Matt Fitzpatrick has won the DP World Tour Championship three times, including a playoff win last year. But with the tournament set to end the 2026 season in Dubai, he is now openly unsure if he will return to defend his title. Speaking Wednesday at Wentworth ahead of the BMW PGA Championship, the DP World Tour’s flagship event, Fitzpatrick didn’t dance around the issue.
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“Being completely honest, as things stand right now, I would say I’m not that comfortable,” he said. “No, I wouldn’t be that comfortable.” He pointed to a shift in personal priorities as part of the reason. “A few things have obviously changed for me, perspective and stuff. I’ve had a child in August, and that obviously kind of changes things, I guess, a bit more.”
He also pushed back on how the situation is being covered depending on where you’re reading about it: “I know where you get your news isn’t always… can be very one-sided, particularly in the U.S. But I think for me, as things stand right now, it would feel a little bit weird, given what I’m reading elsewhere.”
Fitzpatrick’s concerns are not just about safety. He is also frustrated by how little clarity the DP World Tour has given players about the season finale. According to him, the communication has been vague, making it difficult for him and his team to plan ahead.
He said his management team was told in April that a decision would be made by June. But that deadline has come and gone, and regular updates have still not followed. Matt Fitzpatrick admitted that the lack of open communication has only added to the frustration. The situation comes as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to raise concerns across the Middle East. Several sporting events have already had to rethink their plans in the region.
Matt Fitzpatrick brought up Formula One’s uncertainty over the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, especially after races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were canceled this year. For him, that naturally raises the question of whether the DP World Tour should also be reconsidering its plans.
There is also a personal reason behind Fitzpatrick’s concerns. He pointed to an incident from his previous visit to Dubai, saying a hotel where he had dinner during the week of his 2025 victory was later damaged in a missile strike. Fitzpatrick described the incident as frightening and said it had added to his concerns about returning to the region.
The Abu Dhabi Championship remains scheduled for November 5-8, with the $10 million DP World Tour Championship taking place in Dubai the following week. Together, the two events will decide the Race to Dubai title. For now, the Tour still appears to be planning to hold both tournaments in the UAE. Reports have suggested that Turkey, Spain, and Portugal are being considered as backup options, but no final change has been announced.
The DP World Tour has said it remains in contact with players and their management teams, while stressing that individual players can decide whether they want to compete.
But for Matt Fitzpatrick, a three-time winner of the Dubai finale, that still leaves the biggest question unanswered. With the playoffs only about two months away, he and other players are still waiting to find out where the season will actually end.