ROUND 1 • THURSDAY • JANUARY 27, 2022 • ISSUE 1
NEW ERA Welcome to the 33rd edition of the ‘Major of the Middle East’, an event intent on embracing an exciting new future while clinging on to all the best parts of its rich history.
MORIKAWA MAKEOVER
By Kent Gray – Editor, Golf Digest Middle East
PAGE 04
A
new title sponsor. Upgraded $8 million Rolex Series status. An enhanced spectator experience. And freshly renovated greens, the perfect canvas for those enchanted by the DP World Tour’s shiny new Rolex gold star to display their extraordinary talents. Welcome to a new era for the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic where, despite all the exciting new developments, some things thankfully never change. Like the assembly of another stellar field for the 33rd ‘Major of the Middle East’, this year featuring three of the world’s top-10, multiple major champions, a plethora of Ryder and Presidents Cup heroes and serial DP World Tour and PGA Tour winners. After Thomas Pieters’ cool march to victory in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to herald the resumption of the 2021-22 DP World Tour season, the stage is set for another epic chapter in the history of the oldest event on tour outside of continental Europe. The only head-scratcher? Who will add their name to the famed roll call of champions at Emirates Golf Club. If the OWGR is your preferred barometer, No.2 Collin Morikawa, No. 5 Viktor Hovland and No.8 Rory McIlroy are the players to watch. But in the case of Morikawa and McIlroy at least, the form book isn’t overly flash; Morikawa slyncddc
struggled to a five-over par share of 62nd at Yas Links and was tied 68th here last year on debut. That said, form is temporary, class permanent and after capturing the Claret Jug, a WGC title, the DP World Tour Championship and Harry Vardon trophy as the first ever American to become European No.1 last year, Morikawa oozes the latter. McIlroy, meanwhile, is trending nicely. Looking to add a third Dallah trophy to his 2009 and 2015 collection, the 32-year-old Northern Irishman won the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup in October and started 2022 with a topsy-turvy share of 12th place in Abu Dhabi. It was a performance that spoke volumes of his resolve. There was a birdie on the 36th hole to make the cut on the number before a spectacular eagle on the 9th and a run of three birdies in his next four holes during the final round to briefly propel the four-time major champion into contention. Hovland was the best of the top-10 trio last week, finishing T4. Like McIlroy, there was a back-nine blip or two but don’t be surprised if the in-form Norwegian betters his T23 on debut in Dubai last January. Perhaps Pieters is the player to beat after his one-stroke victory over Dubai adopted Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello and India’s Shubhankar Sharma? To achieve a Rolex SeriesDesert Swing double the Belgian will... Turn to page 3 slyncdubaidesertclassic.com
Blown away in Abu Dhabi, the world No.2 has hit the reset button.
BEING SAM BENNETT
The PGA Tour star in training isn’t about to waste his sponsor invite. PAGE 05
LOCAL PIED PIPER
Dubai amateur Josh Hill will be one of this afternoon’s main drawcards. PAGE 10
Daily Draw Sheet & Course Map Navigate Emirates Golf Club with your guide to the first round groups. PAGE 8-9
PATRON & OFFICIAL PUBLISHER
#SlyncDDC #RolexSeries
2
NEWS
F1 RORS?
Rory McIlroy hopes he’ll be the sports star everyone is watching this week
R
ory McIlroy was rushing to the tee so couldn’t stop long to watch Harry Maguire hitting balls on the range, a pity given the world No.8 is a Manchester United fan. “He’s actually a lot bigger than I realised standing besides him,” McIlroy said of the Manchester United skipper. “Like standing next to him, he’s a big lad. I wouldn’t want to get tackled by him, that’s for sure.” The Pro-Ams at Emirates Golf Club proved fertile ground for star gazing with the Liverpool trio of Andrew Robertson, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain partnering 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel on Tuesday. Say, Rory, if you could job swap for a day with a another famous sportsperson, who would you be? “I just saw Lando [Norris] there coming off 18,” McIlroy said of the McLaren ace. “F1 driver wouldn’t be too bad. Would be exhilarating for a day at least. Might kill myself in the process.” “I [actually] think about that quite a lot. I think the thing that I value so much about being a golfer is you’re your own boss, you
It's early in the year, and all I can ask for is getting myself into contention, trying to hit shots under pressure when it matters and hopefully I get another chance to do that this week.
