8 Big Names Missing The 2026 DP World Tour Championship

A DP World Tour tee block and Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Ludvig Aberg holding their finishes on shots — (Image credit: Getty Images)

It's a huge week at Jumeirah Golf Estates as the DP World Tour Championship marks the end of a memorable season.

Eugenio Chacarra holds a slender lead with just one event left in the Race to Dubai, with big names like Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed and last week's winner Jon Rahm chasing him down.

The action gets underway on Thursday on the famous Earth Course as many big names hope to mount a challenge for the trophy, but a number of notables have either opted to stay at home or haven't managed to qualify.

Matt Fitzpatrick

World No.3 Matt Fitzpatrick revealed at the BMW PGA Championship that he was "not comfortable" travelling to the Middle East amid the ongoing tensions in the region.

The Englishman became a father in August and said that was a key cause for why he was considering to stay at home.

At 14th in the rankings, the 2022 US Open champion would have been in with a chance of winning the Race to Dubai had he played well in Abu Dhabi last week.

He has won this week's event at Jumeirah Golf Estates three times, a record he shares with Rory McIlroy.

Justin Rose

Justin Rose is another big-name Englishman who has opted to miss the DP World Tour Play-Offs.

Rose likely would have got into the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship last week but does not qualify for the season-ender at 75th in the rankings.

The 2013 US Open champion last played in India, where he finished T42nd.

The 46-year-old currently ranks 20th in the world after winning this year's Farmers Insurance Open in record-breaking fashion, which he followed with a T3 at The Masters.

Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry has qualified for this week's event at 20th in the Race to Dubai rankings.

Lowry, who won the Irish Open in September by an incredible 11-stroke margin, has not spoken publicly on his reason for skipping both Abu Dhabi and Dubai but we assume it is due to the conflicts in the region.

Like Rose, Lowry last played at the DP World India Championship, where he finished T15th.

Min Woo Lee

Another big name missing who was qualified for the season-ender is Min Woo Lee.

The Australian currently sits 48th in the rankings but has decided to skip the Play-Offs after a strong finish to his PGA Tour season where he finished T4th in the FedExCup.

Lee ranks 30th in the world after two runners-up finishes and a third-place this year.

Ludvig Aberg

Ludvig Aberg currently ranks 53rd in the Race to Dubai standings but was eligible for the tournament due to the likes of Fitzpatrick, Lowry and Lee opting to skip the week.

However, he has done the same by ending his DP World Tour season in Madrid at the Open de Espana, where he was a solid T7th.

The Swede finished T3rd here at Jumeirah Golf Estates last year so would have been among the tournament favorites.

Robert MacIntyre

Robert MacIntyre also decided to skip the Play-Offs, and at 61st in the rankings he would have needed a strong finish in Abu Dhabi to make the top 50.

The Scot, who became a father for the first time this year, decided to stay at home due to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

It means misses the DP World Tour Championship for the first time since 2018.

He is set to play next at the Hero World Challenge in The Bahamas next month.

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen is currently battling to retain his card on the PGA Tour after earning status last year via the DP World Tour. He is 51st in the Race to Dubai standings so would have made it into the field.

The talented Dane, who won the Australian Open in December, finished T3rd at the DP World Tour Championship in his debut last year.

He currently sits 108th in the FedExCup Fall rankings, with the top 100 earning their cards for 2027.

Viktor Hovland

Viktor Hovland has not played since September's Open de France and he has only appeared four times on the DP World Tour this year.

He was due to play in the DP World India Championship after finishing 2nd in the FedExCup standings, but withdrew without explanation on Monday of the tournament week after being one of the headline names announced in the field earlier this year.

At 102nd in the rankings he was ineligible for the Play-Offs. It is unknown when his next start will be.

Other notables missing the DP World Tour Championship

(Race to Dubai ranking)

Alejandro Del Rey (57th)
Nathan Kimsey (58th)
Michael Hollick (59th)
Scott Jamieson (60th)
Stefano Mazzoli (62nd)
Antoine Rozner (63rd)
Joakim Lagergren (64th)
Wenyi Ding (65th)
Daniel Rodrigues (66th)
Tom Vaillant (67th)
Ricardo Gouveia (68th)
Si Woo Kim (69th)
Guido Migliozzi (70th)
Ryan Gerard (76th)
Tom McKibbin (87th)
Thomas Detry (88th)
Nicolai Hojgaard (105th)
Rasmus Hojgaard (111th)

Elliott Heath, our Engagement Editor, has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He covered the 2022 and 2025 Masters from Augusta National and was there by the 18th green to watch Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam. He has also covered six Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. He has played golf for almost his entire life and holds a handicap of six.