Remember me
Nacho Elvira lands third DP World Tour title after winning Dubai Invitational
Nacho Elvira admitted it had been a “dream come true” to win the Dubai Invitational with his partner and two young kids looking on in the United Arab Emirates.
The Spaniard chalked up a third DP World Tour title triumph after following a timely first birdie in ten holes at the 17th in the final round at Dubai Creek with a solid par-4 to finish.
Nacho Elvira celebrates with his family after winning the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort | Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesIn signing off with a 68 for a ten-under-par total, Elvira won by a shot from Kiwi Daniel Hillier, with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry ending up one further back in a group of four players.
“It means the world,” said Elvira, 38, of his success in the opening event of 2026 on the DP World Tour. “If you told me on Tuesday that I'm going to be winning this, I would never have believed you.
“It's a dream come true, especially having family here. I always dreamt of my kids walking up to me with a win and anything that happens after this is nothing but opportunities.”
Elvira claimed his maiden win in the Cazoo Open in 2021 before adding the Soudal Open three years later. This victory was his best yet, even though both Lowry and McIlroy contributed to it by running up a double bogey and bogey respectively at the closing hole.
“To get a win at the beginning of the season like this is unusual, and on a course like this, I love it,” he added. “When we came here two years ago (for the event’s inaugural edition), I fell in love with it. I think it's a fantastic course and a fantastic venue and I couldn't be more happy, to be honest.
“I've been in this position before and I feel like I've always tried to hold on to the score. And this time I knew that Shane and Rory were behind and some of the good players. I felt like I wanted to push a little bit to keep going and keep being aggressive.
Nacho Elvira shows off the Dubai Invitational trophy with partner Cristina Ortega after winning the DP World Tour’s first event of 2026 | Andrew Redington/Getty Images“I'm not someone who looks at the leaderboards too much. I try to stay in the moment and the present as much as I can. At one point I saw it. But I couldn't really do anything about it.
“I always try to make as many birdies as I can. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. I'm just happy this time it turned around on my side.”
How did he plan to celebrate a win that catapulted him 72 places to fourth in the Race to Dubai? “Put the children to bed quick and perhaps a very early dinner,” he said, smiling.