3
All about MCILROY
8
The number of successive top-10s McIlroy has enjoyed at the Desert Classic, up to his last appearance in 2018
12th
This is the world No.8s 12th Majlis appearance. He has missed the cut only twice, on debut in 2006 and again in 2008
64
The Northern Irishman’s lowest score on the Majlis, achieved three times.
turn up wherever you want to, basically and you make your own decisions. The responsibility is solely on you, which I think is a nice thing.” McIlroy was a genuine fan-boy back in 2006 when he made his debut at the Dubai Desert Classic as a 16-year-old amateur. After playing, he made the most of a media credential to follow Tiger Woods. “I had a better view than most being able to get inside the ropes. Tiger hit a 5-iron out of the right rough on 10 and and stopped it on the green and to this day it was one of the best golf shots I’ve ever seen. Just sticks out in my mind and I was right there for it.” So who would you follow this week if you were still 16? “Me?” McIlroy joked. “No, I mean, there’s so many guys. Obviously Collin, Viktor. I’m thinking like Harrington, Poulter, Westwood, Stenson, Monty for sure. How many more times are people going to get a chance to see Monty play golf in this part of the world?” After making the cut on the number with a 36th hole birdie and an unlikely Sunday charge before settling for a share of 12th in Abu Dhabi last week, McIlroy feels like he’s in reasonable early season shape. It’s great being back on a course where he made his professional breakthrough in 2009 and added his name to the Dallah for a second time in 2015. “The greens seem to get progressively smaller as we keep coming back, so to see the new green complexes is nice, to get them back to their original shapes. “As the trees grew up, everything got claustrophobic over the years and they have sort of tried to clear that out again too. It definitely doesn’t feel as constricting and it certainly doesn’t feel as constricting as even like last week where you had a lot of trouble on either side of fairways and water. There’s some opportunities where you can just step up and give it a rip which is nice. “It’s a great golf course. It’s a fun golf course to play. Gives you plenty of opportunities to make birdies. I think everyone enjoys coming back here.” –kent gray
From cover page not only have to negotiate a Majlis course where T23 is his best finish in seven starts, but also overcome history. No winner in Abu Dhabi has ever gone on to double-down in Dubai. The other usual suspects? As 2012 Dubai Desert Classic champion, Cabrera Bello knows how to get over the line on the Majlis. Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter (both T6), Shane Lowry (T12) and the bearded Adam Scott (T10) featured prominently last week, albeit all after suffering from the frustrating giveth and taketh of a testing Yas Links layout. Scott will have to reacquaint himself with the Majlis in his first Dubai appearance since 2002 while Hatton, no fan of the closing hole in Abu Dhabi last week, will be delighted to be back at Emirates G.C. A pair of third places in 2017 and 2018, to go with a closing 67 at Yas Links, hint that Hatton might find the Majlis’ always pivotal 18th more to his liking this week. Scour the draw and plenty of other names pop out: 2007 Dubai champion Henrik Stenson will be buoyed by a closing 67 last week, Sergio Garcia will channel his 2017 triumph here and don’t discount Lee Westwood adding one of the few big titles missing from his résumé. Enjoy the battle for amateur honours too between Dubai’s own Josh Hill and Ahmad Skaik and Sam Bennett, a PGA Tour star in training. A fresh era with players new mixing it with quality performers from Desert Classics past. The only guarantee? That another worthy name, be it a repeat champion or a delighted newbie, will hold the fabled Dallah trophy aloft come Sunday.
