Rory loses playoff to Fitzpatrick, wins Euro title

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Rory McIlroy holed an eagle putt on No. 18 to force a playoff but lost out to Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the World Tour Championship for a third time on a chaotic final day of the 2025 golf season on Sunday.

The consolation for McIlroy was a fourth straight Race to Dubai title to complete a banner year that included winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam and an away Ryder Cup with Team Europe.

A final individual victory proved just beyond McIlroy, though, after he hit his drive into a creek on the first playoff hole — No. 18 — and made bogey. Fitzpatrick rolled in a par putt from 3 feet to win the season-ending title again at Jumeirah Golf Estates, after 2016 and 2020.

McIlroy delivered the biggest drama when he poured in a 15-footer for eagle on his last hole in regulation to complete a round of 5-under 67 and join Fitzpatrick (66) on 18-under par for the week.

Fitzpatrick watched it all in the scorer’s hut and met McIlroy outside, shaking his hand and giving his Ryder Cup teammate a hug.

They did so again after the playoff — which finished with both of them as winners.