Rory McIlroy has won the Race to Dubai for the second time in three years after American Brooks Koepka claimed his first European Tour title in the Turkish Airlines Open which ensured world number one McIlroy is the European money-list winner ahead of next week's season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Koepka carded a flawless closing 65 at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal to finish 17 under par, one shot ahead of Ian Poulter who missed a birdie putt from six feet on the 18th to force a play-off.
Marcel Siem, Jamie Donaldson or Sergio Garcia had needed to win in Turkey and at next week's DP World Tour Championship to have a chance of overtaking McIlroy on the money list.
And although Siem started the final round just one shot off the lead, the BMW Masters winner could only card a closing 71 to finish joint eighth, with Donaldson 19th and Garcia 25th.
Shane Lowry finished in a tie for 25th place on seven under par after a closing 73.
The Offalyman had been right in contention early on after picking up four shots in the opening four holes only for it all to be undone by dropping five shots following a triple bogey at the fifth and a double bogey at the sixth hole, and another dropped shot at number 8.
Darren Clarke, meanwhile, finished on two over par and Michael Hoey was on 15 over par.
Koepka, who won three times on the Challenge Tour last year to gain instant promotion to the European Tour, carded four birdies on the front nine and holed from 40 feet for another on the 10th, before a brilliant approach to the 13th set up an eagle from just eight feet.
That gave him a two-shot lead and although Poulter halved his deficit with his fifth birdie of the day on the same hole, the Ryder Cup star was unable to find another on the last despite a superb long greenside bunker shot.
McIlroy, who was one of the first players to congratulate Koepka on Twitter, did not play in any of the first three Final Series events as he prepared for an upcoming court case against a former management company.
But he had already done enough with his four victories this season - including the Open and US PGA Championship - to be crowned European number one for the second time.
McIlroy, who won his first WGC event in between his two major titles, said: "This has obviously been the best season of my career by a long way, and to win The Race to Dubai for the second time really is something truly special.
"In some ways the pressure is off next week, but I'll fight very hard to end the year on a high with another victory" - Rory McIlroy
"That four-week spell over the summer, from The Open to the US PGA Championship, would have to be the best golf of my life, so I feel like I've really earned The Race to Dubai.
"Winning it for the first time two years ago was a fantastic feeling, but I feel like I'm now a more complete player and my all-round game has moved to another level. I've put in a lot of hard work this season, with my game and my fitness, so it's nice to get the rewards at the end of it.
"In some ways the pressure is off next week, but I'll fight very hard to end the year on a high with another victory. Finishing with five birdies to win the DP World Tour Championship in 2012 is right up there with my best performances on the European Tour, so every time I go back to Jumeirah Golf Estates it always brings back some happy memories.
"It's a great tournament to finish the season with and if I can notch up another win it really will complete an amazing year. I'm looking forward to getting out on the golf course and feeling that competitive edge again."
