Several prominent golfers, including Ryder Cup players Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, and Justin Rose, have chosen not to participate in the upcoming Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship. The tournament, set for November 5-8 at Yas Links, marks the opening leg of the two-event Middle East Play-Offs for the DP World Tour.
Safety Concerns and Notable Absence List
Following the conclusion of the regular season, the DP World Tour published the entry list on Monday for the top 70 available competitors in the Race to Dubai standings. However, 10 eligible players opted against taking part in the event. Among those missing alongside Fitzpatrick, who sits 10th in the standings, are Open champion Ryan Fox, Alex Fitzpatrick (24th), Min Woo Lee (38th), Ludvig Åberg (45th), MacIntyre (56th), Si Woo Kim (62nd), Rose (69th), and Ryan Gerard (70th). Lowry currently holds 16th place in the standings.
While players are not obligated to publicize whether their withdrawal stems from personal scheduling or safety concerns, security issues surrounding Middle East tournaments have drawn previous comments. Regional anxieties have heightened due to Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia. Speaking at last month’s BMW PGA Championship, Fitzpatrick voiced his hesitation regarding competing in the region, stating, “No, I wouldn’t be that comfortable.” He added, “If the [DP World] Tour does go, I’m sure they have had the best advice possible on what that looks like. As things stand right now, I wouldn’t necessarily be too keen on going.” Fitzpatrick still intends to defend his DP World Tour Championship title in Dubai the following week after overcoming Rory McIlroy in a play-off last year.
Ryan Fox, who stands as the highest-ranked eligible golfer skipping Abu Dhabi, is also currently scheduled to feature in Dubai. In statements reported by Sky Sports last month, Fox shared his perspective: “I’m obviously of the opinion that the Tour is doing their due diligence,” adding, “If they feel like it’s safe for us to go, I’m willing to support that. But I can understand, also, why guys have some reservations.”
Government Travel Advisories and Field Lineup
Official travel guidelines reflect the heightened geopolitical tensions. The UK Foreign Office has not imposed travel bans to the region but updated its website to warn that visitors “should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions”. Meanwhile, the US government updated its travel advisories on Friday to “reflect the threat of increased Iranian-supported Houthi regional aggression”, urging citizens to “reconsider travel to the United Arab Emirates due to terrorism and armed conflict”.
Despite the absences, the battle for the Harry Vardon Trophy remains fierce, with the top five players in the Race to Dubai standings all confirmed to play at Yas Links. Eugenio Chacarra leads the standings by 669.27 points following his victory at the DP World India Championship, his third win of the campaign. He is closely chased by Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy. Two-time tour winner Casey Jarvis and defending tournament champion Aaron Rai round out the top five competitors fighting for a share of the $9 million (£6.76 million) purse, which includes a $1.53 million (£1.15 million) winner’s payout.
The field in Abu Dhabi will also feature former World No. 1 Adam Scott along with former tournament champions Tommy Fleetwood, who secured consecutive titles in 2017 and 2018, and Tyrrell Hatton, who won in 2021. Following the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, only the top 50 available players in the rankings will advance to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
