The Challenge Tour has shown another sign of its growth in  popularity as it signed an agreement with Arena Group until 2025.

The deal will see will see the global events solutions business become an Official Sponsor the Challenge Tour’s UAE swing — the UAE Challenge and the Abu Dhabi Challenge.

This partnership further cements Arena’s long-standing relationship with golf, where it provides event infrastructure to some of the sport’s biggest tournaments. The company is committed to giving back to the game and partners with a number of professional players including DP World Tour’s Ryan Fox.

“Golf has been a cornerstone of Arena’s business for many years, and we’re delighted to further our commitment by becoming a partner of the Challenge Tour” said Paul Berger, Chief Executive Officer of Arena Group.

“The Challenge Tour is highly competitive and gives a platform to the next generation of professional golfers, and Arena is thrilled to support the development of these future stars.

“At Arena we remain committed to supporting the golf industry, its tournaments and players as the game continues to grow throughout the world.”

Jamie Hodges, Challenge Tour Director, added: “We’re delighted that Arena are choosing to invest in the Challenge Tour, and the new UAE swing in particular, for three seasons. With this partnership, we can further elevate these two events as we continue to grow our schedule and give talented players from around the world a strong and competitive pathway to the DP World Tour.”

The post Arena Group becomes Official Sponsor of the Challenge Tour’s UAE swing appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

We also look ahead to the LIV Golf League season-opener in Mexico and catch up with Lydia Ko ahead of her trip to Royal Greens Golf & Country Club for the Saudi Ladies International. 

James Piot talks about how the LIV Golf opportunity was too big to pass up and we take you through 2023’s must-have drivers in Part One of our Hot List.

All this and much, much more in the February 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

The post Get the February 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here today! appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

All this and much, much more in the January 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East available in both English and Arabic.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

See below for the fifth issue of the Arabic edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The post Get the January 2023 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here in both English and Arabic today! appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

However, the Englishman would be the first to concur that ‘unusual’ is no bad thing as his recent victory in the Nedbank Golf Challenge saw him finally get back in the winner’s circle. 

Winning had become unusual. 

His most recent triumph before the November success in South Africa was in the same competition in Sun City way back in 2019. A slump in form then saw him slip from a high of No. 9 in the world to No. 50 by the time he missed the cut at the Honda Classic this February.

The 31-year-old took time to reset earlier this year, and it has paid dividends, with a T10 at the RBC Heritage in April seemingly kick-starting a return to form. He turned in his best performance at the US PGA Championship with a T5 a few weeks later, and the consistency continued with T4s and both the Scottish Open and Open Championship over the summer. 

Still, that winning feeling had become ‘unusual’, and it was not until his trip to South Africa to defend his Nedbank title, following a two-year Covid hiatus, that he was able to end his trophy drought. 

“I think the overall feeling was how much I enjoyed being back in contention,” he told Golf Digest Middle East about landing his ninth professional title and following it up with an impressive T5 at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates at the end of November. “I feel like my game’s been on the right track and I’ve been doing a lot of the right things. I’ve been driving it so much better.”

Fleetwood was overcome with emotion on the 18th after his Nedbank triumph — understandable after such a long wait and to cement his name alongside some legends of the game in ‘South Africa’s Major’.

“Some of the greats of the game have held that trophy aloft, to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Seve [Ballesteros], Nick [Faldo] and Ernie [Els] makes me feel like all of the hard work I put in on a day-to-day basis makes it worth it,” he added. 

Fleetwood’s return to form could not have come at a better time as the famous UAE Swing approaches in the New Year — with the addition of the Hero Cup — in a Ryder Cup year. 

The Englishman is looking to play his way into Luke Donald’s Team Europe plans for the showdown with the Americans at Marco Simone GC in Rome come September — starting in the UAE capital.

Ahead of the traditional Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Dubai Desert Classic, Fleetwood will have the honour of captaining Team GB & Ireland against Continental Europe in the matchplay Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, the event aimed at getting the European hopefuls up to speed ahead of the Ryder Cup, a competition that is a favourite of Fleetwood’s. 

