DP World Tour’s four-week Middle East swing

It kicked off with the Heroes Cup held at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club. From January 13th to 15th, a new team match play offers European players a format experience. Two ten-man teams of British and Irish players, selected by upcoming 2023 Ryder Cup Europe captain Luke Donald, play against the continent.

The format of the competition is a foursome (Friday), one foursome (Saturday) and one singles (Sunday), with all 20 players participating in each match.

Each team will have one playing captain, with Tommy Fleetwood leading Great Britain and Ireland, and the rest of the squad consisting of Evan Ferguson (SCO), Tyrell Hatton (England), Sean Lowry (Ireland), Robert McIntyre (SCO), Richard Mansell (Eng), Séamus Power (Ire), Callum Shinkwin (Eng), Jordan Smith (Eng), Matt Wallace (Eng).

Italy’s Francesco Molinari will lead Thomas Detry (Belgium), Rasmus Højgaard (Denmark), Adrian Meronk (Bol), Guido Migliozzi (Italy), Alex Noren (Sweden), Thomas Pieters (Belgium) and Antoine Rozner (F), Sepp Straka (go out).

Running alongside the event is the G4D Tour @ Hero Cup, their second event of the season, at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 13-14.

The Golf Festival continues next week at the Slinks Course in Abu Dhabi. Defending champion Thomas Pieters will join former champions Tommy Fleetwood and Sean Lowry at the HSBC Bank Championship in Abu Dhabi from January 19-22 for Season 18 of the 2023 DP World Tour season. Opening of the Rolex Series.

Two-time PGA Tour winner Séamus Power joins former champion Tyrrell Hatton, three-time DP World Tour winner Ryan Fox, 2018 Open champion Francesco Molinari and Yas Links rising star Sepp Straka to make his debut at the HSBC Championship in Abu Dhabi.

Part of the Rolex Series, which has a purse of US$9,000,000, the Yas Links Abu Dhabi Stadium on Yas Island – the sports and entertainment home of the Middle East – will host the prestigious event for the second year in a row. The prestigious event has long been a fixture on the golf calendar around the world since it was first held in 2006.

As time progresses, it will be the second Rolex Series event in the Race to Dubai 2023, the Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club from January 26-29.

World No. 1 and two-time champion Rory McIlroy, who won the Dubai Desert Classic twice; in 2009 and 2015, will be in attendance. McCrory will be fighting for his third title.

The 34th edition will also feature 2019 Open Champion Sean Lowry and fellow DP World Tour stars Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Fox and Tyrell Hatton for the Darla Trophy.

Renowned for being a family-friendly event, the Dubai Desert Classic offers plenty of entertainment for all ages.

New entertainment additions this year include a Children’s Day after school on Friday and a picnic package for the four-day race, more details to be announced soon.

The second Ras Al Khaimah Championship will be held at Al Khaimah Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah from February 2-5, finalizing the finale of the Middle East Swing.

Al Hamra Golf Club has a long history of hosting world-class golf, hosting the European Challenge Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge for two consecutive years starting in 2016, followed by the Challenge Tour Finals in 2018.

The area is considered a hotspot for outdoor attractions such as Jais Flight, the world’s longest zip line, Jais Sky Tour to the Dhaya Fort and activities for all the family such as Al Jazirah Al Hamra.

World-class golf doesn’t stop there, with defending champion Nicola Hoygaard and his twin brother Rasmus also confirmed to play at Al Hamra Golf Club

2018 Ryder Cup winner Thomas Bjørn and New Zealander Ryan Fox will also tee off in Ras Al Khaimah. This tournament will be the last of the traditional Middle East Swing Tournament.

The wait for the more professional global championships to return in the UAE won’t be too long, as the two-week Challenge Tour will also be held in the UAE at the end of April.