visit golfdigestme.com for the latest coverage Editor-in-Chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer
Chief Commercial Officer Anthony Milne
Group Editor and Managing Partner Ian Fairservice
Publisher David Burke
Editor Kent Gray Art Director Clarkwin Cruz Images Getty Images, Supplied by Falcon and Associates
General Manager – Production S. Sunil Kumar Assistant Production Manager Binu Purandaran
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4
NEWS
DESERT DO-OVER Y
ou know how the best players in the world make golf look so simple? Don’t be fooled. Collin Morikawa has arrived at the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic completely flummoxed as to the whereabouts of the game that has taken him to world No.2. After a tidy share of fifth at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, the 24-year-old PGA Tour star was literally blown away in Abu Dhabi last week, finishing the DP World Tour’s calendar year opener in a fiveover-par tie for 62nd. “Yeah, I have a lot to work on,” Morikawa said. “Spent all afternoon yesterday working. It was probably the hardest, longest I’ve worked in a while pre-tournament like on a Monday but it’s good. Sometimes you need to have that kind of reset button and really figure out and dive deep. I had my agent and my caddie and we were just literally sitting on the range for hours trying to figure out what to do.” The challenge for Morikawa is that his debut in Dubai last year was a struggle too, a tie for 68th. At least he can draw on the memories of last year when he won the WGC-Workday Championship in February, struggled, then found the reset button to claim the Claret Jug, the DP World Tour Championship and
All about COLLIN
No.2
Morikawa is sandwiched between Jon Rahm and Patrick Cantlay in the OWGR
S15.6m
Morikawa’s career earnings on the PGA Tour alone
with it, the Harry Vardon trophy as the first ever American to become European No.1. The turning point was the Scottish Open where Morikawa finished a lowly T71 the week before The Open. “Yeah, you know, the Scottish is weird because I felt like everything was actually really good. I had just blamed it on my clubs, which normally it’s not the case, right, but I was thinking, you know, I made my iron switch, I made a little putter switch. So there were certain things there that the game felt good. Last week, the game didn’t feel good. I didn’t know where the golf ball was going and I had to kind of figure that out, so look, yesterday was much needed and I feel a lot better where I am heading into this Thursday.” Is it simply a case of banking Abu Dhabi? “Yeah, you just forget about it. It’s as simple as that really. It’s not like I need to sit in a bed or stare at a wall to try to figure out what I do. “What happened last week, I wasn’t really in my head. I wasn’t playing to my strengths. Obviously I had no clue where ball was going which makes it a lot harder, but out here like you said, I now the golf course and I know where I need to hit it. “It’s just about remembering things I’ve done well in the past, and it’s as simple as really forgetting about what happened. I can’t do anything about what happened last week. It happened. I played bad. I learned from it. Last year, I have memories out here that I know I didn’t play well, I know I didn’t putt well and you just try to figure it out and play the best you can.” ◼
AMATEUR AMBITION
5
I'm here to win Texas amateur Sam Bennett will make his DP World Tour debut in Dubai courtesy of a sponsor’s exemption. And he intends making it thoroughly memorable.
R
ising U.S. star Sam Bennett has a simple aim for this week’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic. “I’m excited to play my first DP World Tour event in Dubai, and I want to win,” said the Texas A&M University senior who received a sponsor’s exemption courtesy of being the top-ranked player in the PGA Tour University Velocity Global Ranking. “Any week I tee it up that’s the aim. I’m not here to make the cut or the top 20. I feel my game is ready and I belong out here. I’m going to try to win this golf tournament.” The 22-year-old American hotshot seemed blissfully nonchalant about taking his place in a prestigious Dubai field that counts defending champion Paul Casey, three of the world’s top 10 players, multiple Masters, Open and Major winners, numerous Ryder Cup veterans, as well as serial DP World Tour and PGA Tour event winners. “I’d like to play with Rory [McIlroy] on Thursday and Friday, but I’m OK playing with anyone. Hopefully I get a good pairing or
group,” said Bennett who also revealed a tourism bucket-list for his first trip the UAE. “Dubai is awesome, it’s certainly a lot different from the small town in Texas where I live. The big skyscrapers are unreal. It looks like Las Vegas in the Middle East. The drive to the hotel from the airport was unbelievable with these big buildings and billboards everywhere. “I’m here with my cousin and girlfriend
I want to win. Any week I tee it up that’s the aim...
