Inside the Hero Dubai Desert Classic with Ryan Fox and Arena, building one of golf’s most iconic weeks
The New Zealander is set for his 10th start at Emirates Golf Club, in a tournament he grew up watching on TV and one that continues to set the benchmark for atmosphere on the DP World Tour.
Away from the ropes, Fox’s long-standing partnership with Arena has given him a unique perspective on what goes into staging one of the game’s most iconic weeks.
Ahead of this year’s championship, Fox reflects on Dubai, his role with Arena and why the Hero Dubai Desert Classic remains one of the standout stops on the global golf calendar.
Ryan, you’ve been involved with Arena for three years now. How special has that journey been?
It’s been great being an Arena ambassador. They’ve obviously got a huge involvement in golf, but the relationship actually started in a pretty organic way actually through the Hero Dubai Desert Classic a few years ago, just by doing a Q&A in their hospitality suite. Everything clicked from there!
What’s been really cool is learning about what goes on behind the scenes at golf tournaments. As players, we just turn up and everything’s there, it looks amazing for a week, then you leave and it’s the same story at the next event. You don’t really think about how much work goes into it.
Seeing how long the builds take, the challenges of putting up temporary structures, fitting them out, and then tearing everything down again has been eye-opening. The way they can make a temporary structure feel permanent from the inside is seriously impressive. It’s a massive operation and learning more about that side of the sport has been very cool. It’s been a great partnership and hopefully it continues for a long time.
It must be nice having a sponsor you’re involved with regularly at tournaments that you’re actually competing in?
Yeah, it’s really cool. A lot of what we do together happens at tournaments, which makes sense given how involved Arena are across the schedule. Whether it’s dinners, hospitality visits or Q&As, it all works really well.
They’ve also got a team that genuinely loves golf. A lot of the guys play, they follow it closely, and that passion comes through. It’s really nice to be part of something where everyone’s genuinely invested in the sport.
How does the Hero Dubai Desert Classic compare to other global events you play?
The Hero Dubai Desert Classic is an incredible event. The field is always strong, the course is fun to play and still presents plenty of challenges. Spending a couple of weeks in Dubai is pretty hard to beat as well. It’s very different to what I grew up with in New Zealand, and that’s something I’ve always enjoyed about travelling. Even if you’ve been to Dubai a lot, there’s always something new to see.
In terms of the Majlis golf course at Emirates Golf Club, holes like 9th and 18th are defined by the hospitality and the amphitheatre feel around the greens. Playing those holes without it almost feels strange.
You see the same thing at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on the 18th hole, which Arena also fits out. Without the structure it feels like something’s missing, but during the tournament the atmosphere is unbelievable.
Knowing now how much effort goes into building that for just one week makes it even more impressive. The tournament also manage to make it feel slightly different every year, which keeps it fresh. It’s an amazing way to start the season.
This will be your 10th Hero Dubai Desert Classic. How would you gauge your record around the Majlis?
I’ve made a decent number of cuts and had a couple of solid weeks. For me, it’s often been more about where it sits in the year than the golf course itself.
Coming straight off the New Zealand summer, it’s usually been my first or second event of the season and I’ve sometimes felt a bit scratchy.
Last year was different though, I was coming off a 12-week injury break and actually played really well, finishing inside the top-10, I think.
Most years it feels like there are positive signs, I just haven’t quite put four rounds together.
I’m hoping 2026 is the year that I come out of the blocks a bit faster.
It’s an event I’d love to be in contention on Sunday. The atmosphere and crowds are fantastic and it’s one I watched a lot growing up on TV. That excitement still hasn’t worn off now.
With you success across both sides of the pond, do you class yourself as a global player now?
I’d like to think so. The last couple of years in the US have probably shifted the focus a bit more that way, especially this past season, but that’s just how the system works.
I still love playing the DP World Tour. I love the travel and getting to play in places like Dubai, London, St Andrews, Paris and all-around Europe. We’ve also just been to Melbourne and Brisbane, which was great.
I want to keep playing both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour for as long as I can. I’m not getting any younger, and the travel doesn’t get easier, especially with a young family, but I still feel like I’ve got the game to compete. I’d like to stay a global player for a while yet.
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