SHOOTING STARS

By Matt Smith – Editor, Golf Digest Middle East

The stage is set for the 34th Dubai Desert Classic, with a new sponsor and a record $9 million on the line for the DP World Tour’s flagship Middle East event.

As ever, the Rolex Series tournamet — now sponsored by Hero MotoCorp — is attracting huge crowds and some of the biggest names in golf‚ and they do not come much bigger than Rory McIlroy. The world No. 1 is raring to go in his first start of 2023, following yet another stellar year that saw him claim top spots on both the Atlantic by winning the PGA Tour FedEx Cup and the DP World Tour season-long Rankings race.

Having taken a well-earned break over the festive season, now the Northern Irishman is back at Emirates Golf Club on a mission to claim a third Dubai Desert Classic title. But that will be much easier said than done as 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry, plus DP World Tour stars Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Fox and Tyrrell Hatton will be among those teeing up with their eyes on the prize, too.

Then there are surging stars like Adrian Meronk, Sepp Straka, Seamus Power and newly crowned Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Victor Perez, alongside the likes of recent Hero Cup stars Robert MacIntyre, Guido

Migliozzi, Matt Wallace, Thomas Detry, Alex Noren and Ewen Ferguson. The old boys have also served a bit of a wake-up call to the young pups in recent times, with veterans such as Padraig Harrington, Francesco Molinari, Richard Bland plus Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald rolling back the years as they rolled in the putts, reminding us all what they are still capable of.

The stars of the future are on show in the UAE too, with leading amateurs Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, Egypt’s Issa Abou El Ela and American Michael Thorbjornsen all set to rub shoulders with the big guns.

Add other major winners such as Henrik Stenson and Patrick Reed into the mix and the stage is set for another thriller, following the dramatic playoff victory for Norway’s Viktor Hovland in the fading light 12 months ago, as he held off McIlroy and Bland on a gripping Sunday for a famous win.

With the roll of honour on the Hero Dubai Desert Classic winners’ list including greats such as Seve Ballesteros, Ernie Els, Fred Couples, José María Olazábal, Mark O’Meara, Tiger Woods, Stenson, McIlroy, and Sergio Garcia, enjoy the intrigue and the action to see who will add their name to that prestigious list.

Triple Threat

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Next Generation

Playing It Forward

Dear readers,

Hello and welcome to the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. It is my honour and privilege to be able to welcome everyone back to Emirates Golf Club and the greens and fairways of the Majlis Course for what I know will be another incredible event.

It is hard to believe the tournament is now more than 30 years old. From those early days, and much like Dubai itself, we have seen growth beyond our wildest expectations. From establishing ourselves as ‘The Major of the Middle East’, to the globally recognised, highly anticipated event we have today — there is a huge amount for us to be proud of. The hard work and dedication of an incredible number of people have got us to this point, and it is our duty to ensure we develop, nurture and grow, in the years to come.

Which brings us to today, and the 34th edition of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

The field is incredibly strong, with multiple major winners including world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and a whole host of DP World Tour stars such as Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Ryan Fox in action. We will also have a strong European Ryder Cup presence, with the last two captains Thomas Bjorn and Padraig Harrington teeing up, along with this year’s incumbent Luke Donald. It is a field of exceptional calibre, and one which will make for four thrilling days of excellence in sport.

But, as we all know, this event is not just about the golf. This is a wonderful family occasion with fun for all ages — so head to Tournament Town and enjoy the entertainment — on and off the course.

Once again, welcome to the Hero Dubai Desert Classic — we cannot wait to welcome you all for another sensational weekend!

Umbrellas and waterproofs could be required for all you golf fans this weekend as some wet weather is forecast. Rain is expected from Thursday, with showers continuing until Saturday, before clearing in time for the big finale on Sunday.

SIMON CORKILL