Rory McIlroy has jumped Colin Montgomerie by 67 less DP World Tour career events in capturing his own seventh Race to Dubai (R2D) No. 1 title.
McIlroy matched Monty’s seven No. 1 titles winning in his 263rd DP World Tour tournament despite losing to Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick for the 2025 DP World Tour Championship and the final Race to Dubai counting event over the weekend in Dubai.
Monty achieved his own stunning effort of seven straight No.1 trophies from 1993 to 1999 (inclusive) and the seventh coming in what was the champion Scot’s 330th European Tour event when finishing T3rd in the ’99 season-ending Volvo Masters.
RORS JUMPS MONTY BY 6⃣7⃣ EVENTS FOR 7⃣th No. 1 CROWN ….
With @McIlroyRory contesting fewer events than now fellow 7-time @DPWorldTour Race2Dubai champ Colin Montgomerie
Monty taking 330 events/Rors 263
Read: https://t.co/O651v5L0Qk
Getty
✅ @TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/8gAH8fcubk
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) November 16, 2025
As well, it had taken McIlroy just 115 DP World Tour starts to capture a first Race to Dubai No. 1 in 2012 and that is 57 events fewer than Monty who had played in 172 events before winning the No. 1 title for a first occasion in 1993.
1986 – 1993 – Monty 172 DPWT events to win first R2D No. 1 / Further 158 to win seventh R2D No. 1 = 330
2005 – 2012 – Rory 115 DPWT events to win first R2D No. 1 / Further 148 to win seventh R2D No. 1 = 263
Monty contested a further 141 tournaments over the course of the next six years, 1999 to 2005, ending the 2005 season with a T3rd in the closing Volvo Masters that was good enough for the currrent record-setting eighth Race to Dubai No. 1 honour.
McIlroy proceeded after a first R2D No. 1 in 2012 to be crowned No. 1 in 2014, 2015 and then from 2022 to 2025 inclusive. He did so competing in 238 DPWT events in that 13-year period.
As at the close of the 2025 season, that 238 event tally is already 97 events more staring at McIlroy, and should he wish to know the statistic, when he tees-up for a first occasion in the 2026 R2D season.
McIlroy revealed after losing out to Fitzpatrick that he has spoken with Monty earlier in the week and was asked if Monty’s target of eight R2D titles.
“I want it, of course I do”, said McIlroy.
“I caught up with Monty this week when he was here a couple days ago and I saw him. Look, it seems within touching distance now. I’d love to be the winningest European in terms of Order of Merits and season-long races.
“You know, I’ve probably got a few more good years left in me, and hopefully I can catch him and surpass him”.
