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DP World Tour Championship: Player-by-player guide to the field

The 2023 DP World Tour season reaches a climax with the DP World Tour Championship as the top 50 players compete in the fifth and final Rolex Series event of the year at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Here’s our guide to the star-studded field teeing it up this week in Dubai.

Rory McIlroy

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 1
• Country: Northern Ireland
• Turned Pro: 2007
• Career DP World Tour titles: 16
• Top ten finishes this season: 7

With a fifth Race to Dubai title already secured coming into the week, the Northern Irishman is bidding to close out his season by winning the DP World Tour Championship for a third time and first since 2015. Across his nine DP World Tour starts in 2023, the World Number Two has won twice – both times on the Rolex Series – and amassed a further five top tens. He narrowly missed out on ending his wait for a fifth Major Championship title as he finished runner-up to Wyndham Clark at the U.S. Open. Began the year by winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic before sealing the Genesis Scottish Open title in thrilling fashion, producing a birdie-birdie finish to deny home favourite Robert MacIntyre. This week marks his return to competitive action for the first time since his Ryder Cup heroics in Italy.

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 2
• Country: Spain
• Turned Pro: 2016
• Career DP World Tour titles: 10
• Top ten finishes this season: 5

This week’s defending champion began the year in fine form as he won three PGA TOUR titles in five starts. That stretch of form led him to return to the summit of the Official World Golf Ranking. He won his second Major at the Masters Tournament in April, before finishing in a share of second place at The Open. Subsequent top tens have since followed at the BMW PGA Championship and acciona Open de España presented by Madrid on home soil. He arrives in Dubai with the chance to claim a record-extending fourth DP World Tour Championship and sixth Rolex Series title.

Adrian Meronk

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 3
• Country: Poland
• Career DP World Tour titles: 4

The Pole heads into the final event of the DP World Tour campaign as the only player to have won three titles. He won the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in December, before triumphs in Italy and Spain on the Race to Dubai. Meronk will be hopeful of ending the season as the top finisher on the Race to Dubai who is not already exempt on the PGA TOUR, which would see him become one of ten dual members, but with the added bonus of exemptions into THE PLAYERS Championship and the Charles Schwab Challenge in 2024.

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 4
• Country: New Zealand
• Turned Pro: 2012
• Top ten finishes this season: 3

A week after coming third at the Horizon Irish Open, Fox won his maiden Rolex Series title in stunning fashion as he emerged victorious from a world-class field at the BMW PGA Championship. That was his third DP World Tour success in a little more than 18 months. He has since finished in a tie for second in Scotland as he put up a strong defence of his Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title. The New Zealander won the Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted Player of the Year for last season by his fellow DP World Tour professionals.

Victor Perez

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 5
• Country: France
• Date of birth: September 1st, 1992
• Turned Pro: 2015
• Career DP World Tour titles: 3

After an unbeaten performance for Continental Europe at the inaugural Hero Cup, Perez won his first Rolex Series title a week later as a dramatic bunker hole-out helped him claim the Abu Dhabi Championship at Yas Links. After strong performances In Italy and at the US PGA Championship in May, a consistent run of form has since been hard to come by, but he is still set to earn dual playing rights on the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR next season.

Thorbjørn Olesen

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 6
• Country: Denmark
• Turned Pro: 2008
• Career DP World Tour titles: 7
• Top ten finishes this season: 6

Won his seventh DP World Tour title and second in as many seasons at the Thailand Classic earlier this year. Was one of the form players on Tour earlier in the campaign and has since enjoyed a strong finish to the campaign, with back-to-back top tens in Spain and Qatar last month followed by a third-place finish at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. In his previous eight starts at the DP World Tour Championship, the 2018 Ryder Cup winner’s best finish was tied 12th in 2014.

Alexander Björk

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 7
• Country: Sweden
• Turned Pro: 2009
• Career DP World Tour titles: 1
• Top ten finishes this season: 9

No player has had more top ten finishes than the Swede. Has come second on two occasions this year in Ras Al Khaimah and Switzerland. Revealed in a Player Blog earlier this season that he believes his game is back to where it was when he won his maiden DP World Tour title at the Volvo China Open in 2019. Finished in a share of second place on his last DP World Tour Championship appearance in 2021.

Sami Välimäki

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 8
• Country: Finland
• Turned Pro: 2019
• Career DP World Tour titles: 2

After two runner-up finishes earlier in the season, the Finn returned to the winner’s circle with a play-off victory at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters last month. The win at Doha Golf Club all but secured him a PGA TOUR card for next season and the 25-year-old former Qualifying School graduate will now hope to challenge for his first Rolex Series title.

Min Woo Lee

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 9
• Country: Australia

It’s been another consistent campaign for the popular Australian who opened with three top fives in his first three starts, including a runner-up finish on the Rolex Series in Abu Dhabi. He impressed on his way to a career-best fifth-place finish at the U.S. Open, shortly after a top ten at The PLAYERS Championship on the PGA TOUR. Has finished no worse than 16th on his previous two visits to Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Nicolai Højgaard

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 10

The two-time DP World Tour winner has been a picture of consistency during the 2023 Race to Dubai Rankings campaign with 14 cuts from a possible 15. He also has eight top-ten finishes - form that helped him earn a Captain’s Pick for the Ryder Cup in Italy where he contributed to Team Europe regaining the trophy. With the 22-year-old Dane potentially set to continue playing on both sides of the Atlantic next year, he will hope to close out the 2023 DP World Tour season in Dubai by mounting a title challenge for the second week running after his runner-up spot at Sun City.

