The 15th edition will see the top 50 players in the Race to Dubai Rankings compete at the fifth and final Rolex Series event of the 2023 DP World Tour season.

The Earth Course will once again test the DP World Tour’s finest as we determine who will walk away with the trophy and the winner’s cheque at the $10 million showdown, and also find out who will claim the season-long Race to Dubai crown. 

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Mates, teammates and roommates will have to put the pals’ act to one side after Team Europe’s Ryder Cup heroics in Rome, as this one will be every man for himself. 

We will have at least 10 of Team Europe’s stars on show. Defending DP World Tour Champ Jon Rahm and Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy will be back in town for the season finale, while Ryder Cup teammates Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Nicolai Højgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka and Tommy Fleetwood will all enter the event on a high after they all helped Europe defeat Team USA at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club last month to reclaim the Ryder Cup.

The only absentee is rookie and nailed-on future superstar Ludvig Aberg, who only turned professional a few months ago and therefore does not have enough points to make the top-50 field. The last Team Europe member, veteran Justin Rose, has some work to do in Qatar and South Africa if he is to get into the last event of the DP World Tour season. 

McIlroy is looking to join Rahm as the only player to win the DP World Tour Championship three times — the Spaniard is the defending champion and also won in 2017 and 2019, while McIlroy claimed the title in 2012 and 2015 — and the Northern Irishman is the defending Race to Dubai champ. 

“Playing at the DP World Tour Championship is always an amazing experience,” McIlroy said. “Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to enjoy a lot of success in Dubai and at this event in particular. The fans have been great, it’s amazing to have that support out there for us. When you have the top 50 golfers from the DP World Tour, you know it is going to be a fantastic competition. I’ve won here on a couple of occasions, and I would love to be right there come Sunday with both trophies to my name.”

Luke Walker/Getty Images

Rahm added: “It’s no surprise I love coming back to Dubai and to this golf course for the DP World Tour Championship. To win here three times, it means a lot to me, and it’s always an honour to defend any title you have put your name to.

“It’s going to be fantastic week. The vibe in Dubai is great, the field is world-class, and the fans get behind the players, so I am looking forward to the challenge and hopefully, I can give them something to cheer about come Sunday afternoon.”

Tom Phillips, Head of the Middle East for DP World Tour is anticipating a great event. “The 15th edition of the DP World Tour Championship marks a remarkable journey of growth, from its inception to becoming one of the key tournaments in our global calendar. 

“The vibrant atmosphere created by passionate fans in Dubai is a testament to the unwavering excitement that surrounds this event, making it a true celebration of golf, as well as being an entertaining day out for all spectators.

“Following Team Europe’s thrilling Ryder Cup victory in Rome, I am delighted Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Nicolai Højgaard, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka and, of course, Tommy Fleetwood who joins us here, are confirmed for our season-ending tournament. We also have their Ryder Cup teammates Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm — our defending champion — already announced, so we cannot wait to see these world-class golfers all in action.”

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Fleetwood, who secured the Ryder Cup for Europe when he was guaranteed at least a half-point in his match against Rickie Fowler, added: “Dubai has a special place in my heart, both as my home away from England and the home to one of my academies.

“I’ve played a number of tournaments here at Jumeirah Golf Estates and I look forward to the 15th edition of the DP World Tour Championship in November. The fans have been unbelievable over the years and it has been amazing to witness it grow over time with all the activities available for kids and families, plus some pretty decent golfers.

“It’s an exciting tournament and I can’t wait to have some of my Ryder Cup teammates here as well, it is going to be another special week.”

The tournament will not only showcase the cream of the DP World Tour but also highlight the event’s commitment to a greener, more eco-conscious future. Building on foundations from previous years, this year’s Earth Lounge on the 16th hole will be fully powered by solar panels and hydrogen generators, resulting in a 100 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions, while Averda, the event’s official waste management company, will recycle 75 per cent of tournament waste.

DP World Tour Championship’s commitment extends beyond the course, with the continuation of the G4D Tour, further reinforcing the event’s commitment to inclusivity. The G4D Tour Series Finale will be hosted on November 17, showcasing the leading gross-ranked players from the World Ranking for Golfers with a Disability.

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Daniel Van Otterdijk, Chief Communications Officer of Group Communications at DP World, said: “The 2023 DP World Tour Championship in Dubai is just around the corner, and it’s set to be an exhilarating season finale. This event marks our second year as the Title Partner of the DP World Tour, and what a fantastic two years it’s been.

