Rising stars Smith and Fitzpatrick confirmed for RAK Championship

Dan Bradbury, Alex Fitzpatrick, Yannik Paul and Jordan Smith will tee it up at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in early 2024.

The quartet, all rising stars on the DP World Tour, will compete at Al Hamra Golf Club from Jan.25-28 before heading to Royal Golf Club in Bahrain the following week during the International Swing on the new-look 2024 Race to Dubai.

The events follow back-to-back weeks in Dubai with the Dubai Invitational and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic as the Middle East forms the focal point of the DP World Tour’s early 2024 schedule.

With defending champion Daniel Gavins having already confirmed his return to Ras Al Khaimah along with three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington and DP World Tour winners Rasmus Hojgaard and Pablo Larrazabal, the field for the showdown at Al Hamra Golf Club is starting to take shape.

Golfers across the region are also being invited to get in on the action and rub shoulders with the DP World Tour stars by purchasing a spot in the Pro-Am taking place on Wednesday January 24 while there will be plenty of off-course highlights for spectators to enjoy at the tournament including food trucks from the UAE’s favourite eateries, a host of fun children’s activities and live music.

Bradbury, who enjoyed a stand-out debut season in 2023, is looking forward to progressing further in 2024 after finishing 36th in his maiden year on the Race to Dubai.

“I enjoy playing golf in the Middle East so I’m excited to head back to Ras Al Khaimah and also visit Bahrain for the first time. They should be great events,” he said.

Fellow countryman Fitzpatrick earned his playing privileges for 2024 through a combination of the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca and strong performances in limited starts on the DP World Tour, including a tie for 17th in The Open at Royal Liverpool, and is now able to play a full schedule on the Race to Dubai.

“There was quite a lot of pressure last year because I felt like I had to play well in the limited opportunities I got to play, so it’s quite nice now to be able to plan my schedule a bit more,” said Fitzpatrick.

“It’s always nice to go out to the Middle East so I’m looking forward to getting out there next month.” Germany’s Paul, who won the 2021 Mallorca Golf Open, is also looking to build on a strong 2023 which included two runner-up finishes and five other top tens.

“I felt like I played some good golf last season, particularly in the first part of the year, so hopefully I can do that again next year. I can’t wait to see everybody in Ras Al Khaimah and Bahrain,” he said.

Two-time DP World Tour winner Smith is someone who knows Al Hamra Golf Club well, having won the Challenge Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah, 2016 Golf Challenge, and always enjoys returning to a place where he’s enjoyed previous success.

“That victory in 2016 effectively secured the number one spot on the Challenge Tour Rankings for me, so I’ll always enjoy going back to Al Hamra,” said Smith.

“This event, in addition to Bahrain, will be a really fun part of the schedule and I’m looking forward to getting out there.”

Hotels in Ras Al Khaimah are tempting spectators to make a long weekend of it with some tantalising offers and fans are encouraged to explore the Nature Emirate to the fullest by visiting some of the attractions on offer including the world’s longest zipline, Jais Flight, Bear Grylls Explorer Camp and Suwaidi Peals Farm.