The DP World Tour had a memorable evening at the annual Middle East Sport Industry Awards last night, picking up the Award for Major Global Sport Event of the Year at the region’s flagship awards for the sports industry.

The DP World Tour collected the Award for the 2025 DP World Tour Championship. The Major Global Sport Event of the Year category celebrates standout major sporting events held in the Middle East that have demonstrated excellence in execution, impact, and legacy.

The 2025 DP World Tour Championship attracted the highest ever number of spectators for a golf tournament in the UAE, who watched England’s Matt Fitzpatrick beat Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy to the title after a dramatic play-off.

The tournament rolled-out new staging innovations to enhance the fan experience, such as a ‘Magic Sky’ roof on the 1st tee, and delivered $60 million in additional economic impact. Over 30% of ticket purchasers were international visitors, confirming that the Rolex Series event drives significant international tourism to Dubai.

The tournament also continued its leadership in sustainability, with the Earth Lounge – a hospitality unit powered by hydrogen and made from sustainable materials, returning to the 16th hole. The tournament also hosted the second edition of the Tour’s Supplier Sustainability Awards, with a ceremony acknowledging sustainability innovations across the Tour’s global schedule.

It was a back-to-back victory for the tournament, after it collected the Award in the same category last year. The DP World Tour also received the Highly Commended accolade in the Sports Organisation of the Year category, after a memorable 2025 that saw a record 163,000 spectators attend the final two UAE based Play-off events, and strong growth in sponsorship income and TV viewership across the season.

Speaking about the award win Freddie Schmeisser, Managing Director, Tournament and Operations, Middle East at the DP World Tour, said: “The DP World Tour continues to win prestigious industry awards in areas such as tournament staging, sponsorship activation, digital content and sustainability – validating our ongoing commitment to be one of the most innovative rights holders in sport.”