During the 2018 edition of the biennial tournament, Fleetwood and best buddy Francesco Molinari hit the headlines as duo won four points from four matches together to help down Team USA at Le National in Paris. The ‘bromance’ would become famously known as ‘Moliwood’. 

However, with his Italian pal now on the other side of the fence as he will captain Team Europe against him and his nine teammates in Abu Dhabi, it all seems a little, well, unusual. 

“Fran [Molinari] and I obviously get on very well so I am sure it will feel a little strange at first being opposing captains,” Fleetwood explained. “But I think the Hero Cup is a fantastic way for players to compete in team matchplay, which is something both of us have always relished. 

“Abu Dhabi has been pretty good to me over the years so hopefully that will continue in January and I look forward to working closely with Fran and Luke, as well as all the players.”

Abu Dhabi certainly has been good to Fleetwood, with back-to-back victories in the HSBC Championship in 2017 and 2018 followed by a narrow miss for the hat-trick in 2020, on the very same National Course where he will lead Team GB&I in January.

He will also have another edge this time around as he now calls the UAE his home, having moved to Dubai with his family earlier this year. He plans on using his ‘home’ comforts to his advantage come the UAE Swing. 

“They are essentially home tournaments for me, as I’ve been living in the UAE now,” he said. “They [the HSBC Championship and Dubai Desert Classic] are two of the biggest tournaments of the year on the DP World Tour, with some of the best fields and two of the best courses in the region, so I’m very excited.”

Despite having these upcoming events close to home, Fleetwood admits time on the road can be tough, as he balances life on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, with tournaments taking him all over the world — he flew into Dubai for the DPWTC only hours after winning in South Africa, and is jetting off to the Bahamas for Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge before a well-earned rest.

“It’s been a hectic year with a lot of travel and tournaments, but I had an extended break in the summer,” he explained. “I’m fortunate enough to have been invited to Tiger’s event in December, but after that I’ll relax over Christmas until the New Year.”

Not that he will be piling on the pounds with turkey and stuffing. “I’ll still be putting in the work though, trying to refine and improve my game ahead of the 2023 season,” he added.

That relaxation is something Fleetwood takes seriously, and he is relishing a few weeks’ rest and competition in his new home in the UAE. 

“I am a resident and my family lives here now. My kids are in school here too,” he added. “So Dubai is where normal life is for us at this time. So that’s been great, and we’ve settled in really well.

“We moved over around three months ago, it’s been great for me, [wife] Clare and the boys. The boys are loving school here which is great, so we’re feeling settled and loving life so far.” 

Part of the reason Fleetwood had to rush home from South Africa was for the launch of his Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

“A big factor in the move to the UAE was launching the Academy, which I’m really passionate about,” he said. “Having the chance to help grow the game of golf in the region is an amazing feeling. The facility is superb, the DP World Golf Performance Centre is state of the art, with fantastic facilities and top-level coaches, so it is the perfect spot to launch the Academy.” 

With all the travelling, it was jokingly suggested that Fleetwood spends more time with his caddie Ian Finnis than with his wife, Clare. But Fleetwood was happy set the record straight. 

“As golfers, we all absolutely love our jobs and are incredibly fortunate to be in the position we have, but the downside is spending a lot of time away from the family,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love spending time with Fino and he’s one of my best mates, but you do get homesick at points and miss the family when you’re on the road for so long. Luckily, Clare is my manager, which means she comes to a lot of tournaments with me.” 

With the winning drought over and the monkey off his back, Fleetwood is eagerly looking ahead to a successful 2023 — as that date in September looms.

“My main goal for 2023 is to make the team — playing in a Ryder Cup is unlike any tournament we have in the sport, it’s totally unique, where some of the best bonds are formed and experiences are had,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough to play in the past two events, with mixed results, to play in Rome is the dream as it’s the pinnacle of the sport.

