DP World Tour - Genesis Championship 2026: The Battle for Tour Cards

The DP World Tour's Genesis Championship will take place October 22–25, 2026, at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club in Cheonan, South Korea. As the final regular-season tournament, it is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the KPGA TOUR and marks its 10th edition this year. The prize purse is $4 million. There are 5,000 points up for grabs in the Race to Dubai standings, with the winner receiving 835 points. Defending champion Junghwan Lee won his first title on the DP World Tour in 2025 with a score of 273 strokes (−11) and a three-stroke lead.

Here you’ll find the tee times and leaderboard for the DP World Tour’s Genesis Championship.

Course Analysis: Long Holes, Water, and an Island Green

The course has a par of 71 and measures 6,736 meters, with the front nine at 3,372 meters and the back nine at 3,364 meters. Opened in 1993, the course is considered a long, undulating PGA Tour-style layout with lined Fairways and water on most holes. The longest hole is the 18th at 521 meters, and the shortest is the 4th at 176 meters. The 13th is a Par-3 measuring 208 meters over water to an island green.

Ryan Fox, who is playing the course for the first time, told the DP World Tour that there are significant elevation changes, difficult club selection, and numerous slopes around the greens. The rough is short, so tee shots aren’t the main focus. Nevertheless, he said, “Length will definitely help here.” From an editorial perspective, the par-5s are likely to offer the best Birdie opportunities, but the biggest challenge remains reaching the greens in regulation.

The Favorites for the DP World Tour Genesis Championship

Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra leads the Race to Dubai standings and is the first player this season to win three tournaments. A win in Korea would extend his lead to 1,453.27 points, as his closest rivals, Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy, are not competing. Casey Jarvis is also among this season’s multiple winners and could move up to second place with a victory. He finished sixth at the 2024 Genesis Championship.

Ryan Fox is the 2026 British Open champion and won at Royal Birkdale in July. He is ranked sixth in the Race to Dubai standings, has five wins on the DP World Tour, and is ranked 22nd in the world—his highest ranking to date. Speaking to the DP World Tour, he said, “I want to play well this week to move up in the Race to Dubai standings and see if I can keep up.”

Si Woo Kim (world No. 14) finished third at the Crown Australian Open and made the cut at the US Masters and PGA Championship majors. Along with Sungjae Im (world No. 60), his Presidents Cup teammate, 39 South Korean players are in the field. Jacob Skov Olesen (world No. 87) is among the top ten in the Race to Dubai standings and finished fourth at the Turkish Airlines Open.

Defending Champion Junghwan Lee and the History

After the third round, Lee was four strokes behind the co-leaders, Mikael Lindberg and Nacho Elvira. After a Bogey on the second hole, he shot a 64 in the final round—the best round of the tournament. He has yet to achieve a top-10 finish this season, but his playing privileges for 2027 are secured by this victory. If he were to successfully defend his title, he would be the first player in the tournament’s history to do so. Byeong Hun An won in 2024, and Pablo Larrazábal won in 2023.

Prize Money, Points, and Competitive Significance

The top 100 in the Race to Dubai standings will receive a full Tour card for 2027, while players ranked 101st through 110th will receive a conditional card (Category 18). The top 70 will qualify for the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, and only the top 50 will advance to the DP World Tour Championship. The cutoff for a full card in 2026 is the top 100, down from the top 110 the previous year.

Read more: How the DP World Tour Playoffs Work

Storylines and Outlook

Sebastian Söderberg is ranked 101st, just 0.75 points behind Viktor Hovland, who is not competing. The Swede has finished in the top 10 three times this season but has missed 13 cuts. He told the DP World Tour: “I feel like I have nothing to lose.” Other players in the battle for the top 100 include Matteo Manassero (No. 98), David Law (No. 97), Sean Crocker (No. 103), and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (No. 108). The decision on Tour cards and playoff spots will be made on Sunday.