The first big DP World Tour tournament of the year kicks of in Dubai on Thursday as the players tee it up at the Dubai Desert Classic. We select 4 players to take on the bookmakers.
This Rolex Series event is iconic with the backdrop of Dubai’s skyline on a number of holes at the Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Club. It always attracts a strong field and this year is no exception with 2 time defending champion Rory McIlroy topping the betting boards at 7/2 ahead of Jon Rahm at 11/2.
Course
The Majlis Course at the Emirates will host this week’s tournament yet again. With the dry conditions and openness of the course, longer hitters of the ball often have an advantage over the rest of the field. Water comes into play on six holes but isn’t a major issue for the best of the worlds golfers. The par 72 plays over 7,400 yards from the back tees.
Past Winners
2023 Rory McIlroy (Northen Ireland) -14 1 stroke
2022 Rory McIlroy (Northen Ireland) -19 1 stroke
2021 Victor Hovland (Norway) -12 Playoff
2020 Paul Casey (England) -17 4 strokes
2019 Lucas Herbert (Australia) -9 Playoff
Betting – Click here to bet
Rory McIlroy 4.50
Jon Rahm 6.50
Tyrrell Hatton 10.00
Tommy Fleetwood 12.00
Viktor Hovland 17.00
23.00 and better the balance, odds correct at the time of writing but subject to change
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SELECTIONS:
Rory McIlroy at 4.33
Of any player in the field, Rory McIlroy by far has the best form at the Desert Classic. He will be looking to win his fourth title and go back to back to back after winning the tournament in 2024 and 2023. In his two starts before the previous two wins, he finished third and second respectively. McIlroy finished 2024 with a victory and all signs point to another big week for Rory.
Rory McIlroy win only at 4.33
Robert Macintyre at 22/1
Macintyre announced himself in 2024 and his season included wins on both the PGA and DP World Tour. He had 2 top 10’s and 2 top 20’s in his last 5 starts of 2024 and while he has not shot the lights out here in the last 2 starts here (he missed 2024) he was 3rd in 2021 and 8th on debut in 2020.
Adrian Mernok at 101.00
Mernok finished runner up at the Desert Classic last year, losing to McIlroy by only one shot. He also finished fourth in 2022 and so knows what it takes to play well in Dubai. This will be his first tournament of the new season and so he will be looking to get off to a good start and set the momentum after a poor finish to 2024.
Adrian Meronk each way at 101.00 with a bigger stake on a top 10 finish at 7.00
Sean Norris at 101.00
Norris had an unbelievable finish to last year win his last two tournaments in South Africa and Japan (the SA win being the Alfred Dunhill Championship which was co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour) as well as a runner up and fourth place finish in previous tournaments. At 42 he will be looking to make the most of the next few years and I am expecting a big start to 2025.
Sean Norris each way at 101.00 with a bigger stake on a top 10 finish at 7.50
