DUBAI: Marco Penge, Kristoffer Reitan, Haotong Li and Tyrrell Hatton — all winners in the 2025 Race to Dubai — are the latest stars confirmed for the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Nov. 13-16.
The quartet, together with the already announced defending champion and reigning Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy, make up the current top five on the 2025 Race to Dubai rankings, with all five players poised to vie for the prestigious Harry Vardon Trophy when the season concludes on the Earth course.
Englishman Penge has enjoyed a breakout season, just a year after only just retaining his playing privileges with a 110th place finish in the rankings.
The 27-year-old claimed his first tour title earlier this year at the Hainan Classic, before a tie for second at the Genesis Scottish Open and another victory at the Danish Golf Championship lifted him to second in the Race to Dubai, sealed the Closing Swing title, and confirmed his place in the DP World Tour play-offs for the first time.
“It’s been an incredible season for me,” Penge said. “To go from just keeping my card last year to winning twice and now being right up there in the Race to Dubai is something I could only have dreamed of. To have the chance to compete for the Harry Vardon Trophy in Dubai is really special, and I’m looking forward to finishing the season on such a big stage.”
Reitan, who finished seventh on the HotelPlanner Tour’s Road to Mallorca rankings last season, became only the second Norwegian to win on the DP World Tour with his victory at the Soudal Open this year. Four additional top-five finishes have since pushed the 27-year-old to third in the rankings as he prepares to make his debut at the DP World Tour Championship.
“I’m really excited to finish the season in Dubai at the DP World Tour Championship,” Reitan said. “Every player wants to be part of this tournament — it shows you’ve had a good year, and hopefully I can finish the season strongly.”
Li and Hatton, fourth and fifth in the rankings respectively, both added to their impressive resumes this year. Chinese star Li nervelessly holed a clutch 15-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters by one shot, claiming his fourth DP World Tour title, three years after his third at the 2022 BMW International Open.
Three weeks earlier, Hatton captured his eighth DP World Tour title and a record-equalling fifth Rolex Series crown, triumphing in a thrilling final-round duel with Daniel Hillier at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. The Englishman has since secured automatic qualification for his fourth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance as part of Luke Donald’s European side.
“I’m happy to return to the DP World Tour Championship,” said Li, who will be making his first start in the season-ending Rolex Series event since 2022. “I’ve got great memories of Dubai from my win in 2018 just down the road, and hopefully we can make plenty more in November.”
Ryder Cup star Hatton added: “I had a great start to the year in Dubai, so I’m really looking forward to returning to finish the season at what is always one of the best stops of the year on the tour.”
A week before the DP World Tour Championship brings the season to a close, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship kicks off the play-offs, with the top 70 available players after the Back 9 events gathering at Yas Links. At the culmination of the fourth Rolex Series event of the year, the top 50 players will tee off at the DP World Tour Championship, where the Race to Dubai winner will be crowned.