and we have a few tourist things on the list. We’re going to hit Mall of the Emirates to go skiing, the Burj Khalifa – we have to see the tallest building in the world – and we’ll go to The Palm to visit Atlantis – they’re all on my girlfriend’s list.” Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director – Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, revealed Bennett’s grandstand ability and infectious enthusiasm are vital ingredients in delivering a potentially memorable Dubai debut. “Sam has fantastic ability and, like so many of the young guns ripping up the U.S. college circuit, amazing mental fortitude for such a young man,” said Corkill. “He has the world at his feet and I am sure our knowledgeable galleries at Emirates Golf Club will take great delight watching a young talent who is destined for the highest echelons of the game.” As it turns out, Bennett hasn’t drawn McIlroy but will partner Andy Sullivan and Sami Valimaki instead, off the 10th at 11.40am. ◼
All about BENNETT
5th
Bennett’s current and career-best Amateur World Golf Ranking
1,706
The Texas amateur’s latest Official World Golf Ranking
70.53 Bennett’s season stroke average, the second lowest in Texas A&M history
8
DRAW SHEET
Order of Play
THURSDAY
JANUARY 27, 2022
Plan the day watching your favourite players with this guide to the groupings and tee times. 1. TIME 07:10 • HOLE 1
12. TIME 07:10 • HOLE 10
23. TIME 11:30 • HOLE 1
34. TIME 11:30 • HOLE 10
2. TIME 07:20 • HOLE 1
13. TIME 07:20 • HOLE 10
24. TIME 11:40 • HOLE 1
35. TIME 11:40 • HOLE 10
3. TIME 07:30 • HOLE 1
14. TIME 07:30 • HOLE 10
25. TIME 11:50 • HOLE 1
36. TIME 11:50 • HOLE 10
4. TIME 07:40 • HOLE 1
15. TIME 07:40 • HOLE 10
26. TIME 12:00 • HOLE 1
37. TIME 12:00 • HOLE 10
5. TIME 07:50 • HOLE 1
16. TIME 07:50 • HOLE 10
27. TIME 12:10 • HOLE 1
38. TIME 12:10 • HOLE 10
6. TIME 08:00 • HOLE 1
17. TIME 08:00 • HOLE 10
28. TIME 12:20 • HOLE 1
39. TIME 12:20 • HOLE 10
7. TIME 08:10 • HOLE 1
18. TIME 08:10 • HOLE 10
29. TIME 12:30 • HOLE 1
40. TIME 12:30 • HOLE 10
8. TIME 08:20 • HOLE 1
19. TIME 08:20 • HOLE 10
30. TIME 12:40 • HOLE 1
41. TIME 12:40 • HOLE 10
9. TIME 08:30 • HOLE 1
20. TIME 08:30 • HOLE 10
31. TIME 12:50 • HOLE 1
42. TIME 12:50 • HOLE 10
10. TIME 08:40 • HOLE 1
21. TIME 08:40 • HOLE 10
32. TIME 13:00 • HOLE 1
43. TIME 13:00 • HOLE 10
11. TIME 08:50 • HOLE 1
22. TIME 08:50 • HOLE 10
33. TIME 13:10 • HOLE 1
44. TIME 13:10 • HOLE 10
◼ SHINKWIN, Callum (ENG) ◼ SINGH BRAR, Jack (ENG) ◼ KJELDSEN, Søren (DEN)
◼ CROCKER, Sean (USA) ◼ LAGERGREN, Joakim (SWE) ◼ LAPORTA, Francesco (ITA) ◼ WU, Ashun (CHN) ◼ WARING, Paul (ENG) ◼ ELVIRA, Nacho (ESP)
◼ RAMSAY, Richie (SCO) ◼ STERNE, Richard (RSA) ◼ WALTERS, Justin (RSA)
◼ LARRAZÁBAL, Pablo (ESP) ◼ CALDWELL, Jonathan (NIR) ◼ MOLINARI, Edoardo (ITA)
◼ SAMOOJA, Kalle (FIN) ◼ COETZEE, George (RSA) ◼ SOUTHGATE, Matthew (ENG) ◼ FOX, Ryan (NZL) ◼ VAN DRIEL, Darius (NED) ◼ CAÑIZARES, Alejandro (ESP) ◼ ROCK, Robert (ENG) ◼ SMITH, Jordan (ENG) ◼ HORSEY, David(ENG)
◼ DRYSDALE, David (SCO) ◼ GARCIA RODRIGUEZ, Sebastian (ESP) ◼ JORDAN, Matthew (ENG) ◼ VAN TONDER, Daniel (RSA) ◼ WOOD, Chris (ENG) ◼ DONALDSON, Jamie (WAL)
◼ SKAIK, Ahmad (UAE) ◼ KAWAMURA, Masahiro (JPN) ◼ WHITNELL, Dale (ENG)
