“I think they were just checking my temperature that I wasn’t steaming,” Scott recalled. “I didn’t reply.”

Which probably said plenty about how the amiable Australian veteran felt about the conditions in the final round last June when the USGA opted to splash on at Oakmont after another deluge of rain caused a 90-minute suspension and left the storied course on the edge of unplayable. It also undoubtedly was an indication that USGA officials knew deep down they erred in finishing even as rain continued to fall.

Scott said Thursday at Muirfield Village Golf Club that he wished he would have insisted on halting play or consulted with playing partner Sam Burns and simply put their collective feet down and stopped rather than continue in the sloppy conditions. Scott was in the day’s final pairing with Burns, who was one stroke in front of Scott and eventual winner J.J. Spaun.

“I feel in the moment I was like, ‘I’m not going to be the guy complaining.’ But looking back on it, of course, I think I should have,” Scott, 45, said after opening with an even-par 72 in the Memorial Tournament. “Maybe not complain but spoken up after my shot at 11.”

With his club hydroplaning through casual water, Scott hit a wedge that flew 170 yards, landing over the green, and he went on to make a double bogey. He struggled to a nine-over 79 and ended up tied for 12th at six-over 286, seven strokes behind Spaun, the only player to finish under par at 279. Only one player shot a higher score than Scott, who was seven over par for his remaining 11 holes after the weather delay.

Burns, meanwhile, shot 78 and tied for seventh at four-over 284. He played the last 11 holes in six over par. Playing a few groups ahead, Spaun closed with a 72 that included a remarkable 45-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win by two over Robert MacIntyre.

In the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews, Brooks Koepka refused to continue as he watched his ball on the 11th green moving amid winds gusting to 40 miles per hour. Eventually, after Koepka argued with a rules official for five minutes, play was suspended.

Winner of the 2013 Masters, Scott will be competing in two weeks at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y., for his 100th consecutive start in a major championship, joining Jack Nicklaus as the only players to appear in at least 100 majors in a row.

“It wasn’t great,” Scott said of how challenging the difficult Oakmont layout, one of the most challenging in the U.S. Open rotation, became after the already soaked course near Pittsburgh sustained another deluge. “Obviously, it was great for J.J. in the end, but everybody else probably feels like it wasn’t a great finish.

“I was trying to think in my head, there’s no one else dealing with this? There’s a ton of other groups on the course. Is everyone OK? I mean, I was kind of thinking someone might speak up, but I wish it was me now looking back on it. Yeah. I mean, Sam did and didn’t get him very far, actually.”

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Ten years removed from winning the WGC-Cadillac Championship in the PGA Tour’s last visit to Doral Resort, Adam Scott returned this week to the Blue Monster as an “honorary” defending champion. The Miami resort that had hosted a popular tour event for more than five decades was added back to the schedule this year for the first time since 2016 with a “new” Cadillac signature event.

Scott’s fond memories of his last appearance at Doral, however, were muted during Thursday’s opening round, when the 45-year-old Aussie made a costly rules blunder. After two birdies offset by two bogeys on his opening seven holes, Scott pulled his tee shot into the rough on the par-5 eighth hole. He played his second shot out of the gnarly lie but when he was preparing for his third, he realized the ball that he hit wasn’t actually his.

Playing the wrong ball is a violation of Rule 6.3 and comes with a two-shot penalty. Thankfully for Scott, when he returned to the spot where he believed his original drive landed he managed to find that ball. From there, he played what counted as his fourth shot, putting his ball back in the fairway. He then hit the green from 147 yards with his fifth shot and two-putted from 15 feet for a double-bogey 7.

That's not the right ball

A nightmare at No. 8 for Adam Scott as he plays the wrong ball @Cadillac_Champ.

PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/fHcn1sivd6

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 30, 2026

While Scott was upset with transpired, it could have been worse. Had he not realised he had played a wrong ball, played out the hole with it and proceeded to tee off on the next hole, he would have been subject for disqualification. As our rules expert Ron Kaspriske pointed out in an edition of his weekly Rules Review department that focused on how to proceed after hitting a wrong ball, Rule 6.3 specifies that a player who plays a wrong ball must correct the mistake by going back and playing your ball to finish the hole.

