Rory McIlroy’s birdie putt fell into the bottom of the hole, and for just a second, his body was overcome with emotion.

But the emotion that joined this birdie on the 18th at the DP World Tour Championship to claim his fourth and final worldwide win of 2024 was not the usual blend of jubilation and achievement. It looked to be an emotion of a deeper, rawer kind — crashing over him in an instant and yet building within him for months. That emotion looked like relief.

The events of the previous few hours had pushed him to the brink. Once again he found himself charging down the back nine at a tournament clinging to a lead, and once again it seemed like the forces of fate were conspiring against him. He gave up four shots between the seventh and 14th holes, making a pair of bogeys and missing a pair of birdies on par-5s. But then came an all-important birdie on the 16th, and by the time he strode up to the 18th green even a three-putt would have been enough to secure the victory over Rasmus Hojgaard.

McIlroy two-putted for birdie, and the wave washed over him. He’d won his final start of 2024, and his sixth Race to Dubai Championship — the DP World Tour’s season-long prize — tying Seve Ballesteros’ record. He was reminded of that fact a few minutes later, as he stood for an interview with the DP World Tour’s broadcast team, and as Rory tried to find the words to describe the depth and breadth of tying Ballesteros, he began to cry.

“Yeah, it’s really cool,” he eventually choked out. “I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf and to Ryder Cup players. In the European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve. We had a changing room with Seve’s shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played. He means so much to European golf and for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.”