Robert MacIntyre

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 11
• Country: Scotland
• Turned Pro: 2017

Despite coming into the season finale without a victory, it’s been a year to remember for the Scot. After three consecutive top tens in as many starts on the DP World Tour earlier in the year, he put up a thrilling challenge in his national Open at Renaissance Club. Went unbeaten on his Ryder Cup debut for Team Europe, winning two and halving the other of the three matches in which he played.

Vincent Norrman

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 12
• Turned Pro: 2021
• Top ten finishes this season: 2

One of three Swedish winners on the DP World Tour this season alongside Simon Forsström and Ludvig Åberg. His first of two titles in 2023 came at the Barbasol Championship, co-sanctioned with the PGA TOUR, as he defeated England’s Nathan Kimsey in a play-off. A second followed less than two months later as he charged through the field with a flawless 65 to win the Horizon Irish Open. He will be another to play on both sides of the Atlantic and is already being viewed as a future star of European golf. This represents his first appearance at the Race to Dubai finale.

Jorge Campillo

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 13

Returned to the winner’s circle with victory in Kenya in March, one of five consecutive top tens in as many starts on the DP World Tour. Came up just short of his second Tour title in Qatar last month but looks set to take advantage of the opportunity to earn PGA TOUR playing privileges next season due to his consistent performances on the DP World Tour.

Viktor Hovland

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 14
• Country: Norway

Has risen from tenth in the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of 2022 to fourth as things stand. Three times a winner on the PGA TOUR this year, including the Tour Championship, the Norwegian won the lucrative FedExCup title for the first time. Finished in the top 20 at all four Majors this year, including a runner-up spot at the US PGA Championship. His best performance in a non-Major event on the DP World Tour was fifth in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club.

Ryo Hisatsune

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 15
• Country: Japan
• Turned Pro: 2020
• Top ten finishes this season: 8

Has enjoyed a remarkable rookie season after securing his card 12 months ago at the Qualifying School. Became just the third Japanese winner in DP World Tour history as a brilliant back nine of 30 saw him lift the trophy at the Cazoo Open de France in September. Prior to that he finished second at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and added five more top tens before claiming this first win. He has since climbed into the world’s top 100 for the first time in his career and arrives at the Earth Course on the back of a top ten in South Africa.

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Rasmus Højgaard

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 16

Became the tournament’s first Danish winner of the Made in HimmerLand in its last ever staging at the venue with a play-off victory over Nacho Elvira after coming from seven shots behind. It was a fourth DP World Tour title for the 22-year-old. This marks his fourth DP World Tour appearance, with his best showing a tie for seventh at the DP World Tour Championship last week.

Yannik Paul

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 17
• Country: Germany
• Turned Pro: 2018
• Top ten finishes this season: 7

The 2021 European Challenge Tour graduate missed out on his second DP World Tour title in as many seasons as he finished second to countryman Marcel Siem at the Hero Indian Open. That was the second of back-to-back runner up finishes for the 29-year-old. Made his debut at both the US PGA Championship along with The Open and was among the unlucky ones to just miss out on qualification for the Ryder Cup.

Marcel Siem

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 18
• Turned Pro: 2000
• Career DP World Tour titles: 5

Won his first event for over eight years in India in February, one of six top tens this season. One of those was a tie for second at the Porsche European Open on home soil. The 43-year-old, who made his 500th DP World Tour appearance earlier in the season, carded his lowest DP World Tour round by three shots on the final day of the acciona Open de España presented by Madrid last month.

Matt Fitzpatrick

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 19
• Country: England
• Turned Pro: 2014
• Career DP World Tour titles: 9
• Top ten finishes this season: 1

The Englishman enjoyed a special week in Scotland as he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and paired up with his mum Susan to win the team competition. Had a strong week but missed out on becoming a three-time winner of the Omega European Masters as Swedish sensation and Ryder Cup teammate Åberg claimed the title. Twice a winner of the DP World Tour Championship, the Major winner is a player to be feared over the Earth Course.

Matthieu Pavon

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 20
• Turned Pro: 2013

The Frenchman powered to a maiden DP World Tour title in wire-to-wire style in the Spanish capital. He arrived at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid with three runner-up finishes on both the Challenge Tour and the DP World Tour. Since graduating to the DP World Tour from the Challenge Tour at the end of 2016, he has finished in the top 100 on the Race to Dubai Rankings in every year barring one.

Sebastian Söderberg

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 21

Another player who came close to his second DP World Tour title this year, finishing second on the Rolex Series stage at the Abu Dhabi Championship – his first event of the campaign. Has since recorded five further top tens, the most recent of which came at last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Joost Luiten

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 22
• Country: Netherlands
• Turned Pro: 2006
• Career DP World Tour titles: 6

One of the more experienced campaigners on the DP World Tour, Luiten is returning to the DP World Tour Championship for the first time since 2020. He came very close to his first DP World Tour win in more than five years at the BMW International Open, finishing second to Thriston Lawrence in Germany. Has six further top tens across the season, highlighting a return to form for the Dutchman who started playing this season on a career money exemption category.

Tyrrell Hatton

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 23
• Turned Pro: 2011

Has again proven himself to be a player for the big occasion with top-ten finishes at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Genesis Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship, where he finished one shot behind winner Fox. His best performance on the PGA TOUR saw him finish runner up to Scottie Scheffler at the PLAYERS Championship. The Englishman has finished second on two occasions at the DP World Tour Championship.

Jordan Smith

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 24
• Top ten finishes this season: 4

Statistically the second best player on Tour for greens in regulation this season, the Englishman has four tops tens in 2023. Over the last two months, he has finished in a tie for second at the Open de France and solo fifth at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters which saw him reach a career-high 69th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He is also the most prolific Rolex Series tournament participant, with this week’s DP World Tour Championship marking his 41st appearance in the premier band of events on Tour.

