The DP World Tour’s International Swing maintains its relentless pace through February and March, featuring a visit to Qatar, a stop in Kenya, and a South African double-header to conclude the second Swing of the season.
At the conclusion of each Swing, the top-performing player earns the title of ‘Swing Champion,’ securing qualification for all ‘Back 9’ events and a US$200,000 bonus.
John Parry claimed the inaugural Swing title after his victory at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at Mont Choisy Le Golf, the final event of the Opening Swing.
Currently, Tyrrell Hatton leads the International Swing following his impressive win at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Close behind is New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, whose runner-up finish at Emirates Golf Club has kept him firmly in contention.
The 2025 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters returns to Doha Golf Club, offering a fitting finale to a five-week desert stretch on the DP World Tour. This event, an integral part of the International Swing, also serves as the eighth stop on the Race to Dubai, boasting a $2.5 million prize purse and 500 Race to Dubai points for the winner.
Since its inception in 1998, the Qatar Masters has been consistently visit Doha, save for a brief stint at Education City Golf Club during renovations. The championship course at Doha Golf Club, measuring 7,475 yards, has changed a bit since that first visit to the Qatar’s capital, with all 18 greens relayed and the introduction of a double green on the par-five 9th and 18th holes in 2021.
The tournament’s history is steeped in prestige, with past champions including Major winners Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, and Ernie Els. Scots have also excelled here, from Andrew Coltart’s inaugural victory to Paul Lawrie’s two titles, and more recently, Ewen Ferguson’s triumph in 2022. Just last year, Scott Jamieson finished third for the second successive year – could it be third time lucky for the 41-year-old this month?
While the star power of earlier editions may have dimmed, this year’s field features several DP World Tour winners and rising stars, including Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Paul Waring, the UAE’s latest recruit Adrian Otaegui and last year’s Road to Mallorca champion Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
Local interest comes in the form of the UAE’s Joshua Grenville-Wood, while Scottish amateur Dominic McGlinchey has earned an invitee. McGlinchey spent four years living in Qatar, with his father, Gary, serving as General Manager of Doha Golf Club for eight years before stepping down last August.
Magical Kenya Open
This month’s Magical Kenya Open marks the sixth staging of the tournament on the DP World Tour, but its legacy extends far beyond, with roots tracing back to 1967.
The tournament boasts an illustrious roll of past winners, including legends like Seve Ballesteros (1978) and Ian Woosnam (1986). Former European Ryder Cup stars Ken Brown, Edoardo Molinari, and Christy O’Connor Jnr have also claimed the title, along with Trevor Immelman.
Since joining the DP World Tour, Guido Migliozzi, Justin Harding, Ashun Wu, and Jorge Campillo and Darius van Driel have added their names to the winner’s list.
Muthaiga Golf Club has been the primary host for the event, alternating with Karen Country Club over the years. Muthaiga’s championship course, first established in 1922, has undergone significant updates, including faster greens and the addition of lakes. Recent modifications to several greens—most notably at the 7th, 12th, 13th, 15th, and 18th holes—ensure challenging pin positions that promise to keep the stars of the DP World Tour on their toes.
Last year, Uganda’s Ronald Rugumayo made history as the first Ugandan to make a DP World Tour cut, while Joe Dean finished second before going back to his part-time job of Morrisons delivery driver just two weeks later. What magics lies in the air in Nairobi this month?
The Investec South African Open Championship returns to the prestigious Durban Country Club for the first time since 2010, with the event also moving from its traditional December spot on the Race to Dubai schedule.
Durban Country Club, perched above the Blue Lagoon estuary and offering views of the Indian Ocean, has hosted the event 17 times, including the centenary edition in 2010 when Ernie Els claimed his fifth SA Open title. Recent renovations have upgraded and reimagined several holes, ensuring a challenging layout befitting the 114th edition of one of golf’s oldest tournaments.
The shift to Durban follows last year’s test of length at the Blair Atholl Golf and Equestrian Estate, where played battled against the mammoth 8,233 yard track – the longest course ever played on Tour.
Dean Burmester, the 2023 champion, will aim to reclaim his crown against a competitive field eager to make history in a tournament once won by legends like Gary Player, Bobby Locke, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh.
Also returning to the Race to Dubai with a new position on the calendar is the Joburg Open, serving as the final co-sanctioned tournament of the Sunshine Tour season.
The €1 million event, a staple of Johannesburg’s sporting calendar since its inception in 2007, boasts a proud South African legacy of winners, with ten homegrown champions from the tournament’s 16 editions.
Richard Sterne was the first to triumph, claiming victory in 2008 and again in 2014. Charl Schwartzel delivered back-to-back wins in 2010 and 2011, the latter just months before his Masters triumph. Branden Grace (2012), George Coetzee (2013), Haydn Porteous (2016), Darren Fichardt (2017), Thriston Lawrence (2021) and Dean Burmester (2023) further solidified South Africa’s dominance at this event.
The tournament will once again be played at Houghton Golf Club, a par-72 layout stretching 7,227 yards. Known for its picturesque yet challenging design, the course features memorable holes like the par-three 7th, guarded by water and bunkers, and the doglegging par-four 12th, where water hazards add to the difficulty.
