Dubai, 11 November: Eugenio Chacarra, who beat Rory McIlroy to win the DP World India Championship in Delhi last month, takes a Race to Dubai lead into the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, with the Northern Irishman chasing a record-equalling eighth title.
The 26-year-old Spaniard leads McIlroy by 533.93 points ahead of the final event on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. American Patrick Reed is also mathematically in contention.
A breakthrough season built in part in India
Chacarra has had the best year of his career, with three victories, two runner-up finishes and two third places in 2026. His win in Delhi, where he finished ahead of an international field that included McIlroy, showed he could deliver on a big occasion. Read our report on Chacarra’s DP World India Championship win.
“We know how good Rory McIlroy is; he’s one of my idols,” Chacarra said. “It’s going to be a tough test, and that’s what I dreamed of since I was little. But I already beat him in India, so I need to remind myself that I can compete with him and I can beat him like I did already a couple weeks ago.”
He accepted that McIlroy has far more experience on the Earth Course, but played it down. “They are just numbers. This is golf, and crazy things happen. I’m just going to enjoy myself, and if I bring my A game, I’m going to be able to compete with him on Sunday,” he said.
McIlroy chases Montgomerie’s record
McIlroy, the world No. 2, has won the season-long title seven times, including the last four. A fourth DP World Tour Championship win at the Earth Course would guarantee him an eighth crown, matching Colin Montgomerie’s record.
The 37-year-old moved ahead of Reed into second place after finishing third at last week’s Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship. He completed the career Grand Slam in 2025 and defended his Masters title this year.
“That’s where I wanted to be,” McIlroy said of joining Chacarra in the final group. “It’s a pretty familiar spot for me going into the DP World Tour Championship and I’m excited for it.”
He warned that the course would be tougher this year. “The course has evolved a little bit over the years. It’s certainly a lot more penal off the tee this year. The rough is very, very thick. You get a lot of bad lies in the rough,” he said.
Reed and Rahm the outside threats
Reed, third in the standings, won the Dubai Desert Classic and the Qatar Masters earlier in the year. Jon Rahm, the winner in Abu Dhabi, also has a mathematical chance but needs a strong finish and results to go his way.
The winner of the DP World Tour Championship receives 2,000 Race to Dubai points and a $3 million first prize, so every position will count on Sunday.
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