Each-Way Betting

Dubai Desert Classic Each-Way Tips: 35/1 Reed can reap Rory revenge

Golfer Patrick Reed
Captain America Patrick Reed can revive Ryder Cup memories with another Rory McIlroy tussle this week.

The DP World Tour returns to the Emirates GC for the Dubai Desert Classic. Hat-trick chasing Rory McIlroy heads the betting but our man looks elsewhere for his three selections with the Betfair Sportsbook paying seven places...

  • Last week Matt Cooper started 2025 with a winner

  • 2023 tournament runner-up Patrick Reed can go one better this year

  • Japan's Keita Nakajima can shine up against a fine field

  • Aussie David Micheluzzi is a tempting price


Last week's preview of the Team Cup got the year off to a good start with main selection Tommy Fleetwood ending the week as the top points scorer.

The Englishman, a UAE resident, plays in this week's Dubai Desert Classic but his record on the Majlis Course at Emirates GC is something of a curate's egg.

In all, he's played the tournament 13 times and finished in the top 20 on seven occasions, including in six of the last seven editions.

Against that consistent logbook, however, consider that only one of those top 20s was a top 10. That came in 2018 when he was sixth, but he was never in contention and finished seven shots back of the lead.

He also hasn't broken 72 on Sunday since 2019 (he's carded two 75s, two 73s and a 72).

As a high-class performer, it would be remarkable if he never truly contends in this event and maybe off last week's high it will be this week, but at the prices we'll look elsewhere.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy will also attract attention. With a PGA Championship at his favourite course (Quail Hollow), an Open on home soil (Royal Portrush), and the chance to win a Ryder Cup in New York (at Bethpage Black), 2025 offers huge potential for the Northern Irishman - and a fifth win in this tournament (and third in three starts) would be a wonderful way to light the blue touch paper. But he's too short for this preview.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have good hopes, as does 2022 champion Viktor Hovland.

viktor hovland wins dubai desert classic 2022.jpg

That's a solid top five for the each-way column to take on, but we'll give it a try.

Also note that I'll be back later this week with the In-Play Blog as I stand in for Steve Rawlings.


Main Bet Patrick Reed 1pt each-way @ 35/1

Victory in November's Hong Kong Open, which included a third round 59, ended a near-four year victory drought for Patrick Reed and it might easily prompt a good year for the 34-year-old.

Ahead of his return to action on the DP World Tour (he is one of many LIV golfers who has revived his membership while awaiting news of legal wrangling about fines), he was in a typically spiky mood when talking to the Mirror.

He expressed a desire to finally win on LIV, to wear the red, white and blue again in the Ryder Cup, and also had a pop at Zach Johnson ("It shows a lot about Keegan (Bradley). Going out and wanting to pick the best team rather than just your buddies.").

"Hopefully I can give myself chances to win golf tournaments (this year)," he added and then discussed his only previous experience of playing at Emirates, when he was runner-up to McIlroy in 2023.

"Finishing second I feel for me is the worst spot possible to finish," he said. "You are so close but yet you don't quite get there. That being said I would love to have a chance on Sunday again, this time not finishing second but hopefully close it off."

He's a good January golfer. He's won the Humana Challenge, the Tournament of Champions and the Farmers Insurance Open in the first month of the year.

He's also been second and third at Jumeirah so he likes Dubai and he's well capable of getting in the mix again this Sunday.


Next Best Keita Nakajima 1pt each-way @ 66/1

Marcus Kinhult appealed. The Swede ended last year putting beautifully and was eighth at Emirates in 2023 but one very fine round might have contributed to that outlier in his overall course record.

Instead, we'll turn to the young Japanese star Keita Nakajima.

A winner in Japan as an amateur in 2021, he was a three-time winner there in 2023 and got his rookie year at this level off to a fine start with fourth in the UAE at Al Hamra last February, shortly followed by victory in the Indian Open.

He tailed off during the European summer but a return home revitalised him and he finished a smart seventh at Jumeirah in the DP World Tour Championship.

Shortly after he contended all week before finishing fourth in the Japan Tour season-ender.

This could be a big year for him and he can make a bold start.


Final Bet David Micheluzzi 1pt each-way @ 225/1

We'll close with the Aussie sophomore David Micheluzzi who was chipper when back on home soil at the end of a fine rookie season.

"I love the DP World Tour," he said. "It was the first time I've really gone to a lot of different countries and played different golf courses that I've never seen before. Next year most courses we're playing are very similar to this year, so hopefully with a little bit of experience under my belt, I can have a better year.

"It will give me a bit of confidence to know where I'm going, probably less practice rounds because I've been there before, and also now actually having full status rather than being on the cut line of a few events."

Those words perhaps point to backing him later on, at courses he is no longer new to, but I like the idea of being on him at a big price this week.

For one thing, he's a very fine putter and likes Bermuda greens.

But I've always liked the idea that Emirates and Eichenried have something in common - specifically the sense that the closing holes demand to be attacked.

A host of Emirates winners and contenders have good records on the Munich track and Micheluzzi was second there last year.


Now read Steve Rawlings on the Dubai Desert Classic.


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