Dubai Invitational defending champion, Tommy Fleetwood, revealed what it is like to be next-best to two of the Tour's greatest players after a year of consistency paid off and he moved up the rankings to third.Â
Despite recognising their all-time status, Fleetwood hopes he can challenge Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy for
the world number one spot as the DP World Tour season heads into the new year at the Dubai Invitational, live on Your Site.
Fleetwood, despite winning his first PGA Tour title in 2025, 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 [be challenging Scheffler and McIlroy]," Fleetwood said ahead of the Dubai Invitational.
"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.
"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 - who won the Dubai Invitational in 2024, one shot clear of McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence, recognises that challenging the top two will come with time and patience, something he knows a lot about having made 164 PGA Tour starts before winning his first title.
"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," Fleetwood added.
"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 Lowry.
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.
Watch the Dubai Invitational throughout the week live on Your Site. Live coverage starts on January 15 from 7.30am on Your Site Golf. .
