Lowdown on DP World Tour Championship as Race to Dubai reaches grand finale

Two prizes up for grabs this week at Jumeirah Golf Estates, including the seasonal crown

England's Lee Westwood celebrates with the Race to Dubai trophy at the conclusion of the 2020 DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Sunday. Getty

Matthew Fitzpatrick of England celebrates winning the DP World Tour Championship. Getty

Billy Foster, caddie for Matthew Fitzpatrick, embraces Lee Westwood for winning the race to Dubai. Getty

Lee Westwood with partner and caddie Helen Storey at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Getty

Lee Westwood plays his second shot on the 18th hole at the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Getty

Laurie Canter of England plays his second shot on the 18th hole. Getty

Matthew Fitzpatrick after winning the DP World Tour Championship. Getty

Matthew Fitzpatrick putts on the 18th green at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Getty

Patrick Reed plays his second shot on the third hole at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Getty

Danny Willett during the DP World Tour Championship. Getty

The European Tour’s 2021 season comes to a finish this week with the DP World Tour Championship. The event, the final stop on the Race To Dubai, begins on Thursday. Here are the key details.

What is it?

First played in 2009, the tournament takes place on the Greg Norman-designed Earth Course, with a field comprising the top 50 players in the Race to Dubai — the circuit’s season-long standings. Given the limited field, there is no cut. As one of the four Rolex Series events on the tour, the DP World Tour Championship (DPWTC) carries a purse of $9 million. The Race to Dubai, meanwhile, offers a bonus pool of $5m, shared between the top 5-ranked players. The winner of that will bank $2m.

When is it?

November 18-21.

Where is it?

The event is played on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Who is playing?

The provisional cut for this week’s event had been extended to 54 after world No 1 Jon Rahm withdrew on Sunday. The Spaniard, a two-time winner of the DPWTC and the 2019 Race to Dubai champion, cited fatigue following a gruelling season. Former European No 1 Justin Rose and current world No 10 Viktor Hovland have also pulled out. Those three players were ranked in the Race at 3rd, 12th and 22nd, respectively.

Meanwhile, Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed have been handed special exemptions by the European Tour to be part of the field. The pair, both former Masters champions, failed to fulfil the minimum requirement of four regular European Tour events.

The current Open champion, Collin Morikawa, goes into the DPWTC top of the Race to Dubai standings, with the world No 2 holding a 236.2-point advantage over recent BMW PGA Championship winner Billy Horschel. Both players are looking to become the first American winner of the Race to Dubai.

England’s Tyrrell Hatton sits fourth, in-form Australian Min Woo Lee is fifth, while defending DPWTC champion Matt Fitzpatrick is sixth. Also, four-time major winner Rory McIlroy returns to play the event this year.

Past champions

The DPWTC has had eight previous winners, with reigning title-holder Matt Fitzpatrick also capturing the crown in 2016. The Englishman, who prevailed last year by one shot, sits alongside Jon Rahm (2017, 2019), Rory McIlroy (2012, 2015) and Henrik Stenson (2013, 2014) as two-time winners of the event.

Lee Westwood won the inaugural tournament in 2009, followed by Robert Karlsson (via a play-off) and Alvaro Quiros. England’s Danny Willett triumphed in 2018.

The Race to Dubai — the rebranded Order of Merit — roll of honour features Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald, Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari, Rahm, Stenson (2), Westwood (2) and McIlroy (3). Westwood bookends the rebrand: he is the first and the most recent Race to Dubai champion.

Tickets

Free general admission tickets are available www.ticketmasteruae.ae. To gain entry to the event, all UAE residents & citizens must provide proof at the entrance of a vaccination administered at least 14 days before the event date through the Al Hosn application, or a negative PCR test result within 96 hours of attendance to the first day of entry. Children under 12 do not require proof of vaccination. Gates open at 7am.