Matteo Manassero’s emotional return to the winner’s circle at the Jonsson Workwear Open capped off the final tournament of the International Swing as Rory McIlroy became the first-time winner of the eight-event series. Here, we recap everything you need to know.
As part of a new look to the schedule, the Race to Dubai features three new and distinct phases, with the International Swing acting as the second of five Global Swings running through to August.
Immediately following the Opening Swing, the International Swing began with two Dubai events - the Dubai Invitational (Jan 11-14) and Hero Dubai Desert Classic (Jan 18-21), and was followed by the Ras Al Khaimah Championship (Jan 25-28), the Bahrain Championship (Feb 1-4), the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters (Feb 8-11), the Magical Kenya Open (Feb 22-25), and two final South African events - the SDC Championship (Feb 29 - 3 March), and the Jonsson Workwear Open (Mar 7-10).
With the first two Swings on the 2024 schedule now complete, Rory McIlroy sits atop of the Race to Dubai Rankings, while several winners of tournaments on the International Swing have moved into the top 15.
McIlroy wins the International Swing
Rory McIlroy's performance in first two events of the International Swing set the tone and made him the man to catch at the top of the rankings, ultimately proving enough for him to top the leaderboard and take home the spoils.
A runner-up finish to Tommy Fleetwood at the Dubai Invitational followed a historic fourth Rolex win at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for the Northern Irishman, making him one of just handful of players to secure multiple top fives in the International Swing.
So what does victory in the International Swing mean for McIlroy?
As a swing champion, McIlroy's victory will see him earn $200,000 from an overall $1million Bonus Pool, and automatic qualification into each of the 'Back 9' events which form the second phase of the season. The champion also qualifies for the next scheduled Rolex Series event - in this case the Genesis Scottish Open – but as defending champion McIlroy is already qualified, this will pass down to the next player in the rankings who is not otherwise exempt (to be determined before the event).
How the International Swing unfolded
The International Swing began in the Middle East as two of Europe's Ryder Cup stars battled it out for victory at the inaugural Dubai Invitational. Tommy Fleetwood held the advantage over Rory McIlroy for much of the dramatic final day, but momentum momentarily swung the way of the Northern Irishman with a mistake from Fleetwood at the 16th. Up against McIlroy and a fast-finishing Thriston Lawrence, Fleetwood produced a brilliant birdie-birdie finish to clinch his first title on the DP World Tour since the 2022 Nedbank Golf Challenge.
A week later it would be Rory's turn, with a history-making triumph at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. After a sluggish start, the four-time Major champion found himself ten shots adrift of the lead, but he produced a bogey-free 63 on Saturday to sit two adrift of American star Cameron Young heading into the final round. With scoring proving tough on Sunday, McIlroy surged four clear through 12 holes before recovering from a bogey at the par-five 13th to par his way in and card a closing 70 and seal a one-shot victory over Adrian Meronk. With the victory he became the first man ever to win the Dubai Desert Classic on four occasions, and it placed the reigning European Number One climbed to the summit of both the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and the International Swing.
The list of proven winners continued in the third event of the International Swing when Thorbjørn Olesen claimed his eighth DP World Tour title at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship. Making it three wins in three consecutive years, Olesen, who like Fleetwood is now based in the UAE, earned a dominant six-shot victory in front of his family. His victory included a course record 62 at Al Hamra Golf Club on Friday, but it didn't all go his own way. The Dane had a four shot lead wiped within seven holes by countryman Rasmus Højgaard, before regaining control with a stunning eagle and three-shot swing on the very next hole to eventually easy to his commanding win.
The DP World Tour’s return to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the first time in 13 years then ended in a long-awaited return to the winner’s circle for South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli. After a difficult 2023, in which he missed the cut or withdrew from 23 of his 27 starts on the PGA TOUR, he said he was "invigorated" to be back on the DP World Tour after taking up a route for those who finished outside the top 125 on the FedExCup Fall Points List. Making the most of his spot, Frittelli began the final round with a two-shot lead but found himself overtaken by the turn as a host of players staked claim on the title. But three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine was enough to help him a final round 71 and his first DP World Tour title in six years with a two-shot success.
