LIV stars join McIlroy in stellar field for Rolex Series opener at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic
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Europe’s finest go head-to-head in the Middle East for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Here’s everything you need to know about the DP World Tour event.
Following the seemingly successful launch of his long-awaited TGL golf league last week, Rory McIlroy heads out to the UAE to headline a stacked field at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, returning as defending champion and a four-time winner. The event kickstarts the prestigious Rolex Series on the DP World Tour that offers elevated purses and Race to Duabi points.
McIlroy has his eyes firmly set on becoming the best European golfer of all time, a feat he took a giant step toward in 2024 by drawing level with the great Seve Ballesteros with a sixth Order of Merit title. He opened up a year of highs and lows 12 months ago with a strong showing in the Middle East, finishing second to teammate Tommy Fleetwood at the Dubai Invitational, before holding off Adrian Meronk by a stroke to win back-to-back Dubai Desert Classics.
The new Boston Common franchise owner will have his work cut out if he’s to make it a hat-trick and title number five, however. Not only will he have to get the better of one of the DPWT’s strongest possible lineups, but he’ll also have to outshoot a string of LIV stars, including Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton.
Who is in the field for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic?
Six LIV Tour players join the field this week. In addition to Legion XIII teammates Rahm and Hatton, last year’s runner-up Adrian Meronk, Patrick Reed, Thomas Pieters, and Dean Burmester also tee it up. As does the next heavily rumored defector, Tom McKibbin.
Highly rated American Akshay Bhatia adds even more stardust to the field with the new TravisMathew ambassador mixing in with Europe’s finest. Ryder Cup winners Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Hojgaard, and Viktor Hovland also line up, alongside three legends of the sport – Adam Scott, Luke Donald, and Padraig Harrington.
See the finalized field here.
Where is the Hero Dubai Desert Classic played?
The Dubai Desert Classic is played at Emirates Golf Club on the outskirts of the city. Barring 1999 and 2000, when the tournament was played at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, Emirates GC has hosted every edition since its inception in 1989.
The event is played across the world-famous Maljis course, a par-72 layout that measures 7,428 yards and is widely considered among the best golf courses in the Middle East. Designed by American architect Karl Litten, it was also the first grass course in the Middle East and takes its name from the Arabic word for ‘meeting place’. Ernie Els holds the course record with an 11-under-par 61, dating back to January 27, 1994.
What is the format of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic?
It is a standard strokeplay event played over 72 holes with a cut after 36 holes (two rounds) that sees the leading 65 players and ties make the final two rounds. The player who achieves the lowest score over four rounds will win the tournament.
Who will win the Hero Dubai Desert Classic?
Selected odds: TBC
How much will the Hero Dubai Desert Classic winner receive?
The winner takes home $1.53m, which is consistent with the amount won by McIlroy for the past two seasons. The total purse on offer is $9,000,000 – only the season-ending DP World Tour Championship pays more with a $10m prize fund. There are also 8,000 Race to Dubai points available, and 2,000 Ryder Cup points.
The prize fund has increased significantly in the event’s 35-year history, as shown below.
