Rory McIlroy will play three of the four remaining tournaments on the DP World Tour as he pushes to match Colin Montgomerie’s eight European Tour Order of Merit titles. It starts with this week’s India Championship in Delhi.
The Northern Irishman is currently third in the Race to Dubai standings, behind long-time leader Patrick Reed and Eugenio Chacarra, who followed up a third-place finish in the French Open with a runner-up finish in the Spanish Open to leapfrog McIlroy.
As things stand, McIlroy, on 3,115.86 points, trails American Reed by 307.76 points and is 142.03 points behind in-form Spaniard Chacarra.
McIlroy has committed to playing the India Championship along with the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship and the Tour Championship in Dubai as part of his push, but has opted to miss the Genesis Championship in South Korea.
Three Irish players are competing in Delhi, with Shane Lowry – who moved up two places to 16th in the updated R2D standings following his tied-13th-place finish in the Spanish Open – and Tom McKibbin also competing.
Leona Maguire, who had a rest week last week, and Lauren Walsh, who missed the cut in the Aramco Korea Championship, are both in the Buick LPGA Championship in Shanghai, which starts on Thursday.
In-form Nolan moving on up
Liam Nolan recorded a top-five finish in the Hainan Open in China to improve his hopes of securing a card for the main tour next year. Photograph: Zhe Ji/Getty Images
Liam Nolan has moved ever closer to securing a full DP World Tour card for next season. The Galway native followed up his win in Abu Dhabi on the Hotel Planner Tour with a top-five finish in the Hainan Open in China to move up three places to ninth on the updated order of merit. The leading 15 players graduate to the main tour.
Nolan is again in the field for this week’s Hangzhou Open as the circuit remains in China. It will be the penultimate event of the season, with only next month’s Grand Final in Mallorca left before those cards are dispensed.
Gary Hurley is also competing in Hangzhou and is in need of a strong performance. The Waterford man is currently 61st on the order of merit with only the top 45 after this week’s tournament moving on to Mallorca.
Word of Mouth
Grant Forrest displays a pin flag after qualifying for the 2027 Masters by winning the Spanish Open in Madrid on Sunday. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty images
“I’m in shock, honestly, pure shock right now . . . that’s fairytale stuff. I’ve played two Opens and to be going to Augusta, I just can’t get my head round it. You can have a great career in this game and never get to go to Augusta, so I cannot believe it.” – Grant Forrest on learning his win in the Spanish Open came with invites to both The Open at St Andrews and the Masters at Augusta National next year.
By the Numbers: 19
GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 10: Blades Brown of the United States hits a tee shot on the fourth hole during the third round of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by Virginia’s Richmond Region at The Federal Club on October 10, 2026 in Glen Allen, Virginia. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Blades Brown – at 19 years of age – became the youngest Korn Ferry Tour (KFT) graduate to earn a full PGA Tour card. The KFT season concluded at The Federal Club in Virginia, where Ross Steelman finished as number one to earn a full card and invites to The Players and the US Open. Brown finished ninth in the standings, with 20 players securing their playing rights on the main circuit.
On this day: October 13th,1996
David Ogrin secured his sole PGA Tour victory by winning the Texas Open in 1996. Photograph: Paul K. Buck/AFP via Getty Images
All eyes were on a young Tiger Woods – playing in just his sixth event as a professional – but David Ogrin would claim the headlines by winning the Texas Open at La Cantera in San Antonio. It would prove to be his only victory on the PGA Tour.
Ogrin fired a final-round 72 for a total of 13-under-par 275, which gave him a one-stroke winning margin over Jay Haas with Woods a shot further back in third.
But Ogrin didn’t make it easy for himself, shooting a triple bogey on the 16th hole of his final round, which wiped out his three-shot lead in one fell swoop. His tee shot on the par-three hole hit a cart path and rolled into a creek.
“God wanted it to be exciting for me,” Ogrin would remark of that near-disaster so close to the winning line, but he managed to close the deal and claim a $216,000 payday. Though he didn’t win again, he would manage 32 top-10s.
Social Swing
Even after the 16 hour travel and 9 hour jet lag… i loved being back in europe as the Defending Champion! My golf game wasn’t great but i enjoyed every moment of chopping my way round. There’s something about the @DPWorldTour it just hits different! Tour family.. always 💙 pic.twitter.com/Rka9i1ZgTb
— Marco Penge (@PengeMarco) October 11, 2026
Even after the 16 hour travel and the 9 hour jet lag… i loved being back in europe as the Defending Champion! My golf game wasn’t great but I enjoyed every moment of chopping my way round. There’s something about the @DPWorldTour it just hits different! Tour family.. always – Marco Penge. The Englishman travelled from playing in Utah on the PGA Tour to attempt to defend his Spanish Open title. He finished tied-20th in Madrid.
A nice day out @TheAdareManor The course was quite firm. A testament to the sand capping and new grass variant. It augurs well for @rydercup next year – Pádraig Harrington on spending some time at the 2027 Ryder Cup venue when he will be a vice-captain to Europe’s captain Luke Donald.
Know the Rules
Q In a singles match, a player concedes their opponent’s next stroke, picks up the opponent’s ball and rolls it to them along the putting surface. The player did so out of courtesy, for the purpose of returning the ball to their opponent. What is the ruling?
A As the player’s action was not for the purpose of testing the putting green, there is no penalty for testing under Rule 13.1e (covered by Clarification Rule 13.1e/1).
In the Bag
Michael Brennan – Baycurrent Classic
Driver- Titleist GT3 (9 degrees)
3-wood – Titleist GT3 prototype (15 degrees)
5-wood – Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Irons – Titleist T100 (4-5), Titleist 620 CB (6-9)
Wedges – Vokey Design SM11 (46, 50, 54 and 60 degrees)
Putter – Scotty Cameron GOLO 6 tour prototype
Ball – Titleist ProV1