DP World Tour Championship: Field, format, prize money and who can stop Rory McIlroy from more Race to Dubai success
The 2025 DP World Tour season concludes with the DP World Tour Championship; Rory McIlroy leads the Race to Dubai, with Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton still in the running to end the campaign as European No 1; Watch live on Thursday from 7am on Sky Sports Golf
Monday 10 November 2025 14:39, UK
The DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai season reaches its climax this week at the DP World Tour Championship, live on Sky Sports.
A packed global season has seen 41 DP World Tour events across 27 countries and five continents, with Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai now ready to host the season finale once again.
Rory McIlroy returns as defending champion and looking to win the event for the fourth time, while the Northern Irishman is looking to close out another impressive season by winning the Race to Dubai for a seventh time.
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We take a closer look at the final tournament of the 2025 season, who can stop McIlroy from Race to Dubai glory and everything else you need to know about this week's week…
What's at stake?
Contested over 72 holes, with no cut, the DP World Tour Championship features a $10m (£7.6m) prize fund - the highest purse on the DP World Tour outside of the four majors.
There are 12,000 Race to Dubai points on offer, with 2,000 points going to the winner and 1,335 points to anyone finishing solo second. Players are awarded a share of the points based on where they finish in each tournament, with those points dictating the Race to Dubai standings.
At the conclusion of the DP World Tour Play-Offs, the top 10 players in the Race to Dubai Rankings will share a £4.6m ($6m) bonus pool, with the overall winner receiving £1.5m ($2m).
Additionally, the top 10 DP World Tour members - who are not already exempt - will earn PGA Tour cards for the 2026 season, granting them dual membership and expanded playing opportunities.
McIlroy the man to beat in Dubai
Race to Dubai Rankings leader McIlroy arrives looking for a seventh Harry Vardon Trophy and fourth in as many years, having already claimed two DP World Tour titles during an impressive season.
McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam at The Masters before coming through another play-off to win the Amgen Irish Open in September, with the world No 2 also finishing tied-second at the Genesis Scottish Open.
A tied-third finish - after a stunning final-round 62 - at the Abu Dhabi HSC Championship on Sunday extended his lead in the Race to Dubai standings, leaving him in control of his own destiny heading into the final event of the year.
Can anyone stop McIlroy?
There are 2,000 points on offer to the winner and just 57.600 points for the player in last place, leaving Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton as players who can still overtake McIlroy in the Race to Dubai.
McIlroy's performance in Abu Dhabi extended his advantage over Penge to 767.02 points, meaning a solo second finish - regardless of how Penge and Hatton perform - would wrap up the Order of Merit.
Penge needs to finish in a three-way tie for second or better to have any chance of overtaking McIlroy, while Hatton would need to win in Dubai and require multiple other results to go in his favour.
Who else gets to feature?
Only the top 50 available players in the Race to Dubai standings qualify for the season finale, while members of Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team - not otherwise exempt - also get to feature.
Viktor Hovland is the only player inside the top 50 currently not set to feature, as of November 10, although nine of his Ryder Cup team-mates are due to be part of a star-studded field.
Ludvig Åberg makes his DP World Tour Championship debut and Shane Lowry also features, with McIlroy, Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Rasmus Højgaard and Justin Rose the other Ryder Cup winners involved.
And who will earn the PGA Tour cards?
The PGA Tour memberships available come part of the Strategic Alliance between the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, with the player top of the Race to Dubai standings - not already exempt - also qualifying for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Genesis Invitational and The Players.
Penge is guaranteed one of those cards and is the favourite to stay top of that list, with Kristoffer Reitan, Adrien Saddier, John Parry, Alex Noren, Laurie Canter, Haotong Li, Daniel Brown, Keita Nakajima and Jordan Smith currently occupying the other available slots.
Every player involved in the DP World Tour Championship remains in contention to secure a PGA Tour card and dual membership for next season.
When is the DP World Tour Championship on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports will show extended live coverage from all four rounds of the season finale, with coverage starting at 7am from Thursday to Saturday and 6.30am for Sunday's final round.
All four rounds will be live on Sky Sports Golf and are part of a quadruple-header of live golf on Sky Sports this week, with the Bermuda Championship, Charles Schwab Championship and The Annika also available to enjoy. Stream the DP World Tour and more with no contract.
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