Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy made history by retaining the Masters title, the first major of the golf season. He won the 90th edition, which concluded on Monday at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, moving him to second place in the 'Race to Dubai' on the DP World Tour.McIlroy, a seven-time winner of the 'Race to Dubai', has once again affirmed his strong global presence. He finished the event at 12 under par, earning 1,665 points and boosting his season total to 1,934 points, enhancing his chances of winning the title for an eighth time.McIlroy became the fourth player to retain the Masters title, following Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Sir Nick Faldo. He is behind American leader Patrick Reed, who tops the standings with 2,491 points after winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and finishing 12th at the Masters.With this victory, McIlroy increased his major championship count to six. He previously won the PGA Championship (2012, 2014), the U.S. Open (2011), and The Open Championship (2014). He also won the Green Jacket for the second consecutive year, a tradition dating back to 1949, receiving it from Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National.The Masters was the 15th event of the DP World Tour season and the third in the Asian Series. Attention now turns to the Volvo China Open, taking place from April 23-26. The 'Race to Dubai' season will feature at least 42 tournaments across 25 countries. The United Arab Emirates will host the final qualifiers, where the top 70 players will compete in the Abu Dhabi tournament at Yas Links from November 5-8, 2026, followed by the top 50 players in the DP World Tour event at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai from November 12-15, 2026.
