There are 11 players in the field who are playing the Race to Dubai season finale for the first time.
This week's DP World Tour Championship, Dubai sees 11 players make their debut at the 2021 Race to Dubai's final Rolex Series event.
Here, we take a look at the men trying to tame the Earth Course at the first attempt.
Billy Horschel
It has been quite the year for the affable American, who comes into this event knowing a victory will make him the first player from the United States to lift the Harry Vardon Trophy. He hit the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex early in the year as he finished second to Collin Morikawa at the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession and then claimed a maiden World Golf Championships title at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. He has not been outside of the top three since, adding a first Rolex Series victory at the BMW PGA Championship and missing just one cut in his nine stroke play events on the 2021 Race to Dubai.
Min Woo Lee
Another man to win a first Rolex Series title in 2021, Lee has to win and have some help from those around him if he is to be crowned Europe's Number One. The Australian won his first European Tour title on home soil at the 2020 ISPS Handa Vic Open but that was not enough to get him to the season finale in his rookie campaign. He was floating around 100th in the Rankings in the 2021 season before his victory at the abrdn Scottish Open catapulted him into the top ten. Now sitting fifth, he arrives in great form having registered three consecutive top tens.
Abraham Ancer
Ancer made history in the summer, with his victory at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational making him the first Mexican winner ever on the European Tour. That came the week after he represented his country at the Olympic Men's Golf Competition and he also finished in the top ten at the US PGA Championship.
Will Zalatoris
Crowned PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for 2020-21, a good result on his DP World Tour Championship, Dubai debut could help him do the double and claim the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award as well. He did not look like a rookie when finishing second at the Masters Tournament and then in the top ten at the US PGA Championship. He also had a top ten at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational and comes into this week 11th in the Rankings.
Nicolai Højgaard
After identical twin brother Rasmus made his event debut last season, Nicolai now tees it up on the Earth Course for the first time. Rasmus won his third European Tour event at the European Masters in August and, not to be outdone, Nicolai followed him into the winner's circle just seven days later at the DS Automobiles Italian Open. Nicolai enters the week above his brother in the Rankings and fresh off a tie for second at the Portugal Masters but, with so many points on offer this week, which brother will end the season with bragging rights?
Calum Hill
Hill claimed his maiden European Tour title at the Cazoo Classic and it is safe to say it had been coming. He had recorded five top tens in the season before that triumph and has only spent one week outside of the top 50 on the Rankings in 2021. That consistency has now been rewarded with a place in the field this week.
Johannes Veerman
Another first time winner in 2021, Veerman was looking set for a battle to keep his card before back to back top tens at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and abrdn Scottish Open shot him up the Rankings. His win at the D+D Real Czech Masters solidified his place in the top 30 and he heads into the final event of the season in that position.
Francesco Laporta
In similar style to Veerman, it was a top ten at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open that kickstarted Laporta's season, although he did not truly find his form until the autumn when he finished fourth at the DS Automobiles Italian Open and then had a career best Rolex Series finish of sixth at the BMW PGA Championship. He moves across to the Earth Course after finishing second on the Fire Course last week at the AVIV Dubai Championship.
Adrian Meronk
It will be another history making week for Meronk, who is blazing a trail for Polish golfers on the European Tour. The first Pole to hold full playing privileges, he will now become the first Pole to play at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. The consistent 28-year-old had a career best finish of second at the DS Automobiles Italian Open and has two other third places as he looks for a first European Tour victory.
Jeff Winther
One of four Danish winners in the last ten events, Winther claimed his first European Tour victory just a month ago at the Mallorca Golf Open. He made his first five cuts of the season and then finished third at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open, building a platform that has seen him sit inside the top 100 on the Rankings all season. His win in Spain then catapulted him inside the top 50 and he enters this week at 45th.
Tapio Pulkkanen
The Finn is guaranteed his best season long finish since he came top of the European Challenge Tour Rankings in 2017. He came third at the Canary Islands Championship and then forced his way into the top 50 with a runner up position at the D+D Real Czech Masters. Since then he has hovered between 45th and 53rd in the Rankings, squeezing his way into this week at 52nd.
