Rory McIlroy will be bidding to make more history in the UAE this weekend when he tees it up at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club from Thursday.
Defending champ
McIlroy will become the first player to win the tournament three times in a row if he retains the Dallah Trophy this weekend.
He will also become the first to reach five Classic titles – extending his own record, having won for the fourth time 12 months ago.
The original
This will be the 36th edition of the Classic. The first one, won by Mark James in 1989, was the first time a European Tour event had been staged in the Gulf.
It is fair to say it paved the way for vast changes in the make up of the European Tour, with a swing towards the desert.
This season there are six events being played in the region, including in Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Bahrain and Qatar.
Debuting star
Remarkably, given that he is one of Europe’s greatest stars, Jon Rahm will only play a full 18 holes for the first time at the Majlis during Wednesday’s Pro Am.
The Spaniard is debuting at the Classic this weekend. He knows how to win in Dubai. The two-time major winner won the DP World Tour Championship in 2017, 2019 and 2022, and the Race to Dubai in 2019.
All-star cast
Simon Corkill, the tournament director of the Classic, reckons this week “boasts the strongest and most exciting field we’ve witnessed in many years”.
That includes Viktor Hovland, who was the last person to claim the Dallah Trophy before McIlroy’s winning streak, back in 2022.
There are also the likes of Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard, Tyrrell Hatton, Padraig Harrington, Patrick Reed, Adam Scott and Jimmy Walker.
Fleetwood’s back
UAE resident Tommy Fleetwood has enjoyed plenty of success on the fairways of his adopted homeland. He has yet to contend at the Classic, though.
It is something the Olympic silver medallist hopes to put right this week. “I don't think I've been miles away,” Fleetwood said. “I just have to try and put it all together out here.”
Prize fund
The Classic is the first Rolex Series event of the new season and carries with it a $9 million prize pool. For many players, it also marks the start of their run to try to make Europe’s Ryder Cup team for the match at Bethpage in September.
Tickets
General admission tickets are available for free at www.dubaidesertclassic.com and through the Classic app.
Tee times
Note: Selected players, all times UAE
Shubhankar Sharma (7:25 am)
Padraig Harrington (7:25 am)
Thorbjorn Olesen (7:55 am)
Rory McIlroy (8:05 am)
Viktor Hovland (8:05 am)
Tommy Fleetwood (8:05 am)
Paul Waring (8:15 am)
Tyrrell Hatton (8:15 am)
Nicolai Hojgaard (8:15 am)
Keita Nakajima (8:25 am)
Jimmy Walker (8:25 am)
Pablo Larrazabal (11:45 am)
Thomas Pieters (11:55 am)
Luke Donald (12:05 pm)
Jon Rahm (12:25 pm)
Robert MacIntyre (12:25 pm)
Adam Scott (12:25 pm)
Rasmus Hojgaard (12:35 pm)
Patrick Reed (12:45 pm)
Nicolas Colsaerts (12:55 pm)
