Cup. And then he handled some of the toughest conditions he ever faced, making one birdie and four crucial par saves in gusts that topped 30 mph.

His final par save came on the 18th when he made a 5-foot putt to finish one ahead of Chandler Phillips (71). Phillips was at No. 139, and his runner-up finish — the best of his PGA Tour career — moved him to No. 92 and should make him safe for a card.

Takumi Kanaya of Japan had a chance to catch Schenk, one shot behind and playing with him in the final group. The wind was so strong out of the left that his approach ballooned and landed in a back bunker. He hit a superb shot to 4 feet, but his wind-affected par putt lipped out. He tied for third.

LPGA Tour

BELLEAIR, Fla. (AP) — Linn Grant of Sweden had so much control of her game that she played 52 holes without a bogey, a streak that ended on the final hole when it no longer mattered. She closed with a 5-under 65 for a three shot victory in The Annika.

She finished at 19-under 261 and had a chance to set the tournament record until a bogey on the final hole, her first one since her opening hole Friday.

Jennifer Kupcho stayed close until she made bogey on the par-3 ninth and Grant made a 10-foot birdie for a three-shot lead. No one got any closer the rest of the way. Kupcho (65) was runner-up.

Brooke Matthews also came away a winner in two respects. She made a hole-in-one with a 9-iron from 140 yards on the 12th hole to win a two-year lease on a Lamborghini Huracán. She shot 65 and was among those moving into the top 60 to qualify for the season finale next week in Naples.

Other tours

Kota Kaneko won his second Japan Golf Tour title with a 2-under 68 to complete a six-shot victory in the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters. … Ekpharit Wu of Thailand shot 5-under 67 to rally for a two-shot victory over Chien-yao Hung in the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open. The victory for Wu in his rookie season on the Asian Tour gets him into the $5 million Saudi International next week. … Chris Wood closed with a 3-under 68 and won the Ford NSW Open with a 6-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole. It was his second title on the PGA Tour of Australasia. … J.C. Ritchie closed with a 2-under 69 to win the Stella Artois Players Championship by two shots on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. … Hana Wakimoto pulled away with a 7-under 65 for a three-shot victory in the Itoen Ladies on the Japan LPGA.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The Associated Press

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