“But I have to approach it like any other year. On a day-to-day basis, I’m going to keep working hard, trying to improve and that will give me the best chance of being successful. It’s nice to be in a pretty good spot in the world rankings [he was back up to No. 23 following the DPWTC and second on the Team Europe points list]. I want to contend in some more tournaments over the next year as there is no better feeling than lifting a trophy after a tough 72 holes. I’d missed it over the past three years. If I perform like I know I can, it will hopefully be a good year.” 

And can 2023 be the year Tommy also wins a major? “I hope so. I’ve been close, so one day the door will open if I keep knocking!” 

The post Tommy Fleetwood has rediscovered his form in time for the UAE Swing, with the Ryder Cup on the horizon appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The new year is always a highly anticipated time for golf fans in the Middle East as it signals the busiest time on the calendar when the four-week DP World Tour UAE Swing comes to town. 

Such is the way of things these days, the players get little in the way of rest following the end of the preceding campaign, before the new season opens its doors (the 2023 campaign officially began on November 24, four days after the 2022 season-ending DP World Tour Championship).

There are actually six ‘2023’ events in South Africa, Australia and Mauritius before the bells ring on December 31, but the UAE Swing is the real sign to get the season rolling. 

The 2023 extravaganza is certainly not to be missed as some of the best players in the world grace the courses of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.

With the big names already in town for the Hero Cup, where the top 10 players from Great Britain & Ireland face off against Continental Europe’s finest on Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National Course in a Ryder Cup warm-up, fans will be in for a treat across the UAE.

First up is the return to Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, and the first Rolex Series event of the year. 

Not only will there be $9 million on the table from January 19-22 on Yas Island at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, there will also be 5,000 Ryder Cup points up for grabs as those hoping to make Luke Donald’s team at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome come September look to make an early move into contention. 

Thomas Pieters’ final-round 72 and 10-under-par 278 was just enough to claim the trophy back in January, the Belgian just managing to hold off the surge from local hero Rafa Cabrera-Bello and India’s finest Shubhankar Sharma.

Viktor Hovland was two shots shy, but his time to shine was just around the corner 

“Winning a Rolex Series event is as good as it gets in Europe,” said Pieters as he cradled the Falcon Trophy in his arms. 

He will be looking for another strong start to the year, with Luke Donald certain to be taking notes.

Another one to watch will be the winner of the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship, which takes place from December 13-15. Victory in that tournament books a ticket to Yas Links, and the victor will have a lot to live up to following Josh Hill’s break-out season in 2022, where he made the cut in both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (58th) and then the Dubai Desert Classic (55th).

Following the celebrations on Sunday, the cream of European golf will make the short trip along Sheikh Zayed Road to the Emirates Golf Club for the Dubai Desert Classic, where another $9 million and 5,000 Ryder Cup points will be available.

Coming off one of his best-ever seasons without lifting a major in 2022, reinstalled world No. 1 Rory McIlroy will be chasing a hat-trick over the famous Majlis course from January 26-29.

The Northern Irishman triumphed in this event in 2009 and 2015, and blew a great chance for the triple crown last year, where he found the water on 18 to miss out on at least a playoff with Viktor Hovland and Richard Bland.

Left: Viktor Hovland was the eventual winner of 2022’s Dubai Desert Classic. Right: Nicolai Højgaard won the inaugural Ras Al Khaimah Championship. Photos by Getty Images

It was the Norwegian who took the glory and announce his arrival at golf’s top table with a thrilling playoff win over the English veteran Bland as dusk fell across EGC.

McIlroy himself, though, knows he has unfinished business in Dubai.

The 33-year-old said: “I always look forward to playing the Dubai Desert Classic, having won the tournament twice in my career, and the Majlis is a golf course that I love to play.

“Lifting the Dallah trophy for a third time is something I would love to achieve.”

Following the conclusion of the back-to-back Rolex Series events, the action rolls on up to Ras Al Khaimah, where the RAK Championship returns from February 2-5. Nicolai Højgaard took top spot at Al Hamra in 2022, and both he and his twin brother Rasmus will be back vying for those valuable Ryder Cup points this time around. 

So, strap in for four weeks of non-stop action right across the UAE.

