Dubai Invitational Betting Tips: 5 Selections From The United Arab Emirates
The delayed PGA Tour finally gets under way at the Sony Open in Hawaii this week, but instead The Panel are heading to the Middle East for the Dubai Invitational.
Last year’s runner-up Rory McIlroy is the 10/3 favourite on betting sites to go one better at this 60-man pro-am, inaugural winner Tommy Fleetwood is available at 9/2.
Shane Lowry and the in-form South African Jayden Schaper, bidding to win a third successive DP World Tour title, can both be backed at 16/1.
The Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club itself is a par-71 measuring 7,059 yards and seems to favour players with a strong iron games, judging by last year’s numbers.
Four of the players that finished in the top five dominated the Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green stats 12 months ago and Fleetwood confirmed that the “firm and fast” greens meant it was essential “to get as much control with your iron shots as possible”.
World number three Fleetwood had an incredible final six months during which he won the Tour Championship at East Lake and took four of the five points available in Europe’s thrilling Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black.
The top three in the market look tempting, but The Panel have picked out three each-way selections at 35/1 and higher for their Dubai Invitational betting tips, which also include a first-round leader and a top 10.
Dubai Invitational Tips: Fox Can Fire In Dubai
Ryan Fox enjoyed a brilliant season on the PGA Tour, winning the Myrtle Beach Classic and Canadian Open in play-offs over the space of four weeks.
The long-hitting New Zealander then finished in the top 20 at the US Open and the Travelers Championship before an understandable dip in form from July.
However, Fox played well (T14) at the French Open in September and followed T39 at the Australian PGA Championship with a T14 at the Australian Open a week later.
Fox was mid-table in the SG: Tee-to-Green stats at last year’s Dubai Invitational, but was fourth overall at the end of the 2025 DP World Tour, behind elite players McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, Fleetwood and Aaron Rai.
The world number 40 shot four sub-par rounds to finish a respectable 14th last year and if he can take advantage of the three mid-length par-fives, he should be challenging for the title on Sunday.
Fox is 35/1 with Betfred and is the first leg of The Panel’s Dubai Invitational betting tips.
Dubai Invitational Betting Tips 1: Ryan Fox 35/1 (Each-Way) - With Betfred (Five Places)
Dubai Invitational Betting Tips:
- Ryan Fox 35/1 (Each-Way) - With Betfred (Five Places)
- Thriston Lawrence 35/1 (Each-Way) - With William Hill (Five Places)
- Ewen Ferguson 60/1 (Each-Way) - With BetMGM (Five Places)
- Grant Forrest Top 10 - 6/1 With SpreadEx
- Dylan Frittelli 125/1 First-Round Leader (Each-Way) - With Bet365 (Five Places)
(Odds correct at the time of publication: 1pm - 13/01/2026)
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Dubai Invitational Predictions: Lawrence Worth A Whirl
Thriston Lawrence won the European Masters for a second time last year, his fifth DP World Tour title, and it would be no surprise if he were to land a sixth this week.
Despite being just 14th in the 60-man field for SG: T2G last year, Lawrence finished runner-up to champion Fleetwood on the back of an excellent putting display, topping the rankings by gaining 2.34 shots on the field.
His performance with the flatstick came as a slight surprise, bearing in mind he only just ranked inside the top 100 for Strokes Gained: Putting last season.
If Lawrence fails to produce another red-hot showing on the greens, he will certainly need to improve on his approach play which was acceptable last season without being spectacular.
It may be that this course suits Lawrence’s eye, in which case he could get the year off to a flying start.
Lawrence rounded off 2025 with a top 20 at the weather-affected Alfred Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg which was shortened to 54 holes, so he has momentum on his side.
At 35/1 with a handful of betting apps, Lawrence could threaten this quality field and go close once more.
Dubai Invitational Betting Tips 2: Thriston Lawrence 35/1 (Each-Way) - With William Hill (Five Places)
Dubai Invitational Golf Tips: Ferguson Appeals
Ewen Ferguson finished just outside the top 10 at last year’s Dubai Invitational and looks a livewire at 60/1 with BetMGM, although Ladbrokes are offering 50/1 for seven places on a player that won his first title at this level in the Middle East four years ago.
The Scot was very consistent 12 months ago, shooting 69-68-69-68, with three of his four bogeys coming at the 15th – one of the easier holes on this water-dominated lay-out.
The 29-year-old Glaswegian excelled from tee to green at this course last year and was fourth for SG: Approach and Greens in Regulation – encouraging stats ahead of this week’s challenge.
Ferguson had three top-fives on last season’s Tour and ended the year with 10th spot at the Nedbank Golf Challenge, so he should start 2026 with confidence and is the last of The Panel’s Dubai Invitational outright tips.
Dubai Invitational Betting Tips 3: Ewen Ferguson 60/1 (Each-Way) - With BetMGM (Five Places)
Dubai Invitational Top-10 Tips: Forrest To Fire In UAE
Grant Forrest finished in mid-division at the inaugural Dubai Invitational, but The Panel suspect he can improve that position this week.
Forrest hit plenty of greens at this venue last season, but a disappointing putting display meant he rarely threated the leaderboard.
The Scot heads to the Middle East with a spring in his step, though, after winning his second Tour title in August – the Nexo Championship at the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire.
That victory saw Forrest break into the world’s top 200 and although four missed cuts followed, he played exceptionally well at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (T11) and the Spanish Open (T16) a week later.
Wind could be a factor on Friday and Saturday, so his experience on links courses could prove invaluable at Dubai Creek Resort.
Forrest is unlikely to win this week, but is considered at 6/1 for a top-10 finish with SpreadEx.
Dubai Invitational Betting Tips 4: Grant Forrest Top 10 - 6/1 With SpreadEx
Dubai Invitational First-Round Leader Tips: Fast Start For Frittelli?
Finally, Dylan Frittelli to be first-round leader at 125/1 with Bet365 catches the eye in a limited field.
The South African is making his debut at this course, but he has been getting off to some fast starts lately.
Despite missing the cut at the RSM Classic in November, Frittelli posted an opening-round 65 to sit just outside the top 10 on Thursday.
In his last outing of 2025, he was third after day one of the Mauritius Open, so the signs are encouraging he can burst out of the blocks at an admittedly unfamiliar course.
Dubai Invitational Betting Tips 5: Dylan Frittelli 125/1 First-Round Leader (Each-Way) - With Bet365 (Five Places)
Who do you think will win the Dubai Invitational? Let us know in the comment below blow!
