By GolfDigestME.com
As the DP World Tour season concludes this week at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, there are seven players still in with a chance of claiming the season-long Rankings race and be crowned Europe’s No.1.
Rory McIlroy and Ryan Fox know victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates will see them top the Rankings. The other five will all need help from others. Here DPWorldTour.com has taken a look at the scenarios that could play out in the UAE.
The following scenarios do not account for ties
Rory McIlroy
The Northern Irishman has the most wiggle room out of the seven contenders as he tops the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex by just over 128 points. A win or any result where he finishes above all the other challengers will see him lift the Harry Vardon Trophy for the fourth time, while a second-place finish leaves the door open only to Fox, who would then need to win himself.
Ryan Fox
A win will see Fox become the first Kiwi to lift the title and he could, in theory, finish as low as 13th and still take home the season-long prize. A second-placed finish will see him top the Rankings provided he finishes above McIlroy but a finish of third or lower leaves the door open to some of the rest of the chasing pack.
Matt Fitzpatrick
Nothing less than a top two will do for the US Open Champion and even then he will need some help from Fox and McIlroy. If either of the front-runners finish second behind the Englishman, they will still claim season-long glory. If Fitzpatrick himself finishes second, he needs Fox to not win and McIlroy to finish lower than seventh.
Who else is in the hunt?
Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry and Adrian Meronk could also lift the Harry Vardon Trophy on Sunday but they need a win and some help from those above them.
Fleetwood needs McIlroy to finish worse than third and Fox to finish lower than second.
Hovland needs McIlroy to finish worse than fourth and Fox lower than third.
Lowry needs McIlroy to finish worse than seventh, Fox lower than fifth and Fitzpatrick to miss out on a top two.
Meronk needs McIlroy to finish worse than 16th, Fox lower than eighth and Fitzpatrick to not make the top two.
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