AS Tommy Fleetwood celebrated winning the Race to Dubai title in the stunning Dubai sunshine on Sunday and Jon Rahm picked up the DP World Tour Championship crown, another year on the European Tour was over.

Justin Rose’s slip into a tie for fourth was not good enough to overturn Fleetwood’s 256,737-point advantage in the rankings, meaning Fleetwood was crowned Europe’s No 1.

He had signed for a closing 74 to finish in a tie for 21st but, together with his other results including the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the HNA Open de France, his achievements have taken his career on to a new level this year.

The same, albeit without hitting top spot in Dubai, can be said of Hartlepool’s Graeme Storm.

He can reflect on a year when he really made his mark.

Storm will be short of friends from the North-East during the 2018 schedule, with Simon Dyson, Rob Dinwiddie and John Parry all failing to secure playing cards. Chris Paisley managed, just.

GRAEME STORM

Age: 39

Race to Dubai ranking: 39

2017 earnings: €1,022,789

World Ranking: 127

Best performance: South Africa Open champion

This was a year in Storm’s life he will never forget. After coming within a whisker of losing his card 12 months ago, he only missed eight cuts from his 29 events.

As well as beating Rory McIlroy in a play-off to win the South Africa Open, he also claimed top five finishes at the British Masters at Close House, the Portugal Masters, BMW PGA Championship and Alfred Dunhill Championship.

CHRIS PAISLEY

Age: 31

Race to Dubai ranking: 112

2017 earnings: €342,691

World Ranking: 281

Best performance: Third at Made in Denmark Open

A disappointing summer when he missed seven cuts could have been costly, otherwise would never have had the worries about his card. From the 27 events he competed in, the man from Stocksfield claimed five top 20 finishes including fifth at the Paul Lawrie Match Play and third in Denmark. Keeps his card because of the access list, having played in all Rolex events.

SIMON DYSON

Age: 39

Race to Dubai ranking: 201

2017 earnings: €53,163

World Ranking: 1745

Best performance: Tied 45th in the Australian PGA Championship

This six-time winner on the Tour rota just couldn’t get going this year, so got nowhere near to adding to his list of honours which last had silverware in 2011.

The Yorkman only made nine cuts all year and when he went to Q-School things didn’t improve either.

He missed the cut after posting a three-over four-round total, including an opening round 77, from which he never recovered.

ROB DINWIDDIE

Age: 34

Race to Dubai ranking: 212

2017 earnings: €41,259

World Ranking: 883

Best performance: Tied 30 at Andalucian Masters

He had to rely on invitations and holes in the entry lists to earn his 15 European Tour event starts and when he did he performed better than when he was on the Challenge Tour. The Barnard Castle pro only made €8,505 on the second tier, finishing 130th in the rankings which was well short of the coveted top 15 places. He also had a nightmare at Q-School (73,73,75, 79) finishing 11 over and missing the cut. He did qualify for his second The Open appearance.

JOHN PARRY

Age: 31

Race to Dubai ranking: 227

2017 earnings: €30,705

World Ranking: 1286

Best performance: Tied 19 at Made in Denmark

Parry missed 20 cuts throughout the year and he was unable to make the weekend in any of his final six outings, three of which arrived on the main European Tour.

There was the highlight of the €20,000 boost in Denmark, but in reality his standards were never as high as they were a couple of years ago. He also failed to make in impression at Q-School, finishing on two over after four rounds to miss the cut for the final day.