08 January 2024 , 20:47
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Rory McIlroy will kick off his 2024 campaign on the DP World Tour this week, teeing it up at the inaugural Dubai Invitational.
The PGA Tour began its season last week, with 59 of the American-based circuit's top players beginning their year at The Sentry, as Chris Kirk prevailed by one shot. The only star to qualify for the 'signature event' who opted to turn down the invite was McIlroy.
The Northern Irishman's decision to skip the tournament in Hawaii did not come as a surprise to many, with McIlroy usually opting to begin his year on the DP World Tour's Middle Eastern swing.
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He headlines the first ever Dubai Invitational taking place at Dubai Creek Resort, but will also be joined by a number of other top European names. As well as McIlroy, two of his Ryder Cup teammates in Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard have also entered the event.
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Fleetwood's decision to begin his year with the DP World Tour is one that makes sense, with the Englishman now residing in the Middle East. Elsewhere the second half of Fleetwood's iconic 2018 Ryder Cup 'Moliwood' partnership, Francesco Molinari, will also be in action in Dubai.
As will Nicolai Hojgaard's twin brother Rasmus, who already has four Tour wins to his name at the age of 22. One of the Tour's top players in 2023, Adrian Meronk will also be in action at the Creek Resort, four months after agonisingly missing out on a spot in Luke Donald's Ryder Cup team.
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McIlroy begins the defence of his Race to Dubai title (AP)Unsurprisingly it is McIlroy who heads into the first event of the year as tournament favourite. The Northern Irishman will be looking for a fresh start in 2024, after his 2022 and 2023 seasons were dominated by the off-course saga surrounding the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
The Northern Irishman found himself at the centre of the dispute between the two tours, emerging as one of LIV's biggest critics. Heading into the New Year though, McIlroy appears to have taken a different approach to the Saudi-backed league with a proposed merger between the rival tours looming.
"I think at this point, I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV golf at the start, and I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realise that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods' position," McIlroy told Stick to Football.
"We all turn professionals to making a living playing the sports that we do, and I think that’s what I realised over the last two years. I can’t judge people for making that decision, so if I regret anything, it was probably being too judgmental at the start."