Race to Dubai 2016 Standings: Latest Rankings Before Nedbank Golf Challenge

Henrik Stenson could claim the Race to Dubai before the European Tour even makes it to the Final Series event, as a win at the 2016 Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa can seal the deal if everything goes his way.

With Danny Willett coming up short at the Turkish Airlines Open, where Thorbjorn Olesen won and the Englishman finished well outside the top 20, the Masters winner now needs to finish inside the top 10 in South Africa to ensure the race is decided at the DP World Tour Championship.

Here's a look at the latest Race to Dubai standings heading into the second Final Series event, as well as permutations for the race:

Pos	Player	Tournaments Played	Race to Dubai Points
1	Henrik Stenson	14	3,843,284
2	Danny Willett	23	3,591,120
3	Rory McIlroy	13	2,824,149
4	Tyrrell Hatton	22	2,362,376
5	Alex Noren	21	2,318,604
6	Rafa Cabrera Bello	21	1,969,107
7	Louis Oosthuizen	14	1,760,893
8	Chris Wood	25	1,756,331
9	Thorbjorn Olesen	25	1,751,589
10	Branden Grace	14	1,749,895

As reported by the European Tour's official website, every single player currently sitting inside the top 10 can still win the Race, with 1,048,522 points on offer at the Nedbank Golf Challenge from Nov. 10-13.

Stenson holds a commanding lead over Willett and Rory McIlroy, however, and if the 2013 champion can win the event and Willett finishes outside the top 10, the race is over. Willett has been in dreadful form of late, but as shared by the European Tour's official Twitter account, the course at the Gary Player Country Club has worked wonders for him in the past:

Two-time defending European champion McIlroy needs things to go his way as well to defend his title. If Stenson finishes seventh tied with one or better, the race is over for the Northern Irishman. If Willett ties for second with two others or better, McIlroy also can no longer win.

Stenson is the form man entering the tournament, and a seventh-placed finish seems likely―he's finished tied for seventh or better in his last four events, including his win at the Open and the silver medal at the Summer Olympics.

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

The Swede hasn't played that many tournaments since the summer but has rather been working on his swing and plotting his next move―so far, the strategy has worked to perfection.

A second-placed finish for Willett, or even a spot inside the top 10, seems less likely. The 29-year-old has struggled since his unexpected Masters win, culminating in a 68th place at the Turkish Airlines Open.

Willett hasn't placed inside the top 10 since the Italian Open, and he took to Twitter to voice his frustrations:

The Turkish Airlines Open provided Willett with the perfect opportunity to close the gap to Stenson and distance McIlroy further, with neither playing in Antalya. Instead, Stenson and McIlroy now enter the final two events of the Final Series well-rested.

The two have split the DP World Tour Championship since 2012, and things look no different in 2016. Stenson remains the clear favourite to win the Race thanks to his enormous lead in the standings, and McIlroy will be the favourite to challenge him for the final title of the European Tour season.