Why Dubai event is one of best in golf, as Rory McIlroy confirms yet again

My first visit to Emirates Golf Club was in 2014, when Stephen Gallacher created history by becoming the first player to successfully defend the iconic Dallah Trophy, and I’ve been fortunate to have been back every year since then.

As a direct result of Gallacher securing star status in Dubai, I’ve been extremely lucky to be invited by the tournament’s promoters, Falcon and Associates, to be part of a media group each year and it’s fantastic to be out here again to cover the 37th edition.

I watched from home as Gallacher pulled off his first title triumph before being part of a press trip 12 months’ later that involved playing some golf at both The Els Club and Arabian Ranches and attending my first Friday Brunch, which are aimed at kicking off the weekend out here in style.

All I wanted to, though, was to take in Gallacher’s title defence and what a memorable week it proved to be as he won again and shared a fabulous feat along with his wife Helen, young kids Jack and Ellie and also Gallacher’s parents, Jim and Wilma.

What a busy night that turned out to be for both myself and Jock MacVicar, the legendary Scottish Daily Express golf correspondent, after we’d returned to our respective hotels, with Jock enduring some unnecessary stress as he tried to check in only to be told that he was at the wrong one.

Sadly, the great man is no longer with us, but I always come back here and think about so many brilliant memories we shared out here and especially in his beloved Al Barsha.

Something special about Majlis Course

There’s something special about the Majlis Course, which has hosted the Desert Classic since 2001 and part of the reason for that, of course, is the stunning backdrop provided by giant skyscrapers in Dubai Marina. No matter how many times you’ve been here, you can almost feel your jaw drop as you turn around walking towards the first tee after arriving and be reminded that it really is a special venue.

It’s also one of the best spectating venues in golf, with lots of tees and greens close together in what, by most standards these days, is a pretty compact piece of property.

As you might expect, this event also has a top-class spectator village, which, as is the case with all the golf tournaments in the UAE, is primarily geared towards family fun as, at the weekend in particular, the place will be packed with parents and young children.

Like the Genesis Scottish Open, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is now a Rolex Series event, meaning a $9 million prize pot is up for grabs this week along with 8,000 Race to Dubai points.

As always, it has attracted a top-class field, with record four-time winner Rory McIlroy headlining it and it tells you everything that the Northern Irishman is making his 16th appearance in the tournament.

In his last 12 outings in it, he’s never finished outside the top ten and the career grand slam winner, having got himself in contention in the Dubai Invitational despite never really finding top gear, will definitely be the man to beat when the gun goes off on Thursday.

On this occasion, McIlroy is being joined by a number of his 2025 Ryder Cup team-mates, including defending champion Tyrrell Hatton, 2022 winner Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry.

Dustin Johnson among LIV contingent in field

Others in the field include former world No 1 Dustin Johnson, who is making his Hero Dubai Desert Classic debut and is doing so, of course, as a LIV Golf player these days.

Hatton, Patrick Reed, Victor Perez, David Puig, Joaquin Niemann, Elvis Smylie and Tom McKibbin are other LIV Golf players in the line up and, not surprisingly, that has caused eyebrows to be raised.

The fact of the matter, though, is that, unlike the PGA Tour, these players aren’t banned from playing on the DP World Tour and, no matter what you think of him, there can be no denying that Johnson, in particular, will be a crowd-puller this week.

It’s exactly the same situation that I highlighted in a comment piece on the BMW International Open in Munich last year, when Reed, Martin Kaymer and Sergio Garcia were LIV Golf players teeing up. In short, they add value in terms of the product and, yes, I agree it is tough for DP World Tour card holders who miss out on a tournament like this due to someone from another circuit securing a spot.

This week, for example, David Law looked as though he was going to narrowly miss out, having been second on the reserve list once the field was finalised before a couple of withdrawals on Monday lifted him into the line up. Fellow Challenge Tour graduates Daniel Young and Euan Walker, however, will have to wait for their Dubai debuts.

Law’s boost means seven Scots are teeing up, with Richie Ramsay and Scott Jamieson joining Grant Forrest, Connor Syme, Calum Hill and Ewen Ferguson after the quartet got their 2026 calendar campaigns underway in the Dubai Invitational.

Twelve months ago, Dubai resident and Emirates Golf Club-attached Ferguson led at the halfway stage and was still in the mix heading into the final round before ending up in a tie for 16th.

He’ll be a man on a mission this week and what a thrill it would be for him of any of the others flying the Saltire to add to not only Gallacher’s glory here but also Colin Montgomerie landing the title in 1996 and having a plaque in his name on the 18th fairway to mark a wonder shot with a driver off the deck.