Double win for McIlroy in Dubai

But after the leading group was made to wait on the 17th hole, McIlroy failed to draw his tee shot and splashed into the water.

Sullivan came out absolutely flying, before McIlroy, who thrives in shootouts such as these, began to get the wheels in motion for his own charge. “There was a lot of hype around myself this year and Tiger (Woods) making a bit of a comeback”, McIlroy said after his Dubai success.

Rory McIlroy finished his injury-hit season in style with victory in the DP World Tour Championship and his third Race to Dubai title in the last four years.

Danny Willett was another Englishman taking consolation. “So maybe we’ll have something by the end of the day”.

The place where he got his first European Tour victory; where he goes to practice in the winter; where he started off what was expected to be another banner year in 2015 with a victory; where he ended it Sunday with another win, although this one more out of relief than glory. It caps the year off nicely.

McIlroy pocketed €1.23m (£862,000) for repeating his 2012 win at the DP World Tour Championship, while his triumph in the Race To Dubai earned him a further $1.88m (£1.23m). “I’m happy to put the clubs away for a while”.

“I didn’t think Andy was ever going to miss – every time I holed a birdie, he matched it. He’s a terrific performer and I had to give it everything to win”.

And the brain fade at 17? But Rory got a good read on my first putt and I turned to my caddie and said: “I expect him to hole this”. “It was the best bogey of my career and probably my longest putt for a bogey”, McIloy said.

“It is incredibly tough to play against a player like Rory”.

“But I think all aspects of my game are in good shape now, and I think if my game is in this shape going into next year, I’d be very happy and feel like I could do very well”. I expected him to hole it after that and he did. “He’s a world-class player”.

But Willett will take a week off and then look to start the new season as he did the one just finished, by winning the Nedbank Challenge.

Looking at the most recent World Rankings, it’s clear: there’s Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, and everyone else.

Nearest rival Willett felt that gave McIlroy an unfair advantage, but was unable to dislodge the four-time major victor from top spot in the money list.

The 28-year-old from Bengaluru bagged 62,350 euros ($66393.40) for his performance in the European Tour season-ender at the Earth Course of the Jumeirah Golf Estates. He’s going to be a tough man to beat.

“Those little words he said to me walking up to the drop zone really helped, because I was still, in my mind, all-square when I hit my approach shot on the green”.