“We’re excited to welcome the world’s best golfers back to Dubai for what promises to be an incredible conclusion to the season. The tournament holds special significance for DP World, and it’s also a standout on Dubai’s sporting and social calendar. It’s an event that caters to the entire family and gets better year on year. We can’t wait to see everyone at Jumeirah Golf Estates in just a month’s time.”

Main image: Jumeirah Golf Estates

The post Ryder Reunion: The 15th DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates will be a fight among friends from Team Europe appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By GolfDigestme.com
Tickets to the penultimate event of the 2021 Race to Dubai season have been released by the European Tour.

Free general admission tickets to the US$1.5 million AVIV Dubai Championship, to be staged on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 11-14, were released on Wednesday. Pre-registration is required and can be accessed here. 

The newly named AVIV Dubai Championship precedes the final Rolex Series event of 2021, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, which will bring the curtain down on this year’s Race to Dubai on the neighbouring Earth course.

“We’re thrilled to offer a second event in Dubai that is free for spectators to enjoy and take in the world-class golf,” said Tom Phillips, European Tour Head of Middle East. “We have two incredible weeks at Jumeriah Golf Estates with golfers vying to make it to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship and ultimately be named European Number One.”

The European Tour has two remaining stops in Spain and Portugal before the tour reaches Dubai for a US$10.5 million double-header.

The post Pre-registration for (free) Aviv Dubai Championship tickets opens appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Reigning European Tour Rookie-of-the-Year Sami Välimäki won’t get the chance to defend the title that propelled him to Sir Henry Cotton Trophy glory last season, not in the foreseeable future anyway.

The Oman Open in Muscat remains indefinitely postponed due to a directive from Oman’s Supreme Committee in late January that saw all gatherings, international functions and sporting events in the Sultanate stopped with immediate effect due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The March 4-7 event at Al Mouj Golf, the first tournament of 2021 to be stalled by COVID-19, was to be the fourth of five early-season events in the Middle East. The $1.5 million Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, to be staged at Education City Golf Club in Doha for the second time from March 11-14, remains on the European Tour schedule.

The 18th at Greg Norman’s Muscat gem, Al Mouj Golf.

At the time of the Oman Open postponement, the European Tour released a statement saying attempts to reschedule the event were ongoing.

“All parties are looking into the possibility of rescheduling the tournament at some point later in the year, but there are no definitive plans at this stage.”

Tom Phillips, the European Tour’s Head of Middle East, confirmed COVID-19 meant ever-moving goalposts in the region.

“While challenges undoubtedly remain due to the ongoing global situation, as shown by the recent postponement of the Oman Open, we are looking forward to returning to the Middle East next month for the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and then playing a full schedule before our season finale, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, in November,” he said.

Välimäki beat Brandon Stone in a playoff to claim his maiden European Tour title at Al Mouj Golf last year, a week before Spaniard Jorge Campillo captured the Qatar Masters. Immediately afterwards, the European Tour called a halt on its 2020 season as world sport ground to a halt courtesy of the pandemic.

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By Golf Digest Middle East
Abu Dhabi’s stock in world golf continues to flourish. While it’s northern Desert Swing neighbour boasts a lengthier history and its southern neighbour the fiscal ambition to make up for lost time, the $8 million Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has enjoyed gold-starred Rolex Series status since 2018, making it not only the richest of the regular-season Middle East stops on the European Tour but also one of the most prestigious titles in the global game outside of the WGCs and majors.

Celebrating its 16th edition this week, the event’s reputation has been further bolstered courtesy of a $1 million prize purse injection and resulting Ryder Cup points upgrade in 2021.

A roll-call of champions headlined by three-time winner Martin Kaymer, two-time champion Tommy Fleetwood, reigning Open champion Shane Lowry and the evergreen titleholder Lee Westwood doesn’t hurt either. There’s been a few upsets along the way too, including 2015 winner Gary Stal and Robert Rock who held off Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy three years earlier.

 

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A post shared by European Tour (@europeantour)

With Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy headlining this week’s field and Englishman Tyrrell Hatton ensuring three players in the world’s top-10, Abu Dhabi’s standing as one of the preeminent events of the European Tour season is further cemented – not a bad to draw the curtain on the new season.

The tournament’s role in the development of Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE cannot be understated either and is especially poignant in 2021 as the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Known then as simply the ‘Abu Dhabi Golf Championship’, the inaugural $2 million event in 2006 has come an awfully long way since American Chris Dimarco hoisted the Falcon Trophy by a shot from Henrik Stenson.

