Special Features
Omega Dubai Desert Classic Promises A Rich Fare
Rory McIlroy will be aiming to become the youngest player to successfully defend a European Tour title while Tom Watson will be hoping to enter the record books as the oldest winner when the Omega Dubai Desert Classic gets under way at the Emirates Golf Club on Thursday. Northern Ireland’s rising star has a distinct advantage of the playing the (Majlis) course for the last five years, the first two years as an amateur, but eight-time major winner will be making his first appearance in this $2.5 million European Tour event, promoted and organised by golf in DUBAi.Tom Watson addressing the media at the Emirates Golf Club stated, "I’m at a disadvantage here. I have not played this course before, others like Mark O’Meara - the oldest winner in Dubai when he won the 2004 event, aged 47 - have played it 12 times," said the 60-year-old veteran.
"They know the breaks in the greens, they know the grains in the greens - and they also know how the wind is mostly likely to come off the ocean in the morning. In simple words, they know how this course plays," said Watson, who is featuring in his first European Tour event since the 1993 German Masters in Stuttgart.
When asked to compare the course here with the desert courses in the United States, he said: "It’s very similar and the only exception being this one has a little bit more elevation to it. There are some uphill and downhill shots here.
You don’t see much elevation in the Palm Springs area and I like that about this golf course," said Watson who thrilled the world of golf during an emotional Open Championship at Turnberry last July.
Should McIlroy win again on Sunday evening, he would be, at 20 years and 279 days, the youngest player to defend a European Tour title.
"I just feel very, very comfortable on this (Majlis) course - and at this tournament. I feel as if I have got all of the shots that I need around this golf course. It’s a course where I feel I can shoot a really good score," said the 20-year-old from Northern Ireland.
As has been the case during the past two weeks in the Gulf, the Omega Dubai Desert Classic has attracted a superb field, all players hoping to follow in the footsteps of Martin Kaymer who triumphed in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago and Robert Karlsson who took the trophy last Sunday in Qatar.
Both Karlsson and Kaymer will tee up on the Majlis Course alongside South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel while a plethora of European Tour stars will have their eye on the lion’s share of the $2,500,000 prize fund.
Included in that number is Dubai resident Henrik Stenson, the last European winner of the trophy before McIlroy in 2007, and the man who finished third behind McIlroy and Justin Rose 12 months ago.
"The Dubai Desert Classic is one of my favourite weeks on the tour and I always look forward to it," said the Swede. "If you look at my record, I think it speaks for itself. I’ve done well because I’m familiar with the Majlis Course having played there a number of times. The key to producing a low score there, I think, depends on how well you putt."
European number one Lee Westwood is also looking forward to enjoying some good golf. "There’s no secrets this week. I will just go out and enjoy myself," said the Englishman.
"It’s the place I always enjoy coming. It’s a good golf course. The greens are in as good of condition as I’ve ever seen it. There’s a bit of rough. You can’t really afford to miss the fairways, but I think the greens will firm up as the week goes on hopefully."
Aside from the strong European contingent, the Omega Dubai Desert Classic has once again attracted an eclectic international field including several players from the United States all hoping to emulate Mark O’Meara who lifted the title in 2004.
’golf in DUBAi’ is backed by Omega as the title sponsor and Dubal (Dubai Aluminium) as the sponsor while BMW, CNN, Emirates Airline, Emirates NBD, Gulf News, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Jumeirah Hotels, MasterCard and wasl are co-sponsors in its drive to showcase the emirate’s vibrant golfing scene to a worldwide audience.
