DP World Tour Championship 2024 Preview, Picks & Analysis

Rory McIlroy will tee it up at the Earth Course for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship ahead of his likely coronation as rankings winner for the sixth time.

The Northern Irishman won the Dubai Desert Classic and has endured a succession of near-misses in 2024, including a runner-up finish at the US Open, Dubai Invitational, Irish Open and BMW PGA Championship, as well as a fifth place at the Scottish Open.

Although the field consists of just the top 50 in the rankings it goes without saying that it is one of the strongest of the year.

Billy Horschel, who recently claimed his second BMW PGA Championship title, will tee it up alongside major winners Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Adam Scott and fellow Rolex Series champion Robert MacIntyre, who won the Genesis Scottish Open in July.

They join McIlroy and his fellow Ryder Cup star and 2017 European Number One Tommy Fleetwood.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Horschel’s victory at Wentworth saw him move up to third on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, and the American will be making his second appearance in the season-ending event.

The 37-year-old won the PGA Tour’s FedExCup in 2014 after claiming the BMW Championship and Tour Championship titles in back-to-back weeks, and the eight-time PGA Tour winner is excited by the opportunity to win the DP World Tour’s season-ending title.

"I’m excited to return to Dubai," said Horschel. "I really enjoyed my experience at Jumeirah Golf Estates three years ago and I’m looking forward to getting back to the UAE. It has been great playing in some of the DP World Tour’s most historic events in the latter part of the season and I hope to finish the year on a high note with another memorable experience in Dubai.

"I’m incredibly proud to have won the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour, so to have a chance to add the DP World Tour Championship title to my trophy cabinet would certainly be very special."

Horschel finished joint runner-up at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon alongside Rose, who has also confirmed his return to the DP World Tour Championship. Joining them in the field is Australian Scott, who won the Masters Tournament in 2013, the same year that Rose won the US Open at Merion.

Lowry has recorded 13 Top 20 worldwide finishes in 2024, including a victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA Tour alongside McIlroy.

Scotsman MacIntyre is enjoying a career-best season a year on from making his Ryder Cup debut at Marco Simone, having won both the RBC Canadian Open and his home Genesis Scottish Open in 2024. The 28-year-old is currently sixth on the Race to Dubai Rankings and is hoping to eclipse his previous highest finish of ninth on the season-long standings, which he achieved in 2019.

With McIlroy’s coronation a formality, the real interest this week will revolve around the 10 PGA Tour cards up for grabs. The likes of Rasmus Hojgaard, Matteo Manassero, Niklas Norgaard, Paul Waring, Thorbjorn Olesen and Jesper Svensson have already sealed the deal. Sebastian Soderberg and Jordan Smith should also be safe but Guido Migliozzi, Romain Langasque and Tom McKibbin still have everything to play for. And they will all draw inspiration from what Frenchman Matthieu Pavon achieved on the PGA Tour in 2024.

Last year’s tournament was won by Nicolai Hojgaard, who fired nine birdies in a final round of 64. The Dane had led after days one and two at Jumeirah Golf Estates but entered the final round three shots off the pace before pulling himself right into contention with a front nine of 33.

He was back on top with a birdie at the 10th and then reeled off five birdies in a row from the 13th to get to 21 under and hold off the challenge of Ryder Cup team-mates Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland and overnight leader Matt Wallace.

Fleetwood and Hovland signed for a pair of 68s, one better than Wallace, to sit two ahead of defending champion Jon Rahm, Lawrence and Pavon.

Hojgaard finished fourth over the Earth Course in his only previous appearance at this event in 2021, catapulting himself into the top 10 on that season's final rankings and he finished 2023 second behind Race to Dubai champion McIlroy, securing a PGA Tour card in the process.

He said: "It means a lot, it’s the sweetest win. So much hard work has been put in over the past couple of years - it feels amazing, this is for family and everything they put in over the years. So much hard work going into this, for it to happen like this is unbelievable.

"We know there are a lot of birdies but we have to hit the shots and hole the putts, anything can happen we were just focused on the job today, to walk up 18 knowing there’s a good chance feels good.

"I played some really good golf. I have to say this is the best golf I’ve played in a tournament and the strongest field in my three wins. My game feels good, I felt good before going out and to finish it like this feels good.

"This is the sweetest way to finish the year, I cant believe we finished on such a high note, I’m definitely going to enjoy this."

Tournament Winners:

It was won in 2015 by Rory McIlroy, in 2016 and 2020 by Matthew Fitzpatrick, in 2017, 2019 and 2022 by Jon Rahm, in 2018 by Danny Willett, in 2021 by Collin Morikawa and last year by Nicolai Hojgaard.

The Course:

The Earth Course has been carved out of the desert and is a par 72 measuring 7,605 yards. It features plenty of sand, many water hazards, large undulating greens and many strategically-placed trees.

Form Guide:

Rory McIlroy loves this part of the world. He won the Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year and finished second at the Dubai Invitational. He will be determined to seal the Race to Dubai title with a victory and it is hard to see beyond him.

Prize Money:

The prize purse at the DP World Tour Championship is $10m, with the winner banking $3m and 12,000 points up for grabs. The leading 10 players in the Race to Dubai Rankings will earn a share of $6 million from a bonus pool. 

How You Can Watch:

Thursday, November 14-Saturday, November 16, Sky Sports Golf 7am, Sunday, November 17, Sky Sports Golf, 6.30am.

To Win:

Rory McIlroy. Will relish the challenge

Each Way:

Billy Horschel. Loves playing on the DP World Tour

Each Way:

Tommy Fleetwood. His favourite part of the world

Five to Follow:

Rory McIlroy. If he drives well he is almost impossible to beat

Billy Horschel. Back to his very best

Tommy Fleetwood. Always there or thereabouts

Rasmus Hojgaard. Would love to emulate his twin

Robert MacIntyre. Has moved to a new level in 2024