And what would have happened if Scott, after becoming aware of hitting a wrong ball, couldn’t find his original ball in the rough? He would have had to play under the rules for a lost ball, adding another penalty stroke and proceeding back to the tee box, where he would have been hitting his fifth shot.

Scott proceeded to make eight straight pars after the blunder, then bogeyed the last two holes to post a four-over 76 and sit 12 shots back of early leader Cameron Young in the no-cut event.

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Unfortunately, negotiations seemingly hit their latest snag, despite Trump stating that the group had some “interesting discussions.” From the fan perspective, it feels like we’re right back where we started. The politics of it all are not something Scott is all that interested in, though he still was in awe of the experience.

“It is a surprise that it’s taken this turn,” Scott said Tuesday at the Players Championship. “It was an incredible experience to be at the White House and be in the Oval Office and see the goings-on of what’s happening in Washington D.C., but it’s not something that I really feel like I need to or want to spend more time on. I want to play better golf, to be perfectly honest with you. That would be nice. I probably should spend that time practicing.”

Asked to share if there were any cool moments he recalls from the meeting, Scott’s brain immediately went to the exact moment he realized just how unimportant this whole saga was in the grand scheme of things.

“It was obvious to me very quickly when they were setting up for the Israeli delegation right after our meeting and putting like the Israeli flag and the U.S. flag and getting that room ready that our conversation was pretty low in the importance of what was happening that day,” said Scott. “And really, the President had far more important things to focus on, and I encouraged him to go and do that well for everyone’s sake after our meeting.”

Given Trump’s love of golf, and his eagerness to bring all parties to the table, we’re guessing it was one of the meetings he was looking forward to that particular day. To Scott’s point, though, golf’s ongoing “game of chicken” could not be lower on the current event totem pole.

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“It doesn’t feel any closer,” Rory McIlroy said Wednesday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

What derailed these seemingly promising negotiations, and what machinations continue behind closed doors?

“Ego, misunderstanding, selfishness,” says one tour source familiar with the negotiations. “It’s a stupid game of chicken.”

Pervasive uncertainty has become the defining characteristic of golf’s cold war, now dragging into its fourth grueling season. Throughout this conflict, only two realities have remained constant—the game’s principal figures prioritising personal interests over the sport’s collective welfare, and the absolute dearth of verifiable information available to anyone. Yet what renders the current situation particularly bewildering is the dramatic reversal: after all signs pointed to a finalised agreement, both factions have retreated to their respective corners, meticulously crafting their next strategic manoeuvres while simultaneously attempting to decode their adversary’s intentions.

This remains undeniable: negotiations have hit a significant impasse. Monahan’s public silence since the Framework Agreement of June 6, 2023, made his forthright and assured media address last month at Torrey Pines particularly striking—his confidence about reunifying professional golf under a single tour seemed to signal breakthrough developments. Woods—renowned for his strategic reticence—reinforced this narrative during CBS’ Genesis Invitational broadcast, declaring a deal’s imminent conclusion. The transformation between these pronouncements, the White House meeting, and the present standstill centres on the PGA Tour’s dramatically evolved position regarding LIV Golf’s future role, if any.

President Donald Trump is joined by Tiger Woods in the East Room of the White House on February 20, 2025 – Win McNamee

Prior to the 2024 presidential election, consensus held that LIV would endure in a post-agreement landscape—albeit reconfigured from its current iteration, with team elements preserved. This structure was deemed necessary to satisfy antitrust regulations, as a legitimate competitor to the PGA Tour needed to exist. However, Trump’s electoral victory over Kamala Harris fundamentally altered this thinking, with tour leadership now operating under the presumption that Trump’s Department of Justice would expedite approval for any arrangement—effectively questioning LIV’s very necessity. Meanwhile, PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan views LIV Golf not merely as a business venture but as his brainchild and enduring legacy. What others dismiss as straightforward commercial negotiations represents, for him, a deeply personal endeavor.

Which precipitates an extraordinary paradox. Trump has emerged as golf’s powerbroker, wielding influence over the sport’s fractured landscape. Yet herein lies the irony that has paralysed negotiations—each faction convinced that Trump is manoeuvring exclusively to advance their agenda, creating a diplomatic stalemate where mutual misinterpretation of presidential allegiance has become an obstacle to resolution.

