The DP World Tour playoffs are here, and we have a three-way fight for the Race to Dubai title.
Rory McIlroy is looking to tie Collin Montgomerie with his record eighth title, but he’ll have to beat both Patrick Reed and Eugenio Chacarra down the stretch of the season. Chacarra, in particular, is in impressive form and will be tough to beat in the playoffs.
The DP World Tour playoffs usually feature some of the season’s most exciting golf, with some of the world’s best talent competing. But this year won’t feel the same, as seven big names, including four Ryder Cup stars, will not be playing in the Middle East.
Ryder Cup stars not playing in Middle East DP World Tour event
The DP World Tour playoffs start in the United Arab Emirates next week, and all of the tour’s best players were expected to be competing at Yas Links. But several stars won’t be in the field.
Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, Ludvig Aberg and Ryan Fox won’t be playing in Abu Dhabi next week. Four of those seven stars are major champions, so this is a major blow for the event.
It’s unclear whether these players aren’t competing because of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Rose, for example, didn’t play the event last season either, and Matt Fitzpatrick has played it once since 2022.
Fitzpatrick raised concerns in September, saying to the Guardian, ““As things stand right now, I would say I’m not that comfortable. A few things have changed for me. I had a child in August and that changes things a bit more.
“It would feel a little bit weird, given what I’m reading elsewhere. Things can change overnight, I’m sure. I think it seems to be going down that path of things are getting better. I’ve looked on the UK [government] website, I know they changed it from essential travel only to one step better than that.
“I know the tour has been on this for a long time. It’s frustrating the decision hasn’t been made so you can plan. But I understand there’s a lot of moving parts to that and it’s difficult to make these decisions.
“If the tour do go, I’m sure they have had the best advice possible on what that looks like. As things stand, I wouldn’t necessarily be too keen on going. I know there’s been discussions on what Formula One is doing. I’ve heard they might not be going there, so it begs the question, would we, I guess.”
Meanwhile, Fox said he trusts the DP World Tour’s stance that it’s safe to play. He told the Guardian, “There are some concerns. I’m of the opinion that the tour is doing their due diligence. If they feel like it’s safe for us to go, I’m willing to support that.
“But I can understand, also, why guys have some reservations. I’ll keep monitoring it. If I feel like it’s not the right decision, I might not go, but at this point I trust the tour’s decision in that regard.”
Either Fox’s decision to not play in Abu Dhabi is a coincidence, or his stance has changed in the last month. But his decision to skip this playoff event is certainly notable.