On the PGA Tour, the last nine years have yielded a different FedEx Cup winner. Nine different golfers including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson have won the PGA Tour's playoffs (and $10 million prize that goes with it).
On the European Tour, however, only Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson have taken home the playoff title over the last four years. This year they will try to make if five in a row.
This is partly because the European Tour doesn't reset its rankings during the playoffs like the PGA Tour does and partly because those two have been lights out in the European Tour playoffs. McIlroy won in 2012 and 2015. Stenson in 2013 and 2014. The two are in the top three of the standings once again.
Here are a few things to know as the Race To Dubai winds down this month.
1. There are only two tournaments left
Last week's Turkish Airlines Open was the first of three playoff events. This week's Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa is the second. Next week's World Tour Championship is the end. There used to be four events in these playoffs (including the WGC-HSBC Champions), but the European Tour erased that and made it a three-tournament affair. The field will be cut from 72 this week to 60 next week for the finale.
2. It should come down to Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett
Golfers get points based on earnings from tournaments. For example, last week Thorbjorn Olesen netted 1.07 million Euros and rocketed up the standings into ninth place because he also got 1.07 million points towards the Race To Dubai.
This culminates next week with a monstrous $8 million purse at the World Tour Championship which means the eventual winner of the Race To Dubai is normally also the winner of this tournament. This is similar to how the Tour Championship winner is also usually the FedEx Cup winner on the PGA Tour.
Here is a look at the current top 10.
Depending on what happens this week in South Africa, it looks to probably be a three-golfer race between McIlroy, Willett and Stenson.
3. There is a lot at stake
The winner of the Race To Dubai takes home $1.5 million in bonus prize money and the other nine golfers in the top 10 split up another $3.5 million. It's not exactly the $10 million McIlroy won for taking home the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup, but it's not a joke either.
4. Rory is laying low
McIlroy skipped the Turkish Airlines Open last week and also won't play this week in South Africa. This obviously hurts his chances as he needs to be closer to Stenson than he is to be able to control his own destiny at the World Tour Challenge.
Last year, the difference in first and second in the final tournament was 450,000 points. McIlroy currently trails Stenson by over 1,000,000, and Stenson could extend that lead this week in South Africa. Willett, on the other hand, is struggling mightily and probably won't factor in.
"I guess it's out of my hands," McIlroy said of not going to Turkey in regards to the Race To Dubai. "That's the thing. I took the decision not to go to Turkey next week, and those boys can battle it out. If I have somewhat of a chance going into Dubai, that's great. But if not, I think over the course of the season, they have had big wins and played well. They are two major champions, so I'm okay with that."
McIlroy will likely have a shot to win it with a win at the World Tour Championship to wrap up the European Tour year next week. He would be just the second golfer to win the playoffs on both the European Tour and PGA Tour (Stenson did it in 2013).
And if he doesn't? Well, a familiar face probably will once again. Remember, it's been McIlroy or Stenson every year for the last four. There is no reason that will change this time around.
