Rory McIlroy will kick off his 2026 season on the DP World Tour rather than the PGA Tour.
McIlroy, aged 36, has announced that his first event of the year will be the Dubai Invitational on the DP World Tour.
The tournament is scheduled to take place at Dubai Creek Resort from January 15-18. Last year, McIlroy finished as runner-up to Tommy Fleetwood at the inaugural Dubai Invitational and is eager for redemption.
“I’m thrilled to begin my year in Dubai,” shared McIlroy. “The UAE is a location where I’ve had several enjoyable weeks, and I’m confident this one will be no exception.” He praised the Dubai Creek Resort as an outstanding venue and expressed optimism for a strong start in 2026.
While McIlroy will participate in the Dubai Desert Classic the week following the Dubai Invitational—where he has won a remarkable four times—those are currently his only confirmed tournaments for early 2026. He will also make his first appearance of the official 2026 DP World Tour season at the Australian Open, taking place at Royal Melbourne from December 4-7, 2025.
McIlroy’s focus in 2026 will be more on international events, a strategy likely influenced by his recent career grand slam achievement. Historically, he has only once opened his season on the PGA Tour, which was in 2019 at The Sentry in Hawaii.
The PGA Tour’s 2026 schedule will start with the Sony Open in Hawaii from January 12-18, as The Sentry has been removed due to drought conditions affecting course preparation. Although McIlroy was not slated to compete in The Sentry, the event was originally intended to feature the top 50 players from the 2025 FedExCup standings.
With eight Signature Events now on the 2026 PGA Tour schedule, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am will debut as the season’s first Signature Event from February 12-15. McIlroy, who recently won at Pebble Beach, is expected to return as defending champion.
