DP World Tour Championship 2022 set for biggest spectator turnout in tournament history

Headlined by McIlroy and Fitzpatrick, the season-ending event in Dubai welcomes fans back for the first time since the pandemic

L-R: Danny can Otterdijk, Chief Communications Officer, DP World, General Abdullah Al Hashmi, Vice Chairman, Emirates Golf Federation, Tom Phillips, Head of the Middle East, DP World Tour. Photo: DP WShow more

Organisers of the DP World Tour Championship are confident next month’s event will have the biggest turnout of spectators in tournament history.

The season-ending event on the DP World Tour – formerly the European Tour – takes place November 17-20 at Jumeirah Golf Estates. On Monday, as organisers marked one month to go until the first tee shot, Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick were confirmed for the tournament, as the pair each attempt to become the event’s first three-time winner.

McIlroy, a four-time major champion, leads the season-long DP World Tour Rankings – he has been crowned European No 1 three times before - while reigning US Open champion Fitzpatrick sits second.

Discussing how preparations are taking shape four weeks out, Tom Phillips, head of the Middle East, DP World Tour, said: “We’re really excited. It really feels like it’s just around the corner.

"And we’ve just confirmed that the top two of our Race to Dubai will be here, with Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick fighting it out for the DP World Tour Rankings. The top 50 on the rankings qualify, so the field is taking shape every week when a tournament goes by.

“To have those two at the top of the race battling it out with others is really exciting. We’re very lucky. This is our season finale and the players year-in, year-out want to come, want to win the rankings, want to be the DP World Tour No 1.

“But also they love coming to the UAE, to Dubai, to Jumeirah Golf Estates; the Earth Course is a fantastic venue. They get well looked after in terms of hospitality. The players love it.

“So that combination of wanting to come back to Dubai but also wanting to come back to compete in such a big event means we get really strong fields year-on-year.”

Next month’s event marks the first DP World Tour Championship without any restrictions since the Covid-19 pandemic. Organisers have planned a number of new initiatives for the tournament, now in its 14th year, with spectators welcome for the first time to attend five days including Tuesday's Pro-Am.

“We’re already seeing there’s a real appetite this year for people wanting to come back and watch live sports events,” Phillips said. “We’ve seen it with our hospitality tickets – they're already up 25 per cent on previous years at this stage.

“We have free entry for general access - fans can register in advance - and those registrations are going through the roof. So we’re expecting probably a bigger turnout than we’ve ever had before.

“We’re catering obviously for golf fans, but we’re trying to cater for non-golf fans also. This year we’ve a family day, a ladies day, a community day. We’re opening up the Pro-Am on the Tuesday for people to come and watch, and no doubt there’ll be some celebrities taking part in that - footballers, F1 drivers, cricketers have already requested to play. That’ll be a fun day.

“So it’s showing all the signs of being a really, really popular week both on and off the course."