Amgen Irish Open: Fantasy DP World Tour Powered by Axi ones to watch

The Back 9 powers on as we head to Doonbeg for a true links test at the Amgen Irish Open.

Here is everything that players of our Fantasy game need to know.

Trump International Golf Links & Hotel this week plays host to one of the most storied and eagerly anticipated events on the Race to Dubai.

First held in 1927 and a continuous part of the DP World Tour schedule since 1975, the event has been won three times each by Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Sir Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie, with Faldo famously winning three years in a row from 1991-93.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy is looking to join the three-time winner's club this week, as is fellow Ryder Cup star and former World Number One Jon Rahm.

Shane Lowry won this event as an amateur in 2009 and he tees it up on home soil joined by more 2025 Ryder Cup heroes in the shape of Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Rasmus Højgaard, Sepp Straka, Captain Luke Donald and Vice Captain Francesco Molinari.

Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World leader Patrick Reed is joined in the field by fellow multiple 2026 winners Jayden Schaper, Casey Jarvis and Eugenio Chacarra, while Alex Fitzpatrick makes his first regular DP World Tour appearance since winning the Hero Indian Open after a stunning start to life on the PGA TOUR.

Pádraig Harrington will continue one of golf's most remarkable runs as he makes his 31st consecutive start in his home open, with fellow multiple Major Champion Brooks Koepka also in action.

Who are the most backed players

Scotsman MacIntyre is our most popular pick in the early stages, featuring in 65% of teams, ten percentage points clear of Lowry.

And it's Team Europe all the way in the top five, with Rahm marginally behind Lowry and Hatton and McIlroy coming next.

What is the Axi Edge Score?

The Axi Edge Score made a spectacular debut earlier this month as it tipped Jeff Winther, with the Dane going on to win his second DP World Tour title at the Danish Golf Championship on home soil.

The Axi Edge Score is a rating from 0-100 combining form, consistency and upside into a single score making it easier to compare players and gain the edge on your rivals.

The score is built entirely from data the Fantasy game already produces, via a composite golfer rating as follows:

Skill (50%)

What it measures: How well is this golfer scoring right now?

•  Average fantasy points per tournament over the golfer's last five completed events

Consistency (30%)

What it measures: How reliable is this golfer?

•  % of last five tournaments where the golfer finished above the field median Fantasy score

Risk (20%)

What it measures: How volatile is this player from week-to-week?

Best single-tournament Fantasy score in the last five events

Who has the Edge?

Thriston Lawrence

History appears to be repeating itself after Lawrence turned a quiet season on its head with victory at last week's Omega European Masters. It was the South African's third win up the mountain and sixth DP World Tour title in total, with all of those coming inside the last five years. He has twice finished third at this event and although both of those weeks were on parkland courses, he does have some links prowess having finished fourth at the 2024 Open. A serial winner with the wind in his sails is always going to be a threat.

Favourite: Rory McIlroy

No surprise here that home hero McIlroy is the favourite with the bookmakers and, let's be honest, most observers. Some would argue that he is having a quiet season by his standards with just the one win but that victory was his second consecutive triumph at the Masters. Both of his previous wins at this event have come at The K Club and he would surely now love to claim one over the links terrain for which the island is famous. Raised in Holywood and an Open champion who finished in the top ten at Royal Portrush in 2025, there is no doubt he has the game to tame this week's layout. He is also in the rare position of chasing in the Race to Dubai as he looks to claim a fifth consecutive Harry Vardon trophy and match Colin Montgomerie's all-time record of eight. Hungry and at home, Rory is going to take some beating.

Form Horse: Alex Fitzpatrick

The life of this Alex Fitzpatrick is very different to that of the one who made his professional debut at this event in 2022. The following season he won enough points in limited starts to secure a full card (he would have also graduated from the HotelPlanner Tour) but it is fair to say that this has been his breakout year. His victory in India was swiftly followed by another alongside brother Matt at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA Tour and he has not looked back. Four top tens in Signature Events on the PGA Tour helped him all the way to the Tour Championship at East Lake and it was there he finished fourth in his last start. When he missed the cut at this event 12 months ago he was 260th in the world and battling to keep his card, he is now a career-high 61st and established on both sides of the Atlantic.

What can I win?

Sign up and now be in with a chance of winning some great rewards!

The Ultimate Prize

Finish the 2026 Race to Dubai with the highest total Fantasy score and you’ll take home an incredible top-tier prize package:

1st

•  Two Ticket+ tickets to one DP World Tour event in 2027, valid for each day of competition. Both tickets must be used at the same tournament, chosen from the following: British Masters, BMW PGA Championship, Genesis Scottish Open, Irish Open, or Open de France.

•  £500 flight voucher, redeemable in line with the issuing airline/provider’s terms and conditions.

•  £500 accommodation voucher, redeemable with the respective accommodation provider’s terms and conditions.

2nd

•  £300 DP World Tour Store voucher (subject to applicable terms and conditions).

•  Two General Admission tickets (valid for each competition day) to one 2027 DP World Tour event of the winner’s choice from: British Masters, BMW PGA Championship, Genesis Scottish Open, Irish Open, or Open de France.

3rd

•  £150 DP World Tour Store voucher (subject to applicable terms and conditions).

•  Two General Admission tickets (valid for each competition day) to one 2027 DP World Tour event of the winner’s choice from: British Masters, BMW PGA Championship, Genesis Scottish Open, Horizon Irish Open, or Open de France.

This year also introduces two brand-new Boosters: Triple Captain and Bench Boost, giving you even more ways to outscore the competition and climb the global leaderboard.

Alongside the season-long chase for the Ultimate Prize, players will also be able to win rewards throughout the year with prizes available for each Global Swing and Phase of the Race to Dubai.

Axi Back 9 Challenge

The Axi Back 9 Challenge raises the stakes in Fantasy too with prizes up for grabs every week throughout the Back 9. And there’s a huge reward for consistency, with the player who scores the most Fantasy points across all nine events winning a trip to the 2027 DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Looking Back - Omega European Masters

He may have been the defending champion but after a quiet season up until last week, only 2.39% of players took home the 217 points for a Lawrence victory in Crans-Montana.

Our man with the Axi Edge Nacho Elvira finished in a tie for 11th, Favourite Ryan Gerard was in a tie for 30th and Form Horse Fabrizio Zanotti was just inside the top 50.

Season so far - 2026 DP World Tour Fantasy Top 10 player rankings