◼ HEND, Scott (AUS) ◼ KIEFFER, Maximilian (GER) ◼ LI, Haotong (CHN)
◼ BERTASIO, Nino (ITA) ◼ PULKKANEN, Tapio (FIN) ◼ LANGASQUE, Romain (FRA) ◼ BROBERG, Kristoffer (SWE) ◼ JAMIESON, Scott (SCO) ◼ CANTER, Laurie (ENG)
◼ SCHWARTZEL, Charl (RSA) ◼ SHARMA, Shubhankar (IND) ◼ HORSFIELD, Sam (ENG) ◼ HIGGO, Garrick (RSA) ◼ HØJGAARD, Nicolai (DEN) ◼ WILLETT, Danny (ENG)
◼ MORIKAWA, Collin (USA) ◼ MCILROY, Rory (NIR) ◼ WIESBERGER, Bernd (AUT) ◼ GARCIA, Sergio (ESP) ◼ HATTON, Tyrrell (ENG) ◼ LOWRY, Shane (IRL)
◼ KANAYA, Takumi (JPN) ◼ MIGLIOZZI, Guido (ITA) ◼ CABRERA BELLO, Rafa (ESP)
◼ STENSON, Henrik (SWE) ◼ MONTGOMERIE, Colin (SCO) ◼ GALLACHER, Stephen (SCO) ◼ WALLACE, Matt (ENG) ◼ BURMESTER, Dean (RSA) ◼ MORRISON, James (ENG) ◼ ROZNER, Antoine (FRA) ◼ SCRIVENER, Jason (AUS) ◼ PAISLEY, Chris (ENG)
◼ VON DELLINGSHAUSEN, Nicolai (GER) ◼ LAW, David (SCO) ◼ LUITEN, Joost (NED) ◼ ARNAUS, Adri (ESP) ◼ OLESEN, Thorbjørn (DEN) ◼ OTAEGUI, Adrian (ESP) ◼ DETRY, Thomas (BEL) ◼ WINTHER, Jeff (DEN) ◼ DUBUISSON, Victor (FRA)
◼ JIMÉNEZ, Miguel Ángel (ESP) ◼ BJÖRK, Alexander (SWE) ◼ BLAND, Richard (ENG) ◼ VAN ROOYEN, Erik (RSA) ◼ POULTER, Ian (ENG) ◼ WESTWOOD, Lee (ENG) ◼ CASEY, Paul (ENG) ◼ HOVLAND, Viktor (NOR) ◼ PIETERS, Thomas (BEL)
◼ MACINTYRE, Robert (SCO) ◼ FLEETWOOD, Tommy (ENG) ◼ SCOTT, Adam (AUS) ◼ HARRINGTON, Padraig (IRL) ◼ HØJGAARD, Rasmus (DEN) ◼ HERBERT, Lucas (AUS) ◼ HANSEN, Joachim B. (DEN) ◼ BJØRN, Thomas (DEN) ◼ PEREZ, Victor (FRA) ◼ HARDING, Justin (RSA) ◼ LAWRENCE, Thriston (RSA) ◼ CATLIN, John (USA) ◼ MERONK, Adrian (POL) ◼ ZANOTTI, Fabrizio (PAR) ◼ BESSELING, Wil (NED)
◼ CAMPILLO, Jorge (ESP) ◼ GAVINS, Daniel (ENG) ◼ PAVAN, Andrea (ITA)
◼ SULLIVAN, Andy (ENG) ◼ VÄLIMÄKI, Sami (FIN) ◼ BENNETT, Samuel (USA)
◼ ORMSBY, Wade (AUS) ◼ FICHARDT, Darren (RSA) ◼ BJERREGAARD, Lucas (DEN) ◼ STONE, Brandon (RSA) ◼ KINHULT, Marcus (SWE) ◼ ARMITAGE, Marcus (ENG) ◼ SCHMID, Matti (GER) ◼ GUERRIER, Julien (FRA) ◼ KARLBERG, Rikard (SWE)
◼ SODERBERG, Sebastian (SWE) ◼ COLSAERTS, Nicolas (BEL) ◼ FORREST, Grant (SCO)
◼ JANEWATTANANOND, Jazz (THA) ◼ FISHER, Ross (ENG) ◼ SYME, Connor (SCO) ◼ HILL, Josh (ENG) ◼ APHIBARNRAT, Kiradech (THA) ◼ SCHWAB, Matthias (AUT) ◼ VEERMAN, Johannes (USA) ◼ LEVY, Alexander (FRA) ◼ BROWN, Steven (ENG)
◼ KORHONEN, Mikko (FIN) ◼ KRUYSWIJK, Jacques (RSA) ◼ PAVON, Matthieu (FRA) ◼ WARREN, Marc (SCO) ◼ ANTCLIFF, Maverick (AUS) ◼ PEPPERELL, Eddie (ENG)
443
170
351
601
180
451
485
2
3
4
5
6
446
3356
488
3670
9
OUT
PL Players’ Lounge
EB Essences Bar
DR Driving Range
VIP Hospitality
MC Media Centre
TG Top Golf Bar
TV TV Compound
MV Marshals / Volunteers Area
Merchandise
Giant Screen
Scoreboard
Public Catering
Public Grandstands
Course Crossing
Walking Path
Parking Area
Solar Panels
KZ Kid’s Zone
Toilets
E
TT Tournament Town
72
37
5
4
4
3
4
5
4
3
5
PAR
General Public Access
Medical
6793
7428
TOTAL
516
3437
564
328
423
174
397
507
435
155
502
MTRS
3758
18
359
463
16
17
190
434
554
476
169
549
15
14
13
12
11
10
YDS
IN
35
4
4
3
4
4
3
5
4
4
#
Ticketing / Accreditation
420
186
459
7
8
412
165
550
321
429
469
1
MTRS PAR
YDS
#
MV
B
10
A
EB
VIP
16
TG
KZ
TT
11
15
17
MC
DR
PL
18
9
C
Al Khail Metro Station
D
TV
14
12
1
5
6
13
8
2
7
4
3
GENERAL PUBLIC
9
, HILL S GIDDY ASCENT 10
LOCAL HERO
