Rory McIlroy made five straight birdies down the stretch to overtake Justin Rose and win the Dubai (United Arab Emirates) World Championship on Sunday, ending a historic year in which he won the PGA Championship and the European and PGA tour money titles.

The top-ranked McIlroy recovered from early putting woes to shoot a 6-under 66 for a 23-under 265 total at the season-ending tournament.

"I just wanted to finish the season the way I thought I deserved to finish the season," McIlroy said after making a birdie putt on the 18th and raising his arms 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."

Rose, who was tied for seventh after three rounds, surged into contention with a course-record 62 that included an eagle and eight birdies. He finished at 267.

Second-ranked Luke Donald (71) and Charl Schwartzel (68) tied for third at 270. Louis Oosthuizen (69) was another shot back in fifth.

The final round was supposed to be a duel between McIlroy and Donald, who shared the overnight lead. Donald grabbed an early two-shot lead when McIlroy bogeyed the first and Donald birdied the second.

But Donald three-putted the third to end a streak of 102 holes on the Earth Course without a bogey. He bogeyed No. 12 to fall three behind and couldn't mount another challenge.

Meanwhile, Rose was climbing up the leaderboard. He pulled within one shot of McIlroy with a birdie and then moved ahead with an eagle on No. 14 after his approach shot rolled within 10 feet. He sank it for his first lead of the tournament and doubled his advantage when McIlroy three-putted on the 13th.

Rose had another birdie before his 60-foot eagle putt came within inches of the cup on No. 18, and he settled for a birdie.

"I thought it was going to be good (enough), to be honest," Rose said. "I caught a glimpse of the board walking to the 18th tee. I saw Rory had gone birdie, birdie, and he's putting the squeeze on. But I knew that is what Rory does."

At No. 17, McIlroy hit what was probably the shot of his tournament, a 5-iron within a few feet of the pin.

"You could easily be a lot right into the bunker and leave yourself a tricky up-and-down," he said. "I committed to it and hit a great shot and followed it with a great putt for birdie to give myself that cushion going into the last."

Former Hornet Ray helps Toronto defeat

Calgary for Canadian Football League title

Former Sacramento State quarterback Ricky Ray threw two touchdown passes as the host Toronto Argonauts beat the Calgary Stampeders 35-22 in the 100th Grey Cup.

The Argonauts collected their 16th Canadian Football League title and first since 2004.

Ray completed 18 of 30 passes for 231 yards.

Toronto's Chad Kackert was named the game's outstanding player after rushing for 133 yards on 20 carries and catching eight passes for 62 yards.

Austrian Zettel captures World Cup slalom over countrywoman Schild

• Austria's Kathrin Zettel beat countrywoman and training partner Marlies Schild by .067 seconds to win a World Cup slalom in Aspen, Colo. Lindsey Vonn skipped the race as she recovers from an intestinal illness.

• Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal, who already had captured the World Cup downhill at Lake Louise, Alberta, completed a weekend sweep there, beating France's Adrien Theaux by .85 seconds in the super giant slalom.

– Associated Press

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

• Read more articles by Associated Press

Order Reprint