The post Swing away: The new year signals the start of four weeks of top golfing entertainment in the UAE appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

However, the Englishman would be the first to concur that ‘unusual’ is no bad thing as his recent victory in the Nedbank Golf Challenge saw him finally get back in the winner’s circle. 

Winning had become unusual. 

His most recent triumph before the November success in South Africa was in the same competition in Sun City way back in 2019. A slump in form then saw him slip from a high of No. 9 in the world to No. 50 by the time he missed the cut at the Honda Classic this February.

RELATED: Team Europe announces line-up for Hero Cup
Hooray for Moliwood as Tommy and Francesco named Hero Cup captains
Fast action Heroes set for Ryder-Cup-style competition in Abu Dhabi

The 31-year-old took time to reset earlier this year, and it has paid dividends, with a T10 at the RBC Heritage in April seemingly kick-starting a return to form. He turned in his best performance at the US PGA Championship with a T5 a few weeks later, and the consistency continued with T4s and both the Scottish Open and Open Championship over the summer. 

Still, that winning feeling had become ‘unusual’, and it was not until his trip to South Africa to defend his Nedbank title, following a two-year Covid hiatus, that he was able to end his trophy drought. 

“I think the overall feeling was how much I enjoyed being back in contention,” he told Golf Digest Middle East about landing his ninth professional title and following it up with an impressive T5 at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates at the end of November. “I feel like my game’s been on the right track and I’ve been doing a lot of the right things. I’ve been driving it so much better.”

Fleetwood was overcome with emotion on the 18th after his Nedbank triumph — understandable after such a long wait and to cement his name alongside some legends of the game in ‘South Africa’s Major’.

“Some of the greats of the game have held that trophy aloft, to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Seve [Ballesteros], Nick [Faldo] and Ernie [Els] makes me feel like all of the hard work I put in on a day-to-day basis makes it worth it,” he added. 

Fleetwood’s return to form could not have come at a better time as the famous UAE Swing approaches in the New Year — with the addition of the Hero Cup — in a Ryder Cup year. 

The Englishman is looking to play his way into Luke Donald’s Team Europe plans for the showdown with the Americans at Marco Simone GC in Rome come September — starting in the UAE capital.

Ahead of the traditional Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Dubai Desert Classic, Fleetwood will have the honour of captaining Team GB & Ireland against Continental Europe in the matchplay Hero Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, the event aimed at getting the European hopefuls up to speed ahead of the Ryder Cup, a competition that is a favourite of Fleetwood’s. 

During the 2018 edition of the biennial tournament, Fleetwood and best buddy Francesco Molinari hit the headlines as duo won four points from four matches together to help down Team USA at Le National in Paris. The ‘bromance’ would become famously known as ‘Moliwood’. 

However, with his Italian pal now on the other side of the fence as he will captain Team Europe against him and his nine teammates in Abu Dhabi, it all seems a little, well, unusual. 

“Fran [Molinari] and I obviously get on very well so I am sure it will feel a little strange at first being opposing captains,” Fleetwood explained. “But I think the Hero Cup is a fantastic way for players to compete in team matchplay, which is something both of us have always relished. 

“Abu Dhabi has been pretty good to me over the years so hopefully that will continue in January and I look forward to working closely with Fran and Luke, as well as all the players.”

Abu Dhabi certainly has been good to Fleetwood, with back-to-back victories in the HSBC Championship in 2017 and 2018 followed by a narrow miss for the hat-trick in 2020, on the very same National Course where he will lead Team GB&I in January.

He will also have another edge this time around as he now calls the UAE his home, having moved to Dubai with his family earlier this year. He plans on using his ‘home’ comforts to his advantage come the UAE Swing. 

“They are essentially home tournaments for me, as I’ve been living in the UAE now,” he said. “They [the HSBC Championship and Dubai Desert Classic] are two of the biggest tournaments of the year on the DP World Tour, with some of the best fields and two of the best courses in the region, so I’m very excited.”

Despite having these upcoming events close to home, Fleetwood admits time on the road can be tough, as he balances life on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, with tournaments taking him all over the world — he flew into Dubai for the DPWTC only hours after winning in South Africa, and is jetting off to the Bahamas for Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge before a well-earned rest.

