Rory McIlroy ended 2024 on a high note, putting aside a tumultuous year to clinch victory at the European Tour’s season finale. The Northern Irishman held his nerve in a thrilling duel with Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard, taking the lead into the final nine holes and ultimately winning with a score of -15, two strokes ahead of his rival. McIlroy started the day tied with France’s Antoine Rozner but made four birdies in the first five holes, setting the tone for his triumphant performance.

This win marked McIlroy’s sixth “Road to Dubai” title, tying him with the legendary Seve Ballesteros. The emotional significance was palpable for the 35-year-old world number three. “It means a lot to me,” McIlroy said, beaming with pride.  The tournament also brought good news for ten rising stars, who earned dual memberships to the PGA Tour for the 2025 season. Rasmus Højgaard, Thriston Lawrence, and Tom McKibbin were among those celebrating.

In a heartwarming moment, McKibbin congratulated McIlroy on his win and revealed he’d secured the tenth and final spot. The camaraderie was palpable, capping off an exciting finale to the European Tour season. The DP World Tour’s official X account also posted the moment with a caption, “Tom McKibbin tells Rory McIlroy that he’ll be joining him on the PGA TOUR 🥹 The 21-year-old claimed the final dual membership spot.”

The fans online are loving the amazing moment and are showering the comments with their love.

Netizens are over the moon with Tom McKibbin’s achievement

“Very special”, while the other said, “Special moment”, and I don’t think anything else summarises the moment better than those two words as we all know how hard McKibbin was working to achieve the feat. After a nail-biting performance at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, Tom McKibbin secured one of ten coveted dual cards on the PGA Tour. “Yeah, very exciting,” McKibbin said after his win. He reflected on the challenges, admitting, “I think it was a tough one… sort of wanting to finish the tournament as best I can, knowing that was on the line, a hard golf course and pretty tricky day.”

A lot of fans were speaking their minds and were extremely happy to see the heartwarming moment. “Two Holywood boys #NI”, said one fan. Yes, Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin, are both from Holywood and this is not the first tournament they’ve played in together. Not long ago, the golfers were paired together at the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down, alongside defending champion Vincent Norrman. McIlroy finished the tournament with a score of 8 under par and cliched the runner-up position while McKibbin had to settle for 30th position at 2 over par.

This one wrote what everyone was probably thinking, “He has now qualified for next year’s The Open, which will be held in his home country.” And yes, it is true! The 2025 Open Championship is set to tee off at Northern Ireland’s iconic Royal Portrush, marking a triumphant return to the venue that hosted the wildly successful 148th Open in 2019 and building on the excitement and prestige of the previous event.

Another fan added to the support and wrote, “Brilliant touch 👌🏻👌🏻”. But what are your thoughts on the golfer’s achievements? Let us know in the comment section below!