Thriston Lawrence

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 25
• Country: South Africa
• Top ten finishes this season: 3

It’s been another successful season for the South African who has taken his tally of DP World Tour titles to four with victories at the Investec South African Open Championship and BMW International Open. Victory this week would see him become the first player from his country to win the DP World Tour Championship.

Tommy Fleetwood

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 26
• Turned Pro: 2010
• Top ten finishes this season: 4

The 2017 Race to Dubai winner has not missed the season-ending DP World Tour Championship since his debut in 2013. Has three top tens in his last four visits to Jumeirah Golf Estates, which is also home to an academy in his name. A resident of Dubai, the Ryder Cup winner will be optimistic of challenging for a third Rolex Series title after top-ten performances at Renaissance and Wentworth earlier this year.

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 27
• Country: South Korea
• Career DP World Tour titles: 0

The South Korean is making his first start at the DP World Tour Championship this week. Across his seven DP World Tour appearances so far this season, Kim has finished in the top ten on four occasions. He notably finished in a tie for second in The Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club – his best finish at a Major to date. Ranked just outside the top ten in the world rankings, following his third DP World Tour title last month, will he make his first DP World Tour win a Rolex Series success?

Romain Langasque

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 28
• Top ten finishes this season: 6

Came up one shot shy of winning his second DP World Tour title at the DS Automobiles Italian Open in May. The 2018 Qualifying School graduate Is back at the DP World Tour Championship for a second year running, with hopes of doing better than his tie for 20th 12 months ago. The 28-year-old made the cut in both his Major appearances this season at the U.S. Open and The Open.

Daniel Hillier

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 29

The New Zealander is one of four Challenge Tour graduates from last year to have claimed his first DP World Tour title this season. He went eagle-birdie-eagle from the 15th hole at The Belfry to win the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo. The 25-year-old, a good friend of Min Woo Lee, has since enjoyed a strong finish to the season, with a run of three consecutive top 20s ensuring a maiden start at the lucrative DP World Tour Championship.

Pablo Larrazábal

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 30
• Turned Pro: 2004

The Spaniard is still competing with the best at the age of 40 on the DP World Tour. Won two titles in Korea and the Netherlands in a three-event span earlier in the year to take his DP World Tour haul to nine. Made his first cut at a Major since the 2012 Open Championship in the US PGA Championship despite admitting he was far from at his best. He is making his tenth appearance at the season finale this week, with his best result coming on debut in 2011.

Nathan Kimsey

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 31

Last year’s Road to Mallorca winner on the Challenge Tour almost made his first PGA TOUR start a winning one as he lost out over extra holes to Norrman in Kentucky at Keene Trace Golf Club. That came after a hand injury sidelined him for more than four months earlier in the season after an encouraging run of results on his return to the DP World Tour. This marks the 30-year-old Englishman’s first appearance at the DP World Tour Championship.

Zander Lombard

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 32
• Top ten finishes this season: 5

Somewhat surprisingly this represents his first ever appearance at the DP World Tour Championship. A four-time visitor to Qualifying School, Lombard has come close to his maiden DP World Tour this season, finishing second on three occasions. The most recent of those was at the Open de España last month. It would be some statement if he made his first DP World Tour title a Rolex Series event.

Adrian Otaegui

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 33

The four-time DP World Tour winner is one of five Spaniards in the field at Jumeirah Golf Estates. He has only finished outside the top 20 once in his four previous appearances at the Earth Course. Twice a runner-up on Tour this season at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and KLM Open, Otaegui will hope he can mount another title challenge in the desert.

Matthew Southgate

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 34

The Englishman is making his first appearance at the DP World Tour Championship since 2019. A runner-up finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland last month boosted his hopes of a career-best season on the DP World Tour, with his previous best being 38th in 2017. This week's season finale also carries extra personal significance as it is his 250th appearance on Tour.

Grant Forrest

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 35

The 30-year-old Scot began 2023 with a top ten in Abu Dhabi, before continuing his strong start to the year with a run of four consecutive finishes in the top 15 in March and April. An impressive showing in his national Open at The Renaissance Club further highlighted his ability to perform on the Rolex Series stage. His best result of the season came at the Horizon Irish Open as he carded four rounds of 70 or less to finish in a tie for third at The K Club.

Antoine Rozner

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 36

The 2020 Challenge Tour graduate ended last year with victory in Mauritius – the third DP World Tour title of his career. That earned him a call-up to compete in the Hero Cup as the new year began with match play golf, before three top tens in four starts in the early months of the year helped ensure a fourth consecutive appearance at the DP World Tour Championship.

Dan Bradbury

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 37
• Turned Pro: 2022

One of 13 DP World Tour Championship debutants in the field this week. The Englishman made headlines by winning his first DP World Tour title at the Joburg Open on the opening weekend of the season in what was just his third start. A hole-in-one this week would see him eclipse Miguel Ángel Jiménez as the first player to make four in one season on the DP World Tour.

Julien Guerrier

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 38

The Frenchman has kept his card each season on the DP World Tour since graduating for the second time from the Challenge Tour in 2017. Finished in the top three at both the Italian Open and then the Porsche European Open, before impressing with another top-five finish at the Barracuda Championship which features a Modified Stableford scoring format. After a tie for sixth at the Open de España last month, the 38-year-old now looks forward to his debut at the DP World Tour Championship.

Lucas Herbert

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 39

Won his third DP World Tour title earlier this year with a play-off triumph over Aaron Cockerill at the ISPS HANDA – Championship in Japan. This will be his first start on the DP World Tour since The Open when he missed the cut at Hoylake. The Australian is making his third appearance at the DP World Tour Championship this week, having finished in a tie for 21st on his last visit in 2021.

