The highly anticipated DP World Tour Championship, boasting a $10 million prize purse, commenced on Thursday, November 13, at the prestigious Earth Course in Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai. The tournament features a star-studded field of 52 players, including the top 50 available competitors from the season-long Race to Dubai, alongside Ryder Cup exemptions Shane Lowry (IRE) and Ludvig Aberg (SWE).
The spotlight was firmly on the final group, teeing off at 12:40 pm, where Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy (NI) and second-ranked Marco Penge (ENG) faced off in a thrilling duel to set the tone for the season finale. Earlier in the day, the opening pairing at 8:15 am saw Lowry and Aberg take to the course, though neither is eligible for Race to Dubai points.
Other notable pairings included Dubai-based Ewen Ferguson (SCO) paired with Johannes Veerman (USA) at 8:55 am, and the much-anticipated matchup between Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) and Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Aaron Rai (ENG) at 12:00 pm. This duo had previously played together in the final group at Yas Links Abu Dhabi, adding an extra layer of intrigue to their pairing.
With dual PGA Tour cards on the line for the top 10 players in the Race to Dubai who do not already hold them, the stakes are higher than ever. The second-round draw, based on Thursday’s scores, will see leaders tee off last on Friday, with the schedule published on Thursday evening. For full round 1 tee times, visit www.europeantour.com.