Expect Dubai amateur Josh Hill to garner a decent gallery of his own at Emirates Golf Club.
D
rawcards Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa will have their opening rounds in the books by the time Dubai amateur Josh Hill tees it up from the Majlis’ 10th tee at 12.40pm on Thursday. But even if they were lining up in the same half of the draw, you suspect the 17-year-old might have stolen a few fans away from the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic’s marquee three-ball – eight time DP World Tour winner Bernd Wiesberger included - anyway. Hill is the toast of the region after brilliantly making three birdies in his final four holes to make the cut on the number at last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The shy teen went on to make six birdies and an
All about
187
Hill’s current Amateur World Golf Ranking. His best AWGR was 172nd
JOSH HILL
15
years, 6 months, 27 days. Hill’s age when he won the MENA Tour’s Al Ain Open
eagle in an eye-catching third round 69 and while slipping to a share of 58th with a closing 75, is in a confident mood heading into his Dubai debut. And why not. In addition to making his first DP World Tour cut, Hill beat world No.2 and reigning Open champion Morikawa by two shots at Yas Links. As such, you can bet the England international will take a few followers away from defending champion Paul Casey, world No.5 Viktor Hovland and freshly-minted Abu Dhabi champion Thomas Pieters who are off the 1st tee at 12.20pm in the flagship afternoon group. “I’ve proven to myself that I can compete with all of them even though I made some really silly mistakes that I feel like I can improve on,” Hill said after Abu Dhabi. “Having made the cut once, I want more of the same. This was huge for my confidence… in terms of showing that my game is good enough to compete at this level. It really was a case of moving up to another level.” ◼
Morikawa with Emirates NBD representatives Moadh Bukhash, Chief Marketing Officer, and Marwan Hadi, Executive Vice President of Retail Banking
EXPO 2020
11
Morikawa turns tourist at Expo 2020 Reigning Open champion Collin Morikawa took time out from preparing for this week’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic to tour Expo 2020 Dubai – the world’s ‘greatest show’. No stranger to the emirate after claiming a memorable victory at last November’s DP Tour World Championship, the world No.2 toured numerous country pavilions before posing for the cameras with some practice swings in front of the famous Al Wasl Dome. Joined on the tour by the Open’s iconic Claret Jug, which the 24-year-old won at Royal St George’s in England last year, Morikawa also made a special visit to Emirates NBD Pavilion, where he signed a caddie’s bib, before taking in Expo 2020 Dubai’s awe-inspiring water feature ‘Surreal’, between Al Wasl Plaza and Jubilee Park. ◼
As the tournament’s patron and official publisher, Motivate Media Group has been there every step of the way. That’s every drive, every putt and every shot covered since 1989.
motivatemedia.com
12
ROOFTOP CHARITY
Casey chips in for charity
The defending champion will hope to be as sharp around the Majlis greens during this week’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic.