Sepp Straka

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 40
• Country: Austria

Less than two months on from his rookie Ryder Cup appearance, the Austrian is one of the first-time participants at the DP World Tour Championship. Straka hit his stride in 2023 after finishing in a tie for seventh at the US PGA Championship, and then won his second PGA TOUR title at the John Deere Classic in early July. Later that month he produced his career-best Major performance with a tie for second at The Open, before ending the PGA TOUR campaign at the Tour Championship in a share of sixth place. In his most recent outing on the DP World Tour, he finished in a tie for tenth on debut at the BMW PGA Championship.

Tom McKibbin

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 41
• Top ten finishes this season: 2

The Northern Irishman has enjoyed a great season on the DP World Tour following his graduation from the Challenge Tour last year. The highlight so far for the 20-year-old came when he won the Porsche European Open at the renowned North course at Green Eagle in Germany, having earlier recorded top-20 finishes in each of his first three starts of the campaign.

Ewen Ferguson

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 42

The Scot is back at Jumeirah Golf Estates for the second year running after a strong finish to the campaign which includes five top 20s across his last six starts. After twice winning on the DP World Tour last year, the 27-year-old enjoyed another highlight moment when he made his Major Championship debut at Royal Liverpool in July after finishing in the top 30 on the Race to Dubai last year.

Julien Brun

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 43

Finished third in Mauritius and fifth in Dubai either side of the year to make a strong start to the Race to Dubai campaign. Produced a strong showing on home soil in the Open de France as he registered his fourth top ten of the season at Le Golf National. One of the first-time participants at the DP World Tour Championship.

Shane Lowry

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 44
• Country: Republic of Ireland

Warmed up for his second Ryder Cup appearance at Marco Simone by finishing in a tie for third on home soil at the Horizon Irish Open. In his next start a week later he was tied 18th in the defence of his BMW PGA Championship title at Wentworth. Enjoyed three top 20s in the first three Majors of the year on US soil. Has four top tens across his 11 previous DP World Tour Championship appearances.

Connor Syme

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 45

Clicked into gear with a run of four consecutive top tens, culminating with the BMW PGA Championship, after his return to action from the summer break. Since returning to the DP World Tour for a second time via the Challenge Tour in 2019, the Scot has come close to a breakthrough success and will hope to close out the season by bettering his tie for 12th at the Earth Course last year.

Jeff Winther

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 46

Has enjoyed a strong finish to the campaign, registering three tops tens in his last starts. The start of that good run began with a runner-up finish in the Open de France at Le Golf National. The Dane is making his return to the DP World Tour Championship for the first time since 2021, when he finished just outside the top 20 on debut.

Nacho Elvira

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 47

The Spaniard climbed 26 spots in the season-long rankings with a tie for third in Qatar at the end of last month. He missed out on his second DP World Tour title earlier in the campaign at HimmerLand. Should arrive in Dubai in good spirits after his brother Manuel secured graduation from the Challenge Tour for the first time.

Matt Wallace

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 48

Came up just short of his fifth DP World Tour title at the D+D REAL Czech Masters in August when he finished one shot behind countryman and Challenge Tour graduate Todd Clements. He has since had back-to-back top tens at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, before climbing into the top 50 on the Race to Dubai by finishing 15th last week at Sun City. He won for the first time on the PGA TOUR and claimed his first title in more than four years at the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic in March.

Jens Dantorp

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 49

Like Wallace, the Swede climbed into the top 50 on the Race to Dubai at the final opportunity as a closing three-under-par 69 in the Nedbank Golf Challenge lifted him four places on the season-long standings. It was his best result on the DP World Tour since the 34-year-old finished in a tie for third at the Barracuda Championship. That was his third top five of the campaign, having finished runner-up to countryman Simon Forsström at the Soudal Open in Belgium.

Daniel Brown

• Race to Dubai Ranking: 50

Concluded a long road to the winner’s circle with a wire-to-wire success at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics. He made his DP World Tour debut at the 2015 KLM Open but had to wait more than seven years for his second appearance. In between he played on the EuroPro Tour and Challenge Tour, before securing his playing privileges for this season by qualifying from the Qualifying School last year. Remarkably made the cut in each of his first 13 events of the season and now looks forward to his first appearance in the DP World Tour Championship.

Rolex Series

Rory McIlroy set for DP World Tour Championship in Dubai

Rory McIlroy will return to Dubai in search of a third DP World Tour Championship title and fifth Harry Vardon Trophy at the final Rolex Series event of the 2023 DP World Tour season.

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10 players, 9 countries, 1 new home: Get to know the DP World Tour graduates who just claimed 2024 PGA Tour cards

David Cannon

DUBAI — You could call them pioneers. Trend-setters works, too. Whatever, the men who have gained their PGA Tour cards through season-long play on the DP World Tour in 2023—a Pole, a New Zealander, two Frenchmen, a Dane, a Swede, a Scotsman, a Spaniard, a Japanese and a Finn—are definitely the first of their kind.

As things turned out, it was a contest that went all the way to the last hole event at both ends of the top 10. Adrian Meronk (the Pole) finished just one-shot clear of Ryan Fox (the New Zealander) to claim the all-important top spot that will see the four-time DP World Tour winner fully exempt on the PGA Tour in 2024.

At the other end, the putt Ryo Hisatsune holed for birdie on the 72nd hole of the DP World Tour Championship proved to be crucial. Had the native of Japan missed, he would be playing in Europe again next year. In turn, the up-and-down Rasmus Hojgaard made to save par on the same hole was agonizingly not quite enough to ensure the 22-year-old Dane will join his identical twin (and tournament winner) Nicolai , stateside next year. Rasmus, 18th on the Race to Dubai, missed out by one place.

