“Winning the Race to Dubai title for the fifth time is an incredible honour and another important milestone in my career,” said McIlroy. “Capturing the Ryder Cup in Rome was a highlight this year and adding this title makes it all the more special.” 

Not lost on McIlroy, however, is that Montgomerie ruled Europe eight times. “I still have distance to cover to reach Colin’s tally in the order of merit,” McIlroy said. “That inspires me to give my best in the upcoming years.” 

McIlroy’s appearance on the Earth Course in Dubai from Thursday will be his first since that Ryder Cup, where he was integral to European glory. McIlroy was also at the centre of an epic spat with Joe LaCava, Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, which rumbled into a car park at the end of the second day’s play.

McIlroy began his year by seeing off Patrick Reed to take the Dubai Desert Classic. He later won the Scottish Open in thrilling style, with local favourite Robert MacIntyre pipped in East Lothian. Top-10 finishes in three of golf’s four majors also pushed him towards the order of merit title.

At the Nedbank in Sun City, Max Homa posted a final-round 66 for his first win outside the US. Homa saw off Nicolai Højgaard by four strokes.

Homa said it had been a "crazy day" as he held off the Danish challengers. He began the final round with a one-shot lead at Gary Player Country Club and was briefly caught by Olesen despite making birdies on four of his first six holes.

However, no sooner had he been joined at the top of the leaderboard than the world number eight fired a sensational approach over the water to 18 feet at the par-five ninth and converted the eagle opportunity.

Olesen cranked up the pressure once more with a tap-in birdie on the 10th but, although Homa gave the chasing pack hope with a dropped shot on the 11th, the Dane carded consecutive bogeys at the 12th and 13th before a double-bogey at the 16th ended his challenge.

Homa birdied the 15th from seven feet and rattled in a 38-foot effort at the next to put the result beyond doubt.

"It's been a dream 10 or 11 days," Homa told Sky Sports. "It was a crazy day - I got off to such a great start and Thorbjorn was playing unbelievable. He kept pushing us along and Nicolai was playing phenomenal golf so it was fun.

"Its kind of what you dream of, you want to be in the fight and it was fun to close it out at the end."

On his long birdie putt at the 16th, which looked to be racing off the green before the hole intervened, Homa added: "It was an awkward putt. My speed was great for the first three days - I don't know if it was nerves or if my speed was just awful all day today.

"That one wasn't very good either but it hit the back of the cup thankfully.

"It's been tremendous to get to travel to a new place, meet so many amazing people, the fans have been amazing.

"Everyone has been so welcoming and kind. To come out with a trophy is just a cherry on top."

Guardian