Rory McIlroy has revealed he will skip the opening PGA Tour Signature Event of the season to compete in the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort instead.
The five-time Major winner currently sits atop the 2025 Race to Dubai standings and is poised to kick off the 2026 campaign with consecutive weeks in the UAE for both the Dubai Invitational and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. McIlroy issued a statement confirming his plans to begin the new season in the UAE, which means he will be absent from the first PGA Tour Signature Event of the year.
The Sentry is due to commence on January 8 and conclude on January 11, but the Northern Irishman will be missing for the seventh consecutive year.
He said: “I’m excited to be starting my year in Dubai. 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, and Abdulla and his team put on an incredible event.
“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.”
Hideki Matsuyama shattered the PGA Tour scoring record with a season-opening triumph at The Sentry in Hawaii last year, banking £2.7m in prize money in the process.
McIlroy’s choice will see him sacrifice the opportunity to claim that prize, though it hardly comes as a shock given he hasn’t contested the tournament since 2019, when he secured a tie for fourth place.
The suggestion to begin in Dubai could prove shrewd, given that the location for next year’s tournament remains unconfirmed. The PGA announced last month that the competition will not take place in Hawaii at the beginning of 2026 due to irrigation problems at the Kapalua Resort.
Whilst no replacement venue has been decided upon, NBC and Golf Channel pundit Mark Rolfing hinted earlier this month that the event might not proceed as scheduled.
“I don’t think there is any scenario where the Sentry can be played in 2026,” he told the Fried Egg Golf podcast.
“There’s all these conversations about why couldn’t we play somewhere else. The schedule is basically full. We’re 85 days away from the start of the tournament. It’s just too late. There’s just no time for planning.”
He went on: “We understand what happened and we need to really start thinking about 2027 for the Sentry and for the Sony Open [played a week later]. Those two are joined at the hip in a way. And how do we overcome the issues that are starting to magnify themselves that are going to make it more complicated for Hawaii.”
McIlroy was instrumental in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph at Bethpage Black last month – their first victory on American territory in 13 years. He made his comeback at the DP World India Championship but finished tied for 26th at 11 under. The Northern Irishman has yet to reveal his PGA Tour programme for 2026 but will feature in the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne on December 4.