RELATED: At the DP World Tour finale, Nicolai Hojgaard claimed the one thing he lacked

Spare a thought too, for Thriston Lawrence. The South African birdied the last three holes, looked like he was going to scrape into the top 10, but eventually dropped to an agonizing 12th place. In contrast, France’s Matthieu Pavon made birdies at each of the last four holes to claim the eighth of the 10 cards.

All in all, it was exciting stuff.

Anyway, here are some snapshot analyses—from those who know them best—of the 10 players who are emigrating to the PGA Tour in 2024:

MORE: How to handle the challenges of jumping from the DP World Tour to the PGA Tour

Adrian Meronk

Quality Sport Images

Race to Dubai overall: 4

“After not making this year’s European Ryder Cup team, Adrian won’t lack motivation to do well next year,” says swing coach Mike Walker, who works with former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick. “As a golfer, he looks like the real deal to me. He is way long enough off the tee. He’s an excellent ball-striker. And I sense success in his demeanour. He looks to me like he knows where he is headed. He doesn’t seem fazed by anything.

“But the Ryder Cup snub might be his biggest asset. The performances he put in after being left out showed me a lot about his character. He’ll kick on quickly in the States I think.”

That assessment is echoed by Meronk’s own coach, Mathew Tipper.

“It’s a great boost that [as No. 1 on the qualifying list] he is exempt into every event, but superior ball-striking and his strokes gained/off the tee proficiency are the things that will give Adrian the best opportunity to do well on the PGA Tour,” says the Welshman, who has worked with the 30-year-old Pole for 14 years. “Plus, he spent four years at college [East Tennessee State] over there, so he’s comfortable living there. He’s going to live in the Jacksonville area, which gives him access to the great practice facilities at TPC Sawgrass, as well as the opportunity to play and practice with the other tour players who live there. He can obviously learn from their experience.”

More From Golf Digest

Race to Dubai overall: 5

“I would say Fox is maybe the best prepared of the 10 who have won their cards,” says swing guru Pete Cowen, who gets no disagreement from Fox’s own coach, Jamie Gough.

“Foxy played about 10 events in the States this year,” Gough says. “From the outside, he looks like a happy-go-lucky sort of guy. But he’s a competitor and an exciting player to watch. He doesn’t mess around; he’s one of the fastest players out there. We worked towards the end of last year to get his ball-flight a little higher, all to prepare him for the PGA Tour. The pin positions are always tougher over there.

“He makes a lot of birdies. He’s not a precision-style player. In fact, I would say his style is very American. He hits it a long way. He plays with a smile. I can see him winning over there. He has the ability to compete anywhere but the American courses will suit his game especially well. His iron play is exceptional. And he loves to eat. He loves food—burgers steaks, ribs. He goes to the buffet and the host makes a loss. He’ll fit into the American environment very easily. He’ll be barbecuing every weekend.”

Victor Perez

Luke Walker

Race to Dubai overall: 7

“Victor is definitely one to look out for,” says Cowen, who includes Perez in his sizeable stable of players. “He went to college in the States so he’s comfortable in that environment. Never underestimate that, especially where a continental European is concerned. It can sometimes be harder for them to adapt culturally.

“He’s done well over there, too. At one point he was two shots off the lead in the final round of the PGA this year. So he has some pedigree. He’s French, but not French because he has spent so much time living elsewhere. He has an American caddie, too. So he is well prepared. My only worry is how many events he will get into and, when he does, how good those events will be.

“He’s going to base himself in the Bahamas, renting an apartment for six months. From there, he can be anywhere in the States pretty quickly if he gets a late call into an event. So he’s preparing well. The best part of his game is that he is a fairway and greens man. There are courses that will suit him. I’m hoping he will get into the Heritage Classic, for example. He’s that sort of player. He does have length off the tee; he’s not short. But his irons are very accurate. He doesn’t put much shape on the ball, perfect for courses like Hilton Head.”

Thorbjorn Olesen

Richard Heathcote

Race to Dubai overall: 9

“I’m not sure how much Thorbjorn has played in America recently,” Cowen says. “But it isn’t a lot. He’s just a good solid player, averagely long. Nice guy, but his temperament is suspect in that he is typically very aggressive on the course. Too much at times, which could get him into trouble on PGA Tour courses. Other than that, I’d say he’s impressive with his un-impressiveness. But I can also see him emerging as the guy who surprises people. Don’t forget how well he played in the 2018 Ryder Cup in France. He gave Jordan Spieth a good hiding in the singles there.”

“I think Olesen will make an impact,” Gough says. “He’s long enough and he chips and putts like a wizard. He’s a good all-round player. He’ll do well because he can scramble so well. The one question is how he settles over there. Generally speaking, the environment on the PGA Tour hinders continental Europeans. Culturally, it can be hard for them. It’s just different for them. And there is the fact that they won’t be getting home every Sunday night.”

Alexander Bjork

ANDERS WIKLUND

Race to Dubai overall: 11

“Alex is incredibly accurate off the tee,” says Tim Barter, teaching pro and Sky Sports commentator. “In the European Masters in Switzerland he hit 94 percent of fairways through three rounds. That’s just about the best I’ve ever seen. So he’s straight, but not massively long. The thing is though, he then hits an incredibly number of greens. Which is a tribute to his full-swing technique. The rest of his game is best described as ‘tidy.’

“The one question mark is that he hasn’t converted the chances he has had. He has nine-tens on the DP World Tour this year, the most of anyone. Then again, you could easily argue he hasn’t reached his potential yet. He could win anywhere on the right course. I remember he finished second at the DP World Tour Championship in 2021, holing from ten feet on the last. That putt was worth about 400 grand. So he has shown he does have the temperament for battle.”

