the first of two playoff events that cap its 2026 season. The top 70 players off the Race to Dubai points list qualify for the event, but 10 of those players are skipping it, including several recent European Ryder Cup players: Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, Bob MacIntyre, Justin Rose and Ludvig Aberg. Also not on the entry list are reigning Open champion Ryan Fox and Alex Fitzpatrick. Neither the tour or the players themselves have given reasons for missing the event, although last month Matt Fitzpatrick and MacIntyre voiced concerns about playing this tournament and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in the Middle East given the ongoing political conflict. The decision by MacIntyre (56th in the Race to Dubai) and Rose (69th) means that they are forgoing the chance to move into the top 50 on the points list and qualify for the Tour Championship in Dubai. To fill the 70-player field in Abu Dhabi, the DP World Tour reached down to the next 10 players off the RTD points list.