“It’s been a hectic year with a lot of travel and tournaments, but I had an extended break in the summer,” he explained. “I’m fortunate enough to have been invited to Tiger’s event in December, but after that I’ll relax over Christmas until the New Year.”

Not that he will be piling on the pounds with turkey and stuffing. “I’ll still be putting in the work though, trying to refine and improve my game ahead of the 2023 season,” he added.

That relaxation is something Fleetwood takes seriously, and he is relishing a few weeks’ rest and competition in his new home in the UAE. 

“I am a resident and my family lives here now. My kids are in school here too,” he added. “So Dubai is where normal life is for us at this time. So that’s been great, and we’ve settled in really well.

“We moved over around three months ago, it’s been great for me, [wife] Clare and the boys. The boys are loving school here which is great, so we’re feeling settled and loving life so far.” 

Part of the reason Fleetwood had to rush home from South Africa was for the launch of his Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

“A big factor in the move to the UAE was launching the Academy, which I’m really passionate about,” he said. “Having the chance to help grow the game of golf in the region is an amazing feeling. The facility is superb, the DP World Golf Performance Centre is state of the art, with fantastic facilities and top-level coaches, so it is the perfect spot to launch the Academy.” 

With all the travelling, it was jokingly suggested that Fleetwood spends more time with his caddie Ian Finnis than with his wife, Clare. But Fleetwood was happy set the record straight. 

“As golfers, we all absolutely love our jobs and are incredibly fortunate to be in the position we have, but the downside is spending a lot of time away from the family,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love spending time with Fino and he’s one of my best mates, but you do get homesick at points and miss the family when you’re on the road for so long. Luckily, Clare is my manager, which means she comes to a lot of tournaments with me.” 

With the winning drought over and the monkey off his back, Fleetwood is eagerly looking ahead to a successful 2023 — as that date in September looms.

“My main goal for 2023 is to make the team — playing in a Ryder Cup is unlike any tournament we have in the sport, it’s totally unique, where some of the best bonds are formed and experiences are had,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough to play in the past two events, with mixed results, to play in Rome is the dream as it’s the pinnacle of the sport.

“But I have to approach it like any other year. On a day-to-day basis, I’m going to keep working hard, trying to improve and that will give me the best chance of being successful. It’s nice to be in a pretty good spot in the world rankings [he was back up to No. 23 following the DPWTC and second on the Team Europe points list]. I want to contend in some more tournaments over the next year as there is no better feeling than lifting a trophy after a tough 72 holes. I’d missed it over the past three years. If I perform like I know I can, it will hopefully be a good year.” 

And can 2023 be the year Tommy also wins a major? “I hope so. I’ve been close, so one day the door will open if I keep knocking!” 

The post Tommy Fleetwood has rediscovered his form in time for the UAE Swing, with the Ryder Cup on the horizon appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Following on from this year’s four-event extravaganza during the DP World Tour’s UAE Swing — from Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah — golf fans are in for an even bigger treat in 2023 as the finest players in Europe will arrive in Abu Dhabi in January for a Ryder Cup-style competition to kick-off the four-week golf feast.

The Hero Cup will take place over the National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from January 13-15, ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Dubai Desert Classic and Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

RELATED: Team Europe announces line-up for Hero Cup
Hooray for Moliwood as Tommy and Francesco named Hero Cup captains

Space was made on the DP World Tour calendar for the Hero Cup, so that Team Europe captain Luke Donald could get his Ryder Cup hopefuls competing in a team event ahead of the big one against the United States in Rome in September.

Donald will run the rule over the two teams — Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe — captained by Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari respectively. 

The two playing captains will select nine players early in January to make up the teams that will compete over one session each of foursomes, fourballs and singles matches, with all 20 players taking part in each session.

“I wanted to reinstate a team contest to give playing and leadership experience to Ryder Cup players,” Donald said.

Team selection will take into account performances on the DP World Tour Rankings, with the final decision resting with the captains, but you can be pretty much guaranteed to see the likes of Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry all teeing it up next month.