R
eigning Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic champion Paul Casey warmed up for his title defence in style on Monday with a thrilling victory in the JA Lake View Hotel’s Charity Rooftop Challenge at JA The Resort Dubai. In an eye-catching warm-up event ahead of this week’s $8 million Rolex Series event at Emirates Golf Club, Casey edged out Henrik Stenson in the final of the star-studded matchplay competition.
With eight of this week’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic field playing from a purposebuilt tee box at the hotel’s rooftop BIBÉ venue, the players scored points for landing shots closest to a pin - some 97 yards away and six storeys down. In a field containing three major winners, Casey looked in great touch throughout the knockout format, recording the highest score of each round to rack up convincing victories over Scotland’s Grant Forest and Spaniard Rafa
All about
THE CHALLENGE
15,000
AED – the donation Casey earned for the Al Jalila Foundation
Cabrera Bello on his way to the final, where he saw off 2016 Open champion Stenson. On the other side of the draw, Stenson beat U.S. amateur Sam Bennett and defending Rooftop Challenge champion Adri Arnaus en route to the final, with former Masters champions Danny Willett and Charl Schwartzel both crashing out in the first round to Arnaus and Cabrera Bello. After his final victory, Casey had one final challenge - a one-shot shootout against JA Resorts and Hotels teaching professional Amy Boulden. Casey planted his chip two-feet from the pin to secure a 15,000 AED charity donation for Al Jalila Foundation. ◼
STAR GAZING
13
Liverpool 3-1 Schwartzel Charl Schwartzel
Andy Robertson
Robertson, Milner & Oxlade-Chamberlain
James Milner
Premier League stars revel in tackling the immaculate Majlis Course ahead of Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic
H
e’s a former Masters champion but Charl Schwartzel wasn’t even the biggest celebrity in his fourball during the first of the two Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Ams on Tuesday. The South African was grouped with Liverpool stars Andrew Robertson, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in a glittering group at Emirates Golf Club. The English Premier League trio savoured being inside the ropes with the 2011 Masters champion. “It was a pleasure playing with Charl, an amazing experience seeing how good he can play,” said Reds defender and Scotland skipper Robertson. “To play with the professionals is a real pleasure and to be able to play the Championship course in this condition is wonderful.” When asked for his choice of champion for the 2022 edition, Robertson was torn between his playing partner Schwartzel and compatriot Robert MacIntyre, who finished third in last year’s tournament behind England’s Paul Casey and South Africa’s Brandon Stone. “I hope Charl goes well now. That’s the first time I had played with him and as a Masters champion he is an incredible golfer. But I also hope Robert MacIntyre goes well for Scotland. Robert is doing Scotland proud in the golfing world and hopefully he can go on and win a couple of majors.” Milner said the chance to test himself against a professional was something special. “It was a good round, it is always class to play with the big guys in these events; to see how well they hit it and play the course,” the veteran England international said. “It’s a great course here and a great set up, so it’s nice to get out and have a swing and show what you can do on some holes...and embarrass yourself on some others!” Milner had one moment of pride when he matched Schwartzel on the iconic par-five 18th with a memorable eagle. ◼
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PRO-AM
Morikawa magic
Reigning Race to Dubai champion Collin Morikawa led the Slync.io 2 team of Mike Bevill, Jim Batjer and U.S. Walker Cup star Trip Kuehne to glory in the second leg of the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am. Team Morikawa won with an impressive -33 under par score, three shots clear of Adam Scott’s EGA 6 team which featured Jake Skelton, Maurizio La Noce and Matt Ida.
Fox first
New Zealand professional Ryan Fox led his team to victory on the opening day of the two-leg Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am – by a whisker. Team Fox carded a net 28 under par total to claim victory on a countback from a quartet helmed by Dubai resident Adri Arnaus. Fox’s team, which included Texasbased golf influencer Garrett Clarke, as well as Tom Broders (Bubbie) and Joe Gilliland, triumphed courtesy of a stunning back nine score of 22 under par.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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We would like to thank the following for their invaluable support of the 2022 Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, held at Emirates Golf Club from January 27 - 30
TITLE PARTNER
FOUNDING PARTNER
PARTNERS
PATRONS
OFFICIAL SUPPORTER
LOCAL GOVERNING PARTNERS