With new stars, new events and new venues, it's safe to say anything could happen on the DP World Tour in 2026 - so would you have the nerve to make any predictions?
Luckily, we know three people who do and here, former professional golfers and DP World Tour commentary team members Dame Laura Davies, Ali Whitaker and Anthony Wall give us their predictions for 2026.
Breakout stars
Ali Whitaker: I'm going with Angel Ayora, although the seat's already taken with Jayden Schaper too, he’s already broken out. Another choice would be like someone like a Casey Jarvis. Now he's seen fellow South African Jayden win, he's seen Aldrich Potgieter win in the US, Wilco Nienaber and like everyone around him that he came through the ranks just as good as is winning as well. So he could be a space to watch.
Laura Davies: Martin Couvra, I know he won last year but I just think he's a real talent and he could be, not do what Marco Penge did, but the next possibility of having a dramatic step up.
Anthony Wall: David Puig. I think he'll win another one. That's a breakout for me. He's such a good player.
Major breakthrough
Anthony: Bob MacIntyre, I think Bob MacIntyre might win a Major. He's my Major breakthrough.
Laura: Tommy Fleetwood. I think he'll do well at the US PGA. They're at Aronimink this time and it's really a flusher's golf course and he's a flusher so I think I'd give him a really good shout there. I think Rory's going to win the Masters so I won't give him that. US PGA or Open Championship? There's no reason why he shouldn't have a good run in all the Majors but if I had to pick one it'd be the PGA.
Anthony: I think Tommy's more likely to win America than at The Open. I think he's such a good player. I think more likely I feel he could win a U.S. Open more. Because he drives it so well when he's on I just think in The Open it's almost a little bit too hit and miss for him, it's a lot of pressure on him with the English and the Brits, it’s hard.
Ali: Tommy's definitely got the game for a U.S. Open. What about someone like a Ludvig Åberg? He came runner-up in the Masters two years ago, straight out of the gates, contending. And seventh again. He’s been a bit of a mixed bag but when he's made the cut but he's been inside the top 23 in every Major in the last two years and so you know he’s got the game for it. Nothing stopping him. Got the game, has the demeanour as well, which I think is big in Major golf to not implode with your golf game and between the ears at the same time.
Surprise Race to Dubai challenger
Alison: I've got one, but it hinges on one part of his game that's average when everything else isn't, and that's Dan Hillier. I think if he can just tweak his short game a little bit, I think there's big gains to be made in that area for him, and I could see him winning multiple times this year if he can kind of sort that out. I think his good's good enough. He had a really erratic season last year. But when your good is good enough, I think that's always the thing that you need to believe and understand about yourself. In contention a lot, 65 in the final round (last week). So even a race through the pack kind of finish to snag a couple of victories and then build some confidence from there.
Anthony: Bob MacIntyre again. If he does win that Major, I think he might challenge Rory. Because he's in all the Majors. He can play all the Rolex Series events. I think he needs to be in those to actually challenge for me. He's in everything. I think to give Rory that advantage would be hard if he didn't play them all.
Maiden DP World Tour win
Anthony: Joe Dean. He's a super player. He's a ball striker. He's quite streaky on the green, so it's sort of, I think if it comes together, I think if the stars are aligned I think he would win. I think he needs a bit more belief in himself from what I understand and I think that comes to some people when you've been on Tour for a bit and you feel accepted in himself and I would hope that that's starting to happen. He's been a bit quiet and I think he's too good a player to be quiet so I think he'll come back this year quite well.
Laura: Angel Ayora. I’d throw him in for almost a certainty, he’s another really good young player.
Ali: I'd go for like a Casey Jarvis or a Wenyi Ding. I think Wenyi has the talent, whether or not he knows it is a different story, but he might surprise himself and get a victory.
Does Rory catch Monty for Harry Vardon Trophy number eight?
Anthony: Comfortably.
Laura: I don’t see why not and he wants to.
Ali: I think that's a great point. Comfortably because he'll do it. He'll plan his entire year around doing it because he wants it, it's high on his priority list. If he can give himself the opportunity through all of his scheduling, not that he needs to tweak much anyway because he's such a good supporter of the DP World Tour as is. But like Wally says, comfortably. If he's come in with that goal, I don't know who could stop him.
Laura: Tommy.
Ali: Yeah, Tommy What about a Tommy v Rory duel throughout the year? I think we'd take that.
Dual members to shine in the States
Anthony: Dan Brown. I think he's a big-time player. I think he won't be overawed by what's going on out there, I think he'll actually relish it. And he drives the ball great. Did you see the Instagram of him in his Hawaiian shirt? But that's what he's like, and I think he'll roll with it all quite well.
Ali: My pick is Rasmus Neegaard-Petersen, which isn't actually very much a long-odds pick given he's already come runner-up on the PGA TOUR in Puerto Rico last year and he's just won the Aussie Open. But he's such a momentum player and I think he's very dangerous with that. He's got that at the moment. And also he's established in the US, he went to the college system already. So he's got less to learn than I think a lot of the guys will in terms of trying to set up a base, things like that over there. So I think it's a smaller jump for him than many of the other guys that have got dual membership.
Laura: I'll go Marco Penge, pretty obvious pick. His game suited is for American golf, absolutely down to the ground. The only caveat I put on that, he's just changed clubs. Now, whether that messes him up or not - against the clubs he's gone from to - who knows? He might absolutely love them but if he takes the form that he's shown this year and the improvement he's shown this year, then he's my man to do well.
I've just got a feeling..........
Ali: I'm going with a Brit wins The Open: Justin Rose, Tommy, Bob Mac..........
Laura: There's always is a lot of great first time winners. The youngsters are getting better and better. So a record of first-time winners.
