Rory McIlroy won the Dubai World Championship by two strokes on Sunday after finishing with five straight birdies to shoot a 6-under 66, ending a year in which he won the PGA Championship and the European and PGA tour money titles.

The top-ranked Northern Irishman recovered from some early putting woes to total of 23-under 265 at the season-ending tournament to beat Justin Rose of England, who shot a course-record 62 that included an eagle and eight birdies.

"I just wanted to finish the season the way I thought I deserved to finish the season,"McIlroy said after holing a birdie on 18 and raising his arms in the air in celebration. "You know, I played so well throughout the year and I didn't want to just let it tail off, sort of, timidly. I wanted to come here and finish in style."