Tommy Fleetwood will defend his Dubai Invitational title when the tournament returns this week, starting Thursday.
The English Ryder Cup hero won the inaugural tournament when it was played at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club in 2024.
Why wasn’t it played last year?
The Invitational is played biannually. On the alternate years a match is played at the National Course in Abu Dhabi between the British Isles and mainland Europe.
The Team Cup is played on Ryder Cup years, with the intention of giving the contenders for European team time to prepare for the match against the United States.
Format
The Invitational is a limited-field pro-am with 60 professionals playing alongside 60 amateurs in the first three rounds. The final round is played between the professionals only.
History
The invitational, pro-am format makes the tournament a friendly, low-key way for many of the leading players to start their DP World Tour season.
That said, the first edition of the event still brought with it some drama. At the 72nd hole in 2024, Fleetwood snatched the title from his final-round playing partner Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy, who has won more titles in the city than anyone else, found the creek with his tee shot at the last, while Fleetwood made a birdie to win by a shot.
After the break which followed his epic 2025, which was capped by him being named BBC Sports Personality of the Year for the first time, McIlroy is set to return.
The Invitational is hosted by Abdulla Al Naboodah, the Emirati businessman whom McIlroy terms a good friend.
McIlroy is also due to return to the Emirates Golf Club the following week to try to regain the Dubai Desert Classic.
All-star cast
Much like McIlroy, Fleetwood could claim to have had the best season of his career last year.
Despite the restricted field, there will be plenty of star quality contending to take his Invitational crown.
Danny Willett and Patrick Reed, who are both former Masters champions, will make their tournament debuts. Padraig Harrington, the three-time major winner, is also in the field.
The tournament also marks the return to action for the second time since July for Paul Waring.
The Dubai resident enjoyed a transformative end to 2024 when he won the Abu Dhabi Championship. That bump in the Race to Dubai standings helped qualify him for a PGA Tour card for the first time.
His time Stateside was miserable, though. Waring struggled to make a cut as he contended with a shoulder injury.
The field also includes Ryder Cup stars like Matteo Manassero, Tom McKibbin, David Puig, Thorbjorn Olesen, Matt Wallace, Eugenio Chacarra, Niklas Norgaard and Ryan Fox.
General admission tickets are free of charge.