The post Fast action Heroes: The cream of European golfers head to Abu Dhabi for the Ryder Cup-style Hero Cup appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Following tournaments across Australia, South Africa and Mauritius (starting with the Joburg Open on November 24), the action will begin in Abu Dhabi with the new match play Hero Cup team competition, where two teams of 10 comprising players from Great Britain & Ireland, and Europe will fight it out for glory at The National Golf Club.

Next up is the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at its new home at Yas Links, before the players make the short trip to Emirates Golf Club for the Dubai Desert Classic.

Rounding off the UAE Swing is the $2  million Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Players will compete for a total of $144.2million across the tournaments outside the Majrs and the co-sanctioned WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play — and the top eight-players in the season-long DP World Tour Rankings race will share an increased bonus pool of $6million.

Next year will also see the introduction of the Earnings Assurance Programme, in which players will be guaranteed a minimum of $150,000 if they compete in 15 or more events.

Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “For us to be able to offer our members record prize funds and enhanced earning opportunities is massive, particularly when global economies are still feeling the effects of the pandemic and with the new challenge of rising inflation significantly putting pressure on costs in all facets of our business.

“Our overall prize fund for the 2023 season represents $50 million more than 2021 and also underlines the strength of our partnership with the PGA Tour, who are working with us to drive revenue and a long-term growth plan.

“One of the many benefits we have been able to introduce because of this partnership is the new Earnings Assurance Programme, similar to what they already have on the PGA Tour. I have always believed that it is an incredible accomplishment for any professional golfer to simply gain their playing rights on the DP World Tour and this new initiative recognises and rewards that achievement.

“Although we will never lose the magic of the meritocracy and purity of a performance-based structure, this now offers certainty of income to those players who have made it to the pinnacle of the professional game in Europe.”

Included in prize fund is an increase in the purses for the first four Rolex Series events of 2023. The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Dubai Desert Classic, Genesis Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship all move from $8million in 2022 to $9million next year, ahead of the $10million season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

Four new tournaments in Asia are also included on the 2023 schedule, with the Singapore Classic (February 9-12) and Thailand Classic (February 16-19) taking place in consecutive weeks, followed by the Tour’s first trip to Japan for the ISPS Handa Championship (April 20-23) and a return to South Korea for the first time since 2013 (April 27-30).

In Europe, there are dates changes for several tournaments, including the Horizon Irish Open moving to September 7-10, while the Italian Open will take place from May 4-7 ahead of venue Marco Simone Golf & Country Club hosting the 2023 Ryder Cup from September 29-October 1.

There is also a new three-week summer break in the schedule following the 151st Open Championship (July 20-23) which has been introduced following player feedback.

Full schedule

2022

Nov 24-27 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, Royal Queensland GC, Brisbane, Australia
Nov 24-27 Joburg Open, Houghton GC, Johannesburg, South Africa
Dec 1-4 ISPS Handa Australian Open, Victoria GC & Kingston Heath GC, Melbourne, Australia
Dec 1-4 Investec South African Open Championship, Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate, Lanseria, Johannesburg, South Africa
Dec 8-11 Alfred Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek CC, Malelane, South Africa
Dec 15-18 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, Mont Choisy Le Golf, Grand Baie, Mauritius

2023

Jan 13-15 Hero Cup, Abu Dhabi GC, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Jan 19-22 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Jan 26-29 Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates GC, Dubai, UAE
Feb 2-5 Ras Al Khaimah Championship, Al Hamra GC, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
Feb 9-12 Singapore Classic, Laguna National Golf Resort Club, Singapore
Feb 16-19 Thailand Classic, Amata Spring CC, Chon Buri, Bangkok, Thailand
Feb 23-26 Hero Indian Open, TBA, India
Mar 2-5 TBC
Mar 9-12 Magical Kenya Open, Muthaiga GC, Nairobi, Kenya
Mar 16-19 South African Event, TBA, South Africa
Mar 23-26 Jonsson Workwear Open, The Club at Steyn City, Johannesburg, South Africa
Mar 22-26 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Austin CC, Austin, TX, USA
Apr 6-9 The Masters, Augusta National GC, Augusta, GA, USA
Apr 20-23 ISPS Handa-Championship, PGM Ishioka GC, Omitama, Japan
Apr 27-30 Korean Event, TBA, South Korea
May 4-7 Italian Open, Marco Simone GC, Rome, Italy
May 11-14 Soudal Open, Rinkven International GC, Antwerp, Belgium
May 18-21 US PGA Championship, Oak Hill CC, Rochester, NY, USA
May 25-28 Dutch Open, Bernardus Golf, Cromvoirt, The Netherlands
Jun 1-4 Porsche European Open, Green Eagle Golf Courses, Hamburg, Germany
Jun 8-11 Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed, Ullna G&CC, Stockholm, Sweden
Jun 15-18 US Open, The Los Angeles CC, Los Angeles, CA, USA

