Dutch veteran Luiten leads in blustery Dubai...Live scoreboard

   DP World Tour Championship 

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4.50am EST is 1.50pm at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai

****Niklas Norgaard made an ace at the 13th for 1,000,000 Emirate Airways points

The weather 30*c, moderate breeze 18km/h WNW, play is well under way in blustery conditions with the late wave on the Earth Course in the swanky Jumeirah Estates, Dubai.

Dutch veteran Joost Luiten posted his best opening round at this Tour Championship -5 67 to hold the early clubhouse lead.

Bryan Angus

Final EDIT  8am >>>> est

Joost Luiten fired his lowest round at the Earth Course since 2016 to earn a one-shot lead over Jacob Skov Olesen after the opening round of the DP World Tour Championship.

As the last man to earn his place in the 50-man field, Luiten got the DP World Tour Championship under way with the opening tee shot and quickly set the pace on his way to a -5 67.

Heading into this week at 56th on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World, the Dutchman admitted he had nothing to lose as he strung together seven birdies and two bogeys and is now currently projected as high as fourth.

“I said to my caddie, I said, bro, we can only go up this week, you know? We're last man in, we've got nothing to lose, so let's go for it,” said Luiten following his round. “And it worked out so far.

Following an opening par, Luiten made back-to-back birdies at the second and third holes and another at the fifth to move out in front of playing partner Victor Perez, who had also made two birdies in his first three holes.

The Dutchman then capped off an opening nine of 31 with back-to-back birdies to reach -5 at the turn, before bouncing back from bogeys at the 11th and 12th holes with another birdie at the 13th. A final birdie of the day at the last led him to an opening -5 67, posting his lowest score around the Earth Course since the final round in 2016.

“Good opening round, had a great front nine, you know, five-under after nine, and then you hope you can push on,” he explained further.

“But the wind picked up, and I made two annoying bogeys on 11 and 12, which especially on 11 wasn't really needed. But, you know, it happens in these conditions. And I'm quite happy finishing five under because coming in it's tricky.

Another player with plenty to play for this week is Olesen, who also birdied his final hole of the day to card a -4 68.

At 10th in the Race to Dubai, Olesen is one of nine players who could end this week as this year’s champion of the Harry Vardon Trophy, though he does need to win the tournament to have a chance at scooping both titles this week.

 A step closer to that goal, Olesen is also chasing one of the ten PGA Tour Dual Membership cards, and is currently predicted to take the third one, behind season-long leader Eugenio Chacarra and Patrick Reed.

Behind him, Rory McIlroy headlines a group also containing Victor Perez, Gregorio De Leo, Freddy Schott and Francesco Laporta on -3, having made a birdie on his final hole to card an opening 69.

McIlroy needs to finish solo fourth or higher to have a chance overtaking Chacarra and matching Colin Montgomerie's record of eight Order of Merit titles, and mixed five birdies with two bogeys during his opening round. He had a chance for eagle at the last but his effort came up short to move into a tie for second, which would have pushed him to the top of the projected rankings.

Race to Dubai leader Chacarra, who is making just his second appearance at the season finale, had mixed fortunes on day one, making four birdies and four bogeys for a level par 72.

Elsewhere, Kota Kaneko was named Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year as the sole Rookie to make it to the final event of the season, while Reed opened with a disappointing +3 75.

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Bryan Angus (edit)

11 players making DP World Tour Championship debuts...TEE TIMES

  DP World Tour Championship : 

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This week's DP World Tour Championship field sees 11 players tee it up for the first time at the Race to Dubai finale, including two-time winner Casey Jarvis.

Here, we take a look at the 11 players making their debut and how they made it to the final event of the season.

Casey Jarvis

Race to Dubai Rank: 4

The only man on this list who could also win the Race to Dubai title, Jarvis has had an outstanding year that includes back-to-back victories earlier in the year.

After a stand-out amateur career where he became the first amateur in history to win South Africa's 'Triple Crown', Jarvis progressed to the Sunshine Tour where he was awarded rookie of the year for 2022/23. 

Graduating the following year from the HotelPlanner Tour, Jarvis had a solid rookie year on the DP World Tour but has undoubtedly enjoyed a breakthrough this year. 