Prior to LIV Golf’s emergence, Trump had cultivated extensive Saudi connections. During his first administration as president, Trump fostered an intimate relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—a partnership whose resilience transcended his presidency, most notably evidenced when Trump’s son-in-law and former senior advisor, Jared Kushner, secured a $2 billion investment from the Saudi sovereign wealth fund for his fledgling equity firm.

When LIV launched in 2022, it materialised against a backdrop of golf’s establishment systematically excommunicating Trump: the PGA Tour had abandoned its Miami tournament at Trump Doral, the PGA of America dramatically withdrew its PGA Championship from Trump Bedminster following the January 6 insurrection, and the R&A had repeatedly, emphatically declared it would never restore Trump Turnberry to the Open Championship rotation while attention remained fixated on its proprietor.

By strategically aligning with Trump, the Saudis delivered a dual victory—orchestrating lucrative tournaments at his properties and bestowing him the professional golf legitimacy he coveted. Given this calculated investment in both Trump’s business empire and personal prestige, it’s entirely logical that the Saudis anticipate reciprocity.

PGA Tour insiders, conversely, remain convinced Trump harbours genuine disdain for LIV Golf—a sentiment McIlroy vocalised last month. As a lifelong golf fan, Trump recognises the PGA Tour as the sport’s standard-bearer and covets continued association with the league. Unsurprisingly, whispers have intensified suggesting that, upon consummation of any agreement, Trump would campaign for Doral’s reinstatement to the tour’s rotation. Sources familiar with the tour’s calculus further reveal that Trump’s ambitions extend beyond regular tour events—he remains fixated on securing a major championship at one of his properties, a dream whose feasibility hinges entirely on garnering support from America’s golf establishment. This reality gives the PGA Tour significant leverage in the ongoing power struggle, as they hold the keys to Trump’s golf aspirations.

Warren Little

As two high-level sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations disclosed to Golf Digest, the tour delegation arrived in Washington D.C. last month confident—convinced that Trump’s tacit endorsement had tilted the balance of power in their favour. However, the White House meeting’s aftermath left Al-Rumayyan bewildered and incensed, reportedly characterising the tour’s proposals as not merely inadequate but disrespectful. This misalignment has crystallised into hardened perceptions, with each faction now harbouring the following assessments of their counterparts:

– PIF is aware that the Strategic Sports Group forged its landmark partnership with the PGA Tour predicated on Saudi PIF’s eventual integration. SSG’s consortium of billionaire investors covets the opportunity to redirect Saudi PIF’s vast financial resources toward their own expansive portfolio of ventures—a complex financial choreography dramatically simplified once an American institution of the tour’s stature establishes a legitimate conduit into the kingdom’s seemingly bottomless treasury. While tour leadership might entertain the prospect of abandoning negotiations, their new financial overseers categorically reject this possibility. PIF, meanwhile, operates from a position of global leverage, functioning less as a conventional investment entity and more as a sovereign financial juggernaut accustomed to dictating rather than compromising.

– The PGA Tour figures LIV has already fulfilled its fundamental purpose: It delivered the kingdom unprecedented direct access to the White House’s inner sanctum. From this perspective, the alleged $5 billion squandered on a golf league commanding negligible viewership represents not a financial misstep but a masterful geopolitical investment yielding incalculable diplomatic dividends. With this direct channel now established, what compelling incentive exists for PIF—currently operating under stringent new cost-cutting mandates—to continue hemorrhaging capital on an entertainment venture demonstrably failing by every conventional metric? The tour, meanwhile, exudes unmistakable swagger. Television ratings have surged while LIV’s viewership continues to struggle. Jon Rahm stands as the solitary elite talent to defect since LIV’s inaugural season. In fact, beyond Rahm (coveted for competitive integrity), Bryson DeChambeau (valued for commercial magnetism) and Brooks Koepka (desired from the perspective that “having this major championship juggernaut competing elsewhere constitutes a liability”), virtually no substantive appetite exists to reintegrate other LIV members. Although, should the tour pivot toward a more globally-oriented schedule, Cam Smith and Joaquín Niemann would ascend that priority list to some degree, according to multiple high-level sources. The question now confronting tour leadership: If they could successfully extract just one marquee name from the Rahm/DeChambeau/Koepka triumvirate … might the moment have arrived to call LIV’s existential bluff?

