This week sees the start of Phase Two of the DP World Tour season - the Back 9 - made up of nine of he most historic and storied international events on Tour.
Over nine consecutive weeks, we will see Ryder Cup qualification get under way, a Rolex series event, four national opens, a celebration of links golf and two modern classics.
And as the world's best test themselves in eight countries across two continents on golf's global tour, there is more to play for than just hallowed silverware.
Places in the Play-Offs and playing privileges for 2027 will be decided, while huge steps could be made in discovering who wins the Harry Vardon Trophy, the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award and the Seve Ballesteros Award.
Here is everything you need to know about the Back 9.
Where does the Back 9 visit?
It all starts at The Belfry as Ryder Cup qualification gets under way at the Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo.
We then have two of Europe's most prestigious national opens as the Omega European Masters returns to its home since 1948 at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club before the Amgen Irish Open visits a new venue in Trump International, Doonbeg.
The Rolex Series returns to Wentworth Club for the BMW PGA Championship followed by a trip across the English channel for continental Europe's oldest national open as the FedEx Open de France returns to Le Golf National after a year away for extensive renovations.
Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Home of Golf St Andrews will stage the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and our 16th and final national open of the season takes place at the Open de España presented by Madrid at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
The second staging of the star-studded DP World India Championship follows at Delhi Golf Club and we then have one of the most dramatic weeks of the season as the curtain comes down on the Back 9 at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club and the Genesis Championship.
| Date | Event | Venue | Prize fund ($US) | Race to Dubai points | Ryder Cup points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27-30 | Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo | The Belfry Hotel & Resort | 3,500,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Sep 3-6 | Omega European Masters | Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club | 3,750,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Sep 10-13 | Amgen Irish Open | Trump International Golf Links & Hotel | 6,000,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Sep 17-20 | BMW PGA Championship (Rolex Series) | Wentworth Club | 9,000,000 | 8,000 | 2,000 |
| Sep 24-27 | FedEx Open de France | Le Golf National | 3,750,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Oct 1-4 | Alfred Dunhill Links Championship | Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St Andrews | 5,000,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Oct 8-11 | Open de España presented by Madrid | Club de Campo Villa de Madrid | 3,750,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Oct 15-18 | DP World India Championship | Delhi Golf Club | 4,000,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
| Oct 22-25 | Genesis Championship | Woo Jeong Hills Country Club | 4,000,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
Who is playing?
A host of stars are already confirmed to be teeing it up across the Back 9 with more news to come.
Europe Captain Luke Donald will see the start of Ryder Cup qualification get under way the Belfry and he will be joined in the English Midlands by Tyrrell Hatton along with Masters winners Danny Willett and Patrick Reed.
Reed and Willett will also be heading up the mountain the following week along with two-time champion Thriston Lawrence, former champions Rasmus Højgaard and Miguel Ángel Jiménez and England's Matt Wallace.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy then enters the fray in Ireland and he will be joined by two-time winner Jon Rahm, home heroes Shane Lowry and Pádraig Harrington and a host of Ryder Cup stars including Donald, Hatton, Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard, Sepp Straka and Robert MacIntyre.
Many of those players, including McIlroy will make the short journey to Wentworth where they will be joined by 2026 Major winners Aaron Rai and Ryan Fox and the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Åberg, Justin Rose and defending champion Alex Noren.
Åberg and Fleetwood then head to Paris along with Viktor Hovland before MacIntyre defends his title the following week in Scotland.
Great friends and Ryder Cup partners Rahm and Hatton play in Madrid the following week and McIlroy, Fleetwood, Rose, Fox and Hovland will all play in India.
What is at stake?
Unlike in Phase One of the Race to Dubai when players were bidding for glory in the Global Swings, there is no one standalone individual winner at the end of this nine-event stretch.
Increased Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World points are on offer throughout this Phase, with 5,000 available in each regular event – up from 3,500 during the Global Swings. 8,000 Rankings points will be on offer at the BMW PGA Championship as the third Rolex Series event of the year.
Players will be awarded a share of the points based on their finishing position in a tournament, with the winners claiming 835 points except for the BMW PGA Championship where the champion will earn 1,335.
Across the Back 9, there is US$42.75 million in prize fund being played for.
At the end of the phase, the top 70 qualifying players on the Race to Dubai will head to the Play-Offs and battle it out in Abu Dhabi to secure enough points to be among the top 50 available players who progress to the season finale, the DP World Tour Championship, where the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai champion will be crowned.
The end of the phase at the Genesis Championship is also the last chance for players to get into the top 100 on the Rankings and secure Category 10 status for 2027 and the ability to play an almost full schedule.
What is the format for the events?
Events in the Back 9 will for the most part be contested over 72-hole stroke play, with a cut after 36 holes.
The only exception is the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where the field of the world's leading golfers will be cut to the leading 60 professionals and those tying for 60th place after the third round.
How can I watch it?
European Tour Productions, the DP World Tour’s in-house production company, will produce and distribute coverage of all events in the Back 9.
For specific broadcast timings of all territories please check your local listings.
