Heading into the 2025 season, conversations were already swirling about Rory McIlroy and whether he was the greatest European golfer of all-time.

Now, there's almost no question.

McIlroy eagled the 18th hole Sunday at the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates' Earth Course to get into a playoff with Matt Fitzpatrick, but despite falling on the first playoff hole and finishing runner-up, he won his seventh Race to Dubai title, and fourth in a row, to move into sole second place all-time. He trails only Colin Montgomerie, who had eight R2D titles during his career.

With his season-long win, McIlroy broke a tie with Seve Ballesteros, who won the title six times in his career.

"I had a conversation with his wife, Carmen, before I went out to play today, and she told me how proud he would have been," McIlroy said. "You know, I said this on this green last year, he means so much to this tour and to the European Ryder Cup team. We rally so much around his spirit and his quotes and everything he meant for European golf.

"To equal him last year was cool but to surpass him this year, yeah, I didn't get this far in my dreams, so it's very cool."

McIlroy's eagle on 18 moved him to 18 under for the tournament and into a tie with Matt Fitzpatrick, with the Ryder Cup teammates going to a playoff to determine a winner of the DP World Tour Championship. In the end McIlroy bogeyed the hole, allowing Fitzpatrick to win the tourney for the third time, but McIlroy claimed the season-long points race.

Now, he has his sights set on Montgomerie.

"I want it, of course I do," McIlroy said of Montgomerie's record. "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."

In 2025, McIlroy won his second Players title, his first Masters to complete the career grand slam, an away Ryder Cup for the second time and now his seventh Race to Dubai title. It's a historic year that's now in the history books forever.

Only two Europeans have won more major titles than McIlroy: Harry Vardon and Nick Faldo. Vardon who won six Opens in the early part of the 20th century and has seven total, while Faldo has six with three Masters and three Opens.

Perhaps the only thing McIlroy needs to do is become the winningest European in majors all-time to make sure there's no debate on who the best is.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Rory McIlroy captures 7th Race to Dubai title: 'I didn't get this far in my dreams'

Reporting by Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek / Golfweek

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