But fear not, we don’t have long to wait until world-class golf returns to the UAE with the Team Cup in early Jan preceding another blockbuster Rolex Series event in the form of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club from Jan 16-19.
To whet the appetite – and after much debate in WWG Towers – we’ve compiled our picks for the top 10 iconic moments in the history of the Major of Middle East.
This one just has to be included. The event that sparked a golf revolution in the Middle East and fuelled the Tour’s expansion beyond Europe. Emirates Golf Club had only opened, to great fanfare, the previous year, after the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, put paid to the common notion that the Dubai desert was no place for a lush grass golf course. They built it and the stars of the DP World Tour duly arrived to contest the first event to be held in the GCC. The stunning Karl Litten-designed course stood out like a shining emerald oasis surrounded by desert on all sides and Mark James forever etched his name into the tournament’s history when he ousted Peter O’Malley in a play-off to lift the sizable, and now iconic, Dallah Trophy.
An event is defined by the calibre of its winners and, no offence to Mark James or Eammon Darcy, but when the great Seve Ballesteros became the third player to have his name added to the Dallah Trophy, after beating Ronan Rafferty at the second hole of a play-off, he sprinkled the stardust that remains with the Dubai Desert Classic to this day. It was Seve’s 50th DP World Tour win and the 17th year in a row that he’d won at least one title.
Ernie Els is now known as one of the most decorated players of the modern era but back in 1994 he was a fresh-faced 24 year old without a DP World Tour win to his name. He went out like a rocket in the opening round, carding six birdies for a front nine of 32. But it was his back nine that truly took the breath away as he came back in just 29 blows to set a course record of 11-under 61 that stands to this day. He went on to win his first title by no less than six shots from Greg Norman and it proved to be the catalyst for one of the great careers to move through the gears. Just five months later he was the U.S. Open champion!
A no-brainer for one of the most iconic moments in the event’s storied history and also a shot Monty lists as easily the best shot of his career. One stroke clear of playing partner Miguel Angel Jimenez going down the last with a second shot from the righthand side of the fairway into the wind. Only one club was going to clear the water and set up victory…the ultimate risk /reward decision. He went for it and elegantly stroked a drive of exquisite beauty off the deck, comfortably finding the green leaving a comfortable two-putt for birdie and the win. “Every time anyone asks me what’s the best shot I ever hit, it’s a very easy answer,” said the Scot back in 2019. “That one.”
Ahead of Woods’ second appearance at the event a promotional stunt saw him hit balls off the helipad atop Dubai’s famous Burj Al Arab hotel, standing 321m tall. The images and accompanying video footage went viral around the world and sparked a trend that subsequently saw a tennis match between Roger Federer and Andre Agassi take place at the same location in 2005 and Rory McIlroy hit shots from a bunker there in 2011.
Starting the final round four shots off the pace, a lightening quick start saw Woods make three birdies over the first four holes. When he gave two back before the turn, it looked like it might not be his day. But this was Tiger in his prime and only a fool would count him out. A blistering back nine saw him stand on the final tee just one off Martin Kaymer’s clubhouse target of 13-under. After a solid drive down the 18th fairway, Woods struck a five-wood to the green, only for his ball to settle in the thick rough near the back bunker. Standing awkwardly with his feet in the sand, the 32-year-old chipped delicately onto the downslope, leaving a challenging 25-foot putt. Unfazed, the world’s best player calmly sank the birdie, igniting roars from the packed grandstands.
A 19 year old Rory McIlroy was already the talk of the golfing world and earmarked for big things when he arrived at Emirates Golf Club in 2009. He’d won the amateur medal at the event in 2007, repeating the feat at that year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie. But the boy became a man when he dazzled the crowds with a majestic performance at the Majlis Course, going wire-to-wire to beat Justin Rose by one for his first professional victory.
Scotsman Stephen Gallagher ended a nine-year wait for a second DP World Tour title in stunning fashion when he holed his 110-approach from the rough on 16 in the final round for his fifth eagle of the week. It was a shot worthy of winning any tournament and it set up a three-stroke victory at Emirates Golf Club. He went on to successfully defend the Dallah Trophy the following year to become the first back to back winner in the event’s history.
Viktor Hovland put together a jaw dropping birdie-eagle-birdie to sign for a 66 and post the target at 12 under in 2022 as the event gained Rolex Series status for the first time. Richard Bland later joined him at 12 under and it looked like Rory McIlroy would be joining them in a play-off before finding the water with his approach shot into the last. Hovland went on to birdie 18 again on the first extra hole to claim his second DP World Tour title.
Rory showed why he’s the most box office player on the planet with a scarcely believable victory at the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic which saw him become the first four-time winner in the event’s history. He entered the weekend 10 shots off the pace and seemingly out of it before a stunning third-round 63 propelled him into the final group for Sunday. A hard fought final round 70 saw him hold off Adrian Meronk down the stretch to seal a one stroke record-breaking triumph.
