Nacho Elvira triumphed over Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, and David Hillier in the Dubai Invitational final. Marcel Siem finished in the top 15.
Nacho Elvira secured a gripping victory against top-tier competitors to claim the first DP World Tour title of the year. The Spaniard had expanded his lead to three strokes but faltered with back-to-back bogeys at the end of the front nine and found water at the 10th hole. Although he saved par there, the door opened for contenders like Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, David Hillier, and Marcus Armitage, who were all tied for first after just over half of the final round.
DP World Tour: Exciting Final Duel at the Dubai Invitational
McIlroy surged into a shared lead with five consecutive birdies, only to drop back with a bogey on 18. Shane Lowry broke free from the pack, seizing solo lead with a sensational putt on the 15th hole.
SHANE LOWRY TAKES THE LEAD ☘️#DubaiInvitational pic.twitter.com/2cr5rf5d0I
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 18, 2026
Elvira caught up on 17 and the title fight came down to a duel on the 18th hole. There, the Spaniard showed stronger nerves, securing a solid par after missing the green. Lowry, on the other hand, hit his second shot into a bunker and then sent the ball beyond the green into the water. He dropped to third place with a double bogey, a position he shares with McIlroy.
This marks Elvira’s third DP World Tour win; his previous victory was the Soudal Open in May 2024.
Strong Performances by Other German Players
Marcel Siem made a strong start to the new year in the final round, climbing to T13 with a 66. He narrowly missed the top 10, posting nine birdies but also four bogeys, mostly due to missed greens. On the 18th, Siem ended up awkwardly at the edge of a water hazard and had to drop with a penalty stroke; his