McIlroy Wins Fifth Straight Race to Dubai, Equalling Montgomerie's Record

Rory McIlroy has won the European tour's season-long Race to Dubai for a fifth year in a row. The title takes his total to eight and equals the long-standing record held by Colin Montgomerie.

The Race to Dubai is a points race that runs across the whole season. Players earn points in tournaments throughout the year, and the one with the most at the end takes the crown. A single good week is not enough, because the title rewards steady form over many months.

McIlroy edged out Eugenio Chacarra to claim the season-long prize. The race was close enough that it went to the final weeks of the year, and it was McIlroy who came out on top.

The season closed with the DP World Tour Championship, which was won by Tyrrell Hatton. McIlroy finished runner-up to Hatton at the event, so the Dubai finale ended with a different name at the top of the leaderboard.

For casual fans, the Race to Dubai is the closest thing the European tour has to a season-long trophy hunt. It asks players to be consistent, week after week, rather than simply brilliant on one Sunday. McIlroy's five straight titles in that race now sit alongside one of the sport's oldest records in Europe.

The full results and points breakdown are available from BBC Sport.