By Mathieu Wood
As the DP World Tour season draws to a close for another year, leading golf commentators and analysts pick their best player, story, moment, shot and breakthrough performer.
Best player
Ken Brown: Rory McIlroy. He's simply the best player in Europe. What excitement, what a treat and pleasure he brings to all of us golf fans.
Dominik Holyer: McIlroy. Yes, the win for another Major title goes on, but Rory plays golf like few others can, or have, and was right there at the U.S. Open, Amgen Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship, only to get pipped to the line. He'll win a sixth Race to Dubai title this year and is closing in on Monty's all-time record of eight.
Alison Whitaker: McIlroy. It has to be Rory. Consistently exceptional all year long despite not getting the number of wins he’d like. To continuously give yourself that many chances throughout the season was remarkable.
Anthony Wall: McIlroy. The high standard of golf he has produced again is exceptional.
Jamie Spence: McIlroy. He entertains! He is not perfect but a compelling watch and can do things which we can only dream of. When following him as an on-course commentator, the brilliant becomes the norm - his Saturday 63 in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic was a treat to follow in the Feature Group coverage, one great shot after another.
Andrew Coltart: Thriston Lawrence. Mr Consistency.
David Howell: Matteo Manassero. Coming back from the depths of despair, fighting his way back onto the Tour, then producing a win and eight top ten finishes so far is quite remarkable.
Best story
Holyer: Matteo Manassero's return to the winner's circle in South Africa. Most players would not have come back from the slump he endured. He is now on the verge of a PGA TOUR card. This is what an opportunity the DP World Tour now offers.
Brown: Manassero. In his journey as a professional, he has reached the heights of the game and at such a young age, only to fall into the tea leaves at the bottom of his cup. Only to rise again, with great heart, always polite and with a smile. Class!
Coltart: Manassero. To have come back from those depths and win again on the DP World Tour takes huge courage.
Howell: See above.
Wall: Angel Hidalgo's breakthrough win in Madrid. From spectator to winner in a few years, while doing it against Jon Rahm.
Whitaker: Joe Dean. What a dream year! He went from not being able to afford tour golf at this level to a truly life-changing season. The ultimate sporting story.
Spence: McIlroy's win at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. His putt on the last green for eagle in the third round brought the house down and was a spine-tingling moment for all present. It gave him the platform for his victory on Sunday.
Favourite moment
Brown: Robert MacIntyre's winning putt in his national Open. You can’t beat the raw emotion of someone wanting to win something so badly and actually doing it. Robert MacIntyre's birdie putt reminded me of Seve's winning putt at The Open on the Old Course. The sheer delight, the joy, the relief, and having that rare feeling in sport of realising your dream.
Coltart: MacIntyre. Say no more.
Howell: THAT putt. Sahith Theegala cheering from the balcony too. A wonderful show of the love of the game.
Wall: McIlroy's drive and eight iron at the 18th in final round. Gave himself a chance tie and force a play-off. No player got close to an eagle like that.
Whitaker: Min Woo Lee in his chefs hat interacting with the crowd on the 17th at the Australian PGA Championship right before he went on to win. I’ve never seen a moment quite like it from someone in the heat of battle on the 71st hole. Entertainment at it's finest.
The Chef is in town 👨🍳@Minwoo27Lee gets a thunderclap going again, but this time, with a new hat! 😂#AusPGA pic.twitter.com/2BG3Y9DKzf
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 26, 2023
Best shot
Howell: McIlroy's eight iron to the last at the Amgen Irish Open. Having faltered on the back nine to see the tournament get away from him, this shot felt like redemption, a reminder of his brilliance. Ultimately it didn’t lead to the win, but I felt it gave him a huge reminder that he can hit the shot when it matters
Whitaker: Billy Horschel’s eagle putt in the BMW PGA Championship play-off to win at Wentworth. Just as much for the way he reacted once it dropped than the stroke itself. It’s so easy when the adrenaline is pumping to get the tone of a celebration wrong. But I thought those 15 seconds proved how classy a player he truly is; from the hands in the air to the apologetic glance at his friend. How the game is meant to be played.
Brown: Scottie Scheffler’s on the 18th out of the rough at Le Golf National to a tight right pin in the final round of the Olympics. Over the water, knowing a birdie would certainly give him the gold medal but a par might be good enough. It was played to sheer perfection, one of the great clutch shots of the season.
Wall: Nicolas Colsaerts' albatross - holing out from 223 yards with a six iron - at the par five 16th at Kingsbarns, during the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Coltart: Sam Jones' albatross at the Soudal Open. Just pips Nico's because of the club he used, sinking a three wood from 273 yards.
Biggest breakthrough
Holyer: Tough one, because there are a few candidates… Rikuya Hoshino winning in Qatar and Niklas Nørgaard at The Belfry, but I'll go with Jesper Svensson. He got his card for the DP World Tour via the Road to Mallorca rankings on the Challenge Tour last season, was second in the Investec South African Open, second in Bahrain and then won in Singapore. He also came close to another win at the D+D REAL Czech Masters and is going to finish top 10 in the Race to Dubai in his rookie season and earn one of those dual membership cards.
Spence: Svensson. What a player! I saw him first up in a practice round at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship early in the season and I remember saying “Who’s that!" He rips it and he can play! He has been a revelation all season, secured his first win in Singapore and hasn’t looked back - he is an approachable good guy and a class act - what an exciting future he has in front of him.
Wall: Svensson. Such a strong player. He seemingly has no weakness.
Brown: MacIntyre. He's had an amazing season. Two wins on the PGA TOUR, including his national Open, in 2024. He’s proved to himself that he’s got it at the very highest level. One with his Dad on the bag, the other with the weight of Scottish golf on his shoulders. Outstanding!
Whitaker: Hidalgo. What a revelation he was in Madrid; exactly what the golfing world and The Back 9 needed. David and Goliath!
Howell: Hidalgo. Winning in Spain against Rahm, in the manner that he did, cemented himself as the new matador in town. A brilliant watch, a shot maker extraordinaire.
