With just 50 days left until the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, players are vying for a spot in the final Rolex Series event of the season at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Golf's global tour's season-ending event is known for dramatic finales and provides a stage for superstars to shine, with Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Lee Westwood and Collin Morikawa all set to taste victory in front of tens of thousands of fans at one of the golf world's most prestigious championships.
The tournament is also highly exclusive, with only the top 50 players in the Race to Dubai rankings invited to compete on the Greg Norman-designed Earth Course for one last chance to win the tournament and the Harry Vardon Trophy, awarded to the player who finishes highest in the season standings.
With just six events left in the DP World Tour Championship, many star players are in danger of missing out on the DP World Tour season finale.
Nicola Hoegaard
Last year's champion Nicolai Højgaard will need to step up his game if he hopes to defend his title next month. The Dane has spent much of the season on the PGA Tour, having qualified through last year's Race to Dubai, but he still managed to play 11 DP World Tour events.
His best result this season was seventh place at the Dubai Desert Classic, earning 194.60 points (he currently has a total of 567.06 Race to Dubai points), ranking 74th in the standings.
If he stays where he is, he will also miss the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, which is open only to the top 70 players. However, Hoijgaard still has a chance to move up the rankings with strong performances in the upcoming Dunhill Links Championship and French Open.
Victor Hovland
Norwegian star Viktor Hovland has played just two DP World Tour events this season, yet he is on the verge of a top-50 finish thanks to a strong performance at the PGA Championship.
The 2022 Dubai Desert Classic champion finished third at Valhalla Golf Club, earning 627 of 663.80 season points. That puts the Scandinavian talent in 62nd place in the Race to Dubai, but he currently has no tournaments scheduled before the DP World Tour Championship.
Viktor Hovland a key member of Europe's 2023 Ryder Cup team
Image source: AP
Fields remain open for the French Open, Andalucia Masters and Genesis Championship, giving the 27-year-old a chance to secure his spot in the season finale if he acts quickly.
Jon Rahm
Three-time DP World Tour Champion Jon Rahm currently sits 125th in the Race to Dubai standings and will need to be in top form over the coming weeks to keep his hopes of a fourth title alive.
Aside from the Olympics and majors, Rahm has spent much of this season competing in the LIV Golf League and will make his DP World Tour debut this week at the Spanish Open, where he aims to become the first player in the event's 52-year history to win four titles.
A win would give him 835 points, easily qualifying for the DP World Tour Championship. If he doesn't win, Rahm still has a chance to move up the rankings in upcoming tournaments in Scotland and Spain.
Matt Fitzpatrick
The Earth track has been a happy hunting ground for Matt Fitzpatrick over the years, with the British rider having won two of his nine DP World Tour titles there, but currently sitting 119th in the Race to Dubai, he could end his nine-year streak of qualifying for the event.
Matt Fitzpatrick is a two-time DP World Tour Champion
Image source: X
The 30-year-old has struggled this season, finishing outside the top 20 in seven DP World Tour events. That being said, he will have a chance to turn things around at next week's Dunhill Links Championship, an event where he had a strong finish last year.
Fitzpatrick could lose his chance at the DP World Tour Championship if he doesn’t do well in Scotland, as his focus will shift to his upcoming wedding to Catherine Gall next month.
