How many players are chasing Collin Morikawa in Race to Dubai title battle?

Heard the one about the two Americans, three Englishman and an Australian? Well, that’s what it has come down to in the battle to be crowned as this year’s Race to Dubai champion.

Open champion Collin Morikawa is presented with Honorary Life Membership of the DP World Tour by Tour CEO Keith Pelley ahead of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Collin Morikawa, a newly-elected honorary life member of the European Tour, and Billy Horshcel head into the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai sitting first and second respectively in the standings.

History would be made if either of them comes out on top on Sunday because this particular title battle has not been won by an American before.

Mathematically, Open champion Morikawa could finish last this week and still be crowned as the No 1 - as long as Horschel finishes worse than a two-way tie for eighth and the four other contenders don’t win.

A victory over the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates would guarantee the top spot for Horschel, but the BMW PGA champion could still finish as high as eighth and have a chance, provided Morikawa struggles and the four players below him don’t win.

With world No 1 Jon Rahm having decided to sit out the event, the only others still in contention are Tyrrell Hatton, Scottish Open champion Min Woo Lee, Matt Fitzpatrick and Paul Casey.

"I'm not taking this week lightly,” said Morikawa, who joins Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Patrick Reed as an honorary life member. “I've put a lot of work in the last week, the past couple of days to be ready and to come out here and play as best as I can.

"Yes, we're at the tail end of the season and I made that mistake with the PGA Tour and the FedEx Cup, went injuring myself and getting a little unfortunate the way the play-offs worked. I worked so hard through the regular season to put myself in a good spot that I don't want to let this go.

"You don't know how many chances you're going to get to win a Race to Dubai and I've been very lucky to play well this year in a Major and the WGC to get me in that position. But I want to come out here and win. If I win, it takes care of everything.”

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