After a year of excitement which has spanned the globe, just fifty players remain in the hunt for glory at the DP World Tour Championship.
Upon the conclusion of the tournament the Race to Dubai champion will be crowned and it's highly likely that Rory McIlroy will end Sunday as the European money winner for the third successive time. Ahead of what is set to be four tremendous days of action, here is everything you need to know.
What is The DP World Tour Championship?
The DP World Tour Championship is very similar to the PGA Tour’s FedEx Championship. With every tournament throughout the DP World Tour calendar carrying a points allocation, the best fifty players in the Race to Dubai standings qualify for the season ending World Tour Championship.
Whilst there can only be one winner of the Race to Dubai title, the World Tour Championship is still hugely significant as its carries a tournament purse of $10,000,000 making it one of the most lucrative events in world golf.
Why Can Only Fifty Players Compete?
The goal for any player at the start of the DP World Tour is to make the top 70, as the top 70 qualify for the first of two DP World Tour Playoff events.
Those who make the top 70 will tee it up at the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship. At the conclusion of that event, only the top 50 in the overall Race to Dubai standings will qualify for the World Tour Championship. The Abu Dhabi Championship took place last week and was won by Paul Waring.
Where Does The DP World Tour Championship Take Place?
As the overall Race to Dubai Champion will be crowned at the DP World Tour Championship, it only makes sense that the tournament itself is played in Dubai.
The action this week will take place on the stunning Earth Course at the Jumeriah Golf Estate in Dubai. Designed by LIV CEO Greg Norman, the Earth Course is one of the best courses in the Middle East and has played host to this tournament for years.
Without doubt the feature that the field will need to successfully navigate are the abundance of water hazards that surround the holes. The last four holes in particular need accuracy as water plays a crucial role in each.
Measuring at over 7,700 yards it is one of the longest that the field will play all year so perhaps it isn’t surprising that over the last few years it has favoured the bigger hitters.
Rory McIlroy is the only man in the field who has tasted success at the course before with the four time major winner already having posted two victories at the venue.
Can Anyone Stop McIlroy This Week?
In short, no. Although the Northern Irishman has tasted victory just once this season on the DP World Tour he has managed a string of second place and top five finishes and his third place finish at the Abu Dhabi Championship all but put the champagne on ice.
The only man that can deny McIlroy the opportunity to win a sixth Race to Dubai title is the burly South African, Thriston Lawrence. Lawrence, who shot to fame after nearly capturing the 2024 Open, will need to win this week and hope that McIlroy finishes outside of the top 11.
Anything else but a Lawrence win will see McIlroy once again crowned as Europe’s champion golfer.
Is There Anything Else we Need to Keep an Eye on This Week?
Absolutely! Although the overall Race to Dubai battle might be uneventful, there is still plenty to play for. The DP World Tour recently forged links with the PGA Tour in order to keep their best players moving to LIV Golf and due to this relationship there are now ten PGA Tour cards up for grabs for the top ten finishers who don’t currently hold a card.
Whilst the DP World Tour is a great tour in its own right, it doesn’t come close to the PGA Tour in terms of prestige or the amount of money that can be won. Simply put, a place on the PGA Tour can be life changing and the race to secure the top ten places is tight.
With plenty of twists and turns in the race to join the world’s best tour due to take place, it is likely to be the major storyline to keep an eye on through this year’s DP World Tour Championship.
In Terms of The Betting, Who Are The Favourites?
As the highest ranked player in the field and with winning form on the course it isn’t surprising that Rory McIlroy is the current favourite for outright victory this week. However, there are other players who should warrant consideration if you want to place a bet.
Tyrell Hatton has enjoyed a great season on the LIV Tour but due to the fact he can’t earn world ranking points on the breakaway tour, the Englishman has had to play a lot of golf on the DP World Tour to ensure his spot at the majors next year.
Despite playing more golf than most in the field, Hatton is in great form and gave his major chances a real boost when recently winning the Alfred Dunhill Links for the third time. That good form continued at last week’s Abu Dhabi Championship where he was able to finish second.
A classy player who is capable of beating the very best in the game, he will start as McIlroy’s nearest challenger.
Completing the top three in the betting is Tommy Fleetwood. Despite equalling the course record at last week’s Abu Dhabi Championship in the opening round, Fleetwood couldn’t quite keep his momentum going and in the end had to settle for a top ten finish.
Fleetwood has played some really consistent golf this season, a winner already in Dubai back in January, he will hope to end his year on a high with another victory in the region.
Despite the presence of the European trio at the top of the leaderboard, other names to consider this week are Joaquin Niemann, Shane Lowry, Niklas Norgaard, Robert MacIntyre, Billy Horschel and Adam Scott.
Jack Hartman
A keen golfer and huge fan of the game, Jack has been covering golf for the last five years. Bringing you all the latest coverage and news from the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, never before has golf been so popular and Jack can’t wait to bring all the excitement to his readers.