With the help of a birdie-eagle finish at the Magical Kenya Open he claimed his maiden title, before earning his second a week later on home soil at the Investec South African Open Championship - a result that earned him qualification for both the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship in 2026, where he finished tied sixth. 

He almost made it three wins in a row and had another close call at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and heads into this week with not only an outside chance at the Race to Dubai but a near certainty that he will be playing internationally next season as a dual member on the PGA Tour.

David Puig

Race to Dubai Ranking: 21

Our first winner of the season at the BMW Australian PGA Championship, the Spaniard's maiden victory came in just his 15th appearance. 

A standout collegiate player for Arizona State University, he also represented Spain as an amateur and Europe at the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup before entering the paid ranks. 

His victory at Royal Queensland made him just the second Spaniard to win the event and after that he also recorded back-to-back top tens in Dubai in January. 

Having played in all four other Rolex Series events this year, Puig arrives for his debut at the Dubai finale following a top five finish in Abu Dhabi.

Hennie Du Plessis

Race to Dubai Ranking: 22

The South African has twice finished runner-up this season, coming agonisingly close to his maiden DP World Tour title in Munich. 

Having led by three shots with two holes to play, a bogey at the 17th and a closing par left the door open for compatriot Michael Hollick, who finished birdie-eagle to snatch victory. 

That challenge followed three consecutive weeks in contention in Africa during the International Swing, a run that also saw him claim the Course Record Presented by Nexo prize at the Investec South African Open Championship.

A professional since 2015, Du Plessis also made his Major Championship debut at the U.S. Open before teeing it up at The Open this year. 

After a dip in form, three consecutive made cuts helped him reach the Play-Offs in Abu Dhabi, and he now arrives in Dubai ranked 22nd on the Race to Dubai as he looks to round off his strongest campaign on Tour.

Davis Bryant

Race to Dubai Ranking: 28

The American lost his card in his debut season last year but after coming through the Qualifying School for the second campaign in a row, 2026 has looked very different. 

He has had two runner-up finishes at the Magical Kenya Open and Austrian Alpine Open but his real hallmark has been consistency, with 24 made cuts from 28 starts. A professional for just three years, he had only played two ranking events before gaining his card in 2024 and has made it to the season finale this week for the first time.

Mikael Lindberg

Race to Dubai Rank: 32

The Swede is another player who has something of a break through year in 2026, making his first seven cuts and finishing third in China before claiming his maiden DP World Tour title at the Turkish Airlines Open. 

That victory also helped him win the Asian Swing and earn a Major debut at the US PGA Championship, marking another step forward in a career that has gathered momentum over the past two seasons and culminates with a debut this week at the DP World Tour Championship.

Yuto Katsuragawa

Race to Dubai Ranking: 36

What a difference a week makes. Heading into the regular season finale at the Genesis Championship, the Japanese was 106th on the Rankings and staring down the barrel of losing full playing privileges. 

Four rounds and a second DP World Tour title later, he was heading to the Play-Offs. 

His first win at the 2024 ISPS HANDA - CHAMPIONSHIP came on home soil in just his fifth appearance but he would make just three cuts after that in the season. 

Freddy Schott

Race to Dubai Ranking: 38

Retaining his card proved a challenge, yet two top-ten finishes from limited starts in 2025 secured his return for 2026, and this time he has taken full advantage.

His breakthrough came in February at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, where he beat Calum Hill and Patrick Reed in a play-off to claim his maiden DP World Tour title. 

He has since backed that up with a top-five finish at the Volvo China Open and a tie for ninth in Abu Dhabi last week, helping him reach 38th on the Race to Dubai. Having battled to regain his place on Tour, Schott now makes his DP World Tour Championship debut as a winner.

Kota Kaneko

Race to Dubai Ranking: 42

Just one event away from scooping up Rookie of the Year honours, Kota Kaneko gained his card for 2026 via the pathway created with the Japan Golf Tour as he topped its Order of Merit with two wins. 

He made his first eight cuts and finished second at the Soudal Open before claiming a first DP World Tour title at the Austrian Alpine Open the following week. 