One certainty emerges from this impasse: Trump’s bombastic proclamation that he could orchestrate reconciliation within 15 minutes has proven spectacularly disconnected from the complex reality of professional golf’s deeply entrenched power struggle.

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For Scott, the move to a broomstick version of L.A.B. Golf’s Mezz.1 Max in 2022 coincided with several strong seasons on the greens. The Aussie ranked 19th and 27th on Tour in SG: Putting the last two years, reinforcing the belief he was using the right putter.

Then along came a middling week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to shake things up.

After opening with 74-71 at an event with no cut, Scott figured there was no better time to give L.A.B.’s Oz.1 mallet an opportunity — even if his head told him it was a bad idea.

“Pro golfers are a little crazy,” Scott said. “I’d been putting so well for the last two years with the Mezz.1 Max that everyone would have said I was an idiot to change putters. But I was so involved in the process of the Oz being released, my heart wanted to change and give it a go. My head was telling me not to. I was running 70th and figured there was never a better time to throw it in.”

The Oz.1 is Scott’s baby, a putter he’s been working on with L.A.B. Golf’s team since February 2023 when initial sketches were first made. For Scott, the goal was to create a more traditional mallet shape with sleek design features while still maintaining the weighting and stability he’s come to expect L.A.B. designs.

“The L.A.B. technology is consistent through all of their putters, which I quite like,” Scott said. “Having input into the design shape of the Oz was something I enjoyed being a part of. Those things do matter when you put the putter down at address. You want to have a good vibe standing over the ball.”

The initial plan was to bring the Oz.1 out early last year, but the putter manufacturer saw significant interest in its current zero-torque designs and chose to push back the launch.

“[T]hey’ve been so busy, it got a little bit held up,” Scott said. “But the final product is worth the wait.”

With an Oz.1 broomstick in the bag for the weekend at Pebble Beach, Scott rocketed up the leaderboard with rounds of 69-64 to finish T22 for the tournament. The final round included nine birdies and saw Scott finish second in SG: Putting (plus-3.308) and feet of putts made (115 feet). Not bad for a quick weekend cameo.

Asked if he was surprised by how well the putter performed, Scott admitted it’s impossible to predict how a mid-tournament gear switch will go.

“You never know with something until it’s out in tournament play,” he said. “Unfortunately, it was a great time to do it. I putted great over the weekend and see myself sticking with it.”

Chalk one up for the heart.

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The foursome will join defending champion Rory McIlroy, who is aiming to lift the famous Dallah Trophy for a record fifth time, as well as Major winner Jon Rahm and Olympic Silver Medallist Tommy Fleetwood in a world-class field at the US$9 million Rolex Series event on the DP World Tour’s 2025 Race to Dubai.

Robert MacIntyre – 2024 Genesis Scottish Open – Octavio Passos

MacIntyre made his Ryder Cup debut as he joined McIlroy, Fleetwood, Rahm and Hatton in Europe’s victory in Rome in September 2023 and has since enjoyed a memorable 2024 season. The Scot claimed his first PGA TOUR title at the RBC Canadian Open in June and added a third DP World Tour title – and a first on the Rolex Series – with an emotional victory on home soil at the Genesis Scottish Open.

MacIntyre – who has two top-ten finishes in four previous appearances at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic – said: “I’m looking forward to getting back to the Emirates Golf Club in January. It’s a place where I have played well in the past, and it would be great to get the new season off to a strong start again.”

Tyrrell Hatton – 2024 Alfred Dunhilll Links Championship – Getty Images

Hatton, who claimed his seventh DP World Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October, has four previous top-ten finishes at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. The Englishman has also tasted past success in the region, triumphing in Abu Dhabi in 2021, and is seeking a fifth Rolex Series win.

Hatton said: “I always enjoy coming to Dubai and the Emirates Golf Club. I’ve had success in the region in the past so I look forward to getting 2025 off to strong start in the desert.”

Adam Scott – 2013 Masters – Getty Images

Scott is also no stranger to success in the Middle East, with the 2013 Masters champion counting two wins in Qatar on his illustrious career record. The Australian also ended one of his best seasons to date on the DP World Tour with a tied third place finish at the DP World Tour Championship last month on the way to a top 10 finish on the Race to Dubai Rankings.