The US Open. Andrew Redington

Jun 22-25 BMW International Open, Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
Jun 29-Jul 2 Betfred British Masters, The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, England
Jul 6-9 Made in HimmerLand, HimmerLand, Farsoe, Denmark
Jul 13-16 Genesis Scottish Open, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland
Jul 13-16 Barbasol Championship, Keene Trace GC, Nicholasville, KY, USA
Jul 20-23 The 151st Open, Royal Liverpool GC, Hoylake, England
Jul 20-23 Barracuda Championship, Tahoe Mt Club, Truckee, CA, USA
Aug 17-20 ISPS Handa World Invitational, Galgorm Castle & TBC, Co Antrim, N. Ireland
Aug 24-27 D+D Real Czech Masters, Albatross Golf Resort, Prague, Czech Republic
Aug 31-Sep 3 Omega European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre GC, Crans Montana, Switzerland
Sep 7-10 Horizon Irish Open, The K Club, Staffan, Kildare, Ireland
Sep 14-17 BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England
Sep 21-24 Cazoo Open de France, Le Golf National, Paris, France
Sep 29-Oct 1 The Ryder Cup, Marco Simone GC, Rome, Italy
Oct 5-8 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns, Scotland
Oct 12-15 Acciona Open de España, Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Oct 19-22 TBC
Oct 26-29 TBC
Nov 2-5 TBC
Nov 9-12 Nedbank Golf Challenge, Gary Player CC, Sun City, South Africa
Nov 16-19 DP World Tour Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course, Dubai, UAE

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The post LOOK: DP World Tour announces 2023 schedule, including four-tournament UAE Swing beginning in January appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

New deal between European Tour Group and Emirates Golf Federation will allow next generation of hopefuls in UAE achieve their dreams

By Matt Smith
We have had Seve. We have had Tiger. We have had Rory. 

Now is time for the UAE to nurture its own talent and let them blossom on the biggest stages. 

The recent announcement by the DP World Tour to continue to invest in the future of golf in the UAE comes with a guarantee the growth of the game is in safe hands for the forseeable future, and the UAE is ready to come out swinging. 

In April, the DP World Tour announced a long-term partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation until at least 2031, continuing the tour’s commitment to developing golf in the UAE from the grassroots up. And we are now ready to take the game to the top level. 

This is a relationship that goes all the way back to pretty much the beginning of golf in the UAE, and it continues to prosper. 

The Emirates and the European Tour Group, which incorporates the DP World Tour, Challenge Tour and Legends Tour, have had a long-standing relationship with the UAE, going all the way back to 1989, when the first Dubai Desert Classic was played at Emirates Golf Club (pictured below). 

Courtesy by Emirates Golf Club

The ball was rolling. Both the UAE and the game of golf in the region then went off to scale unfathomed heights, with more than 20 top-class golf courses helping transform the landscape of the nation in the years to come, offering green oases amid the skyscrapers. The sport itself exploded on to the global map as the best players came to town. 

We saw rapid expansion, with the arrival of the Abu Dhabi Championship in 2006, marquee players such as a certain Tiger Woods, and the inception for the Race to Dubai and Dubai World Championship in 2009.

