Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Five things to know

The DP World Tour Play-Offs start this week with a strong field gathered at Yas Links for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Here are five key points to follow.

DP World Tour Play-Offs Kick Off

The season has featured 40 events across five continents and 27 countries, covering five Global Swings and the Back 9. Now it all comes down to the Play-Offs.

Notable Winners and Champions

35 different winners have emerged so far.
19 players have lifted a DP World Tour trophy for the first time.
John Parry, Laurie Canter, Keita Nakajima, Kristoffer Reitan, and Marco Penge have claimed Swing Champion titles.

Major Achievements of the Season

“Rory McIlroy ended his decade-long wait for a Major at the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam.”

Additionally, Europe triumphed at the Ryder Cup on U.S. soil, but the season's climax is yet to come.

Play-Offs and Europe's Number One

The competition continues at Yas Links this week and next week at the DP World Tour Championship. These events will ultimately decide who will be crowned Europe’s Number One golfer.

Race to Dubai and McIlroy’s Challenge

Rory McIlroy leads the Race to Dubai Rankings and targets a seventh Harry Vardon Trophy and fourth consecutive win.
Marco Penge, a three-time winner this season, is McIlroy’s closest rival.
Despite a 441.32-point gap, the enhanced points available this week and next keep the contest wide open.

“McIlroy has 4,132.56 points but back-to-back wins in the Play-Offs could see a player rack up 3,500.00 points.”

Even two last-place finishes in these events offer as few as 77.600 points, making every position vital.

Summary: The DP World Tour Play-Offs at Yas Links set the stage for a thrilling battle as Rory McIlroy defends his lead amid strong challengers in the race to be Europe's top golfer.

DP World Tour — 2025-11-03