“Bjork on his day is one of the best iron players on this tour,” agrees Simon Shanks. “He’s incredibly steady. But he might need to let the handbrake off when he is on the tee. Being a bit further down the fairway would perhaps turn a couple of those many top-10s into wins. That’s the challenge for him on the PGA Tour.”

Sami Valimaki

Warren Little/Getty Images

Race to Dubai overall: 12

“Valimaki was rookie of the year in 2020, when he won only the sixth start of his DP World Tour career in Oman,” Barter says. “He has an unusual technique, but he’s a quality ball-striker. At least he was. After that initial win, he lost his way a bit, to the point where he almost couldn’t find the course off the tee. But he went away, works hard and he’s now pretty much back where he was, having won in Qatar recently. That he did that shows me how mentally strong he is. In baseball terms, he is a home-run hitter who, in a week when he is ‘on,’ could easily get himself in contention on the PGA Tour. At the age of 25, he definitely has the steel to get it done down the stretch.”

Robert MacIntyre

Octavio Passos

Race to Dubai overall: 13

“This year Bob has regained the yardage off the tee he seemed to have lost,” says Simon Shanks, the Scot’s ironically named swing coach. “So his strokes gained off the tee has been really strong. Courses with a bit of width appeal to him at the moment. We’re currently working on his accuracy off the tee. But when the driver is ‘on’ it is a big asset to him. After that, it really just depends on how well he holes-out on the greens.

“Bob was at college in the States. And he’s played quite a few PGA Tour events. But how well he does over there could come down to how he adapts to spending longer spells in America. He likes to be home in Oban. On the European Tour there are nearly always things to do away from the course. America is not like that so much and there could be long hours in lonely hotels for him. So there are cultural changes to deal with, as well as different course set-ups. But as he has proved already [MacIntyre finished T-12 in his Masters debut in 2021 and has made the cut in six other U.S. majors] Bob’s game will be a good fit on most PGA Tour courses.”

Matthieu Pavon

Andrew Redington

Race to Dubai overall: 15

Running into form at just the right time, the 31-year-old Frenchman is perhaps the most unlikely new member of the PGA Tour. Pavon’s T-5 finish in Dubai was his forth top-ten in his last six starts, a run that included victory in the Spanish Open.

“He has certainly played great recently,” Barter says. “Which only confirms the validity of the work he and Jamie Gough are doing. Technically, Pavon’s problem was that he got his elbows too far apart on the backswing, which put the club across the line at the top. To alleviate that, he has been seen on the range with a ball between his arms lately. All to get more laid off at the top. And it is clearly working. With the club in a better place, Pavon clearly feels like he can just ‘go.’ He’s now a great ball-striker.

“Another big thing in his favour is having one of the most experienced and knowledgeable caddies on tour on his bag. Mark Sherwood was on James Donaldson’s bag at the 2012 Ryder Cups and has been involved in many other victories. With all that going on, I can see Pavon continuing to go from strength to strength.”

Jorge Campillo

Race to Dubai overall: 16

“Campillo is a fantastic putter,” Cowen says. “If I had players who putt as well as he does, I’d be rubbing my hands together. And the better the greens, the better you putt.”

Campillo is a terrific putter,” confirms Shanks. “He went to college in the States. He is so consistent although he does have the odd week when he is ‘squirrely’ off the tee. He has the game to travel well, but can he adapt socially? Jorge likes to be around the other Spanish lads."

“Campillo putts like God,” agrees Barter, adding one more layer to the unanimity. “But it is easy to underestimate his long game. He’s been working for while with a well-respected coach in Liam James. James has taken Jorge up a level, especially his wedge game. Oddly for a Spaniard, that part of his arsenal was, for a long time, his weakness. Indeed, the only time James has given a short game lesson to a Spaniard was when he made changes to Jorge’s technique. Through that, he has learned a few new shots and gained a bit of length. Which are the biggest reasons he is, at the age of 37, on the verge of a new adventure on the PGA Tour.”

Ryo Hisatsune

Warren Little

Race to Dubai overall: 17

A strong contender for rookie-of-the-year honors, the 21-year-old has impressed many with his play since he made it through the DP World Tour Qualifying School a year ago.

“Ryo has no real weaknesses,” says his caddie, Australian Adam Drummond. “And he’s such a lovely chipper of the ball. Just last week he chipped-in five times. His putting is strong too. All of which allows him to be a bit more aggressive with his approach play. He’s always confident he can get up-and-down to save par.

“His driving is above average on tour, but his iron play is what really sets him apart. He flights his shots so well and can comfortably move the ball from left-to-right and right-to-left. His shot selection is impressive too. He’s a very intelligent golfer for one so inexperienced. I can’t recall too many times when he has hit the wrong shot in any situation. The only thing he lacks even a little is the strength and speed to hit the ball from heavy rough. But he’s not in that stuff much anyway. Just an impressive young man.”

That view was soon confirmed by Rory McIlroy, who played alongside Hisatsune in the final round of the DP World Tour Championship.

“He’s a nice little player,” said the five-time European No. 1. “The birdie putt he holed at the last was huge given his situation. He’s very solid and doesn’t do a lot wrong. And like most Asians, he has a great demeanor. He goes about things the right way.”

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Meet the 10: Adrian Meronk leads DP World Tour players to earn dual membership on PGA TOUR

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As Rory McIlroy officially secured his fifth Race to Dubai title and Nicolai Hojgaard sank the final putt of his breakthrough win at the DP World Tour Championship, a few more players rejoiced.

