DP World Tour Championship 2022: The plot follows as Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm’s title field in Dubai

This week’s DP World Tour Championship marks the end of the DP World Tour season and the end of a tumultuous year for that tournament. Amid the growing strategic alliance with the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf drama that continues throughout the tournament, the focus is barely on golf.

However, there is still a chance for the focus to return to the course completely with Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton teeing off at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai for $10. million dollars DP World Tour Championship and added a top spot in Europe’s season-long race (equivalent to the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup).

Let’s take a look at some of the things to know about this week’s finale in Dubai and prepare for what could happen.

1. Down seven

While anyone in the field could win the DP World Tour Championship, the list of golfers who could win the season-long points race is down to just seven. Despite playing only nine DP World Tour events this season, McIlroy leads the race against New Zealander Ryan Fox, who has played 23 events. Those two are the people who control their own destiny the most in Dubai. Here are the situations:

• Rory McIlroy: If he wins this week or finishes before the other six, he wins the season-long race
• Ryan Fox: Must win or finish against McIlroy (and others) by a big enough margin
• Matt Fitzpatrick: Had to finish second and let McIlroy finish seventh and Fox didn’t win
• Tommy Fleetwood: Had to win and let McIlroy finish third and Fox second worse
• Viktor Hovland: Must win and let McIlroy finish fourth and Fox worse than third
• Shane Lowry: Had to win and let McIlroy finish less than 7th, Fox to 5th and Fitzpatrick to 2nd
• Adrian Meronk: Had to win and let McIlroy finish 16th, Fox 8th and Fitzpatrick second

The scenarios are complicated for everyone but McIlroy and Fox, and given how well McIlroy plays on this golf course (see below), he actually controls his own destiny in a way that six the other can’t.

2. No defending champion

Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa will not be defending his title from last year. Morikawa said he has “some personal commitments coming up,” and will therefore not be trying to be the first since Henrik Stenson in 2013-14 to return to the league to finish the season.

3. Rory’s Double

McIlroy has won three FedEx Cups and three season-long races in Europe, but he has never won both at the same time. Considering the level he’s playing at — 3.0 strokes per round since June 1, which is a laughably good thing — and with the FedEx Cup now in his hands, this is probably his best chance to do something unprecedented. was made. In his last eight events worldwide, McIlroy has more wins (2) than finishes outside of the top eight (1).

4. Matt Fitzpatrick’s Magical Ending

I’m not sure Fitzpatrick has received the credit he deserves for his 2022. He has 11 top 10 finishes in all competitions and has improved his hit count for the 11th (!!) year in a row. His US Open title was a highlight, but it looks like he’s been a bit out of place since then. This is an opportunity to, like Morikawa a year ago, put an end to a great season that included a crucial win with the best top of the line on the DP World Tour. Fitzpatrick has won two of the last six DP World Tour championships (Rahm has two others), and to win three of seven championships in the field would be an extraordinary feat.

5. The presence of LIV Golf

There are LIV players on the field — Richard Bland and Adrian Otaegui will both tee off — but none of them stand a chance of winning, which is not the scenario DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley wants to have. in hand. maybe what? than Interestingly, the number 7 player in the scoring race, Thomas Pieters, did not tee off in Dubai. He announced in October that he would miss the period because he and his wife were expecting a second child, so that’s likely why he won’t be here. However, his name has recently been in the rumor mill LIV, as we saw with LIV, can be nothing but can end up being something. Only time will tell, though Pieters’ presence at the finale is sure to be missed after the fantastic season he’s hosted together.