His form tailed off as he missed six straight cuts with summer turning to autumn but after making four of his last five cuts, now arrives at Jumeriah Golf Estates for the first time as the sole rookie within the top 50.

Manuel Elvira

Race to Dubai Rank: 49

The Spaniard came close to a first professional victory at the BMW PGA Championship in September, the standout moment of a season that has also brought a T7 in Austria and a T8 at the ISCO Championship. 

His challenge at Wentworth helped him on his way to Dubai, where he arrives ranked 49th on the Race to Dubai and will join his older brother Nacho in the field.

Gregorio De Leo: Race to Dubai Ranking: 50

Much like Bryant, the Italian is making the most of his second chance on Tour after losing his card in his rookie season and coming through the Qualifying School two years running.

He is proving he can thrive in elite fields having secured top fives across the Back 9 in Ireland and India. 

He was the only player in the field last week to be also making their Rolex Series debut, and after a tied 38th finish in Abu Dhabi he's making it back-to-back weeks of Rolex Series in the Middle East.

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Bryan Angus (edit)

PGA Tour Fall Series : Austin Championship, facts to know, Canadian standings

 PGA Tour : Austin Championship Field

* This is a new event on the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa Fazio Canyons Course, 7451yds, renovated by Tom Fazio in 2022 in preparation for PGA Tour play.

* Second last event in the Fall Series

* Most of the field from last week are here including winner Blades Brown. Players are still jockeying for a position in that 51-60 Aon Next 10 who will gain entry into 2027 Pebble Beach and Genesis signature $20,000,000 tournaments. Corey Conners has been bumped out from 58 to 62 after last week's play.

* Players are also vying to spots in the top 100 for full 2027 Tour status, and 101-125 conditional status.

* with time running out Mac Hughes 103, Taylor Pendrith 104 , AJ Ewart 106 are all close.

CANADIANS (FedEx / OWGR)

AJ Ewart  106/ 206

Mac Hughes  103/159

Taylor Pendrith 104/134

Adam Svensson 182 /548

Nick Taylor  72/97

Sudarshan Yellamaraju  65/116

Adam Hadwin  176/338 is an alternative

Bryan Angus

TEE TIMES for DP World Tour Championship...What to know..

 DP World Tour Championship : 

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The DP World Tour arrives in Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship, marking the final event of 2026 Race to Dubai season.

Season finale

And then there was one. After visiting 25 countries across five continents, the DP World Tour’s schedule reaches a climax this week in Dubai. 

Since 2009, the DP World Tour Championship has annually played host to the season-ending event. Contested over 72 holes, with no cut, the concluding Rolex Series event features a $10 million prize fund – the biggest of the 42-tournament 2026 Race to Dubai season. 

Now, 50 players have made their way to the second of back-to-back Rolex Series events - which serve as the DP World Tour Play-Offs - to compete for two key pieces of silverware on offer this week: The DP World Tour Championship and the Harry Vardon Trophy.

Who can still win the Race to Dubai?

The battle for the Race to Dubai title comes to an end this week at Jumeriah Golf Club as players vie to end the year as DP World Tour Number One. With 2000 points available to this week's champion, there are still nine players remain in the running to end the year at the top of the Ranking.

Eugenio Chacarra, the only three time winner this season, tops the standings heading in with a 533.93 point lead over nearest challenger Rory McIlroy, who is seeking to match Colin Montgomerie’s long-standing record of eight Order of Merit titles this week.

Behind them are Patrick Reed, Casey Jarvis, US PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai, Jon Rahm, Ryan Fox, Jayden Schaper and Daniel Hillier, who all have a mathematical chance of ending the year as the winner of the season-long race. Rahm became the latest player to enter the mix after triumphing on his debut at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship last week.

The battle for PGA Tour cards

Eugenio Chacarra may be at the top of the Race to Dubai Ranking, but he’s also at the top of another significant race: The race for the ten Dual Membership cards with the PGA Tour.

With the elevated points on offer this week, any of the eligible players could play their way into the top ten come Sunday evening.

