The Race to Dubai is the DP World Tour's season-long points competition. Players earn points at every tournament on the tour, including the major championships, and the player with the most points after the final event is crowned European number one and receives the Harry Vardon Trophy.

Formerly known as the European Tour Order of Merit, it rewards consistency across a whole season, so the player who wins the final event is not automatically the season champion.

How is the 2026 title decided?

The season ends with the DP World Tour Championship at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, played from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 November 2026. Only the top 50 available players in the standings qualify for the finale.

The tournament is played over 72 holes of stroke play, with no halfway cut. The winner receives 2,000 Race to Dubai points, and the overall champion is the player at the top of the standings when play ends on Sunday.

Who can still win it?

Nine players are still mathematically in contention. Spain's Eugenio Chacarra leads with 4,243.79 points, ahead of Rory McIlroy on 3,709.86 points, a gap of 533.93 points. Patrick Reed is third on 3,528.62 points.

McIlroy, who has won the title seven times, is chasing an eighth crown, which would equal Colin Montgomerie's record. If McIlroy wins the tournament, he wins the Race to Dubai whatever happens elsewhere, and the same applies to Chacarra. Chacarra could even finish last and still take the title, if McIlroy finishes tied fourth or worse.

What else is at stake?

A 6 million dollar bonus pool is shared among the top ten, with 2 million dollars for the champion. The leading ten eligible players also receive PGA Tour dual membership for 2027, and players inside the top 25 who are not already exempt qualify for the 2027 Open Championship at St Andrews.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Race to Dubai the same as the DP World Tour Championship? No. The Championship is the final tournament; the Race to Dubai is the season-long points table it concludes.

Does the tournament winner always win the Race to Dubai? No. The season champion is the player with the most points overall.

When is the 2026 DP World Tour Championship? It runs from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 November 2026 at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.