Viktor Hovland has decided not to play in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old was eligible to compete in the finale this week at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course.<\/p>\n
Only the top 50 in the order of merit after the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship<\/a> had a tee time in Dubai.\u00a0<\/p>\n The field is headlined by Masters champion Rory McIlroy<\/a>, who is chasing his seventh order of merit title and fourth in a row.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rising star Marco Penge and McIlroy’s Ryder Cup teammate, Tyrrell Hatton, are the only two players<\/a> that can leapfrog him in the standings.<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n The stacked field also includes in-form Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Ludvig Aberg.<\/p>\n Sepp Straka finished outside the top 50 but was eligible for the showpiece because he was a member of the European Ryder Cup team.\u00a0<\/p>\n But the Austrian has decided not to play for personal reasons<\/a>.<\/p>\n The DP World Tour said he will still keep his card despite not playing the minimum number of four events to keep his full playing rights.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Hovland’s name is no longer listed in the field, meaning that he won’t be back in action until next January.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n A player in the field has also confirmed Hovland’s withdrawal to GolfMagic.\u00a0<\/p>\n The reason for Hovland’s withdrawal is not known, but it’s more than likely that he is still struggling with a neck injury that prevented him from playing last week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hovland<\/a> has been struggling with a neck issue all season and it flared up during the Ryder Cup, forcing him out of the final day of the matches against the United States at Bethpage Black.\u00a0<\/p>\n It triggered the use of a rare and controversial “envelope rule”, giving Europe half a point and sparking a fierce debate about fairness.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hovland returned to action a few weeks later at the inaugural India Championship where he described the situation as “upsetting”.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n But he denied that he was trying to “finagle the system” and stressed that there is no perfect solution<\/a> when a player gets injured in the Ryder Cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hovland’s decision not to play is excellent news for Brandon Robinson-Thompson.<\/p>\n The 32-year-old Englishman finished agonizingly close to qualification, placing 51st – a mere 30.40 points behind compatriot Matthew Jordan.<\/p>\n But now he will have the chance to end a breakout season on a high.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hovland isn’t the only big name missing<\/p>\n LIV Golf recruit Jon Rahm was eligible to compete in the DP World Tour’s play-offs but the Spaniard confirmed in October that he would be taking an extended break from the sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Rahm<\/a> said he will not play professional golf again until LIV<\/a> begin their fourth season next February.\u00a0<\/p>\n