Abu Dhabi Golf Club has come an even longer way, having been designed and hand-drawn by Peter Harradine of Harradine Golf ahead of its official opening in October 2000. “Who needed AutoCAD”, as a Harradine Golf advert in the January edition of Golf Digest Middle East pointed out.

Check out these great historical images of the now Troon International-managed club in construction:

The Falcon-themed clubhouse now stands as one of the great clubhouses in the world. It has a new livery this week, as noted by Tom Phillips, Head of the Middle East for the European Tour.

The famous Falcon clubhouse at @ADGolfClub has a smart new look for this year’s championship ??? pic.twitter.com/DTR7eAK0SB

— Tom Phillips (@tomphi11ips) January 16, 2021

Phillips has paid tribute to the role of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Abu Dhabi Golf Club in helping the global emergence of the UAE capital as the country celebrates its half-century milestone.

“The Middle East is a very important region for the European Tour and the success of the Desert Swing, which is one of the key points on our International Schedule, has unquestionably been an integral part of that,” Phillips said. “Our long-term partnerships in the Middle East have been central to the growth of the Desert Swing through a shared vision of attracting the world’s leading players and growing the game in the region

“In Abu Dhabi, the unwavering support we receive from Abu Dhabi Sports Council, HSBC and Abu Dhabi Golf Club has helped establish the tournament as part of the Rolex Series, the European Tour’s premium category of events, and each season the tournament gets stronger. This year the prize fund is $8million and we have another world-class field, underlining the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship’s reputation as one of the leading events in global golf.”

The season starts here ? https://t.co/ooMY47i9cS

— Tom Phillips (@tomphi11ips) January 14, 2021

The 16th Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship begins on Thursday. Here’s a refresher of Lee Westwood’s win last year to help get you in the mood:

The post The rise and rise of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Irishman Brendan Lawlor was given the honour of marking a month to go until the 11th DP World Tour Championship on Sunday, hitting a ceremonial tee shot off the 1st tee on Earth at Jumeirah Golf Estates to mark the occasion.

Lawlor is one of eight golfers of determination set to compete in the inaugural EDGA Dubai Finale, a 36-hole tournament that will be played in conjunction with the DPWTC using the same course set-up as the European Tour’s elite players.

The 22-year-old hit the shot in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation, and later hosted a coaching clinic for the Students of Determination from Dubai Heights Academy and the UAE’s U13 Boys squad who recently won the bronze medal at the Pan Arab Golf Championships in Egypt.

It was a memorable day at @JGEGolf as we officially marked ‘One Month To Go’ until the DP World Tour Championship with some very special guests ?

Register for free entry or hospitality tickets here: https://t.co/ekG3eJCI9Z#dpwtc #racetodubai #rolexseries @BrendanLawlor97 pic.twitter.com/xE9WoEbcxU

— DP World Tour Championship (@dpwtc) October 20, 2019

The introduction of the EDGA tournament marks the first time a golfers of determination event has been hosted in conjunction with a European Tour event in the region, following the successful EDGA Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club, which Lawlor won.

New European Tour Middle East Tom Phillips welcomed Lawlor to JGE.

“It’s great to have Brendan with us to celebrate our one-month countdown and we look forward to welcoming him and seven other Golfers of Determination back here to Jumeirah Golf Estates for the inaugural EDGA Dubai Finale,” Phillips said.

“Golf has always been an inclusive game and we are very proud that the European Tour is a driving force in opening up the sport to as many people as possible.”

The EDGA Dubai Finale dovetails nicely with the UAE’s official Year of Tolerance and DP World’s commitment to driving an inclusive and tolerant culture across its business, sponsorship platform and the wider UAE community.

“DP World aims to build a better future for everyone and it’s great to see, first-hand, children of all ages, backgrounds, genders and abilities playing a sport that means so much to our business,” said Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and Managing Director of DP World.

“Golf is much more than just a game, it’s a platform for us to inspire people through the DP World Tour Championship and our partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation to build a more inclusive society.”

This year’s DPWTC will see the top 50 players on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings – down from 60 – eligible to compete in the prestigious event over the Earth course from November 21-24. The tournament will also boast the richest first prize in golf with the champion receiving a mouth-watering US$3 million.

An estimated 65,000 spectators are expected to attend the free event with a further 500 million people tuning in across the globe to see the action unfold on television.