Tiger Woods was the big draw at the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Getty Images

Since then, the European Tour group has enjoyed an enduring relationship with the UAE, which was underlined when DP World, the Dubai-based supply chain and logistics solutions provider, came in to sponsor the season-ending competition at Jumeirah Golf Estates and then in November last year as the title sponsor of the group’s main tour.

This season, the UAE will host at least five DP World Tour events, including the inaugural Ras Al Khaimah events that made up part of the historic four-week ‘UAE Swing’ in January and February.

This is a far cry from, not too long ago, the no-grass events that we used to associate with desert golf.

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox celebrates his win at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February. Getty Images

Going forward, we will now see a minimum of two Challenge Tour events in the UAE each year from next season, alongside at least five DP World Tour tournaments, with the focus on giving Emirati and locally based golfers. 

Not only will this give the nation more exposure as the go-to destination for golfers, it also presents opportunities for our homegrown best to play against some of the finest in the world and allow them to forge their own careers in the game.

Along with helping enhance the careers of top players such as Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy and Rafa Cabrera Bello, to name a few of the many players who have set up home here, the expansion has allowed our very own stars such as Toby Bishop, Josh Hill and Ahmad Skaik emerge as real hopes for the future. 

The Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic has become a mainstay of the UAE golf scene. Getty Images

One of the most refreshing aspects of last week’s announcement was the expansion of the Tour’s support of junior golf development in the UAE to enhance grassroots and player performance programmes, paving the way for future Bishops, Hills and Skaiks.

It is an exciting time and all involved are keen to see the results. 

“The DP World Tour committing to a 10-year partnership with the EGF is fantastic news for golf in the Middle East,” Daniel van Otterdijk, Chief Communications Officer of Group Communications at DP World, told Golf Digest Middle East. “It will assist in creating playing opportunities as well as a pathway towards the highest echelon of the sport for our Emirati golfers. 

“One of DP World’s key objectives in our partnership with the Tour is to help grow golf at grassroots level, and in doing so we are adding at least two UAE-based Challenge Tour tournaments per year, with 30 entries being granted for EGF members.

“The Challenge Tour has a spectacular history with the Middle East, with several of its previous season finale events being held in Dubai, Oman and Ras Al Khaimah in 2013, 2014 and 2015, so it is excellent news that the region will continue to be a hub for all of the best up and coming golfers that we can only hope are destined for the DP World Tour.

“While we toast the expansion of the game in the UAE, we are also seeing results on the practice greens as the likes of Josh Hill, Toby Bishop and Ahmad Skaik emerge as real contenders.

Dubai’s homegrown talent Toby Bishop.

“Everyone in this region is rooting for a UAE golfer to compete on the DP World Tour,” said Van Otterdijk. “The EGF has worked thanklessly over the years to help to develop the talents of Khalid Yousuf, Rayhan Thomas and the latest gems: Josh, Toby and Ahmad. We truly hope it won’t be too long before one of these talented young men are competing and winning on the DP World Tour. Opportunities to play on Challenge Tour events will be wonderful for their development, and allows us an opportunity to see how the best golfers in this region fare on the big stage.

Skaik himself, the UAE’s no.1 golfer and Englishman Hill have competed in numerous DP World Tour events such as the Slync.io Desert Classic and the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, impressing both local and international fans alike, so it will be intriguing to see them compete on other courses in the region on the Challenge Tour.

The UAE has helped forge careers from Ryder Cup Captain Henrik Stenson and former world No. 1 Rory McIlroy all the way through to Hill, Bishop and female pros Chiara Noja and Alison Muirhead. But it does not stop here. Van Otterdijk explains the vision for the future:

“Dubai has a rich history of golfing icons that have lived here from Henrik to Thomas Bjorn to Rafa and Rory to name a few. There is no better place in the world to live as a golfer — you are able to practise all year round on exceptional courses, whilst having access to world-class training facilities. With the addition of the two Challenge Tour events for 30 EGF members each season, the UAE has got to be one of the best places to grow and nurture a young golfer with the ambition to one day compete on the DP World Tour.”

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The post Play it forward: UAE golf in safe hands thanks to DP World Tour deal appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.