With two events remaining on the Asian Swing and a host of big incentives on the line, there is plenty to play for as the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai continues.
The 2024 Race to Dubai is midway through the third of five Global Swings, with players set to make visits to Japan and China over back-to-back weeks following the Masters Tournament, the first men’s Major Championship, earlier this month.
The ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP returns for its second edition in Japan from April 25-28, before the Volvo China Open (May 2-5) returns to the schedule for the first time since 2019.
Here, we recap what has happened so far on the Asian Swing and answer the key questions at stake.
What has happened so far?
The Asian Swing kicked off in the city-state of Singapore, where DP World Tour newcomers and favourites contested the Porsche Singapore Classic against the backdrop of the city’s iconic skyline.
After finishing second twice earlier on in his rookie campaign, European Challenge Tour graduate Jesper Svensson won his first DP World Tour title at Laguna National Golf Resort Club with a play-off victory against Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Rising Japanese star Keita Nakajima then became the sixth first-time winner on this year's Race to Dubai at the Hero Indian Open, held at DLF Golf & Country Club in New Delhi - one of the most difficult tests players face all year.
While the Masters and the upcoming U.S. PGA Championship feature within the Asian Swing schedule, points accrued in the Majors this season do not count on the swing rankings, only doing so on the season-long Race to Dubai Rankings.
Where are we still to visit?
As previously mentioned, the next stop on the DP World Tour's global odyssey is to Japan as Taiheiyo Club Gotemba - boasting views of Mount Fuji - prepares to host the penultimate regular event in the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing.
Last season’s inaugural ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP was the first regular tournament in history to be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization.
Following that, the 29th Volvo China Open will take place at Shenzhen Hidden Grace, a European Tour Destinations venue, and it will be the first DP World Tour event to be held in China for five years.
Founded in 1995, the national open is the longest-running international professional golf tournament in Chinese mainland.
What is on offer through the Asian Swing?
As with the four other Global Swings, the Asian Swing will have its own champion who will earn $200,000 from an overall $1million bonus pool.
Swing champions will also qualify for each of the Back 9 events, where players will play for increased Race to Dubai ranking points.
The leading DP World Tour member (not otherwise exempt) will also qualify for the Genesis Scottish Open, the second of five Rolex Series events this season.
But in an another exciting reward for DP World Tour members, those who finish in positions one to three in the final Asian Swing standings (at the conclusion of the Volvo China Open) will be exempt into the U.S. PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club from May 16-19.
Who is leading the way in the Asian Swing?
After his maiden DP World Tour triumph in India, former World Number One amateur Nakajima holds a slender lead (25.80 swing points) over Sweden's Svensson.
Four-time DP World Tour winner Aphibarnrat lies third in the standings after his runner-up finish in Singapore.
As it stands, those three players are currently in line to feature in next month's U.S. PGA Championship, but the leaderboard is tight, and anyone down to T-58 can go top with a win in Japan.
Qualifying School graduate Aphibarnrat is currently not set to feature in the field in Japan, so with 500 Race to Dubai points on offer for the winner of the next two DP World Tour events, there is opportunity for lots to change as the rewards on offer become more prevalent in players' minds.
- To view the current Asian Swing standings, click here.
Who have been the champions of the Global Swings so far?
With a victory on home soil at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, followed by a third-place finish at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, Min Woo Lee won the Opening Swing as the leading DP World Tour member.
Rory McIlroy was later crowned the winner of the International Swing after a sublime start to 2024 with a runner-up finish at the Dubai Invitational backed up by a record fourth Hero Dubai Desert Classic title in the first Rolex Series event of the year.
