Rory McIlroy motivated to win third DPWTC title despite already securing Race to Dubai

Rory McIlroy said he remains fully focused on winning the DP World Tour Championship this week having already secured the end-of-season Race to Dubai title before a ball has been hit.

McIlroy, 33, is guaranteed to end the DP World Tour year at the top of the season-long points list for the fifth time in his career following previous triumphs in 2012, 2014, 2015 and last season.

The Northern Irishman was assured of top spot after results went his way at last week's Nedbank Challenge in South Africa. McIlroy holds an unassailable 2,083-point lead over second-placed Jon Rahm, with 2,000 points awarded to the DPWTC winner in Dubai.

Key to McIlroy's fifth Race to Dubai success has been the pair of Rolex Series event victories at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and the Scottish Open, and the strong showings in the majors; he finished inside the top seven in three of the four big tournaments this year.

"In fairness, I probably would have liked to have done it another way," McIlroy said on Tuesday. "But I've played well when I've come back over to the European Tour this year, won two Rolex Series Events and had some other really high finishes in tournaments that give a lot of points.

"It's really nice to have my name on the Harry Vardon Trophy for the fifth time and just be one behind Seve [Ballesteros] and still a few behind Monty (Colin Montgomerie)."

Despite already claiming one of the two trophies he was in contention for this week before the tournament has even started, McIlroy insisted that has not diminished his motivation. The world No 3 is aiming to complete the DPWTC-Race to Dubai double for the third time, having won both titles in 2012 and 2015.

"I knew that as long Adrian [Meronk] and Ryan [Fox] ... didn't break into