For a lot of the golf season there may be one winner to speak about on the finish of each golf event.
True, there are additionally 155 losers however we don’t are likely to see it that approach.
However when the marketing campaign thunders in direction of its finale every part turns into a bit extra frenetic.
This week’s Genesis Championship in Korea is the final event of the common schedule and, as such, it gives the final alternative for gamers to manoeuvre themselves into place for certainly one of two issues.
The primary is a spot within the high 115 locations within the Race to Dubai rankings – that ensures them enjoying rights for 2026.
The second is a spot within the high 70 in the identical rankings – that permits them to tee it up within the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship which is the primary occasion of the season’s Playoffs.
After the conclusion of that event the highest 50 within the rankings will progress to the DP World Tour Championship.
Who’s on the brink? Let’s have a look.
Eddie Pepperell struggling
The beginning of the Englishman’s 2025 season was a bit mad and it hasn’t actually modified ever since.
The 2-time winner on the DP World Tour opened with a spherical of 81 within the Alfred Dunhill Championship earlier than rebounding with a 69 that was not fairly ok to make the lower. Every week later he led the Mauritius Open via 54 holes earlier than a closing 74 left him ninth.
Promising stuff however, though he’s added 4 additional high 10s, solely certainly one of them was on the primary tier – the opposite three have been on the second tier (the place he additionally led one occasion after 54 holes however damage compelled him to withdraw).
All in all he’s one hundred and sixty fifth within the rankings and isn’t enjoying in Korea: he’s set for Qualifying Faculty in Spain or a full yr on the HotelPlanner Tour, previously the Problem Tour (or a yr spent bouncing between the 2 circuits). Extra uncertainty, then, in a yr all too stuffed with it.
Shane Lowry’s lifeline
It appears mad however the Irishman – who was a star of the Ryder Cup, briefly contended within the Masters and was tied third within the DP World India Championship in October – is languishing in 107th place within the Race to Dubai rankings.
As he’s not enjoying within the Genesis Championship you’ll suppose his hopes of constructing the Playoffs are over and completed with.
However he has an surprising lifeline and it comes within the form of his Ryder Cup look as a result of the foundations state that Europe’s representatives can play the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and DP World Tour Championship. That additionally helps out Sepp Straka (148th) and Ludvig Aberg (seventy fifth) if they need some winter solar and the prospect to make large cash.
Right here’s a rider, nonetheless: the DP World Tour have confirmed to Golf365 that gamers on this class is not going to earn any additional Race to Dubai factors for the 2025 season.
Min Woo Lee completed and dusted
The Aussie is maybe unlikely to care now that he’s a PGA Tour winner (he landed the Houston Open within the spring) however he gained’t be going to the Playoffs as a result of he presently solely ranks 102nd on the Race to Dubai and isn’t enjoying in Korea.
The three-time winner on the DP World Tour is 4-for-4 at ending high 25 within the DP World Tour Championship so he’ll be lacking out on all the massive prize cash obtainable.
However together with his enjoying rights in America tucked up for some time his actions in Europe and past will take a again seat.
Ryan Fox gone to the States
The Kiwi is one thing of a reproduction of Min Woo Lee as a result of he ranks one hundred and fifth on the Race to Dubai and gained’t be competing within the Playoffs.
However he gained twice on the PGA Tour in 2025 – on the Myrtle Seashore Traditional and Canadian Open – so he gained’t be fretting about his future.
He now has a base in Florida which has helped his improved golf within the States, however you might see him again on the DP World Tour sooner or later as a result of he’s laid again and the circuit tends to swimsuit him greater than the individualistic PGA Tour.
Bernd Wiesberger hanging on
The Austrian has had a fall from grace. He performed the Ryder Cup in 2016 and was an 11-time winner all over the world till he joined LIV in mid-2022.
Earlier than then he had completed high three on the DP World Tour 24 instances together with his first win in Korea in 2009. However since getting back from LIV he has just one high three end (in June final yr).
He ranks 113th on the rankings and needs to be protected to play subsequent yr however he gained’t really feel it till every part is confirmed on Sunday.
No must really feel too sorry for him, nonetheless. He sits thirty second within the profession cash listing having gained over €16.5million.
Matthew Southgate again to high school
Speaking of the profession cash listing, Mike Lorenzo Vera retired from the sport this yr and he sits at one hundred and thirtieth on the DP World Tour cash listing. That’s the best rating for any golfer who hasn’t gained on the circuit.
The person almost definitely to creep above him quickly is England’s Matthew Southgate who’s presently 132nd with earnings of €5,989,115.
Alas, he’s additionally 137th on this yr’s Race to Dubai rankings so he’s going again to Q Faculty.
Yannik Paul on the sting
The actual bubble boy in Korea and the largest menace to Wiesberger, Clement Sordet (114th) and Adam Scott (one hundred and fifteenth).
The German was a winner in 2022 and talked of as a Ryder Cup performer in 2023 however only one high 30 all season (albeit third within the China Open) leaves him ranked 116th. He wants a superb week in Korea.
Canada’s Aaron Cockerill and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti are 117th and 118th respectively – they usually play collectively in rounds one and two. A bit merciless.
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