What to look out for from this season's events on the Asian Swing

A stern challenge awaits players on the DP World Tour during the Asian Swing.

Last season, three of the top five toughest holes were across courses that will feature in the upcoming stretch of events on the 2026 Race to Dubai schedule.

Of those upcoming tournaments over the course of the next seven weeks, two are set to be defended by first-time winners while another was won by a multiple winner of great experience who made home advantage count.

As is so often said, no test is ever the same from week-to-week on the DP World Tour.

Starting at this week’s Hainan Classic in China, followed by the Hero Indian Open, Volvo China Open and Turkish Airlines Open – either side of the Masters Tournament – there is much to look forward to.

Examining some of the numbers behind last year’s Swing and casting a keen eye on the courses, here is what to look out for – focusing on the four counting events towards the Asian Swing rankings.*

*the Masters, like all Major Championships, does not count towards Swing rankings

Hainan Classic presented by MAEXTRO

After its inaugural edition last year, the Hainan Classic presented by MAEXTRO takes on a new look in 2026.

This time, the event features a Pro-Am model over the opening two rounds across the Blackstone and Vintage courses at Mission Hills Haikou. At the halfway stage, the professionals finishing among the top 65 and ties progress to contest the final 36 holes solely on the Backstone.

So, while the DP World Tour is entering the unknown with a new course in the Vintage, there is plenty to be gleaned about the Blackstone course.

Measuring 7,637 yards on the scorecard, the layout is the jewel in the crown at the internationally renowned golf resort and there is a bed of lava rock across most of the holes.

At 681 yards, the par-five 13th is a beast. It is the third longest hole in DP World Tour history, behind the 705-yard 16th at Green Eagle Golf Courses in Germany and the fourth at Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate, former host venue of the Tshwane Open in South Africa.

Longest holes in DP World Tour history

From the 11th to the 14th, the four-hole stretch measures a staggering 1,913 yards.

With all that in mind, length off the tee is a big advantage.

Marco Penge led the DP World Tour in strokes gained off the tee across the season and the Englishman went on to claim this title in 2025 with a winning score of 17 under.

Sweden’s Mikael Lindberg leads that category so far this campaign – one to watch this week?

A fast start will also be important. The top five finishers last year were all inside the top 15 after the opening round, so players will likely have to be at their best from the off when they tackle the Blackstone course.

Hero Indian Open

DLF Golf & Country Club is one of the DP World Tour’s toughest tests, if not the hardest.

Its challenge was highlighted with three holes featuring inside the top ten hardest last season, more than any other venue on the schedule.

Last year, the scoring average was close to four over par - the highest on Tour across the 2025 Race to Dubai.

Just three players were under par for the week last year.

A punishing layout, any lack of accuracy is quickly exposed on this geometric design.

The par four 17th – the fifth hardest hole of all events last season - proved to be one of Eugenio Chacarra’s tougher tests on his way to winning with a 72-hole score of four under.

With a double bogey in round two and a bogey in the final round, it was the only hole on the back nine where he dropped shots at any point during the week.

Carnage could be on the cards again in New Delhi over a layout that is beautiful and brutal in equal measure.

Volvo China Open

Shanghai is nicknamed the Magic City, but you don’t need sorcery to have a good week at Enhance Anting Golf Club.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., it is best characterised by the large water hazards and dramatic bunkering.

While 2025 winner Ashun Wu produced a flawless record on the sixth, parring it in all four rounds, the demanding par four allowed just 31 birdies across the week.

Joel Moscatel delivered the hole’s only eagle, but the overall scoring told the real story: 207 bogeys and 64 double bogeys or worse made this another demanding test in the 2025 season.

In total, just six holes played under par last year.

It is a cliché, but patience really is a virtue here in what is a mental test above all.

Choosing when to attack, with three sub-400-yard par fours among the four easiest holes last year, is imperative.

Four Chinese golfers finished in the top ten last year, so don’t be surprised if a local favourite is in contention again.

Turkish Airlines Open

Taking a new place in the DP World Tour's schedule this year, the event marks the climax of the Asian Swing and serves as a bridge before a move to Continental Europe in May.

While still in Belek, Antalya, the tournament has moved from Regnum Carya to the nearby National Golf Club.

By now, plenty is likely to be on the line with the leading three players on the Asian Swing rankings claiming a berth at the US PGA Championship.

And while we can't make a direct comparison to last year's edition, with this also being a new venue for the DP World Tour, it is the oldest and most prestigious course in the area.

Set within dense eucalyptus and pine trees, a number of the fairways are tight on this par-72 7,287-yard layout.

The undulating greens are guarded by carefully placed bunkers and with overhanging trees in sight off the tee, course management is set to be key to playing well.

France's Martin Couvra, 2025 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year, will return to Türkiye to defend his title after a closing 64 last year saw him claim his maiden DP World Tour title with a two-shot victory.