With five different winners across a five-event stretch in the Middle East, the International Swing has so far celebrated the global nature of the membership on the DP World Tour.
The opening event of the new year saw two of Europe’s finest players battle it out for victory at the inaugural Dubai Invitational. Months after teaming up to help Team Europe to Ryder Cup success in Rome, Tommy Fleetwood edged out Rory McIlroy to claim his seventh DP World Tour title and first since the 2022 Nedbank Golf Challenge. A birdie-birdie finish helped the Englishman finish one stroke ahead of McIlroy and South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence.
While McIlroy was left with some regrets on his return to action for the first time since lifting his fifth Harry Vardon Trophy following the conclusion of the DP World Tour Championship, the Northern Irishman more than made up for that disappointment with a history-making win at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. After a sluggish start, the four-time Major champion found himself ten shots adrift of the lead, but he produced a bogey-free 63 on Moving Day to sit two adrift of American star Cameron Young. With scoring proving tougher in the final round, McIlroy surged four clear through 12 holes before recovering from a bogey at the par-five 13th to par his way in and card a closing 70 and seal a one-shot victory over Adrian Meronk
There is no lack of strength in depth in Scandinavia on the global stage. After the breakthrough of Sweden’s worldwide star Ludvig Åberg last year and success enjoyed by Vincent Norrman on both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, Denmark’s crop of professional golfers have made a big impression so far this year. Rasmus Højgaard has finished no worse than a tie for 11th across the five events so far on the International Swing to sit second on the International Swing rankings. His twin brother Nicolai also finished in the top ten at the Dubai Desert Classic, two months on from claiming his first Rolex Series title at the DP World Tour Championship and has since taken his good form across the Atlantic to finish runner-up to Matthieu Pavon at the Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA TOUR. Another Dane who is performing near to his best is Thorbjørn Olesen, with the 2018 Ryder Cup winner claiming his eighth DP World Tour title at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship with a dominant six-shot victory. In an Olympic year, Denmark’s team Captain Thomas Bjørn will be thrilled with what he is seeing as competition for a spot in the field at Le Golf National ramps up.
After a difficult 2023, in which Dylan Frittelli missed the cut or withdrew from 23 of his 27 starts on the PGA TOUR, the South African said he was "invigorated" to be back on the DP World Tour. “Last year I was in a couple of spots where I thought I was giving the game up to be honest and looking for something else.
The 33-year-old began the final round at the Bahrain Championship with a two-shot lead but was overtaken at the turn as a host of players staked a claim for the trophy, before three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine saw him claim his first DP World Tour title in six years with a two-shot success at Royal Golf Club.
Less than six months on from Ryo Hisatsune claiming his first DP World Tour title, Japan celebrated its fourth entrant to the DP World Tour winner’s circle at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. With birdies at two of his final three holes, Rikuya Hoshino followed Isao Aoki, Hideki Matsuyama and 2023 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Hisatsune as Japanese winners on Tour. Hoshino, a six-time winner in his homeland on the Japan Golf Tour, finished runner-up in his first two starts of the season in Australia but was not to be denied again as he produced a strong finish in Doha to become the first Japanese winner of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
With this week off, the tour's International Swing moves to Africa for three events beginning with the Magical Kenya Open.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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