| Year | Winner | Prize fund | Winner’s share |
| 1989 | Mark James | $450,000 | $75,000 |
| 1990 | Eamon Darcy | $450,000 | $75,000 |
| 1991 | Cancelled (Gulf War) | NA | NA |
| 1992 | Seve Ballesteros | $650,000 | $108,333 |
| 1993 | Wayne Westner | $500,000 | $83,333 |
| 1994 | Ernie Els | $700,000 | $116,667 |
| 1995 | Fred Couples | $700,000 | $116,667 |
| 1996 | Colin Montgomerie | $1,000,000 | $166,667 |
| 1997 | Richard Green | $1,200,000 | $200,000 |
| 1998 | Jose Maria Olazabal | $1,300,000 | $216,667 |
| 1999 | David Howell | $1,300,000 | $216,667 |
| 2000 | Jose Coceres | $1,300,000 | $216,667 |
| 2001 | Thomas Bjorn | $1,500,000 | $250,000 |
| 2002 | Ernie Els | $1,500,000 | $250,000 |
| 2003 | Robert Jan-Derksen | $2,000,000 | $333,333 |
| 2004 | Mark O’Meara | $2,000,000 | $333,333 |
| 2005 | Ernie Els | $2,200,000 | $366,667 |
| 2006 | Tiger Woods | $2,400,000 | $309,862 |
| 2007 | Henrik Stenson | $2,400,000 | $309,862 |
| 2008 | Tiger Woods | $2,500,000 | $416,750 |
| 2009 | Rory McIlroy | $2,500,000 | $416,750 |
| 2010 | Miguel Angel Jiminez | $2,500,000 | $416,750 |
| 2011 | Alvaro Quiros | $2,500,000 | $416,750 |
| 2012 | Rafa Cabrera-Bello | $2,500,000 | $416,750 |
| 2013 | Stephen Gallacher | $2,500,000 | $416,750 |
| 2014 | Stephen Gallacher | $2,500,000 | $416,750 |
| 2015 | Rory McIlroy | $2,650,000 | $441,755 |
| 2016 | Danny Willett | $2,650,000 | $441,755 |
| 2017 | Sergio Garcia | $2,650,000 | $441,755 |
| 2018 | Haotong Li | $3,000,000 | $500,100 |
| 2019 | Bryon DeChambeau | $3,250,000 | $541,660 |
| 2020 | Lucas Herbert | $3,250,000 | $541,660 |
| 2021 | Paul Casey | $3,250,000 | $528,514 |
| 2022 | Viktor Hovland | $8,000,000 | $1,333,330 |
| 2023 | Rory McIlroy | $9,000,000 | $1,530,000 |
| 2024 | Rory McIlroy | $9,000,000 | $1,530,000 |
Who has won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic?
The inaugural Dubai Desert Classic was the first European Tour event to be played on the Arabian Peninsula and since then it has been won by some of the game’s biggest names, including McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Serve Ballesteros, Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia, and Bryson DeChambeau.
How to watch the Hero Dubai Desert Classic
Viewers in the US can watch all four days via the Golf Channel and NBC Sports.
All times ET
Thursday, 16 January: Golf Channel, TBC
Friday, 17 January: Golf Channel, TBC
Saturday, 18 January: Golf Channel, TBC
Sunday, 19 January: Golf Channel, TBC
Viewers in the UK can watch the event on Sky Sports Golf.
All times GMT
Thursday, 16 January: Sky Sports Golf, 04.00
Friday, 17 January: Sky Sports Golf, 04.00
Saturday, 18 January: Sky Sports Golf, 07.00
Sunday, 19 January: Sky Sports Golf, 07.00
Hero Dubai Desert Classic: Tee Times
Tee times and groupings will appear here once released.
How does the DP World Tour schedule work?
The 2025 DP World Tour schedule is split into five ‘swings’. The opening swing saw six events played in Australia, South Africa, and Mauritius at the end of 2024. The International Swing runs until March 09, with events in the UAE, Bahrain, Kenya, and South Africa, before a five-event Asian Swing, six-event European Swing, and five-event closing swing.
As the name suggests, ‘The Back Nine’ will see further nine events played across Europe, including the British Masters, Irish Open, and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, before the season concludes with the big-money DP World Tour Play-offs – the Abu Dhabi Championship and DP World Tour Championship.
2025 will see five Rolex Series events, starting with this week’s Hero. Dubai Desert Classic. The Genesis Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship, the Abu Dhabi Championship, and the season-closing DP World Tour Championship are the other elevated events where big purses will be on offer.
About the author
Ross Tugwood – Senior Digital Writer
Ross Tugwood is a Senior Digital Writer for todays-golfer.com, specializing in data, analytics, science, and innovation.
Ross is passionate about optimizing sports performance and has a decade of experience working with professional athletes and coaches for British Athletics, the UK Sports Institute, and Team GB.
He is an NCTJ-accredited journalist with post-graduate degrees in Performance Analysis and Sports Journalism, enabling him to critically analyze and review the latest golf equipment and technology to help you make better-informed buying decisions.
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