Dubai (Etihad)
The DB World Golf Tour, which is held under the slogan “Race to Dubai,” concluded the tournaments it organizes in the Middle East region this season with great success, with the holding of 5 tournaments in the Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar, within what is known this season as the “International Series.”
These tournaments highlighted the global diversity of the DB World Tour calendar this season during last January and this February, with the first edition of the “Dubai Invitational” tournament being held at Dubai Creek Resort, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic tournament at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, and the Ras Al Khaimah Championship at the Club. Al Hamra Golf Championship, the Bahrain International Championship at the Royal Golf Club, and the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Golf Championship at the Doha Golf Club.
The total prize money for these five tournaments amounted to $19 million, with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic topping the list, as it is considered one of the Rolex Series tournaments for elite events, with a total of $9 million, compared to $2.5 million for each of the upcoming tournaments.
The stars who participated in these tournaments praised the time they spent here in the region, specifically the Emirates, as a global destination for golf and the lifestyle it offers.
Englishman Luke Donald, former world number one and captain of the European team that won the Ryder Cup, said: “The first time I came to the Emirates, specifically Dubai, in 1994, I played in the Dubai Amateur Championship, when I was 17 years old. Things were different from now, but The clubs and stadiums here have developed very wonderfully.”
He added: “It is always wonderful to return here and compete in this perfect weather. Whenever I participate in a tournament here, I feel excited and desire to give my best no matter how many years pass, and this is the case for many of the players who are here as well.”
Danish Nikolai Hougaard, who concluded last season by winning the DB World Tour Championship title, before participating in several tournaments in the region this season, expressed his great happiness at being here, and said: “I love being here, I love Dubai, and I spent a lot of time here. It is a wonderful country for training and playing golf competitions week after week. Playing here is absolutely ideal at all levels, and I always look forward to returning and participating in all the tournaments that are held here.”
He added: “I usually spend a lot of time practicing golf at Dubai Creek Resort, which is of great benefit to me during the official tournament season.”
The 2024 season of the DB World Tour will witness the holding of more than one “series” for a group of tournaments together, to demonstrate the diversity of regions, players, cultures and locations, with 44 tournaments being held in 24 different countries, and the winners of each “series” of 5 series held will have the opportunity to participate. In the “Pac 9” group of tournaments, they will compete in nine tournaments to ensure a seat in the final “playoff” of the DB World Tour season.
The end of the season in this region will also be next November, specifically in the Emirates, with the Abu Dhabi Championship at Yas Links Club with the participation of the best 70 players in the “Race to Dubai” ranking, then the DB World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, with the participation of the best 50 players.
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