The Dubai Invitational marks the first event on the DP World Tour in 2024. Here is everything you need to know about the brand new event.
Format
The first event on the International Swing on the DP World Tour's 2024 Race to Dubai consists of 60 professionals and 60 amateur golfers.
The Dubai Invitational is a 72-hole individual strokeplay tournament played concurrently with a three-day Pro-Am team event, with Sunday featuring professionals only.
There is no cut in the individual strokeplay event.
The team competition will see one amateur and one professional play together. The team score will be the aggregate of the lower of the two team members score on each hole over three rounds.
READ MORE: Dubai Invitational: Five things to know
Which players are in action?
World Number Two Rory McIlroy leads the professional field as he looks to kickstart his year in fine fashion in Dubai, scene of many great moments in his career.
Joining the four-time Major Champion are his Ryder Cup teammates Nicolai Højgaard and Tommy Fleetwood, who finished first and second respectively at the 2023 DP World Tour Championship.
Adrian Meronk, Ryan Fox and Rasmus Højgaard, all four-time winners on the DP World Tour, are also teeing it up as well as 2018 Open Champion Francesco Molinari and Team Europe Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald.
A host of other DP World Tour winners, including Thorbjørn Olesen, Pablo Larrazábal and Marcel Siem are also in the field
To view the full entry list, click here.
Notable amateurs
Figures from the sport, entertainment and business worlds will make up a 60-strong amateur field, including former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke along with NFL legends John Elway and Larry Fitzgerald Jr.
Venue
Dubai Creek Resort, a European Tour Destinations venue, is staging the inaugural Dubai Invitational, which will be played bi-annually in 2026 and 2028 as well.
The tee box at the par four sixth is one of the most eye-catching internationally, towering from stilts out in the creek.
The venue previously hosted the Dubai Desert Classic in 1999 and 2000.
It recently placed 43rd in Golf World's Top 100 World Resorts - the highest of any resort in the United Arab Emirates.
What is the International Swing?
The Dubai Invitational is the first of eight tournaments which will comprise the second of our Global Swings, namely the International Swing, on the 2024 Race to Dubai.
Beginning with the Dubai Invitational, the swing concludes with the Jonsson Workwear Open in South Africa from March 7-10.
Each swing will have its own identity and its own champion who will each earn $200,000 from an overall $1million bonus pool. Swing champions will also qualify for each of the ‘Back 9’ events, which form the second phase of the schedule.
The leading member (not otherwise exempt) from the International Swing will qualify for the Genesis Scottish Open, the second Rolex Series event of the season.
The leading available European Tour Group Member (includes Affiliates and Ranked Challenge Tour Members) not otherwise exempt finishing in the top 10 of the Dubai Invitational will earn their place in the field for next week's Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the first Rolex Series event of 2024.
How the start of the 2024 schedule looks 📆#DubaiInvitational pic.twitter.com/HfzOWmGxSk
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 9, 2024
How to watch
European Tour Productions, the DP World Tour’s in-house production company, will produce and distribute live coverage of the tournament.
Full coverage plan
Transmission Times (World Feed & Sky Sports)
| Date | Local time | GMT |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 11th January | 11:30-16:30 | 07:30-12:30 |
| Friday 12nd January | 11:30-16:30 | 07:30-12:30 |
| Saturday 13th January | 12:00-16:30 | 08:00-12:30 |
| Sunday 14th January | 11:30-16:30 | 07:30-12:30 |
Where else can you watch coverage?
- France: Canal+
- Germany: Sky Deutschland
- Spain: Movistar
- Sweden: Viaplay
- USA: Golf Channel
- UAE: GolfLife
For all other territories please check your local listings.
Who is part of the commentary team?
Leading the on-site team in the United Arab Emirates are commentators Alison Whitaker and Andrew Coltart.
Joining them in the commentary box are former DP World Tour winners Ken Brown, Anthony Wall, Rob Lee and Nicolas Colsaerts while there will also be on-course analysis from Tim Barter and Wayne Riley.
Inci Mehmet will conduct both in-round and post-round interviews.
