Dubai Desert Classic

Dubai Desert Classic

Tournament information
Location	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Established	1989
Course(s)	Emirates Golf Club
Par	72
Length	7,301 yards (6,676 m)
Tour(s)	European Tour
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	$2,500,000
Month played	February
Tournament record score
Aggregate	266 Thomas Bjørn (2001)
To par	−22 Thomas Bjørn (2001)
Current champion
Álvaro Quirós

The Dubai Desert Classic is an annual professional golf tournament which takes place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It has been part of the European Tour schedule since its inauguration in 1989, and was the first European Tour event to be staged in the Middle East. Except for the 1999 and 2000 editions, which were held at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, it has been played on the "Majlis" course at the Emirates Golf Club.

The event is noted for attracting some of the biggest stars in the world of golf with the assistance of generous appearance fees. Ernie Els has had the most success, having won the Desert Classic on three occasions. The main sponsor of the event is Dubal, with co-sponsors consisting of Omega, National Bank of Dubai, Jumeirah Golf Estates, CNN, Emaar, Emirates Airlines, BMW and Gulf News.

Winners

Year	Winner	Country	Score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Country
Omega Dubai Desert Classic
2011	Álvaro Quirós	Spain	277 (-11)	1 stroke	Anders Hansen	Denmark
					James Kingston	South Africa
2010	Miguel Ángel Jiménez	Spain	277 (−11)	Playoff (3rd hole)	Lee Westwood	England
Dubai Desert Classic
2009	Rory McIlroy	Northern Ireland	269 (−19)	1 stroke	Justin Rose	England
2008	Tiger Woods	United States	274 (−14)	1 stroke	Martin Kaymer	Germany
2007	Henrik Stenson	Sweden	269 (−19)	1 stroke	Ernie Els	South Africa
2006	Tiger Woods	United States	269 (−19)	Playoff (1st hole)	Ernie Els	South Africa
2005	Ernie Els	South Africa	269 (−19)	1 stroke	Stephen Dodd	Wales
					Miguel Ángel Jiménez	Spain
2004	Mark O'Meara	United States	271 (−17)	1 stroke	Paul McGinley	Ireland
2003	Robert-Jan Derksen	Netherlands	271 (−17)	1 stroke	Ernie Els	South Africa
2002	Ernie Els	South Africa	272 (−16)	4 strokes	Niclas Fasth	Sweden
2001	Thomas Bjørn	Denmark	266 (−22)	2 strokes	Pádraig Harrington	Ireland
					Tiger Woods	United States
2000	José Cóceres	Argentina	274 (−14)	2 strokes	Paul McGinley	Ireland
					Patrik Sjöland	Sweden
1999	David Howell	England	275 (−13)	4 strokes	Lee Westwood	England
1998	José María Olazábal	Spain	269 (−19)	3 strokes	Stephen Allen	Australia
1997	Richard Green	Australia	272 (−16)	Playoff (1st hole)	Greg Norman	Australia
					Ian Woosnam	Wales
1996	Colin Montgomerie	Scotland	270 (−18)	1 stroke	Miguel Ángel Jiménez	Spain
1995	Fred Couples	United States	268 (−20)	3 strokes	Colin Montgomerie	Scotland
1994	Ernie Els	South Africa	268 (−20)	6 strokes	Greg Norman	Australia
1993	Wayne Westner	South Africa	274 (−14)	2 strokes	Retief Goosen	South Africa
1992	Seve Ballesteros	Spain	272 (−16)	Playoff (2nd hole)	Ronan Rafferty	Northern Ireland
Emirates Airlines Desert Classic
1990	Eamonn Darcy	Ireland	276 (−12)	4 strokes	David Feherty	Northern Ireland
Karl Litten Desert Classic
1989	Mark James	England	277 (−11)	Playoff (1st hole)	Peter O'Malley	Australia

See also

The other three European Tour events part of the "Gulf Swing":

• Abu Dhabi Golf Championship
• Qatar Masters
• Volvo Golf Champions

External links

• Official website
• Coverage on European Tour's official site
• Dubai Golf History