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Race to Dubai leader Schaper eyes hat-trick of DP World Tour wins at Dubai Invitational
Former champion and Dubai resident Tommy Fleetwood returns to Dubai Creek with unfinished business
- PUBLISHED: Wed 14 Jan 2026, 8:33 PM
- By:
- Nick Tarratt, Guest Golf Writer
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Race to Dubai leader Jayden Schaper arrives in the UAE brimming with confidence as he looks to extend his remarkable early-season surge at the $2.75 million Dubai Invitational, teeing off at Dubai Creek Resort from Thursday, January 15.
The 24-year-old South African has been the standout performer of the new DP World Tour season, producing a sensational Opening Swing that delivered back-to-back victories and vaulted him to the top of the 2026 Race to Dubai Rankings.
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Schaper’s breakthrough moment came on home soil at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, where he captured his maiden DP World Tour title in dramatic fashion. A chip-in birdie at the 16th followed by an eagle in the play-off saw him edge out defending champion Shaun Norris and finally convert years of promise into silverware.
He followed that with another ice-cool performance a week later at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, holing out for eagle on the second extra hole to defeat American Ryan Gerard and complete a stunning double.
“Obviously, I had such a good finish to the year in 2025, having a win back home with the family watching and then going down to Mauritius and having just another incredible week,” said Schaper.
“I’m just looking forward to the start of this run now, as the Desert Swing is always one of my favourites of the year. The weather is good, and the golf courses are always perfect; it’s such an awesome place to be.”
Across three Opening Swing starts, Schaper claimed two wins and a runner-up finish at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player, amassing 1,348 points and comfortably topping the early standings.
That dominant start has already secured him a place in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the first of five Rolex Series events, as well as all of the DP World Tour’s Back 9 events, alongside a $200,000 bonus.
The rapid rise follows a consistent 2025 campaign in which Schaper recorded nine top-ten finishes from 27 starts, underlining his status as one of the Tour’s brightest young prospects before making his long-awaited breakthrough.
‘”t’s a massive boost (the back-end of 2025),” added Schaper.
Standing in his way this week is Dubai resident and former champion Tommy Fleetwood, who returns to Dubai Creek eager to defend the title he won two years ago.
Fleetwood said: “Having won two years ago, I have played the course for practice, but not since my victory. It is a beautiful course – it is a similar set up, very fair, and it has been soft early this week. As the week goes on it will firm up. I am prepared for this week – it is so nice to be staying at home and sleeping in my own bed.
“I am using the clubs I used last season. I changed to the new TaylorMade driver for both Abu Dhabi and the DP World Tour Championship at the end of the year. I actually have a brand new set of irons – but with the same specs, it is what us pros do each year,” added Fleetwood.
Play gets underway on Thursday, with tee times running from 8.30am to 11.09am off two tees.
For more information, visit www.EuropeanTour.com
