\n<\/p>\n
For a long time on Sunday it looked like McIlroy would also win the final event of the DP World Tour’s season, holding a two-shot lead midway through the round before faltering down the stretch with bogeys on the 12th and 16th holes seeing him drop out of the lead.<\/p>\n
Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, was serenely putting together a bogey-free round of 66. Three birdies in the opening five holes were followed by a run of eight pars and three birdies in his final five holes, including one on the last as he surged into the lead.<\/p>\n
That left McIlroy and his playing partner Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen needing to hole eagle putts on the last to force a play-off. Neergaard-Petersen missed from around 20 feet. <\/p>\n
McIlroy learned the line and holed his 15-footer. And, as he did at the Irish Open in September, roared with delight.<\/p>\n
But unlike in Ireland, McIlroy was unable to win the play-off, handing Fitzpatrick the advantage by hitting his tee shot into water and then failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker as he posted a six.<\/p>\n
Fitzpatrick, who played the hole more conservatively, was also off the green after three shots, but played a delightful chip and tapped in for a five.<\/p>\n
“It means the world,” said the beaming Englishman who overcame poor form early in 2025 to qualify for the Ryder Cup team and finish the year on a high.<\/p>\n
“I struggled at the start of the year and to turn it round in the summer and have the Ryder Cup I did is hard to top, but the way I played today, there was one bad shot all day. <\/p>\n
“I’m so proud of myself. The effort everyone puts in behind the scenes. What a feeling.”<\/p>\n
More to follow.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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