Inside the field

The final event of the 2026 Race to Dubai features the leading 50 available players on the Rankings, consisting of three of four 2026 Major Champions and several multiple winners on the Race to Dubai season.

Alongside the players challenging for the Race to Dubai title - including Eugenio Chacarra and Casey Jarvis,  the field features a host of some of Europe's best as Ryder Cup stars Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood join Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm.

As it stands, Kota Kaneko is the only rookie on the 2026 Race to Dubai who has made it into the final field, and if that remains the case the Japanese will end this week as Rookie of the Year - joining Ryo Hisatsune as the second player from Japan to win the Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award in the last four years.

Kaneko is also one of 11 players making their debut in this event, joined by Hennie Du Plessis, Mikael Lindberg, Manuel Elvira, Freddy Schott, Casey Jarvis, Gregorio de Leo, David Puig, Yuto Katsuragawa, David Bryant and Casey Jarvis - who is also challenging for the Race to Dubai title.

What else is to play for?

In addition to the Race to Dubai, PGA Tour cards and the DP World Tour Championship title, there is also an added bonus for players who finish within the top 25 on the Race to Dubai Ranking.

A new pathway this season to the Major Championships means that any player not otherwise exempt who finishes in the top 25 of the Final Race to Dubai Ranking those in will earn an exemption into next year’s Open Championship at St Andrews.

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Bryan Angus (edit)

Rory raring to go after 8th Race to Dubai title this week in Dubai

 Rory McIlroy is raring to go in his bid to chase down Eugenio Chacarra and win a record-equalling eighth Harry Vardon Trophy which will come down to the wire at next week's DP World Tour Championship.

The World Number Two leapfrogged long-time leader of the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World Patrick Reed into second after adding a third-placed finish at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

SITUATION

He trails Chacarra by 533.93 points heading into the final event of the season on the Earth course, where the six-time Major Champion has won on three occasions, and with 2,000 points on offer for the winner, McIlroy is relishing the chance to sit alongside Colin Montgomerie in the record books.

"It was a good week. I saw some encouraging signs in the game," the 37-year-old said.

"I'm going to be in that final group going out on Thursday next week. I obviously would have loved to have won the tournament, but enough positive signs to feel good about going into next week.

"That's where I wanted to be. It's a pretty familiar spot for me going into the DP World Tour Championship and I'm excited for it.

"That was the goal coming into these two weeks to try to catch Eugenio and Patrick, and try to win the Race to Dubai again.

"It would have been great to win this week and give myself not as much of a deficit or even a lead, but still feel like I'm right in there with a great chance."

Chacarra declared McIlroy as the favourite despite his advantage heading into Dubai.

"It's hard. He's the number two player in the world and the number one in Europe, and he's been doing it for a long time and he plays really good out in Abu Dhabi and Dubai," the Spaniard admitted.

"He has played that course a million times, and I only played it once.

"He's going to be up there and we are going to battle on next week. Obviously the odds are on him and he's the favourite, but we'll play golf.

"We know what I'm capable of when I am playing good. There was a lot of good this week, but I just need to sharpen up to have a chance next week."

RAHM

Jon Rahm stormed to victory at Yas Links on his tournament debut to give himself with a shot of winning his second Race to Dubai crown and his first since 2019.

The Spaniard would need Chacarra to finish no higher than eighth and McIlroy as runner-up should he secure successive triumphs to conclude the season in his outside chance of lifting the Harry Vardon Trophy.

He said: "I didn't think I ever had a chance to win it! I'm very excited, it gives me a little more incentive for next week because I really didn't think I had a chance.

"Those are better odds than I expected so I'm looking forward to it and hopefully I can get my fourth one (victory on Earth course) and finish the year with back-to-back wins."

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Bryan Angus (edit)

Teen Blades Brown wins World Wide Technology Championship.. Canadian Results

    PGA Tour : World Wide Technology Championship  Results 

Rookie Ben James 65 64 66 -21 is closing in on the top 50 (#52) to lead this World Wide Technology Championship by 4 shots over Ryan Gerard (65) -17.

