The story of the 2025 Asian Swing on the Race to Dubai

With the DP World Tour taking a one-week break in its Race to Dubai schedule, here is all you need to know at the conclusion of the Asian Swing.

Nakajima claims Swing success

Since winning the Japan Golf Tour Organisation Order of Merit in 2023 to earn his DP World Tour card, the Japanese has impressed on Golf's Global Tour.

In just his 11th start, he won the Hero Indian Open at the challenging DLF Golf & Country Club, during a remarkable purple patch for his nation on Tour after wins for Rikuya Hoshino and Ryo Hisatsune in the months prior.

And while a second Tour win has since eluded him despite a string of strong performances, he is well placed to emulate his countrymen and earn dual membership status with the PGA TOUR.

After finishing 35th on the Race to Dubai at the end of last season, he struggled to produce his best over the opening weeks of the campaign during the International Swing but found his form over the Asian Swing.

He finished second to Richard Mansell at the Porsche Singapore Classic, before again finishing runner-up on his title defence in India to establish a commanding lead at the top of the Swing standings.

A missed cut would come at the Volvo China Open but he bounced back from that dissapointment with a tie for 11th at last week's inaugural Hainan Classic to finish top with 835.12 points from the Asian Swing.

In doing so, he secured a spot at the second Major of the year - the US PGA Championship - and climbed to 100th on the Official World Golf Ranking.

How it unfolded

Porsche Singapore Classic

For the second consecutive year, Singapore played host to the start of the Swing at Laguna National, one of the most demanding tests of golf in Asia. Incessant rain resulted in the tournament being reduced to 54 holes as the first round was pushed back by a day, with a fantastic job by all involved enabling play to start on Friday. English duo Marcus Armitage and Matthew Jordan were the early pacesetters after day one, before American Qualifying School graduate Dan Erickson hit the front heading into the final round as Rolex Series winner Robert MacIntyre surged into contention. The final round was full of drama, with Richard Mansell saving his best until last to claim his maiden DP World Tour title, two-putting from over 100 feet for a birdie at the 18th to sign for a closing 66 and finish the tournament on 16 under par, one ahead of early clubhouse leader Nakajima.

Hero Indian Open

A week later, the DP World Tour made the journey to the beautiful yet brutal DLF Golf & Country Club for the Hero Indian Open. Its reputation as one of the most demanding layouts was further enhanced by just three players finishing the week under par in New Delhi. In a further sign of just how tough the examination was, the low score after the opening day of four under proved to be the winning total after the final round. Playing as an invite, Eugenio Chacarra held a share of the halfway lead alongside defending champion Nakajima at the halfway stage, with the Spaniard holding the solo advantage heading into the final round despite being over par on moving day. The 25-year-old made a nervous start, making a double-bogey on the first and a bogey at the third, but he made five birdies in a nine-hole stretch midway through his round to regain control and hold off the chasers down the stretch.

Volvo China Open

Following the first Major Championship of the season at the Masters, attention switched to the first of back-to-back events in China as Enhance Anting GC played host to the 30th edition of the country's national open. Tapio Pulkannen produced a stellar 62 to set a new course record on the opening day, before the Finn was joined by Chacarra and Haotong Li - both winners so far this season. The in-form pair went into the final round as joint leaders, with plenty of expectation surrounding home star Li. However, it was his countryman Ashun Wu who emerged from the chasing pack to seal victory after a closing 65, featuring five birdies on his back nine. In doing so, he won the Volvo China Open for the second time - almost a decade to the day since claiming his maiden DP World Tour title on home soil. Having started the week without full playing privileges, he left Shanghai exempt on Tour until the end of next year and in joint-third on the Asian Swing Rankings, behind Nakajima and Chacarra.

Hainan Classic

Held at Mission Hills Haikou, the inaugural Hainan Classic again brought together a mixture of DP World Tour established regulars, rising stars and emerging local talent in an event co-sanctioned by the China Tour. At the halfway stage, American Sean Cocker led the way as he sought to claim his second DP World Tour title. But heading into the final round it was Englishman Marco Penge - the HotelPlanner Tour Number One in 2023 - who shared the lead alongside home hope Bowen Xiao. Penge found himself one shot behind a charging Crocker as he began the back nine but he produced a hat-trick of birdie at the 12th, 13th and 14th to take charge as he went on to seal a three-shot victory on his 47th Tour start. In doing so, he climbed to the third on the Asian Swing Rankings to join Nakajima and Chacarra in claiming a spot at the US PGA Championship.

How it finished - The top ten on the Asian Swing Rankings

What does it mean?

As winner of the Asian Swing, Nakajima ensures himself entry into all events in the second phase of the season, the Back 9, and takes home a US$200,000 bonus.

The exemption into the Genesis Scottish Open for the leading available DP World Tour member not otherwise exempt from the Asian Swing Rankings will be officially confirmed at close of entries on June 26th.

Nakajima, Chacarra and Penge - all winners during the Asian Swing - have earned a spot in the 2025 US PGA Championship as the leading three players from the Swing standings.

As the four players from Category 18 to have earned the most Race to Dubai ranking points at the conclusion of the Hainan Classic (excluding the eight members already re-ranked after the International Swing Ranking), Edoardo Molinari, Davis Bryant, Clément Sordet and Wilco Nienaber are likely to have boosted their playing opportunities during the rest of the season.

What's next?

After a six-year absence, the Turkish Airlines Open is back on the DP World Tour schedule and marks the start of the fourth of the season's five Global Swings - the European Swing. From Regnum Carya, DP World Tour members head stateside for the second men's Major of the season - the U.S. PGA Championship. Belgian golf will then be put in the spotlight with the Soudal Open, before we return to Austria for the first time since 2021 for the Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand, followed by the KLM Open in the Netherlands. After more Major action at the U.S. Open, the Italian Open takes place at Argentario Golf Club in Tuscany, before the Swing reaches a climax at the BMW International Open in Germany.

*Major Championships do not count towards the Swing Rankings during the 2025 Race to Dubai.

European Swing schedule