The Race to Dubai: Golf’s biggest European prize
The DP World Tour is currently entering the final few laps of yet another sensational season of golf.
Once again, Europe, Australia, Asia and other landmarks have hosted a stacked roster made up of the best golfers that the DP World Tour has to offer.
The tour is just three events away, following this week’s DP World India Championship, from reaching its conclusion.
As is the case every year on the DP World Tour, each golfer on tour is vying for one title - Race to Dubai champion.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s golf writer Jay Kennedy gives a rundown on how the Race to Dubai works.
What is the Race to Dubai?
The Race to Dubai is the points competition that lasts throughout the entire DP World Tour season.
It is the equivalent to the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour.
It was formerly known as the European Tour Order of Merit.
The Race to Dubai name ties in with the final event of the DP World Tour season - The DP World Tour Championship, which takes place in Dubai.
The best 50 players in the Race to Dubai rankings earn a place in the season-ending event.
When was the Race to Dubai founded?
The Race to Dubai was created in 2009, following a revamp of the old rankings system, which lasted from 1972 until 2008.
England’s Lee Westwood was the very first victor of the Race to Dubai competition.
It was in 2009 that the very first DP World Tour Championship was held, and it still concludes the DP season today.
The revamp took place to create higher stakes for players, and to increase competition.
Money on offer
In the debut 2009 season, there was a bonus pool of $7.5m, which was shared out between the top 15 in the standings.
The winner of that season received $1.5m.
For economic reasons, in 2012, the pool was decreased to $3.75m.
The winner claimed $1m, and the entire top 10 received a bonus.
The bonus pool increased to $5m in 2014, with all of the top 15 earning.
Another change came in 2019, with the $5m pool being shared across the top five players in the rankings.
The share of the winner increased to $3m from a $8m prize fund, for the final event of the year.
As of 2025, the Race to Dubai champion earns a $2m bonus from the season-ending bonus pool of $6m, which the top 10 share.
Winning the season-concluding DP World Tour Championship results in a $3m bonus from a $10m prize fund.
Recent minor tweaks
The rankings system has seen a few small amendments in the last few years.
In 2021, the Race to Dubai was renamed the DP World Tour Rankings, due to the European Tour changing its name to the DP World Tour.
However, this change was reversed the following year.
From the 2023 campaign, the rankings have stood by the Race to Dubai name.
Number of reigns
Scotland’s Colin Montgomorie, arguably considered one of the greatest ever players to not win a major, is the record holder of Race to Dubai victories.
Monty won eight season-ending ranking titles.
Rory McIlroy, the defending Race to Dubai champion, is a close second to Montgomorie, with seven titles.
The late, great Seve Ballesteros claimed six Race to Dubai crowns, the third most titles.
The current campaign
The 2026 Race to Dubai rankings look very tasty, heading towards the season-ending showdown, which takes place from November 12-15.
America’s Patrick Reed currently holds the top spot in the Race to Dubai rankings, with the former Masters champion winning twice on the DP World Tour circuit this year.
Eugenio Chacarra and Rory McIlroy make up the rest of the top three, with the Spaniard sitting in second, and McIlroy occupying third place.
Come the end of the season, the top 10 in the Race to Dubai standings will earn a dual exemption for both the DP World and PGA tours, regardless if they already hold a spot on either tour.
