After nine weeks spanning eight countries hosting some of the most storied events in golf, the DP World Tour regular season has come to a close.
Following the globetrotting crowning of five champions of the Global Swings, the Back 9 played host to a Rolex Series event, four national opens, two British institutuions and a pair of modern classics.
From England to Korea we had nine winners from eight countries and four continents as we edged closer to crowning a Race to Dubai champion.
That will have to wait a couple of weeks yet but here, let's take a look at nine unforgettable weeks of action.
How it unfolded
The Back 9 - and European Ryder Cup qualification - started at the Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo and after a wet and windy week at The Belfry it was Joe Dean who emerged with a first DP World Tour title.
The affable Englishman was famously driving a delivery van less than three years ago but he has proved over the last three seasons that he is very much at home playing elite golf on the DP World Tour.
A closing 63 saw him post a total that nobody else would catch and he heads to the Middle East very much in the hunt for dual membership with the PGA Tour.
From England we headed to Switzerland for the 13th national open of the season and the stunning Omega European Masters.
Nobody had had as much success as Seve Ballesteros at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club until this week, when Thriston Lawrence matched him with three wins.
For the second season running, the South African tuurned a lacklustre campaign on its head up the mountain, carding a closing 62 and defeating Paul Casey in a play-off to complete the defence of his title.
It was then from one national open to another as the DP World Tour went from the Alps to the very different but equally beautiful Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland, Doonbeg for the first time for the Amgen Irish Open.
All eyes were on Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry and it was the man from the Republic who romped to a barely believable home triumph.
Leading by three and four shots after rounds two and three, Lowry eventually powered to an 11-shot triumph, with a birdie on the 72nd hole prompting remarkable scenes as he won his home open for the second time.
Next up was the return of the Rolex Series as we headed to DP World Tour HQ and Wentowrth Club for the BMW PGA Championship.
In a field of elite talent, we had three reigning champions finish in the top ten but it was the 2025 U.S. Open winner who rose to the top.
JJ Spaun produced a classy weekend of 68-67 to claim his first Rolex Series title by two shots, afterwards affirming his love for the British countryside and Jeremy Clarkson.
A short hop across the channel brought us to continental Europe's oldest national open and a return to Le Golf National for the FedEx Open de France.
Defending champion Michael Kim set the early pace but come the end of the week nobody could keep up with Matt Fitzpatrick, who carded rounds of 65-64-65-70 to win by three at 20 under.
It was a fourth worldwide win of the year for the Englishman, who has moved himself to a career-high World Number Three in 2026.
Scotland was the next port of call for the fun-filled celebration of links golf that is the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Local underdog Michael Stewart and Race to Dubai contender Casey Jarvis were the story across the early part of the event but come Sunday it was Adrian Meronk sat on the Swilcan Bridge with a trophy in his hand.
The Pole had carded a brilliant 63 on day three at Kingsbarns and a closing 68 at St Andrews handed him an emotional fifth DP World Tour title and also helped him to team honours with Keane frontman Tom Chaplin.
The final national open of the season came back in the country where it all began on the DP World Tour with the Open de España presented by Madrid.
Grant Forrest arrived at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid with just one top ten on the season and four missed cuts fresh in the memory but none of that stopped him claiming a wire-to-wire triumph.
Rounds of 66-67-67-70 saw the Scot finish one shot ahead of local hero Eugenio Chacarra, who was making his own move up the Race to Dubai.
After seven weeks in Europe it was time for a second trip of the season to the subcontinent for the second edition of the DP World India Championship.
Any of Patrick Reed, Chacarra, Rory McIlroy or Casey Jarvis could have ended the week on top of the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World but it was the Spaniard who hit the front with a third victory of the season.
He had fractured his toe just weeks earlier but that was no issue as a third-round 63 proved pivotal in a two-shot victory.
We stayed in Asia for the final event of the Back 9 and it was all on the line as the regular season came to an end at the Genesis Championship.
Yuto Katsuragawa entered the week outside the top 100 and battling to keep his playing privileges but ended it as a two-time DP World Tour winner.
The ever-consistent Jarvis was the man to catch early once again but the Japanese never looked back after a 63 in round three and won by two around Woo Jeong Hills Country Club.
On the move
With the conclusion of the Back 9 came the last chance for players to earn their status for 2027 via DP World Tour events and to claim a place in the Play-Offs.
The enhanced points on offer also gave those in the hunt for the Race to Dubai title a chance bolster their points totals headng to the UAE, where even more points are on offer.
The biggest winner was undoubtedly Chacarra, who played eight events with no missed cuts and also had a fourth and third to go with his runner-up and winning finishes.
He started the Back 9 third in the Rankings, 664 points behind Patrick Reed, and ended them on top with a lead of just over 669.
In the battle for dual membership with the PGA Tour, Dean's victory catapulted him into contention, while Jacob Skov Olesen finished second at The Belfry and added five further top 20s to keep racking up those vital points.
Katsuragawa's victory in Korea moved him from outside the top 100 to the Play-Offs but he was not the only one to make a big jump and transform his season over the Back 9.
Victories for Lawrence, Meronk and Forrest also took them into the top 35 from outside the top 100 while others racked up points in different ways.
Angel Hidalgo was outside the top 100 when he arrived in Switzerland but a fourth, third and runner-up finish has him in the top 20, while Niklas Nørgaard went from 111th to 32nd with runner-up finishes at The Belfry and in Scotland and two other top 20s.
David Law played all nine events and while he did not trouble the top of leaderboards, eight made cuts moved him from 119th to 99th and ensured he kept his card.
Sean Crocker started the Back 9 135th and was another who played all nine events, making seven cuts with two top 20s and broke into the top 100 in the very final event with the help of four closing birdies on Sunday.
Tom McKibbin, Thomas Detry, Brandon Stone, Matteo Manassero and Filippo Celli were also among those to break into the top 100 across the Back 9.
To view the Race to Dubai Rankings in full, click here.
Highlight reel
Holes-in-one, albatrosses, sepctacular eagles, outrageous saves - the Back 9 had it all, just take a look below.
Aces, aces, everywhere
Detry makes the biggest bird in Ireland
We had some hole-out eagles
Greens were driven
It wasn't always easy
A few players even flopped
And we had an ending that will take some beating
What's next?
With the Global Swings, Back 9 and therefore regular season over, we now head to the DP World Tour Play-Offs.
Next week, the top 70 available players from the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World will head to the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, where thhey will be whittled down to the top 50.
They will then head to a second consecutive Rolex Series event at the DP World Tour Championship where the Race to Dubai and ten dual members for 2027 will be decided.
