Hero Dubai Desert Classic: Fantasy DP World Tour ones to watch

After a break either side of the new year, we bring fans of the DP World Tour’s official fantasy game all they need to know ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

After match play took centre stage last week with the return of the Team Cup in Abu Dhabi, the Rolex Series now makes its first appearance on the DP World Tour in 2025 as the International Swing gets under way.

Rory McIlroy, who is bidding to make it a hat-trick of victories over the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, headlines a stellar field that features fellow Major champions Adam Scott and Patrick Reed, Ryder Cup stars Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland, along with 15 first-time Rolex Series players.

John Parry of England is among them, having secured his spot in the field by virtue of winning the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in December, with the Opening Swing winner joined by two-time PGA TOUR winner Akshay Bhatia and rising Danish star Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.

From insight into the week’s most-picked players among Fantasy managers, to our ones to watch, we run the rule ahead of Thursday’s deadline to pick your team.

Who are the most backed players?

Fantasy Insight: Unsurprinsgly, McIlroy is the favourite among both bookmakers and users of our Fantasy game, featuring in 81% of teams among early selections for this week.

Dubai resident Tommy Fleetwood, who is making his 14th consecutive appearance on the Majlis Course, is next at 73%, while fellow Team Europe Ryder Cup player Tyrrell Hatton is third for popularity at 68%.

Fellow Rolex Series winners Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland round out the top five at 62% and 49% respectively.

Who are our ones to watch?

Here, we pick out three players in action this week who are worth considering for your Fantasy team selections.

Favourite - Rory McIlroy

The Northern Irishman became the first four-time winner of the Dubai Desert Classic last year, edging out Adrian Meronk by one shot as he successfully defended his title. He now has more history in his sights as he bids to become the first player to win the Dallah Trophy three years in a row. The four-time Major champion has finished inside the top ten at this tournament in every appearance since 2010. He won his sixth Race to Dubai title, matching the haul of Seve Ballesteros, last season, having won two twice and registered six further top tens across his 12 starts on the DP World Tour in 2024.

Form Horse - Tyrrell Hatton

The Englishman enjoyed a fine run of form towards the end of last season, highlighted by his return to the DP World Tour winner’s circle for the first time in more than three years at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He subsequently finished runner-up at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and then was sixth at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship as he finished fourth on the Race to Dubai Rankings. Sits third on the Ryder Cup qualification standings and after impressing for Great Britain & Ireland at the Team Cup, he will be determined to claim valuable points on offer in this week’s blue riband event.

Wild Card - Johannes Veerman

The American climbed more than 80 places on the Official World Golf Ranking to inside the top 130 with his victory at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa last month. The triumph at Sun City came on the back of a strong finish to last season which featured four top 20s in his last five starts. While confidence should be high, this week is another step up in competition for a player whose sole previous DP World Tour title came at the D+D Real Czech Masters in 2021. Saying that he has made the cut in all three previous appearances over the Majlis Course, with a best of tied eighth in 2023.

How can I play?

If you have not done so already, you can still sign up to play the official 2025 DP World Tour Fantasy game and submit your six-man team before round one gets under way on Thursday.

To play Fantasy DP World Tour, click here.

What can I win?

There are plenty of prizes on offer throughout the 2025 season including the Ultimate Prize courtesy of DP World which includes:

- Flights to Dubai for two people

- Accommodation in Dubai for two people

- Private lesson from a top DP World Tour professional on the Earth Course driving range

- Two ball on the Earth Course the day after tournament play finishes

- Two General Admission Season Tickets for the 2025 DP World Tour Championship

Those that finish second to fifth in the season long competition will also receive a range of DP World Tour Store vouchers. There will also be prizes to be won on a weekly and monthly basis so no matter how well you start or when you sign up to play, you will always have the opportunity to win.

Looking back - AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open

Good early season form by John Parry saw the Englishman head into the final event of the calendar year as a popular pick among Fantasy users, featuring in 38% of teams that week.

He rewarded that faith, by returning to the DP World Tour winner's circle after a 14-year wait to bring joy to the 1,304 players who selected him as their Captain.

While former champion Antoine Rozner, our Favourite and the most picked player in the game, missed the cut, both our Form Horse Angel Ayora and Wild Card Jayden Schaper enjoyed better weeks, finishing tied 36th and tied 13th respectively.

Season so far - 2025 DP World Tour Fantasy Top 10 player rankings