What is DP World Tour Championship? Exploring the tournament and its venue
The DP World Tour Championship is the culmination of the DP World Tour Rankings, and is a part of the European Tour. The Championship is held every year at the Jumeirah Golf Estate in Dubai, which is also the home of its title sponsor, DP World.
Recently, the European Tour was also renamed to the DP World Tour, and it is the leading golf tour of Europe. The Championship is a replacement for the Volvo Masters, which was for the top 60 money leaders on the Order of Merit.
The DP World Tour Championship debuted in 2009, when the Race to Dubai replaced the Order of Merit. The tournament is played by the top 50 golfers on the DP World Tour Rankings.
It is also key in determining the Race to Dubai bonus pool, which is awarded to the top golfers of the DP World Tour rankings after the tournament.
Originally, the prize fund for the Championship was meant to be $10 million, with the winner taking away an impressive $1.6 million. However, in September 2009, it was announced that there would be a 25 percent decrease in the prize fund.
The prize fund was then increased to $8 million in 2012 and further to $9 million in 2021, when DP World was announced as the title sponsor for the European Tour.
Jumeirah Golf Estate- the venue for the DP World Tour Championship
The Jumeirah Golf Estate in Dubai, UAE, is particularly known for its luxurious golf community. It is rated amongst the top 10 lifestyle estates in the world. There are two 18-hole golf courses designed by Greg Norman, and they are named 'Fire' and 'Earth'.
The Earth course is the venue where the DP World Tour Championship is hosted every year.
The Championship is played in the month of November and has had past winners like Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy, Henrick Stenson, and current World No. 1 Jon Rahm.
The DP World Tour Championship is a part of the DP World Tour, also known as the European Tour. It was established by the Professional Golfers Association in the 1970s, before becoming an independent PGA Tour organisation in 1984.
Most of the tournaments of the DP World Tour are held in Europe. However, since 2015, the golfers on tour have also been a part of the major championships and World Golf Championship events.
The European Tour is also a leading partner in the Ryder Cup, which is carried out in tandem with the PGA of America. Notable winners on the European Tour include Rory McIlroy, Henrick Stenson, Lee Westwood, and Sergio Garcia.