Nacho Elvira delivered his best when it mattered on Sunday at Dubai Creek Resort in Dubai.

The winner of the 2026 Dubai Invitational was set to earn more than $450,000. A top-five finish could bring a six-figure payout, while players inside the top 10 are in line for more than $50,000.

After withdrawals from Richard Mansell and Ashun Wu, 58 players remain in the no-cut event.

Every player who completed four rounds, except Brandon Robinson Thompson, is expected to earn prize money. Even those near the bottom of the standings will take home close to $10,000.

Nacho Elvira started Sunday in the lead and stayed in position to finish the job. By the end of the final round, he secured the title and earned $467,500 in prize money, as reported by Golfweek.

A birdie at the 17th helped Elvira close with a 2-under 69. He finished at 10-under 274 and secured his third DP World Tour title at the 2026 Dubai Invitational.

As the prize money came into focus, the final step was to trace how Elvira put himself in position to earn the winner’s check.

How Nacho Elvira Beat Rory McIlroy and Others at the Dubai Invitational

The 38-year-old Spaniard held off challengers, including world No. 2 Rory McIlroy and 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry. The final round stayed tight, with five players sharing the lead at one point. 

Elvira began the day in front and extended his advantage to three shots with a birdie on No. 7. However, he dropped shots on his final two holes of the front nine. 

That opened the door for Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Daniel Hillier, and Marcus Armitage to draw level with him at 9 under heading into the closing stretch.

McIlroy slipped six shots back after two early bogeys. He moved back into the mix with five straight birdies starting at the ninth. The run ended there, and he signed for a 68 to finish tied for third.

Lowry then moved in front with a birdie at 15 to reach 15 under. But his approach at 18 went long, and his bunker shot rolled into the water in front of the green. He made double bogey, posted 69, and also finished tied for third.

Hillier made eagle on 13 and climbed the leaderboard. He closed with a 65 and set the mark at 9 under. Elvira made his first back-nine birdie at 17 to move one ahead. He then made par at 18 to secure the win.

Elvira’s victory closed the week in Dubai. Stay with us for more DP World Tour results, ranking moves, and storylines heading into next week.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu