Missing out on his fifth major win still “stings” Rory McIlroy but he insists he’s hugely motivated to end 2024 on a high as he looks to close the gap on on Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele in 2025.

The world number three (35) will claim his sixth Race to Dubai, matching European legend Seve Ballesteros, if he finishes in the top 10 in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

But when reflecting on 2024, he admitted that after making three bogeys in his last four holes to lose the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau and letting several other titles slip away, he could only give his season a “pass” grade despite being“incredibly consistent again”.

“I’ve been really proud of that over the last few years, but then at the same time, thinking about the ones that got a way,” said McIlroy, who can only be denied the Harry Vardon Trophy by South African Thriston Lawrence.

“I could be sitting up here with a fifth Major title and I am not. So that stings and that’s something that I have to come to terms with, but at the same time, I’ve got plenty more opportunities in the future.”

Paul McGinley suggested in his DP World Tour blog that while McIlroy is a more rounded golfer than he was when winning majors a decade ago, the bar is a lot higher now with Scheffler and Schauffele playing golf to a standard not seen since Tiger Woods’ heyday.

It’s a point not lost on McIlroy, who watched Schauffele win the US PGA and The Open this year and Scheffler the Masters, The Players and Olympic gold.

“They certainly separated themselves from the pack this year,” McIlroy confessed. “I’m obviously very aware of that and it only makes me more motivated to try to emulate what they did this year.”

If he’s to win his sixth Race to Dubai, he can’t afford a repeat of last year, when he finished 22nd behind Nicolai Hojgaard in the season-ending event.

“I guess my goal this week is not to have anyone with me on the 18th green; try to win both titles,” he said.

“Coming here last year, I already had [The Race to Dubai] it wrapped up which was obviously really nice but maybe I lacked a bit of motivation in the tournament because of that.

“So knowing that I still have to go out and play pretty well depending on what Thriston does, that gives me a little bit extra motivation to keep a bit more focused this week.”

Meanwhile, America’s Ryder Cup players look set to be paid for the first time in a break from a near 100-year tradition with Team USA in line to receive almost €4.8m collectively for next year’s showdown in New York.

The organising body of the American team has drawn up proposals that would see its golfers paid directly for the first time in the match’s 97-year history.

It is understood that a figure of $400,000 [€377,000] for each Team USA representative has been put forward and is likely to be ratified at board level.

There are no plans for European players to be paid to appear.

Earning Ryder Cup points is a big goal for Shane Lowry this week, but Tom McKibbin’s immediate goal is to clinch his PGA Tour card via the top 10 in the Race to Dubai not already exempt.

He’s 11th in the race for those ten cards and after racking up nine top-10 finishes this season, a tenth top-10 in Dubai would likely be enough for him to join McIlroy, Lowry and Seamus Power on the PGA Tour in 2025.

Power has recorded three top-15 finishes in his last four starts to lie 54th in the FedEx Cup Fall Series with only this week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship and next week’s RSM Classic to go.

If he remains in the top 60 he’ll earn lucrative starts in two Signature Events - the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational - next year.

But he’s aiming for a third win, starting with the event he won in 2022.

"Hopefully a win would add Maui [The Sentry Tournament of Champions] to the list of my elevated events, so that's going to be a big goal for the last two weeks,” Power said at Port Royal.

Finishing the season strongly is also key for Leona Maguire, who needs a good week in The ANNIKA to qualify for LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship next week.

The Co Cavan star has recorded just one top 10 on the US circuit this season and lies a tenuous 57th in the standings with only the top 60 qualifying for the $11 million finale.

There was no play at the Final Stage of the six-round DP World Tour Qualifying School as a result of a Spanish Government notification regarding severe weather in the Tarragona area.

Amateur Max Kennedy was four shots outside the top 20 and ties who will win cards with the leaders still to finish their fifth rounds at Infinitum Golf.

Meanwhile, Liam Nolan was the best of the Irish at the Final Stage of the 54-hole Alps Tour Qualifying School.

He opened with a four-under 68 to lie two shots off the lead in the race to make the top 35 awarded the strongest cards.

Michael Young shot 70 to share 22nd, John Murphy and Tom Dowdall 71s to be joint 29th, Marc Boucher a 72 for joint 44th, Hugh Foley 73 for tied 57th and Brandon St John a 76 for 111th.