Following a week in Abu Dhabi, the European Tour travels just an hour north for the 34th edition of the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club.
Debuting in 1989, the Dubai Desert Classic was the first major tour event staged in the Middle East.
The 132-player field is headlined by the reigning British Open Champion Collin Morikawa, along with four-time major winner Rory McIlroy.
Other marquee names in Dubai include several of McIlroy’s 2021 Ryder Cup teammates: Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Lee Westwood, Shane Lowry, Ian Poulter, Bernd Wiesberger, Sergio Garcia, and defending champion Paul Casey.
The Skinny
Tournament: Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic
Dates: Jan. 27-30, 2022
European Tour Debut: 1989
European Tour Week: 3rd (of 45)
TV Network: GOLF Channel
Golf Club: Emirates Golf Club
Course: Majlis Course
Locale: Dubai, UAE
Distance: 7424 yards, Par 72
Architect: Karl Litten, 1988
Field 132 players
Format: 36-hole cut, 72-hole stroke
Purse: $8,000,000
Win Share: $1,333,000
OWGR Points: 48
2021 Champion: Paul Casey
How to Follow the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic
TELEVISION: Thu-Fri: 2:30-8 a.m. ET (GOLF); Sat-Sun: 2-8 a.m. (GOLF)
CONTENT FEED: EuropeanTour.com
LINKS: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic History
The Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, originally titled the ‘Karl Litten Desert Classic,’ has been a part of the European Tour’s schedule since 1989.
Englishman Mark James was the inaugural winner, edging Aussie Peter O’Malley in a playoff.
Emirates Airlines took the role of title sponsor the following year (1990) which saw Irishman Eamonn Darcy score a four-shot victory over Northern Ireland’s David Feherty.
After a year off in 1991 due to the Gulf War, the Dubai Desert Classic returned in 1992 with the legendary Seve Ballesteros taking home the title in a playoff over Northern Irishman Ronan Rafferty.
With the exception of the 1999 and 2000 editions held at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, the “Desert Classic” has been played on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club.
In 2010, Omega became the first title sponsor in 20 years. The watchmaker’s name stayed in the title for 12 straight editions, ending in 2021.
In 2022, the event became part of the Rolex Series, offering an increased prize fund of $8,000,000 (USD), while Slync.io, a logistics tech company, was announced as the title sponsor.
Alongside Ballesteros, other notable winners include Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Fred Couples, Mark O’Meara, and Jose Maria Olazabal.
Els has won the tournament three times, while Woods, McIlroy and Stephen Gallacher are two-time winners.
The tournament’s claim to fame is that it was the first live event broadcast on Golf Channel (1995).
History: Recent Winners
2021: Paul Casey (-17)
2020: Lucas Herbert (-9)
2019: Bryson DeChambeau (-24)
2018: Li Haotong (-23)
2017: Sergio GarcÃa (-19)
2016: Danny Willett (-19)
2015: Rory McIlroy (-22)
History: Records
Wins: 3 – Ernie Els (2005, 2002, 1994)
72-hole Score: 264 (-24) – Bryson DeChambeau (2019)
18-Hole Score: 61 – Ernie Els (1994)
Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic Field
The field this week in Dubai is headlined by a trio of top-10 ranked stars in Collin Morikawa (2), Viktor Hovland (5) and Rory McIlroy (8).
They will be joined by a bevy of big names who sit inside the top-50, including recent Ryder Cuppers: Tyrrell Hatton, Lee Westwood, Shane Lowry, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Bernd Wiesberger, Tommy Fleetwood, and Paul Casey, the defending champion.
Other marquee names include Thomas Pieters, Adam Scott, Robert MacIntyre, Garrick Higgo, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett.
Top-5 Betting Favorites
Book Rank-Player (Odds)
1. Rory McIlroy (8-1)
2. Viktor Hovland (9-1)
3. Collin Morikawa (10-1)
4. Tyrrell Hatton (16-1)
5. Sergio Garcia (22-1)
Full Field & Odds
Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic | Emirates GC | Dubai, UAE | Jan 27-30, 2022
Credits: European Tour Media, Getty Images
