11 big names failed to make the cut

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There are just two tournaments left in the 2025 DP World Tour season while both are playoff events.

First up is the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with links to YAS with the Top 70 TOOR in the race to the ranks of Dubai on the field.

At the end of that tournament, the top ranking will go on to the World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Estates.

Going into this tournament, Rory McIlroy leads the rankings, closely followed by Marco Penge with Tyrrell Hatton in the last half. Literally one of the three will get you the race in Dubai and Penge – who has won the boats three times this year – has it in him to surprise the kings of McIlroy.

Shane Lowry and Ludvig Abergor did not qualify in the top 70 but as members of the Ryder Cup Team, they received Wild Cup entry in both events (although their points will not count for the race in Dubai).

If the one playing in the playoffs, who?!

Let’s take a look.

Class Law – Adam Scott

Back in June, Adam Scott led the way at the US open and briefly promised to score a stunning major championship victory.

But he ultimately carded a final round of 79 to fall outside the top 10 and it was typical of his year – he hasn’t registered a top 10 on any tour and his T12 at Oakmont was his best effort on the DP World Tour. The Classy Aussie will not compete in the playoffs.

PGA Tour Winners – Min Woo Lee and Ryan Fox

Aussie Min Woo Lee won the PGA Tour Houston open, and kiwi ryan fox won both the Myrtle Beach Classic and Canadian open on the same circuit. But they will not play in the DP World Tour Finale.

Lee reached the top 15 to finish the BMW PGA Championship and open de France, and Fox was T14 in the final. But it was too late for both of them.

Euros based on PGA – Thomas Depry and Thorbjorn Olesen

Belgian Depry climbed 62 in YAS links but there will be no repeat this year. He saved his card – just – but he won’t be playing in the playoffs.

Remembering the fact that he is now a PGA Tour winner (at the Phoenix Open) will heal the wound somewhat.

Dane Olesen is not playing because he was in Utah trying to save his PGA card, a quest that has yet to be fulfilled.

Past champions – Paul Waring and Victor Perez

Englishman Waring enjoyed a remarkable November in 2024. He first stunned the world by winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and then the DP World Tour Championship.

He won just shy of €2.5million in that tournament and earned himself a PGA Tour card. But 2025 was still a disaster. In 16 starts he made one cut when T47 in the Canadian open and an injury has kept him out of action since July.

The Frenchman Perez won the YAS links in 2023 and played the last two years on both sides of the pond, but his situation this year has not been as good as before, as Olesen, is in the country, in the states hoping to regain his PGA tour card.

Boom and Bust Merchant – Matteo Manassero

It’s been a strange few years for the Italian. Once a superstage teenager, he was good enough to win the 2013 BMW PGA Championship, then wound down the world rankings and ended up on the Tier Alps tour.

But he didn’t give up, saying he wants to win the 2023 Challenge Tour, add a FIFTH World Tour in 2024 and earn a PGA Tour card.

But he only came up with one top all year. His PGA Tour card is at an end and he won’t be doing the DP World Tour Pooffs.

The Lost Englishmen – Danny Willett And Beef Johnston

Willett was the 2016 Masters champion and won the 2018 DP World Tourc championship. But he hasn’t had a top 10 on the DP World tour since August 2022. Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston has had injury problems since late 2024.

He almost won the European Championships in August of that year but from September until this month he did not play once. On his way back he made a birdie on his last hole of the second round at the Genesis champion to make the cut.

A hopeful sign for the future of the beloved cow.