Dubai Invitational 2024: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money, and More

The DP World Tour’s first event of the year will be the Dubai Invitational. The new four-day event is set to take place this weekend at the Dubai Creek Resort. The tournament will feature 60 professional golfers alongside 60 amateurs for three of the four rounds, with the final round consisting of professionals only.

The Dubai Invitational features some of the top professionals in the world playing on the field for the prize money of a whopping $2.5 million. (AED 9,182,000). Let us find out some more interesting details about the inaugural cup of the DPWT.

Who has the highest chance of winning the 2024 Dubai Invitational?

The stunning venue of the event offers a par-71 course to the golfers. The course at Dubai Creek Resort measures 7005 yards. The 2024 event is the first-ever edition of the Dubai Invitational, and hence, there is no defending champion. The field has some big European names competing; here are our top five picks for the upcoming weekend:

1. Rory McIlroy

The world no. 2 is one of the favorites to win the Dubai Invitational as he returns to action after a stellar 2023 season. McIlroy played a key role in Europе’s Rydеr Cup victory in Rome, winning by 16.5–11.5, and he went 4–1–0, including a win in his Sunday singles match.

The 34-year-old has a remarkable record in Dubai, having won the Desert Classic twice, in 2009 and 2023. He also won the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in 2012 and 2015. The Irishman will be looking to continue his dominance in the Middle East and add another trophy to his impressive collection.

2. Tommy Fleetwood

The Englishman is another player who has a strong affinity for Dubai. Fleetwood had a solid 2023 season and was a part of the Ryder Cup-winning team. However, his start to the season is not what he expected. At the Sentry, he finished at T47 and made a cut. In November, at the DP World Tour Championship, he performed well and tied for second place with a final score of 19 under. Fleet also had one more top-20 finish in early November at Gary Player Golf Course. He finished at T12 at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

By forgetting the T47 finish at the Sentry, Fleetwood is expected to bring his A-game at the Dubai Creek Resort and regain his momentum before the 2024 Masters.

3. Ryan Fox

The New Zealander is the defending champion of the BMW PGA Championship, which was held in September. He failed to make the cut at the Open de France but redeemed himself at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where he finished in second. However, he finished at T52 and T51 at the Andalucia Masters and the Nedbank Golf Challenge. He ended up at T34 with a score of 6 under at the DPWT Championship. However, he will be looking to regain his momentum and start the season with a bang.

4. Adrian Meronk

The Polish sensation is one of the highest-ranked players in his country. Last year, he had a breakthrough season, winning two prestigious titles on the European Tour. The young golfer started with a thrilling victory at the DS Automobiles Italian Open in Rome and also won at the Andalucia Masters in October.

The Australian Open was his last event of the 2023 season and finished at T8. The 30-year-old also competed in the DP World Tour Championship, where he ended up at T32 with a score of 7 under. He displayed good form at the Nedbank Golf Challenge as well, but unfortunately didn’t win and finished at T15 with a score of 6 under. The golfer, with all his fire, will sure be looking to get a win in Dubai.

5. Adri Arnaus

Despite being linked with defection rumors to join Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf team, he is scheduled to play in Dubai. The Joburg Open was his last event of the 2023 season, and his performance was quite good. The 29-year-old finished at the T32 with a score of 3 under. In October, Arnaus participated in the Andalucia Masters, and Alfred Dunhill Championship. He ended up at T19 and T14 respectively, and his two top-20 finished in October sure boosted his confidence. He will be looking forward to making the 2024 season a breakthrough year for his career.

Also read: 2024 Dubai Invitational: Weather Reports Explored

The players will tee off at 8:30 a.m. in Dubai. Fans can tune in to Sky Sports Golf to catch all the live action from the Middle East. The DPWT event sure is one to look forward to, and fans expect a thrilling four days of golf in the city of Skyscrapers.

Who do you think will emerge victorious at this inaugural event? Let us know your picks in the comments below!

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