Scott said: “It’s always been an enjoyable experience when I’ve been able to add the Hero Dubai Desert Classic to my early season schedule, and I’ll be aiming to continue and build on the form that I ended 2024 with.”

Akshay Bhatia – 2023 Barracuda Championship – Isaiah Vazquez

The trio will be joined in the field by rising American star Akshay Bhatia, who will tee it up at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for the first time. The 22-year-old was a decorated amateur, and represented the United States in the Junior Presidents Cup, Junior Ryder Cup and Walker Cup before turning professional in 2019.

He claimed his first DP World Tour and PGA TOUR title at the co-sanctioned Barracuda Championship in 2023, adding a second PGA TOUR title earlier this year at the Valero Texas Open.

Bhatia said: “I can’t wait to tee it up in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for the first time. I’ve heard a lot about the tournament and everything about the week in Dubai, and I’m looking forward to the experience.”

Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director of Hero Dubai Desert Classic

Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director of Hero Dubai Desert Classic, commented: “We’re thrilled to welcome such a stellar lineup of players for the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic. The addition of Ryder Cup stars, Major champions, and exciting young talents highlights the tournament’s status as one of the premier events on the global golfing calendar.

“With world-class golf alongside standout premium fan experiences and off-course fun for all the family in Tournament Town, next year’s event promises to be truly unforgettable.”

Established in 1989, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is the oldest golf competition in the Middle East and next year’s event will be the 36th edition of the tournament. A key fixture on the DP World Tour and a part of the esteemed Rolex Series, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic was instrumental in introducing golf to the Middle East and producing some of the sport’s most memorable moments. The 2025 event will mark its second consecutive year being GEO Certified®, having become the only tournament to do so in the Middle East and on the DP World Tour Rolex Series.

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A major champion and former World No. 1, the Australian has a Players Championship and a World Cup win on his CV, as well as victories on five circuits: the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, the Asian Tour, the Australasian Tour and South Africa’s Sunshine Tour.

And at 44, the oldest man in the 50-strong field gathered in Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship (he currently sits T-9 after 54 holes on seven under par, five shots behind leaders Antoine Rozner, Rasmus Hojgaard and Rory McIlroy) is still getting it done. Scott is about to complete a season in which he has, at a time of competitive life when most players are entering inevitable decline, risen from 44 to 20 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

“Adam’s record is pretty outrageous,” says former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, Scott’s close friend. “There is an argument to be made that Sam Snead is the greatest golfer of all-time because he was great longer than anyone else has ever been great. Adam is in a similar category. Over the last 25 years, he has always been relevant in tournaments. And he keeps getting better. For me, along with Sergio Garcia, he has been the best driver of a ball in what might be called the Tiger Woods era.”

Ogilvy, clearly an unabashed Scott fan, goes as far as to rank his pal the fourth-best Australian golfer of all-time behind only Peter Thomson, Greg Norman and Karrie Webb.

Indeed, this season Scott has played a lot of good and near-great golf without actually winning a tournament. Runner-up finishes at both the BMW Championship and the Genesis Scottish Open represent his closest brushes with victory, although six other top-10s dot his record, including one at the Open Championship. So he remains competitive at the highest level.

“I see 2024 as having two distinct halves,” Scott says. “I always seem to play OK. I don’t ever play badly. I just hadn’t played great for a while, which was starting to get annoying. And that’s how the first six months of this year was. But I did find some confidence from the Scottish Open onwards. From there, I played to a very high standard.

It is getting harder, though, Scott admits. “It’s not so much that I am 44. it is that there are so many other guys getting younger [laughs]. There are so many good players in their mid-20s now. So more than tapering off at my age, which many do, there are more young lads to take our place. And they play at a very high level on a regular basis, which again makes it harder for someone like me.”

Still, in moments of reflection, Scott has much to be proud of. His game, impressively, has always travelled well. The first and so far only Australian to win the Masters, the Queenslander who was born in South Australia also has a Players Championship to his name, as well as a World Cup victory alongside compatriot, Jason Day.

Knowing all of the above, it will come as no surprise to hear Scott is also a former World No. 1 and, in 2022, was made a “Member of the Order of Australia” for “significant service to golf at the elite level.”

