DP World Tour Keeps UAE Play-Offs Despite Safety Fears — SkimNews
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- DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings confirmed plans to stage the season-ending Play-Offs in the UAE despite ongoing regional conflict, with construction already underway at Yas Links and Jumeirah Golf Estates.
- The Abu Dhabi Championship is scheduled for November 5-8 at Yas Links, followed by the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates the following week as the Race to Dubai finale.
- Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick said he was "not that comfortable" playing in Dubai given its proximity to the conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, while Rory McIlroy said he trusts local governments' safety assessments and is "looking forward to going back."
- Formula 1 cancelled two regional events earlier in the year, fueling speculation about whether the DP World Tour would relocate its November events as well.
- The UK Foreign Office relaxed its previous "all but essential travel" guidelines for the region, though Kinnings said the tour will continue consulting travel advisors.
- The 2027 DP World Tour schedule was unveiled at the BMW PGA Championship, with the Flagship Event moving a week later and immediately following the centenary Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
- Kinnings said the tour has yet to decide on sanctions for members who want to play in the new LIV Golf 2.0 league in 2027, emphasizing the circuit wants "the best fields we possibly can."
Why it matters: Kinnings is locking the tour into hosting two flagship November events in the UAE while construction is already committed at Yas Links and Jumeirah Golf Estates, even as Fitzpatrick publicly voiced discomfort about traveling to Dubai. The decision also lands ahead of a 2027 schedule that follows the centenary Ryder Cup at Adare Manor and coincides with LIV Golf 2.0's planned launch, where sanctions for defecting members remain unresolved.
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