The landmark news came last month, not far from the UAE’s milestone birthday, a further reinforcing of the country’s contribution to global golf. Its importance too.
“Today’s announcement is undoubtedly a momentous one in the proud history of our tour,” said Keith Pelley, chief executive of the European Tour, as the continent’s lead professional circuit signalled a significant rebrand.
The European Tour, established in 1972 and soon to celebrate its own 50th anniversary, would from the 2022 season be recalibrated as the DP World Tour. Made public at the DP World pavilion at Expo 2022, and with the Dubai-based company marking its half century next year also, it all felt rather fitting.
Pelley proclaimed the heralding of “a new era in global golf”, while Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion with deep connections to Dubai - his first professional win arrived at the 2009 Desert Classic - labelled it as “great news for global golf”.
To be fair, the new-look DP World Tour guaranteed a sizeable increase in prize money; the total on offer through the campaign would for the first time break $200 million. The length of the new deal, or the total financial investment staked by DP World, was not detailed.
Yet its value should not be underestimated. And not just to Europe’s lead tour, either.
There would be major investment, the tour said, in the second-tier Challenge Tour - elevated prize funds, increased playing opportunities - and a commitment to grassroots golf, with the aim of promoting the game at all levels in the countries visited (a minimum 27 for the 2022 season). The UAE, given DP World’s HQ there, would benefit particularly in that aspect.
More broadly, the Emirates has for some time played a prominent role in the worldwide game. The Dubai Desert Classic welcomed the European Tour from way back in 1989, the circuit's first Gulf stop quickly adopting the “Major of the Middle East” moniker.
Emirates Golf Club had opened the previous year, commissioned in 1986 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, now Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to be sited on a piece of sand 25 kilometres from the emirate’s centre. Karl Litten was tasked with designing the Majlis Course, with the new development palpable proof of Dubai’s realisation that sport and tourism would drive a sustainable economy for the future.
More than three decades later, the Desert Classic’s roll of honour underlines its place in professional golf: Seve Ballesteros, Ernie Els, Fred Couples, Colin Montgomerie, Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia have all captured the renowned Coffee Pot trophy.
In 2004, when already one of the most recognisable figures in sport, Woods took time away from the tournament to launch into the Arabian Gulf golf balls from the helicopter pad of the Burj Al Arab. In the process, the game's undisputed No 1 sent images of Dubai across the world.
From there, the UAE’s footprint in pro golf only enhanced. The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship was inaugurated in 2006, and went on to reside as the European Tour’s first main event of the calendar year. Its champions include Paul Casey, Martin Kaymer, Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood. Housed until now at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and played on the National course, its Falcon clubhouse can claim to be one of the easily identifiable in the sport. From next January, the tournament relocates to Yas Links Abu Dhabi.
In 2009, Dubai became the central focus on the European game. The tour’s Order of Merit was rebranded the Race to Dubai, with the season-ending event, the Dubai World Championship (it was renamed the DP World Tour Championship in 2012) staged on the new Earth Course at the recently developed Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE). The European Tour’s international office, and then Middle East office, was housed there.
Westwood, McIlroy, and Stenson have triumphed at JGE; so too current world No 1 Jon Rahm. Last week, world No 2 Collin Morikawa secured both the DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai there. The week before, the neighbouring Fire Course hosted a second successive European Tour event.
The present landscape seems a long way from the birth of golf in the country, when the game took place on sand courses in the 1970s and 1980s. Staged right across the Emirates, fairways were marked by posts, players hit from mats and the greens were replaced by “browns”.
In 2004, Al Ghazal Golf Club in Abu Dhabi even hosted the first World Sand Golf Championship. The tournament ran a second time, in 2005. Montgomerie, Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter have competed at Al Ghazal.
Today, the UAE offers championship courses designed by Greg Norman, Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els, Thomas Bjorn, Ian Baker-Finch, Nick Faldo and Gil Hanse. Woods was once to open his first eponymous track in Dubai; he could still, at the Trump World Golf Club Dubai, as his course-design website details. At present, there are 20 golf courses across the UAE.
Yet it hasn’t been simply the pinnacle of pro golf that has aligned itself to the Emirates. The Challenge Tour and the Asian Tour have staged their seasonal climaxes in the UAE, the former at Al Badia Golf Club in Dubai and Al Hamra Golf Club in RAK, the latter at the Els Club Dubai. In 2018, the Challenge Tour’s season-long rankings were renamed the Road to Ras Al Khaimah, although that has since changed.
Meanwhile, the developmental Mena Golf Tour took root in the UAE in 2011 and went on to provide valuable playing opportunities for amateurs and professionals. Some of the fast-rising local talent made their mark there, including wins by amateurs Rayhan Thomas and Josh Hill. Thomas was 16 at the time of his victory; Hill a year younger.
What's more, both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the Dubai Desert Classic have in the past offered sponsor’s invites to up-and-coming UAE-based golfers. Some have grasped the opportunity with both hands; for instance, in 2017, Dubai resident Thomas made the cut at the Desert Classic, aged 17.
In 2022, three of the five premier Rolex Series tournaments will be held in the country: the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic and the DP World Tour Championship. For the first time, Ras Al Khaimah will host an event on Europe's head circuit, the Ras Al Khaimah Championship stretching the tour’s UAE Swing to three consecutive weeks.
So, the Emirates' position in golf’s upper echelons sustains. In fact, the launch of the DP World Tour only amplifies it.
UAE SQUAD
Ahmed Raza (Captain), Rohan Mustafa, Jonathan Figy, CP Rizwan, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Usman, Basil Hameed, Zawar Farid, Vriitya Aravind (WK), Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Zahoor Khan, Darius D'Silva, Chirag Suri
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
Sweet%20Tooth
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SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Supercharged%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20400hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20430Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh450%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%202%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Soudal%E2%80%93Quick-Step%20-%2018%E2%80%9911%E2%80%9D%3Cbr%3E2.%20EF%20Education%20%E2%80%93%20EasyPost%20-%201%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Ineos%20Grenadiers%20-%203%22%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classification%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenadiers%3Cbr%3E2.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%E2%80%93Quick-Step%20-%20ST%3Cbr%3E3.%20Nikias%20Arndt%20(GER)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20-%203%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
Results:
Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
ON%20TRACK
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How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The%20Beekeeper
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE
Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6
Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms
The biog
Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
Family: Five sons and three daughters
The first female investigator in Hatta.
Role Model: Father
She believes that there is a solution to every problem
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
![]Justin Harding and his caddy on the third. The South African finished joint early leader in the clubhouse after carding a 66. Getty](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/QLVHXZB3SLDFVTKG3OXDTN4FRM.jpg?smart=true&auth=edd7231fdfbfbcb9d0e688dfa9f8899fda37c79ce63dd9123261ab9a8596b135&width=800&height=450)
