By:
Paul Kelly
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will begin their 2026 Dubai Invitational campaigns alongside each other after being paired for the opening two rounds.
McIlroy and Lowry will be joined by an amateur partner each on Thursday and Friday at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry Paired For Dubai Invitational
Some of the world’s best golfers head to Dubai for the first tournament of the 2026 DP World Tour season.
It all kicks off in the UAE this weekend, with the 2026 Dubai Invitational the first stop before the Dubai Desert Classic next week.
Two years ago it was English golf sensation and Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood who secured victory at the Dubai Invitational in this biennial tournament.
He secured a one shot victory over Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence, and will be hopeful of going back-to-back this week at Dubai Creek.
McIlroy returns at the Dubai Invitational this year, looking to go one better than last time. The five-time major champion comes into the event as the favourite, fresh off the back of a seventh Race to Dubai victory on the European Tour last season.
https://twitter.com/rory_fans/status/2011114059907690609
The Northern Irishman will begin his campaign on Thursday for Round 1, looking to get his year off to a flying start. The career Grand Slam winner has won several times in Dubai, so has fond memories of the UAE.
McIlroy will be joined by good friend and fellow Ryder Cup hero Shane Lowry, who was a last-minute inclusion in the Dubai Invitational field. The Mullingar-born golfer is set to make his Dubai Invitational debut this week, and will also be looking for a strong start to the new season.
Ironically, McIlroy and Lowry will begin their respective Dubai Invitational campaigns alongside each other. The pair of Irish golfers have been grouped together for the opening two rounds of action at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on Thursday and Friday.
It has not yet been confirmed who the two amateur players will be who make up the four-ball alongside McIlroy and Lowry for the opening 36 holes.
https://twitter.com/LowryTracker/status/2011114731659014452
Dubai Invitational Tee Times See McIlroy and Lowry Grouped For Opening Two Rounds
With Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry paired together for the opening two rounds of action after the release of the 2026 Dubai Invitational tee times, they will be a popular group over the first 36 holes of the biennial event.
The Irish pairing get their tournaments up and running with a 10th tee start on Thursday for Round 1. Their exact tee time is 9.30am local time, meaning a 5.30am start in the UK and Ireland (GMT).
Round 2 will begin on Friday with a 1st tee start for Lowry and McIlroy. This time they will get their second round of 18 holes up and running at 10.42am local time, meaning a 6.42am start in the UK and Ireland.
After landing two major sponsorship deals in two days, Lowry will be hoping to repay the faith in him by producing some of his best golf at the Dubai Invitational this week.
https://twitter.com/DPWorldTour/status/2010683177715830903
Although the Offaly man hasn’t played in this tournament before, he has had success in the UAE in the past and has fond memories of playing golf in the Middle East.
Similarly, McIlroy always seems to perform well in Dubai, having won here multiple times. McIlroy has won four Dubai Desert Classic’s in his career on the European Tour, not to mention three DP World Tour Championship titles as well.
Overall, the career Grand Slam winner has seven wins on Dubai soil so far, and will be hoping to make that eight come Sunday.
McIlroy changed clubs for the first time since 2017 in a recent TGL event, so it will be interesting to see if he sticks with his new TaylorMade irons at the Dubai Invitational this week too.
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