Most of his work is done for the year, with only the Australian Open left for Rory McIlroy. His return to the Royal Melbourne Golf Club on December 4th-7th will bring closure – from a tournament viewpoint – on a year’s work for the Northern Irishman which has added greatly to his legend.
In winning the DP World Tour’s order of merit for a seventh time (one behind Colin Montgomerie’s record eight) to add to his career Grand Slam achieved at the Masters – making him the first European player to join that elite club of six men – McIlroy again demonstrated his role as a standout player of his generation.
Golf is a numbers game, and the financial rewards from prize money alone – never mind the sponsorships and investments – are mind-blowing. His runners-up finish to Matt Fitzpatrick in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai added over €1 million to his winnings, brining his career earnings on the European circuit alone to €67,801,396. For context, that’s almost €30 million more than Lee Westwood, who is second on that all-time money list.
And, make no mistake, McIlroy is focused on chasing down and passing Monty on the order of merit front, a point he made to the Scot himself when they met in Dubai last week. Already, he has announced his first two tournaments of 2026 will see him return to the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai Invitational and the Dubai Desert Classic to get a launch pad on his quest to match Montgomerie’s mark.
Kick-starting his year’s work in Dubai also provides a significant fillip to the DP World Tour, which has evolved in the past few years in response to the arrival of LIV Golf and the dominance of the PGA Tour’s schedule.
Rory McIlroy with the Harry Vardon Trophy after claiming his seventh Race to Dubai victory. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
As McIlroy acknowledged on his latest acceptance of the Harry Vardon Trophy, the DP World Tour has a place close to his heart:
“Look, the world of professional golf is still a little weird and who knows what the future is going to look like, but to have the commitment of DP World (as sponsors) for 10 years; and to see Ryder Cup team doing so well, and to see how much it means to every single one of the players that’s on the team; and to have amazing events like (the Tour Championship); to have (big tournaments) from the start of September all the way through to, I would say, to the end of January, the DP World Tour is the sort of shining light of golf during course of that time frame.
“It’s amazing that all of the players that are coming to play in those events, and hopefully that continues for a long time.”
So, while the PGA Tour understandably plays a huge part in his golfing life, with three of the Majors stateside, along with signature events including The Players and the FedEx Cup playoffs, there is no doubt that McIlroy’s commitment to the DP World Tour goes beyond convenience. It is very much a part of who he is and what made him.
Indeed, his contribution was recognised by DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings on Sunday in Dubai. “You’ve done so many extraordinary things this year, but we at the Tour feel that while you do them for your family, the team, you do a little bit for us, and every single member of the staff appreciates what you do. The career Grand Slam is an extraordinary achievement,” said Kinnings.
Séamus Power on the first tee during the final round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship 2025 at Port Royal Golf Course on Sunday. Photograph: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
While McIlroy has some time off before his tournament commitments in Australia next month, there is more immediate urgency for Séamus Power, who goes into this week’s RSM Classic on the PGA Tour likely needing a top-three finish if he is to retain his full playing card for next year.
Power is ranked 129th on the standings heading to Sea Island, the final event of the so-called Fall Series. Only the leading 100 players earn full tour cards, while those ranked 101 to 125 earn conditional status.
For Leona Maguire, this week’s season-ending CME Globe Championship – with a $11 million purse, $2 million to the winner – offers the chance to finish her year’s work in style. Only the top 60 players on the LPGA Tour’s order of merit have qualified for the tournament at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida, with Maguire doing so in 56th.
McIlroy’s wins of the year
February
AT&T Pebble Beach pro-am: 66-70-65-66 – 267, 21-under (Two strokes over Shane Lowry)
March
The Players: 67-68-73-68 – 276, 12-under (Playoff over JJ Spaun)
April
The Masters: 72-66-66-73 – 277, 11-under (Playoff over Justin Rose)
September
Irish Open: 71-66-68-66 – 271, 17-under (Playoff over Joakim Lagergren)
