Race To Dubai Permutations: What Does Eugenio Chacarra Need To Fend Off Rory McIlroy And Patrick Reed?

After a flying finish to the season Eugenio Chacarra has the chance to eclipse big guns Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed by clinching a surprise Race To Dubai title.

Chacarra has had a stunning three-win season and arrived at the DP World Tour Play-Offs leading the way in the Race To Dubai Rankings.

The Spaniard teed it up at the Abu Dhabi Championship enjoying a lead of 669 points over Reed in second, and what looks a commanding cushion of just under 1,000 points above McIlroy in third.

The way the points are stacked for the final two events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai means the race could still be wide open, but given his lead Chacarra could well wrap up the title in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

And 26-year-old Chacarra has two Major champions chasing him hoping to achieve their own slices of history - with Reed fighting to become just the second American to win the Race To Dubai.

McIlroy, of course, has won the last four in a row and seven overall, with an eighth year as European No.1 this year drawing him level with all-time leader Colin Montgomerie if he can pinch it.

Chacarra would be just the third Spaniard to lift the Harry Vardon Trophy following Jon Rahm and the great Seve Ballesteros, and in his favor he's playing "the best golf of my career" heading down the stretch.

"They are two of the best players in the world and we know what's Rory's record in Dubai," Chacarra added about his rivals Reed and McIlroy who he teed it up alongside in Abu Dhabi. "I need to play as good as possible the next couple of weeks.

"Hopefully I can keep playing good, keep doing good, and I can put my name with Jon's and Seve's, that would be a dream come true."

Current Race To Dubai Rankings

Race To Dubai permutations - what does Chacarra need for victory?

Chacarra leads Reed by 669.27 points officially and he's 999.03 points ahead of McIlroy with just two tournaments left in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

But there's a huge amount of points on offer with 9,000 in Abu Dhabi and 12,000 in Dubai overall, with the winner at Yas Links getting 1,500 and the DP World Tour Championship victor awarded 2,000.

There's so many permuations of course depending on where the trio all finish - but put simply if Chacarra can win one of the two remaining events that'll surely be enough to wrap up the title.

He could focus on his opponents and just make sure he finishes above or close to them in both events and use the buffer he's built up, but that's a dangerous game with Reed and McIlroy more than capable of winning either event.

Reed needs to finish in at least second place in Abu Dhabi to stand a chance of regaining the lead, as long as Chacarra finishes no better than sixth, while a win for the American would require Chacarra to finish second to stay top of the rankings.

McIlroy's task is tougher as only a win this week will give him a chance of going top - and he's never won in Abu Dhabi despite some steller form over the years.

We'll then head to Dubai with the calculators out as with that bumper winning prize pot of points it really all could come down to the Earth Course to decide who claims the Race To Dubai title.

Can Chaccar win Race To Dubai this weekend in Abu Dhabi?

In a word, yes, but he'll need to win the title in Abu Dhabi to stand a chance given how many points are on offer next week in Dubai.

The 1,500 points on offer for winning at Yas Links would put McIlroy out of contention unless the Northern Irishman could finish second or third - fourth would leave him over 2,000 points behind heading to Dubai.

For Reed, a Chacarra victory in Abu Dhabi would leave the American needing to finish now worse than 17th to take the fight to Dubai even with a miracle needed to overturn a huge deficit.

DP World Tour Play-Offs Points Breakdowns