A week before the 2023 schedule gets under way – with two events on two different continents – the 2022 DP World Tour season draws to a close and we’ve picked out our DP World Tour Championship predictions.
Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai once again plays host to the season-ending event, which is limited to the top 50 available players and will determine who finishes top of the money list.
Defending champion Collin Morikawa is disappointingly absent due to what he termed “upcoming personal commitments”, with Will Zalatoris injured and Thomas Pieters awaiting the birth of his second child.
That means the 53rd-ranked Haotong Li gains entry to the $10million event, where the top three players in the betting are each seeking a third win.
RORY McILROY TO WIN @ 3/1
McIlroy’s frustrations boiled over in remarkable fashion last year after a closing 74 meant he had to settle for a tie for sixth place, the world number one appearing to rip his shirt open in the recording area behind the 18th green. McIlroy had suffered a cruel piece of bad luck on the 15th when his approach clattered the pin and rebounded back into a bunker and he played his last four holes in three over par, but his record on the Earth Course remains remarkably consistent, with form figures of 3-5-11-1-5-2-1-9-20-4-6. Since a missed cut in Memphis in August, he has also won twice in six starts, the latter a successful title defence of the CJ Cup which took him back to the top of the world rankings.
JON RAHM TO WIN @ 9/2
There is precious little to choose between Rahm and Fitzpatrick when it comes to being second favourite, but it is the former US Open champion rather than the current one who gets the nod in the second of our DP World Tour Championship 2022 tips. Rahm has not played the season-finale in each of the last two years, but before then had won on his debut in 2017, finished fourth the following year and won again in 2019. Although this week is limited to the top 50 players, it remains a “regular” DP World Tour event and Rahm’s record in these is superb, while his current form figures of 2-1-4 leave little to be desired.
ADRIAN MERONK EACH-WAY @ 66/1
Meronk has not been at his best since becoming the first Polish winner on the DP World Tour in July’s Irish Open, but he closed with a 68 at Sun City on Sunday and showed a liking for desert golf with two top-six finishes at the start of the year. Meronk was only 32nd on his debut on the Earth Course last year, but opened with a 68 and closed with a 66, so could reward an each-way bet with six places on offer in the DP World Tour Championship odds.
SHUBHANKAR SHARMA EACH-WAY @ 150/1
Finally, India’s Shubhankar Sharma is backed to follow up his third place at Sun City with another strong showing in our DP World Tour Championship predictions. Sharma was 41st on his only previous appearance in 2018, but did finish second in Abu Dhabi earlier this year and was tied for the lead after 15 holes of the final round on Sunday before two late bogeys.
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