Special Features
Interesting Facts About The Dubai Desert Classic
Rory McIlroy claimed his maiden European Tour title 12 months ago, aged 19 and 273 days, making him the youngest winner of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Should he make a successful defence of his crown, he would be the first player in the event’s history to do so. An added incentive would see McIlroy become the youngest player to successfully defend a European Tour event, aged 20 and 279 days.Consecutive wins
None
Youngest winner
Rory McIlroy, 19 and 273 days, 2009
Oldest winner
Mark O’Meara, 47 and 54 days, 2004
Lowest 18 hole score
61 (-11), Ernie Els, 1994
Lowest first 18 hole score
61 (-11), Ernie Els, 1994
Lowest first 36 hole score
128 (-16), Tiger Woods, 2001
Lowest first 54 hole score
196 (-20), Tiger Woods, 2001
Lowest 72 hole score
266 (-22), Thomas Björn, 2001
Lowest under par winning score
266 (-22), Thomas Björn, 2001
Lowest final round by a winner
65 (-7), Robert-Jan Derksen, 2003; Tiger Woods, 2008
Wire-to-wire-winners
Eamonn Darcy, 1990; Seve Ballesteros, 1992; Ernie Els, 1994; José Coceres, 2000; Rory McIlroy, 2009
Largest 18 hole lead
5 shots, Ernie Els, 1994
Largest 36 hole lead
6 shots, Ernie Els, 1994
Largest 54 hole lead
8 shots, Ernie Els, 1994
Largest winning margin
6 shots, Ernie Els, 1994
Biggest final round comeback by a winner
4 shots, Tiger Woods, 2008
Play-offs
Mark James beat Peter O’Malley, 1989
Seve Ballesteros beat Ronan Rafferty, 1992
Richard Green beat Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam, 1997
Tiger Woods beat Ernie Els, 2006
Holes-in-one
Miguel Angel Jiménez, 4th Hole, Rnd 2, 1990 (Emirates)
Chris Moody, 11th Hole, Rnd 3, 1990 (Emirates)
Mark McNulty, 11th Hole, Rnd 3, 1990 (Emirates)
José Coceres, 7th Hole, Rnd 2, 1992 (Emirates)
Wayne Westner, 7th Hole, Rnd 1, 1995 (Emirates)
José Coceres, 4th Hole, Rnd 1, 1996 (Emirates)
Roger Wessels, 7th Hole, Rnd 2, 1996 (Emirates)
Peter Hedblom, 15th Hole, Rnd 2, 1996 (Emirates)
Stuart Cage, 8th Hole, Rnd 1, 1999 (Dubai Creek and Yacht Club)
Peter Downie, 16th Hole, Rnd 1, 2000 (Dubai Creek and Yacht Club)
Henrik Bjornstad, 7th Hole, Rnd 4, 2002 (Emirates)
Brad Kennedy, 4th Hole, Rnd 2, 2004 (Emirates)
Yasin Ali, 7th Hole, Rnd 1, 2005 (Emirates)
Nobuhito Sato, 15th Hole, Rnd 1, 2005 (Emirates)
Stephen Gallacher, 4th Hole, Rnd 4, 2005 (Emirates)
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, 4th Hole, Rnd 2, 2007 (Emirates)
Miguel Angel Jiménez, 7th hole, Rnd 1, 2008 (Emirates)
Louis Oosthuizen, 11th hole, Rnd 2, 200 (Emirates)
Low cut
141 (-3), 2001, 07
High cut
149 (+5), 1989
