The season-ending DP World Tour Championship is set to take centre stage at Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth Course in Dubai.
In addition to the lucrative $10 million purse, the Race to Dubai crown is on the line, and Rory McIlroy is looking to land a sixth crown.
McIlroy finished T3 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, three shots behind Englishman Paul Waring, who claimed the most significant victory of his career. Waring’s record-breaking performance has earned him a PGA Tour card and positioned him nicely in the order of merit ahead of this week’s season finale.
Another name on the leaderboard in Abu Dhabi was Tommy Fleetwood, and the 33-year-old could be one to watch in Dubai. Fleetwood equalled the course record at Yas Links in the opening round before failing to mount a serious challenge over the weekend.
Despite finishing four back in Abu Dhabi, the Englishman has been backed to challenge once more come Sunday’s final round at the Earth Course.
DP World Tour Championship: Tommy Fleetwood advantage explained
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Edoardo Molinari, writing in his weekly DP World Tour blog, has explained why Fleetwood’s local knowledge could help him contend.
“Tommy Fleetwood has been a serious contender over the Earth Course,” the Italian wrote.
“Now he is based there full time, so he will have some local knowledge. He struggled on the greens at the venue over the last three years, but his tee-to-green performances have been second to none.”
Fleetwood and his family have lived in Dubai since 2022, and he’s since set up the Tommy Fleetwood Academy to encourage younger golf talent in the UAE.
Why Tommy Fleetwood can’t win Race to Dubai
Fleetwood, unfortunately, won’t be able to compete for the order of merit even if he claims victory at the Earth Course.
McIlroy is currently in the driving seat, with South African Thriston Lawrence the only player capable of catching the four-time major winner.
| RANK | RACE TO DUBAI RANKINGS | TOURNAMENTS | POINTS |
| 1 | MCILROY, Rory | 11 | 4,997.66 |
| 2 | LAWRENCE, Thriston | 25 | 3,212.64 |
| 3 | HØJGAARD, Rasmus | 22 | 2,684.05 |
| 4 | HORSCHEL, Billy | 7 | 2,480.00 |
| 5 | WARING, Paul | 26 | 2,467.67 |
| 6 | HATTON, Tyrrell | 9 | 2,376.74 |
| 7 | FLEETWOOD, Tommy | 11 | 2,318.71 |
| 8 | NORGAARD, Niklas | 27 | 2,193.53 |
| 9 | MACINTYRE, Robert | 10 | 2,082.30 |
| 10 | MANASSERO, Matteo | 29 | 2,064.68 |
For Fleetwood, this week’s finale is a chance to continue his impressive recent form and ensure his game is trending in the right direction ahead of the 2025 PGA Tour season.
The 33-year-old has competed on multiple occasions this year and will be confident in finally landing his first victory on US soil once he heads back over the Atlantic.
Before his T6 finish at Yas Links, Fleetwood was third at both the Spanish Open and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
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