Matt Fitzpatrick 'very reassured' about Middle East as DP World Tour sends out strong signal

World No 4 Matt Fitzpatrick has spoken about being “very, very reassured” over the prospect of facing a trip to the Middle East for the DP World Tour’s season-ending Play-Offs.

In a strong signal from the DP World Tour in terms of the two events going ahead as scheduled, a new title sponsor for the Abu Dhabi Championship was announced on Wednesday morning.

Aldar, the Abu Dhabi-based real estate development, investment and asset management company, is the name set to be associated with the $9 million Rolex Series event when it is held at Yas Links on 5-8 November.

Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2024 winner, speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews | Jan Kruger/Getty Images

As part of that announcement, it has also been confirmed that Rory McIlroy, who is chasing a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title, will be spearheading the field.

Speaking a fortnight ago during the BMW PGA Championship, Fitzpatrick talked about his concerns over playing in the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict in the region.

“Being completely honest as things stand right now, I would say I'm not that comfortable,” admitted the Englishman, who won last year’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

“No, I wouldn't be that comfortable. A few things have obviously changed for me, perspective and stuff. I had a child in August, and that obviously kind of changes things, I guess, a bit more.”

The Ryder Cup star was asked again on Wednesday by The Scotsman during a pre-Alfred Dunhill Links Championship press conference if he had an update on his position regarding the Play-Offs.

“Obviously the Tour is getting good advice,” said the 2024 winner. “I've spoken to a few people over the last couple weeks, to be honest, and they were very reassuring in what's going on over there.

“Obviously five weeks, see where we are at but what they said was very, very reassuring and I think very easy for things to kind of get sort of twisted in terms of not necessarily what I said and my beliefs were.

“It's a tournament that I love going to and obviously a tournament that I play very well at, and obviously I would be very disappointed to miss it, to be honest. Kind of taking it week-by-week and just sort of seeing the other side of it. I've also got my eight-week-old son to think about.”