Rory McIlroy turns down huge golf prize money as he confirms Dubai plans

Rory McIlroy has made the decision to skip two significant paydays this week despite the Northern Irishman's brilliant performances at the Ryder Cup recently

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Rory McIlroy has snubbed the opportunity to play in two lucrative tournaments that could have significantly boosted his earnings for the year. The Northern Irish golfer was notably missing from the DP World Tour's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship earlier this month in Scotland.

That was despite it being the first chance to display the same impressive form he demonstrated just days prior at the 2025 Ryder Cup, where McIlroy played a key role in Team Europe's 15-13 victory on American soil. In doing so, he forfeited the chance to win a share of the staggering £4.3million prize fund.

After making a comeback for the DP World India Championship last week, where he finished T26, the career grand slam champion has opted to skip two more lucrative events.

One of those is this week's Genesis Championship, the final event of the 'Back 9' on the DP World Tour calendar, which carries a hefty prize fund of £3m. The winner of the event in Cheonan, Korea, will pocket £510,000, while second-place receives £330,000.

But that's not all McIlroy is foregoing this week. Also taking place is the Bank of Utah Championship at the Black Desert Resort, where a total pool of £4.5m is up for grabs. The winner will rake in 18% of that total, which amounts to roughly £809,000.

The 36-year-old's remarks last year shed some light on his decision to snub the two tournaments, following a successful 2025 with wins at the Masters, The Players Championship, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am and the Amgen Irish Open.

When asked about his tournament schedule in late 2024, he said: "It's been a long season and I'm going to just have to think about trying to build in a few extra breaks here and there next year and going forward. I'm usually sort of like a 22 (events a year) sort of person.

"But again, that was when I was sort of in my 20s and didn't have the responsibilities that I do now. I'm going to try to cut it back to like 18 or 20 a year going forward, I think."

At this point in his career, it's safe to say McIlroy needs the rest more than the money, boasting an estimated net worth of £346m according to The Sunday Times Rich List.

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However, the five-time major winner has announced he will be playing in the first event of 2026, the second edition of the Dubai Invitational, having come agonisingly close to becoming the inaugural champion in 2024.

On his decision to begin his year at the event, McIlroy 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."