The DP World Tour is approaching the final stages of another exciting golf season. Once again, the tour has visited Europe, Australia, Asia and other destinations. It has also featured many of the world’s leading golfers.
Following this week’s DP World India Championship, only three events will remain. As a result, players are preparing for the final push towards the season’s biggest prize: the Race to Dubai title.
Here, Sports News Blitz golf writer Jay Kennedy explains how the Race to Dubai works, its history and the rewards on offer.
What is the Race to Dubai?
The Race to Dubai is the season-long points competition on the DP World Tour. It ranks players according to their performances throughout the campaign.
The competition is similar to the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour. It was previously known as the European Tour Order of Merit.
The Race to Dubai takes its name from the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The tournament brings the campaign to a close each year.
Furthermore, the leading 50 players in the rankings qualify for this final event. They compete for the tournament title while aiming to finish the season at the top of the standings.
When was the Race to Dubai founded?
The Race to Dubai began in 2009. It followed a revamp of the European Tour’s previous ranking system, which ran from 1972 to 2008.
England’s Lee Westwood became the first Race to Dubai champion. The inaugural DP World Tour Championship also took place in 2009.
The new format aimed to raise the stakes and create more competition throughout the season. Since then, the rankings have remained a major part of the DP World Tour calendar.
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 have also experienced a few changes in name.
In 2021, the Race to Dubai became known as the DP World Tour Rankings. The change followed the European Tour’s rebranding as the DP World Tour.
However, the Race to Dubai name returned the following year. Since the 2023 campaign, the tour has continued to use the familiar title for its season-long competition.
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.