The post Lawlor launches 11th DPWTC countdown appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
He’s worked for Sir Nick Faldo, helmed the Hong Kong Golf Association and has consulted to Mission Hills in China – the world’s largest golf facility with 22 courses – for the past three years. It’s no surprise then that Tom Phillips owns some pretty amazing golf memories.

The absolute highlight for the 12-handicapper? “Playing nine holes with Lewis Hamilton at Mission Hills last year.”

A bit like F1, Phillips career progression has been rapid too. The 45-year-old Englishman started as the chief of the European Tour’s Middle East division on July 1, succeeding long-serving Nick Tarratt. He brings wife Tania as well as 25 years’ experience in the golf and leisure industries, the last 14 years in Asia, to Dubai and his new role.

With a BA Honours degree in media and communications and 15 years working for England’s first golfing knight as the CEO of the Faldo Series, Phillips can’t wait to get started in his dream role.

“What is my proudest single career achievement to date? Being appointed Head of Middle East for the European Tour,” Phillips says. “I’ve worked closely with the tour for more than 20 years through my different roles in golf, so to join the team and take on this position in such an important region for the sport is a privilege.”

What did you learn from your time as CEO of the Faldo Series that will be useful in your new role?
That you need to commit time and effort to any project for it to succeed. It’s a testament to Sir Nick that the time and effort he commits to the programme has launched so many successful careers over the years. Some people were sceptical when the series was first launched but all these years later he’s still devoted to the cause, taking so many players under his wing and helping them make it to a high level.

What’s the best piece of advice Sir Nick Faldo gave you?
Always keep pushing the barriers. Nick is the same in business as he was as a player: never sit back and think the job is done. What can we do next? Where is the next opportunity?  What can we do to get even better? Then keep working harder than anyone else to get there.

European Tour boss Keith Pelley says the tour is a content creator first and foremost. you have an honours degree in media and communications. we see a pattern here. will we see a significant change in the promotion/delivery of the European Tour’s Middle East product?
Key pillars for the European Tour are inclusivity and innovation and that’s something for all of us to be very proud of and excited about. We had the Jordan Mixed Open in Aqaba earlier this year which, from my point of view as a golf fan from the outside looking in, seemed to be a huge success. We’ve also had the Belgian Knockout and the GolfSixes and so it’s a really exciting time for golf in that perspective, exploring different avenues and formats and breaking down some barriers.

Phillips, left, at the 55th Anniversary edition of the Hong Kong Open in 2013

You’ve spent 14 years in Asia, a market similar to the Middle East. What has your time there, including at the Hong Kong Golf Association, taught you?
I think, even from my time in the 1990s working with a PR agency in the UK and on through my time in Asia, I have learned to adapt to the changes in the way the industry works and go with it. Take social media for instance and its incredible growth over the past 10 years or so. Social media has created so many opportunities and it’s really exciting to see how it has added to the whole PR scope. It moves at quite a pace. In China the growth of WeChat, for instance, is astronomical. It’s a huge part of life in the business community, way ahead of anything in Europe and other parts of the world. The Hong Kong Golf Association was another hugely valuable experience, working with golfers at all levels – from the world’s top players in the Hong Kong Open to local children experiencing the game for the first time through our new HSBC Golf For Schools programme.  We also had to take the governing body in a more commercial direction and we managed to achieve that with some key partners, HSBC is one of them.

Unless you’ve played there, it’s hard to get a grasp on how big/impressive mission hills is. this must have been a fascinating chapter in your career?
It really was. I have enjoyed a friendship with the Mission Hills owners for 15 years and for the last three years I consulted for them as Director of Business Development. As the world’s largest golf facility with 22 courses, they have been pioneers for golf in the country.

We see you’ve been working on Mission Hills International ‘golf and more’ strategy including recently-announced partnerships with FC Barcelona, the NBA and the PGA of America. what can golf learn from these sports/potential collaborations?
For me, that has been a really interesting experience to work with these huge organisations outside of golf. These are brands which are among the biggest in their class, which are also hugely committed to China. If you look at the European Tour and their investment into the Middle East over the last 30 or so years you can probably draw some comparisons.

What are your expectations of moving to Dubai?
I’ve been coming to the UAE and the Middle East since 2006. We teamed up with the EGA to set up a Faldo Series event in Dubai in 2006 which we combined with the opening ceremony for Nick’s re-design of the floodlit Wadi [now Faldo] Course at Emirates Golf Club. We also established the Faldo Series at Al Ain Golf and Shooting Club in the UAE – now the venue for the European Grand Final – and a few years of events in Bahrain. So, I’m quite familiar with the region. My family and I are excited to move to Dubai and get to know it even more; we have a son, [16-year-old] Sandy, who is at boarding school in the UK and looking forward to his holidays in Dubai! Aside from the job opportunity, I realise that it’s a great place to live, with its infrastructure, climate, safety, entertainment and, of course, golf.

