Tearful Rory McIlroy gives emotional interview after season-ending Dubai win
James Colgan
Rory McIlroy gave a tearful interview after winning the DP World Tour Championship.
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Rory McIlroy’s birdie putt landed on the hole, and for a moment, his body was overcome with emotion.
But the emotions that accompanied the birdie on the 18th in the DP World Tour Championship to secure his fourth and final global win of 2024 were not the usual mix of joy and success. It seemed like a deep, raw kind of emotion – crashing over him in an instant but building up inside him for months. That feeling was palpable relief.
The events of the past few hours have pushed him over the edge. Once again, he found himself falling back to ninth place in the competition, holding on to the lead, and once again it seemed that the forces of the future were conspiring against him. He dropped four shots between the seventh and 14th holes, made two bogeys and missed birdies on the par-5. But then came the all-important birdie on the 16th, and by the time he reached the 18th green even three putts would have been enough to secure victory for Rasmus Hojgaard.
McIlroy made two birdies, and the tide washed over him. He won his last start in 2024, and his sixth Race to the Dubai Championship – the DP World Tour’s season-long prize – equaling Seve Ballesteros’ record. He was reminded of that fact a few minutes later, when he stood up for an interview with the DP World Tour broadcast team, and as Rory tried to find the words to describe the depth and breadth of Ballesteros’ bond, he began to cry.
“Yeah, it’s really cool,” he finally grunted. “I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf and Ryder Cup players. In the European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes from Seve. We had a locker room with Seve’s shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played. He means a lot to European golf and for me to be spoken to in the same spirit, I am very proud.”
Perhaps it was no surprise to see McIlroy affected in this light. He has long held a deep respect for the history of golf. To see his name mentioned next to Ballesteros’ shows the gravity and substance of McIlroy’s achievements, and the historic cycle they have thrown him into.
But did McIlroy’s emotions speak for more than just a historic victory? Yes they do.
You don’t need a forensic knowledge of golf history to understand the chaos of the year McIlroy emerged victorious on Sunday. In many ways, the turmoil of McIlroy’s recent history has mirrored that of professional golf – a time of great ups and downs, of deep wells of uncertainty and glimmers of hope. As McIlroy spoke after the round, the essence of it all – the historic victory, the US Open collapse, the personal rivalry, the golf game that has always been closed – seemed to rest on him.
“I think what I learned may not be important to everyone,” said McIlroy. “I think what I did today is very meaningful for me. I would think from an outside perspective, it might not make much sense if people are looking from the outside, in terms of some of the things that I have achieved in the game and the things that I have not achieved this year. But just because maybe it’s not as important to them doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be as important to me.”
“Look, yes, I know how people will look at my year and I look at my year the same way,” he said. “But at the same time, I still have to remember that I won four times and I won the second race in Dubai. I racked up a lot of big finishes and big concerts, and two guys who were older than me had career years. Xander won two majors, and Scottie won the Players and Masters and an Olympic gold medal. They’re the only guys this year that I think have had better years than me.”
It will be easy for McIlroy’s critics to see Sunday’s end as a continuation of his recent competitive career. Hell, it even sees overlap. This win was not as historically significant as the one that ran away at Pinehurst, and his competition was not nearly as intimidating. However, he blinked down Sunday in the same way. This one didn’t burn him, but had he conquered his demons, or just pushed them aside?
Either way, McIlroy won’t be forced to answer those questions on Sunday. He ends 2024 with a four-win season knowing it will always be remembered as not five, but leaves Dubai with a win – a historical victory – that would be enough to drown the bitter taste.
Soon there will be an offseason. And soon after, a brand new year full of possibilities. But now? Now there is reason to move forward.
What a relief.
James Colgan
Golf.com Editor
James Colgan is a news editor and features on GOLF, writing articles for websites and magazines. He manages Hot Mic, the GOLF media stand, and applies his camera knowledge to all product platforms. Before joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, where he was a caddy (and atute looper) scholarship recipient on Long Island, where he hails from. He can be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.
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