Image source,Getty Images

Image caption,

Victory earned Blades Brown a spot in his first major at next year's PGA Championship

However his putter went cold on Sunday and he soon lost his 4 shot lead, and eventually shot 70 and lost in a playoff to 19 year old Blades Brown who went out on this easy El Cardonal at Diamante course and shot 9- 63 -23 to tie Brown, then won with a 3 footer on the 2nd playoff to become the youngest winner on the PGA Tour.

He now has a 2 year exemption, entry into the PGA Championship and the Players Championship, and has become a millionaire $1,080,000.

Michael Kim 64, -22 was 3rd.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju remained the top Canadian T12 -17 projected at #64 Fed Ex rankings with 2 events left in this Fall Series.

Three Canadians have M/C Pendrith, Hughes, Ewart, none are in contention this week, 

CANADIANS (with FedEx / OWGR standings)

T12  Sudarshan Yellamaraju -17  71 63 71 66   64/ 121

T33 Ben Silverman -13  69 66 71 69  117 / 231

T33  Nick Taylor -13   69 70 67 69   71/ 92

T68  Adam Svensson -6  68 69 74 71  181 /549

MC Taylor Pendrith -  E 68 76   103 / 129

MC Mac Hughes +1 72 73   102/ 156

MC AJ Ewart  +4 73 74   105 /

Next week its the Austin Championship, Austin, Texas

Bryan Angus

Steady Rahm wins the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship...Final 50 decided....Results

    DP WORLD Tour : Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship Results  

With 7 holes to play John Rahm -21, Francesco LaPorta -21, Rory -20 and Tyrrell Hatton -20 were neck and neck coming down the home stretch in this version of the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

With victory at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, Jon Rahm moved ahead of Tyrrell Hatton to become the player with the most Rolex Series wins. He won his sixth Rolex Series title with a two-shot victory on his debut at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

Rahm arrived at Yas Links level with great friend Hatton on five triumphs in the DP World Tour's blue riband events and the duo went out together in the final group on both Saturday and Sunday.

In the end, it was Rahm who made it six of the best as a closing 67 handed him a two-shot win on his event debut.

They were in the final group alongside Francesco Laporta, and the trio and Rory McIlroy briefly shared the lead at -20 under on the back nine before Rahm motored ahead for the win.

"It means a lot," Rahm, who turns 32 on Tuesday, said. "I'm almost not letting myself believe it because it's been quite a while since I played good in a DP World Tour event and my last showing, if we don't count withdrawals, I think I finished last.

"I was never in danger of making a bogey except that one hole so a lot of them deserve a lot of credit, but definitely that second shot on 15, that six iron might be contender for shot of the year for me.

"After everything that's gone on and some poor play, battles mentally with the noise, to come back out after a little bit of rest and having a new addition to the family, it's special."

The leadership group increased to three when McIlroy rolled in birdies at the tenth and 11th and when Hatton also picked up a shot at the latter hole, four were tied at the top.

There was soon a two-shot swing at the 12th after Laporta found trouble and could not get up and down to save par, with Rahm taking full advantage with a birdie from short range.

That left him at -22 under, but Laporta's race was run when he triple-bogeyed the 13th to slip five behind.

Rahm produced a stunning approach at the 15th to ensure he took a stranglehold of the tournament as he tapped in for birdie.

SUMMARY

Hatton maintained the two-shot deficit when following suit, but steady Rahm kept his good friend at arm's length by closing out with three straight pars to secure his 11th DP World Tour title.

The Englishman signed for a final-round 68 to claim solo second at -21 and sealed his place at next week's DP World Tour Championship.

McIlroy climbed up to second on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World in his bid for a record-equalling eighth Harry Vardon Trophy with a third-placed finish at -19. He had his chances with birdie, eagle putts, but they just didn't fall at crucial moments late in his round.

Laporta who distinguished himself all week, was two shots further back -17 in fourth, with Spanish duo Angel Ayora and David Puig and Bernd Wiesberger at -16. 

Jayden Schaper was in solo eighth at 15 under, while English pair Nathan Kimsey and Matthew Jordan, Adam Scott, Frederic Lacroix and Freddy Schott were one shot further back.

TOP 50 RANKINGS FOR TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Rankings

Bryan Angus