The six-time major champion gave himself a fighting chance of equaling Colin Montgomerie's long-standing record with a third-placed finish in Abu Dhabi last week and is one of three players who'll guarantee themselves the title with a win in Dubai this week

The Race to Dubai draws to a dramatic conclusion this week with the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates with Rory McIlroy chasing a record-equalling eighth title.

The six-time major champion gave himself a fighting chance of equaling Colin Montgomerie's long-standing record with a third-placed finish in Abu Dhabi last week.

That leaves him in second place in the standings, just 533.93 points behind current leader Eugenio Chacarra.

With 2,000 points on offer to the winner this week, a host of players still have a realistic chance of winning the Race to Dubai, formerly known as the European Tour Order of Merit.

McIlroy is bidding to win the title for a fifth successive year and leapfrogged Patrick Reed last week, although Jon Rahm’s victory last week has given him an outside chance coming into the final week of the season.

To win the title, McIlroy will need to win at least 534 more than Chacarra and hope Reed, Rahm or Aaron Rai don’t win.

Realistically, that means he’ll need to finish in the top four this week to have any chance of claiming the title.

Chacarra remains in pole position to claim his first Race to Dubai title after winning three times on the DP World Tour this season.

The Spaniard can guarantee the title with victory in Dubai, while third-placed Reed is also in control of his own destiny if he wins.

Reed, who trails Chacarra by 715.17 points, must finish at least second to have any chance. If he wins, he’ll need Chacarra to finish third or lower.

For McIlroy, a second-placed finish would be enough if Chacarra finishes third or lower and Reed doesn't win.

Third place this week would suffice provided Chacarra finishes 12th or worse, Reed is third or worse and Rai, Rahm or Casey Jarvis fail to win.

If McIlroy finishes fourth, he’ll need Chacarra to finish 47 or worse in the 50-man field, Reed to be third or worse and no other player currently in the top nine in the Race to Dubai to win.

The winner of this week’s DP World Tour Championship will collect $3 million in prize money and, for a handful of players in the field, including McIlroy, victory would also see them win the Race to Dubai title.