What do you hope to achieve in your first 100 days in the role?
My first objective is to listen and learn from the existing Dubai office team and also spend time with key stakeholders, including venues, sponsors and governing bodies. I would like to think that my own international experience can help continue the excellent progress that has been made over the 30 years that the European Tour has been in the region.

Phillips: “As a golf fan from the outside looking in, the Jordan Mixed Open seemed to be a huge success.”

With six main tour events, the new Jordan Mixed Open and potentially the challenge tour season-decider again, the Middle East is a vital part of the European Tour’s global offering. How will you take it forward?
By listening to our key stakeholders in the region and understanding what they want. Knowing how invested the Tour is in the region, with initiatives like the biggest first prize [US$3 million] in golf for the winner of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, it’s a key area for global golf and for me that’s part of the attraction, the opportunity to expand and move forward.

Don’t be surprised to see innovative events like the Shot Clock Masters trialled in the Middle East if Phillips gets his way

Is growth, in terms of more events in the region, part of your remit?
I believe that there is definitely room for further expansion for the European Tour in the Middle East, both in terms of new events but also, perhaps more importantly as we’ve seen recently, new formats of the game.

Where are we at with the Challenge Tour’s end of season decider? Are we returning to RAK?
We are still in discussions about the end of season event on the Challenge Tour. An announcement will be made shortly.

Who is Tom Phillips when the tie comes off at the end of the day?
Pretty normal really…I think! I really enjoy travelling – meeting new people, visiting new places and experiencing new cultures – and I also love following sport.  But I get to do both of these hobbies in my day job so there is no real reason to be different outside of work.

What’s one thing that people may not know about you?
I’m a lifelong fan of AFC Wimbledon, formerly Wimbledon Football Club. I don’t normally admit that but, there, I’ve said it.

The post Tom Phillips unveils plan for his first 100 days as the European Tour’s new Middle East chief appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Tom Phillips, a former CEO of the Faldo Series and CEO of the Hong Kong Golf Association, will take the reins at the European Tour’s Dubai office at Jumeirah Golf Estates on July 1. He replaces Tarratt whose long-running tenure ended earlier this year.

The 45-year-old Englishman will be responsible for the development of the European Tour’s tournament programme throughout the Middle East region, a portfolio of six events including the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at JGE.

Phillips brings 25 years’ experience in the golf and leisure industries, including 14 years in Asia, to the role. He has a BA Honours degree in media and communications and spent nearly 15 years working for Sir Nick Faldo as CEO of the Faldo Series.

As the Faldo Series expanded into Asia – it grew from seven annual events in the UK to 40 tournaments across 30 countries worldwide for more than 7,000 juniors annually – Phillips relocated to Hong Kong in 2005 where he also took up the role of Director of Faldo Design. Phillips then joined the Hong Kong Golf Association as CEO in 2013, working closely with the European Tour and Asian Tour on the Hong Kong Open, as well as overseeing a new commercial direction for Hong Kong golf’s governing body. 

Since 2016 he has been consulting for Mission Hills in China – the world’s largest golf facility with 22 courses – helping shape the organisation’s international ‘golf and more’ strategy which includes recently-announced partnerships with FC Barcelona, the NBA and the PGA of America.

“Having worked closely with the European Tour since 1999, I am excited to join the team and continue the excellent progress that has been made by the Tour and its key stakeholders in the Middle East for more than three decades,” said Phillips.

“The European Tour group has seven events in the Middle East in 2019, as well as the biggest first prize in tournament golf for the winner of this year’s DP World Tour Championship and some of the Tour’s most committed partners, all of which reflects the Middle East’s importance to world golf and the future of our sport.”

Keith Waters, the European Tour’s Chief Operating Officer, added: “The Middle East is a very important region for the European Tour and Tom will add a wealth of experience in international golf strategy and business development to our operation.

“We look forward to working with Tom to build on the strong relationships we have formed in the Middle East over the past 30 years.”

In 2019, there are six tournaments in the Middle East on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai, along with the innovative Jordan Mixed Open, held in April, which combined players from the Challenge Tour, Staysure Tour and the Ladies European Tour.

The post Former Hong Kong Golf Association chief appointed to helm European Tour’s Dubai division appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.