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How The Race to Dubai Works
6 October 2008
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The Race to Dubai Replaces The European Tour Order of Merit, but Offers Some Important Differences
When The European Tour and Leisurecorp were planning the structure of The Race to Dubai, they wanted to create a competition that would bring real life to the season—and encourage more of golf’s big names to choose European Tour events. The result was a US $10 million season-long competition for the world’s leading golfers, culminating in the world’s ultimate golf tournament, the Dubai World Championship in Dubai, UAE.
Ensuring that only the cream of world golf qualify, players will be ranked during the season according to their earnings from all events on The European Tour International Schedule, including European Tour tournaments, Major Championships and World Golf Championships. The players ranked 1 to 60 in The Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the previous tournament will then compete in the season’s climax at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Following the Dubai World Championship, the players ranked 1 to 15 will share in The Race to Dubai’s bonus pool of US $10 million.
The number one player will receive US $2 million and a seven-year European Tour Card exemption, and the runner-up will receive US $1.5 million; prizes extend down to the 15th player, who will earn US $250,000. With these winnings up for grabs, there is the potential for a player to be standing over a putt at the Dubai World Championship worth more than US $3.5 million. The lure of this prize fund will add to the attraction for players from around the world.
