I’ve always thought that the Race To Dubai, the ultimate aim of all those professionals on the European PGA Tour, is a bit of an oxymoron. While most of the tournaments on the Tour are still played in Europe, the competition is now a truly worldwide affair and, with Emirates Airlines one of the major sponsors, it’s understandable that they want the climax to the season – the DP World Tour Championship – on ‘home’ soil so to speak.
Incredibly, there have already been four tournaments played on the 2018 Tour but it’s not currently scheduled to arrive back in Europe until the Rocco Forte Open in Sicily in May. In that time, tournaments as far apart as Mexico and Australia, Malaysia and Mauritius, and Morocco and Dubai will count towards the end-of-season tally. The Masters at Augusta is also worth valuable points in the race to succeed Tommy Fleetwood. In total, 30 different countries are involved with new tournaments in 2018 in Belgium, Oman and the Phillipines.
Wade Ormsby, Cameron Smith, Dylan Frittelli and Shubhankar Sharma are already winners on the Tour but you won’t find any of that quartet featuring among the favourites to win the 2018 Race To Dubai.
Race To Dubai 2018 Selected Best Odds
Rory McIlroy 5/2, Jon Rahm 11/2, Justin Rose 8/1, Henrik Stenson 10/1, Tyrell Hatton 20/1, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood 28/1, Paul Casey 33/1, Branden Grace and Sergio Garcia 40/1, Alex Noren 50/1, Francesco Molinari, Rafael Cabrera Bello and Ross Fisher 66/1, Charl Schwartzel, Patrick Reed and Thomas Pieters 80/1, Bernd Wiesberger, Martin Kaymer and Shane Lowry 100/1
The Majors are the biggest potential money-earners so you need on your side a player capable of holding his own against the very best. But they will also have to play plenty of tournaments on the European Tour rather than concentrate on the US PGA Tour. Justin Rose made a big effort to divide his time last year but he’s always likely to spend more time in America, as is Rory McIlroy which makes the Ulsterman’s odds of 5/2 with Boylesports really poor value.
Last year’s Race To Dubai winner Tommy Fleetwood played exclusively on the European Tour but it was the almost $1 million he picked up for finishing second in the WGC-Mexico Championship that helped him across the line as he only actually won two tournaments – the Abu Dhabi Championship and the French Open. Incidentally, the top 10 in the WGC-Mexico featured several players who are prominent in the betting for the 2018 Race To Dubai – Ross Fisher, Jon Rahm, Thomas Pieters, McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton – so that tournament in March will be a good form guide to those wanting a bet in the market further down the line.
At this early stage, I wouldn’t put anyone off backing Jon Rahm. He’s only a best 11/2 but looks Spain’s natural successor to Seve Ballesteros and Sergio Garcia. He won the DP Tour World Championship and the Irish Open this year having only turned pro in 2016. He’ll be much more of a force in the Majors next year now he’s shed his rookie status.
Of those at a bigger price, you can get a tempting 100/1 about Martin Kaymer. A winner of 11 European Tour titles and two Majors, it’s hard to believe that the German is only 33. He’s had health issues but is capable of picking up plenty of prize money and most bokmakers are paying each-way on the first four in the Race To Dubai.