The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters saw the first maiden winner of the International Series in Rikuya Hoshino, who had already finished as a runner-up twice in Australia at the start of the 2024 Race to Dubai. The 27-year-old Japanese player went into the final round tied at the top with Rasmus Højgaard and Coussaud, and an ever-changing leaderboard on that Sunday meant his first victory far from guaranteed. With a clubhouse target set at 12-under-par from Scott Jamieson, Hoshino finally broke free after driving the 16th and making birdie, which he followed with a 25-footer at the next. There was still time for Coussaud to add an element of tension at the last, as he made birdie from ten feet to leave his playing partner needing to convert from four feet to avoid a play-off, which he duly managed to become just the fourth Japanese winner in DP World Tour history after Isao Aoki, Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune.
A week later, Darius van Driel became the latest first-time winner during a week of history making at the Magical Kenya Open. The 34-year-old's golfing journey has been a remarkable one, with him giving up the game for a number of years after breaking his hand in a banana boat accident, but he decided to turn professional after finishing second at the 2015 Alps Tour Q-School. Last year, he regained his card at Qualifying School and in Kenya, the Dutchman made an eagle at the tenth to emerge from a four-way tie for the lead, before he bounced back from a bogey at the par-three 11th with birdies at 12 and 18 to seal a two-shot victory on his 112th start. Arguably the two biggest stories of the week though, belonged to two others: Ronald Rugumayo, and Joe Dean. Rugumayo made history by becoming the first ever golfer from Uganda to make the cut on the DP World Tour, while Dean - who made it through Qualifying School but also worked as a delivery driver at morrisons - had a life-changing runner-up finish in the event. Read more here.
The DP World Tour crowned its third first-time winner in as many events as the SDC Championship, whichplayed out to a dramatic play-off conclusion between American Jordan Gumberg and home hope Robin Williams. Gumberg started the day three shots off the lead but fired a flawless 68 on Sunday to finish at 12 under alongside Williams, who had led for much of the day after carding four early birdies, but he surrendered a double bogey at the 17th. The American, playing in just his 14th event on the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group, made a birdie putt from around 15 feet at the second extra hole to triumph for the first time.
From first time winners to ending winless droughts, the International Swing closed with the greatest comeback story of the year as Matteo Manassero ended his near 11-year wait for a fifth DP World Tour title with an emotional triumph at the Jonsson Workwear Open. The Italian, who has experienced all the highs and lows that golf has to offer since becoming the DP World Tour's youngest winner at the age of 17 years and 188 days at the 2010 Castelló Masters Costa Azahar, led the way after an career-low 61 on Friday and was only briefly behind on the final day before recapturing the top spot with back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16. He then had to endure a two-hour-and-27-minute weather delay before returning to the 17th fairway, and while he found the sand with his second, a stunning bunker shot to three feet handed him a two-shot lead heading down the last. And with the daylight almost all gone, he holed an eight-footer on the 18th green for a fourth birdie in a row and ultimately comfortable win on 26-under-par.
The International Swing: Stats
Lowest Round: 61 (-10) Matteo Manassero, Jonsson Workwear Open
Lowest 72 hole score: 261 (-27) Thorbjorn Olesen, Ras Al Khaimah Championship (69, 62, 63 and 67)
Biggest winning margin: 6 shots, Thorbjorn Olesen, Ras Al Khaimah Championship
Lowest final round by a winner: 66, Matteo Manassero, Jonsson Workwear Open
First time winners: Rikuya Hoshino, Darius van Driel, Jordan Gumberg
Multiple top 10s: Rasmus Hojgaard (3), Zander Lombard (3), Connor Syme (3), Thriston Lawrence (3), Aaron Cockerill (2), Ewen Ferguson (2), Frederic Lacroix (2), Richard Mansell (2), Tom McKibbin (2), Rory McIlroy (2), Yannik Paul (2), Jordan Smith (2)
The content you won't want to miss from the International Swing
WATCH: One Club Challenge: What can Dan Bradbury shoot on the Earth Course?
WATCH: Hero Dubai Desert Classic: Best of the Green Room
WATCH: Mic'd Up Matches: Syme/Ferguson vs Mansell/Hill
READ: Rory McIlroy on legacy, Tiger & Dubai glory
READ: Supermarket delivery driver Joe Dean's life-changing week in Kenya
READ: Ronald Rugumayo on his history-making week in Kenya
READ: Rikuya Hoshino Q&A: Get to know the newest Japanese winner
READ: Fritelli's long-awaited return to the Winner's circle
READ: Manassero ends 11-year wait for DP World Tour victory