For the first time, another incentive was on the line: dual membership on the PGA TOUR.

As part of the Strategic Alliance with the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour, the top 10 players on the final Race to Dubai Rankings who were not already exempt on the PGA TOUR for 2024 earned TOUR cards for next year. Players will hold status on both tours, giving the best on the DP World Tour access to the PGA TOUR while still maintaining the flexibility to play in Europe.

Adrian Meronk finished atop the Race to Dubai Rankings – PGA TOUR Eligibility ranking. His three wins proved enough to vault him above the rest. Rasmus Hojgaard, twin brother of Nicolai Hojgaard, fell just short of joining his brother on the PGA TOUR in 2024. He finished 11th. Nine different nationalities are represented in the top 10.

Nicolai Hojgaard and Min Woo Lee, who both finished inside the top 10 of the Race to Dubai rankings, did not earn TOUR status through their finishes on the Race to Dubai.. Instead, they earned their TOUR cards by earning an amount of nonmember FedExCup points equal to or greater than No. 125 in the final FedExCup standings.

Here’s a look at the 10 DP World Tour players who earned dual membership on the PGA TOUR. (Note: Official World Golf Ranking is updated through Nov. 12.)

Adrian Meronk

Age: 30 Official World Golf Ranking: 46th

Meronk won three times on the DP World Tour, holding the top spot in the Race to Dubai Rankings – PGA TOUR Eligibility ranking for much of the season. A T32 finish at the DP World Tour Championship ensured he ended the season the same way. By finishing No. 1, Meronk earns full PGA TOUR status for 2024 and an exemption into THE PLAYERS Championship.

Adrian Meronk works toward becoming first Polish PGA TOUR member

The 30-year-old Meronk, who became the first man of Polish descent to earn DP World Tour membership in 2019, narrowly missed out on a captain’s pick from Luke Donald to play on the European Ryder Cup Team. He left no doubt about achieving dual membership, though.

Career wins worldwide: 2019 Open de Portugal (Challenge Tour), 2022 Horizon Irish Open (DP World Tour), 2022 ISPS HANDA Australian Open (DP World Tour), 2023 DS Automobiles Italian Open (DP World Tour), 2023 Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters (DP World Tour Career PGA TOUR starts: 14 PGA TOUR cuts made: 6 Best PGA TOUR finish: T14, 2023 Honda Classic

Age: 36 Official World Golf Ranking: 28th

Thanks to a late-season charge, Fox jumped from 30th to second in the eligibility ranking. The New Zealander won the BMW PGA Championship in September, one of three top-three finishes in four starts to rocket up the rankings.

Fox nearly earned his card through Special Temporary Membership. He made 13 TOUR starts and accumulated 351 non-member FedExCup points. But unlike Min Woo Lee and Nicolai Hojgaard, Fox will play on TOUR thanks to his Race to Dubai finish.

Ryan Fox looks to create his own legacy

Fox, 36, is the son of rugby New Zealand All Blacks legend Grant Fox. His grandfather, Merv Wallace, was a professional cricketer. Fox represented New Zealand in the Olympics in 2016 and 2020.

Career wins worldwide: 2014 WA Open Championship (PGA Tour of Australasia), 2015 Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship (PGA Tour of Australasia), 2015 Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge (Challenge Tour), 2019 ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth (DP World Tour), 2022 Ras al Khaimah Classic (DP World Tour), 2022 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (DP World Tour), 2023 BMW PGA Championship (DP World Tour) Career PGA TOUR starts: 33 PGA TOUR cuts made: 23 Best PGA TOUR finish: T12, 2023 Genesis Scottish Open

Victor Perez

Age: 31 Official World Golf Ranking: 74th

Perez’s TOUR card has been earmarked since the beginning of the year. He won his opening event of the season, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January and hasn’t left the top 10 since. It marked the most significant victory of his career, his first Rolex Series title, and it came at the right time to capture dual membership.

Victor Perez leads a new wave of French golfers

The Frenchman’s starts in the U.S. have primarily been limited to the majors, though he has shown an ability to play with the TOUR’s best. He finished fourth at the 2021 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and T9 at THE PLAYERS Championship that same season.

Career wins worldwide: 2017 Challenge de Espana (Challenge Tour), 2018 Foshan Open (Challenge Tour), 2019 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (DP World Tour), 2022 Dutch Open (DP World Tour), 2023 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (DP World Tour) Career PGA TOUR starts: 31 PGA TOUR cuts made: 18 Best PGA TOUR finish: Solo fourth, 2021 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

Thorbjørn Olesen

Age: 33 Official World Golf Ranking: 76th

Olesen has the most PGA TOUR experience of the top 10, but most came nearly 10 years ago. He earned Special Temporary Membership in 2013 and then spent one season with status on TOUR (2013-14) before returning to Europe to play fulltime. He finished 175th in his lone FedExCup Regular Season. He will hope to improve on that in his second go-around.

Still only 33 years old, Olesen is having one of the best years of his career. The member of Europe's 2018 Ryder Cup team moved back inside the top 100 of the OWGR after falling outside the top 400 in 2021. He got hot early in the DP World Tour schedule, winning the Thailand Open and carding five other top 20s in his first seven starts. Consecutive top-10s followed by a third-place finish two weeks ago at the Nedbank Golf Challenge secured his dual membership.

