You might think 2025 couldn’t get much better for Rory McIlroy, having claimed a Grand Slam-clinching Masters victory and a Ryder Cup trophy on enemy soil with Europe.

But there is still one big title left to play for, the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai.

The Race to Dubai, formerly known as the European Tour’s Order of Merit, is a season-long competition where golfers accumulate points from DP World Tour events and major championships, and McIlroy is currently in pole position to claim a fourth straight title, and seventh overall.

– Penge, main Rory rival, prepared for Dubai title from sick bed

That would see him overtake the great Seve Ballesteros, and put him one behind Colin Montgomerie’s tally of eight.

McIlroy has one final hurdle, the Dubai World Tour Championship where two men can still deny him.

The Northern Irish golfer is 767.02 points ahead of second-placed Marco Penge (despite playingly only 10 DP World Tour events to the Englishman’s 25) and 1,720.88 points ahead of Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton.

That may sound like a lot — but there are 2,000 points up for grabs in the season-ender in Dubai, which starts with McIlroy and Penge in the final group on Thursday.

For Penge, he must finish Sunday tied second or better to have any chance.

If Penge wins, then he will need McIlroy to come lower than runner-up.

Should Penge share second place then he would need the McIlroy to finish outside the top eight.

Hatton has an outside shot — for him to emerge victorious he must win this week and see McIlroy finish lower than eighth, and Penge miss out on a share of second place.

McIlroy won last year at Dubai’s Jumeirah Golf Estates to clinch the Race to Dubai — and will be looking to finish the season in style again this weekend.