Five-time major champion Rory McIlroy’s 2026 campaign gets under way at the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort on Thursday as the Masters champion aims to make a “strong start” in the Middle East.

McIlroy went close to winning the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort in 2024 – won by Tommy Fleetwood – and is targeting a “great week”.

“I’m excited to be starting my year in Dubai,” McIlroy said at the launch of the tournament. “The UAE is a place where I’ve enjoyed a lot of great weeks, and I’m sure this will be no different.

“Dubai Creek Resort was a fantastic host venue two years ago… I came very close to winning that week, so I’m hoping 2026 will be another really good year for me - and to start strong in the Middle East would be the perfect way to get it under way.”

placeholder image — Rory McIlroy during a practice round on Wednesday prior to the Dubai Invitational 2026 at Dubai Creek Resort. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

McIlroy is in the sights of Fleetwood, who has stated his aim of challenging the Northern Ireland star and Scottie Sheffler for the world number one spot as the DP World Tour begins.

Englishman Fleetwood enjoyed a strong end to 2025, winning his first PGA Tour title as well as helping Europe secure victory in the Ryder Cup.

Fleetwood, though, knows there is still plenty of hard work ahead as he looks to chase down Scheffler and McIlroy at the top of the world rankings.

“I would love to. There is a clear gap, those two guys are definitely the best golfers in the world. I am just one of the players in the pack behind that has some catching up to do there,” Fleetwood said.

“I look at every aspect of my game, where I can improve, where I can pick the smallest amount of shots up to those guys, but it is an amazing challenge, if you think of it like that.

“I am starting the year in a different position than I have ever been, world number three. I think that is very cool and very exciting to sort of have to think about trying to maintain the level that I have reached there – and that is the first thing to do.”

Fleetwood added: “Challenging the top two players in the world, I am not going to say that that is something that I am not focused on and not interested in.

“Of course you are and you want to see where you can get to, but that is a long road ahead – that is not going to happen next week or in a couple of months’ time, so I have to really just stick in, work on my game and I think it is an amazing opportunity.”

Masters champion McIlroy is set to play the opening two rounds alongside good friend Shane Lowry, while compatriot Tom McKibbin is also in action in Dubai.

Admitting the highs of sinking the winning putt for Europe in New York felt like it had “saved my year”, Lowry now has his sights on returning to form back out on tour.

“For 2026, I obviously set some new goals,” Lowry told reporters in Dubai.

“I would like to contend in a couple of majors this year and give myself a couple of chances in regular (tour) events as well, and to try to get a win in the near future would be ideal.”

South Africa’s Jayden Schaper has enjoyed a strong start to the 2026 campaign, securing his maiden DP World Tour title on home soil at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December and then also winning the Mauritius Open.

“It is just a huge confidence booster, just to know that you belong out here and it is nice to be in a position to do that,” the 24-year-old said.