And he is far from done. Still long enough off the tee and still owning the requisite level of motivation, Scott reckons he has the capacity to be more than competitive in the biggest events for at least two more years.

“I am ticking a lot of boxes that allow me to believe I can be better,” he insists. “My speed is good, which is such a big part of the game today. And I’ve been injury-free for a long time. When I look at stats as a guide, there is a lot of solid stuff there. There is, however, one area that stands out – and not in a good way. Between 120-170 yards there is plenty of room for improvement.

“I think I can have my best year next year,” he goes on. “2024 was kind of a comeback year, from what I don’t know, maybe mediocrity, which has given me the chance to be really optimistic about next year. The next two years really. If I can maintain my focus and confidence, I will hopefully be in position to win tournaments.”

With his biggest win being the 2013 Masters, Scott says the career Grand Slam is still a goal. Harry How/Getty Images

More specifically, Scott remains both a high-achiever and a man with high ambitions. Only one Australian man, former PGA and U.S. Open champion David Graham, has ever won more than one of the four majors. So that is an obvious target.

“The reality is that we all get judged on how we play in the majors,” he says. “I’m probably not going to win 10. But to be a multiple major champion would be great. Dreaming big, I’d love to win the career Grand Slam. That’s only three events, albeit the right three. That motivates me. As do things like Bay Hill and the Memorial.”

Sadly, another on that to-do list—Scott’s own national Open title, which he claimed in 2009—is one event he won’t see when it takes place two weeks from now.

“I’d love to win the Australian Open again,” he declares. “I wanted to play this year, but I’ve travelled so much already. I’m tired. To go there would add another two weeks to an already long year. So I’m ending my season here in the hope that will give myself a good chance to play well in 2025.”

On the evidence of the year about to end, there is every chance that he will do just that.

Main Image: David Cannon

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Over 15 children staying in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) part of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), were not only treated to a visit from the 2013 Masters Champion, but also enjoyed entertainment from golf trickshot specialist Geoff Swain – also known as one of the Trickshot Boys – who displayed his skills and encouraged patients to take part in a fun putting competition.

Scott, the current number 11 on the DP World Tour Race to Dubai rankings, said: “It’s been a real privilege to spend time with these amazing kids today. Their strength and positivity is truly inspiring, and if I’ve brought even a little bit of joy to their day, it means the world to me. Sometimes, the best moments in life aren’t about winning tournaments, but making a difference to someone’s day.”

 

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The young patients in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City were also treated to live musical performances from talented students from several schools, along with appearances from fan favourite mascots from Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, delivering joy and excitement to the children.

Such initiatives are vital in fostering a supportive and encouraging environment for children receiving care at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. Together with its partners, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City strives to create lasting memories that inspire hope and positivity.

Eng. Mohamed Juma Al Hameli, Acting Chief Operations Officer in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City said: “At Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, we believe in the power of positive experiences to uplift our young patients during difficult times. The visit from golf star Adam Scott, organised in partnership with Miral not only brought joy and excitement but also highlighted our commitment to enhancing the patient experience through unique and memorable interactions.”

Main Image: Getty Images

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Billy Horschel confirmed for the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai

Billy Horschel, who recently claimed his second BMW PGA Championship title, will tee it up on the world-renowned Earth Course alongside Major Champions Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Adam Scott and fellow Rolex Series winner Robert MacIntyre, who won the Genesis Scottish Open in July.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry – Chris Graythen

They join reigning Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy and his fellow Ryder Cup star and 2017 European Number One Tommy Fleetwood, who have already been confirmed for the final Rolex Series event of the season.

Horschel’s victory at Wentworth saw him move up to third on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, and the American will be making his second appearance in the season-ending event.

The 37-year-old won the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup in 2014 after claiming the BMW Championship and TOUR Championship titles in back-to-back weeks, and the eight-time PGA TOUR winner is excited by the opportunity to win the DP World Tour’s season-ending title.

“I’m excited to return to Dubai next month to finish my DP World Tour season,” said Horschel. “I really enjoyed my experience at Jumeirah Golf Estates three years ago and I’m looking forward to getting back to the UAE.

“It has been great playing in some of the DP World Tour’s most historic events in the latter part of the season and I hope to finish the year on a high note with another memorable experience in Dubai.