Thorbjørn Olesen holes out for Eagle at Genesis Scottish Open

Career wins worldwide: 2010 The Princess (Challenge Tour), 2012 Sicilian Open (DP World Tour), 2014 ISPS HANDA Perth International (DP World Tour), 2015 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (DP World Tour), 2016 Turkish Airlines Open (DP World Tour), 2018 Italian Open (DP World Tour), 2022 Betfred British Masters (DP World Tour), 2023 Thailand Classic Career PGA TOUR starts: 62 PGA TOUR cuts made: 36 Best PGA TOUR finish: T3, 2018 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

Alexander Björk

Age: 33 Official World Golf Ranking: 75th

Björk is the highest-ranked player in the top 10 without a win on DP World Tour this season. Instead, he recorded two runner-up finishes as part of a career-high eight top-10s to earn dual membership.

Alexander Björk reads unbelievable break perfectly for birdie at Genesis Scottish Open

Björk is a relative unknown to American golf fans, having made only three TOUR starts in the U.S. The Swede made his way to the DP World Tour through the Nordic Golf League and the Challenge Tour. He’s spent the last seven seasons on the DP World Tour. He was a top-10 junior tennis player in Sweden before electing to focus on golf.

Career wins worldwide: 2016 Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge (Challenge Tour), 2018 Volvo China Open (DP World Tour) Career PGA TOUR starts: 12 PGA TOUR cuts made: 6 Best PGA TOUR finish: T28, 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions

Sami Valimaki

Age: 25 Official World Golf Ranking: 109th

A former DP World Tour Rookie of the Year, Valimaki will now have a chance to double up with a shot at the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year award next season.

Valimaki won the 2020 Oman Open in his sixth career start on the DP World Tour, 18 months after completing his military service in Finland. He captured his second career DP World Tour victory at the 2023 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters to move him into a position to capture dual membership. He was a highly touted junior player, ranking inside the top 10 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings in 2018.

Sami Välimäki's clutch play leads to made the cut at The Open

Career wins worldwide: 2020 Oman Open (DP World Tour), 2023 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters (DP World Tour) Career PGA TOUR starts: 6 PGA TOUR cuts made: 4 Best PGA TOUR finish: T24, 2022 Genesis Scottish Open

Robert MacIntyre

Age: 27 Official World Golf Ranking: 57th

It’s a name American golf fans will recognize after 2023. MacIntyre charged up the leaderboard with a Sunday 64 and nearly won the Genesis Scottish Open, finishing runner-up to Rory McIlroy in one of the most dramatic finishes of the year. He went undefeated at the Ryder Cup for Team Europe a few months later. Another former DP World Tour Rookie of the Year, MacIntyre beat Cameron Champ, 6 and 4, at the 2017 Walker Cup.

Robert MacIntyre's breakout performance at Genesis Scottish Open

The Scotsman only started focusing on golf when he was 17 years old. He grew up playing his favorite sport, shinty. Between the ages of 13 and 17, he played for his local club, Oban Camanachd. His late grandfather, Dougie MacIntyre Sr., is considered one of the best to ever play.

Career wins worldwide: 2017 Sahara Kuwait Championship (MENA Tour), 2020 Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown (DP World Tour), 2022 DS Automobiles Italian Open (DP World Tour) Career PGA TOUR starts: 29 PGA TOUR cuts made: 24 Best PGA TOUR finish: Solo second, 2023 Genesis Scottish Open

Matthieu Pavon

Age: 31 Official World Golf Ranking: 107th

Pavon was the only golfer that moved inside the top 10 of the Race to Dubai Rankings – PGA TOUR Eligibility ranking in the final week. He finished T5 at the DP World Tour Championship to jump from 13th to eighth and secure dual membership.

Matthieu Pavon’s incredible ace at U.S. Open

Pavon has played on the DP World Tour since 2016. He earned his maiden DP World Tour victory earlier this season in his 185th start, going wire-to-wire in October at the Spanish Open.

Career wins worldwide: 2023 acciona Open de España presented by Madrid (DP World Tour) Career PGA TOUR starts: 8 PGA TOUR cuts made: 3 Best PGA TOUR finish: T25, 2018 U.S. Open

Jorge Campillo

Age: 37 Official World Golf Ranking: 108th

Campillo attended Indiana University, where he became one of the most successful players in program history with nine intercollegiate titles. As a junior in 2008, he won the Big Ten "triple crown,” earning Big Ten Golfer of the Year honors, and winning the Les Bolstad Award (presented to the Big Ten player with the lowest scoring average) as well as the Big Ten Championship. He played in the Palmer Cup three times and was twice a first-team All-American.

He finished runner-up six times on the DP World Tour before securing his first victory at the 2019 Trophee Hassan II. Less than a year later, he added his second title at the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. His third win, the 2023 Magical Kenya Open, was his most consequential, earning him dual membership.

Campillo represented Spain in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Career wins worldwide: 2019 Trophee Hassan II (DP World Tour), 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters (DP World Tour), 2023 Magical Kenya Open presented by Absa (DP World Tour) Career PGA TOUR starts: 14 PGA TOUR cuts made: 5 Best PGA TOUR finish: T27, 2018 World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship

Ryo Hisatsune

Age: 21 Official World Golf Ranking: 83rd

The youngest player in the top 10, the 21-year-old Hisatsune’s rise is rather remarkable. He became the first Japanese golfer to win in Continental Europe in 40 years with his maiden DP World Tour victory during his rookie season at the 2023 Cazoo Open de France. Now he’s headed for back-to-back rookie seasons as he snagged the 10th and final PGA TOUR card through the Race to Dubai Rankings – PGA TOUR Eligibility ranking.

Ryo Hisatsune's near hole-out is the Shot of the Day

He turned professional in 2020 and finished atop the Japan Challenge Tour's money list in 2020-21 with three victories in three months.

Career wins worldwide: 2023 Cazoo Open de France (DP World Tour) Career PGA TOUR starts: 5 PGA TOUR cuts made: 5 Best PGA TOUR finish: T6, 2023 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP