European number one and 2020 Race to Dubai winner Lee Westwood is among the top golfing names heading to Dubai this month for the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.
The competition will take place at Emirates Golf Club from January 28 to 31, and is for an invited crowd only, but the action will be broadcast live on sports networks.
Race to Dubai runner up Matthew Fitzpatrick will also be playing at the tournament, as will Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, former OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic winner Rafa Cabrera Bello, plus Christi-aan Bezuidenhout and Matt Wallace, who were the runners-up at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic in 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Justin Rose, Lucas Herbert, Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood are also on the line-up, with 2020 winner Lucas Herbert and 2017 winner Sergio Garcia looking to regain their titles.
Westwood has been a runner up at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic three times in the past, in 1999, 2010 and 2012.
“I’ve always enjoyed playing the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic and if you look at my results here his-torically, you could say the course suits me,” said Westwood.|
“I first played this event in 1994 and the changes and growth of Dubai since then has been quite staggering. There are a lot of good holes – the 8th is spectacular, teeing off towards the skyscrap-ers, and the 18th especially is a great finishing hole. This is a title I’d love to win having come close in the past.”
Fitzpatrick added: “This is one of the iconic venues on the European Tour and it’s an event I look forward to every year when I begin my season in the Middle East. I have enjoyed my off-season having celebrated the win last month and I’m excited to get going again ahead of what should be a very busy year with The Ryder Cup on the horizon in September.”
Westwood, Fleetwood and more top names will also be heading to the capital this month to play at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. For more on that, click here.
Jan 28-31. Emirates Golf Club, Sheikh Zayed Road, www.omegadubaidesertclassic.com.