“I’m incredibly proud to have won the TOUR Championship on the PGA TOUR, so to have a chance to add the DP World Tour Championship title to my trophy cabinet would certainly be very special.”

Horschel finished joint runner-up at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon alongside Justin Rose, who has also confirmed his return to the DP World Tour Championship. Joining them in the field is Australian Adam Scott, who won the Masters Tournament in 2013, the same year that Rose won the U.S. Open at Merion.

Irishman Shane Lowry is returning to happy hunting ground of Abu Dhabi

Fellow Major Champion Lowry will be competing in back-to-back weeks in the UAE, after also confirming his appearance at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The Irishman, who won The 148th Open at Royal Portrush in 2019, has recorded 13 Top 20 worldwide finishes in 2024, including a victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA TOUR alongside Rory McIlroy.

Luke Walker

Scotsman MacIntyre is enjoying a career-best season a year on from making his Ryder Cup debut at Marco Simone, having won both the RBC Canadian Open and his home Genesis Scottish Open in 2024. The 28-year-old is currently sixth on the Race to Dubai Rankings and is hoping to eclipse his previous highest finish of ninth on the season-long standings, which he achieved in 2019.

The Top 50 players available from the Race to Dubai Rankings after the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links, the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs, will then reach Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Main Image: Getty Images

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Scheffler won the Tour Championship and a $25 million bonus as FedEx Cup champion on Sunday for his seventh PGA Tour win of the season—and eighth overall counting his Olympic gold medal—to put an exclamation point (or several of them) on a truly special run that included his second Masters title and the first successful defense of the Players Championship in the history of the event. He led the FedEx Cup standings for the final 25 weeks after his first win of the year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in early March. His official earnings came up just short of $30 million.

MORE: Scottie Scheffler’s historic season ended the way it deserved

What’s more, his lead in the Official World Golf Ranking is not even close to Woods’ record, but it’s still among the biggest in history.

Winner of 13 tour titles in the last three years and ranking first in 40 statistical categories in 2024, Scheffler, 28, is by every measure the game’s finest talent and well on his way to taking a place among the best of all-time if he can maintain his current level of excellence. There is no evidence to believe he can’t.

Is it unreasonable to compare him to Tiger Woods? The only player in the field last week at East Lake Golf Club who has competed against Woods in his prime for a significant number of years, Adam Scott doesn’t think so. The Australian veteran unequivocally sees similarities between Woods and Scheffler.

“Yeah, I think that’s fair,” said Scott, 44, when asked about Scheffler’s “Tiger-esque” type season. “I think all the stats back that up. I think that the results back it up. It’s been pretty incredible, from really starting at Bay Hill, I guess.

“I think it is on par with those great years of Tiger’s,” the 2013 Masters winner added. “I think it’s very hard today for anyone to separate themselves as much as Scottie has. I don’t think we’ve seen that in a long time. I think it’s harder to do it today.”

Interestingly, Scott admits that even after his 20-plus years as a pro and 14 PGA Tour titles, he has been inclined to pick Scheffler’s brain for insights into factors that contribute to his success. “I ask him every day,” Scott said.

Every day?

“Yeah, I do. I’m observing all the time everything he does,” Scott, ranked 21st in the world, continued. “I switched to his golf ball this year. I did a bunch of stuff just to see what’s going on. But I didn’t find it.”

Well, yeah, greatness doesn’t just come out of a bottle.

Scott carded a final-round four-under 67 at East Lake and tied for fourth in the 30-man field. He ended up 11 shots behind Scheffler at 19 under par, but his actual aggregate score of 268 only trailed the FedEx Cup champion by four shots. He is preparing for his 11th appearance for the International team in the Presidents Cup later this month at Royal Montreal in Canada.

He is hopeful that the International team, led by Mike Weir, can win for the first time since 1998.

“I think our team is deeper than we’ve seen for a while, I mean, as far as world ranking goes,” Scott said. “Not that that’s the be all and end all, but it’s something. Usually our bottom players drift out a little in the World Ranking, and it’s a lot tighter this year. I feel like we’re putting together a formidable side, and 18-hole match play and some momentum, and we can get right in it.”

The good news is that Scottie Scheffler, while really good, can only win one match at a time.

Main image: Gregory Shamus

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