With this season's grand finale just one week away, the European Tour has arrived in Dubai for the first of two back-to-back events at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
This week's AVIV Dubai Championship will be played over the venue's Fire Course, before the $9m showpiece event takes place at Jumeirah's more famous Earth Course.
Both layouts were designed by Greg Norman, with the Fire Course around 300 yards shorter than Earth.
And this week's tournament provides the golfers with a final opportunity to book their spot at the DP World Tour Championship.
When the Fire Course made its debut on the European Tour 12 months ago, it was certainly a birdie-fest with the top 12 finishers all reaching 19-under-par or better, for 72 holes.
Opened in 2010, the Fire Course is, in many ways, a typical Norman creation, with plenty of sand and large undulating greens, although water is only an issue on three holes.
On the tee
'Top seed' Paul Casey is making a surprise appearance, no doubt getting a taste of Jumeirah Golf Estates ahead of next week's end of season finale.
The Englishman currently stands seventh in the Race to Dubai standings and no doubt has his eyes on the big prize on November 21.
Casey is a four-time winner in the region, most recently in January of this year when he won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at nearby Emirates Golf Club.
Latest odds for the Fire Course
And another Englishman, Tommy Fleetwood, is showing signs of possibly returning to the winners' enclosure in the not-too-distant future.
His form in the region is strong, including a brace of victories in Abu Dhabi.
Last year's champion Antoine Rozner was a first time winner on the European Tour, and there is every chance the same could happen this time around.
Already qualified
One player who has impressed during recent months is Italian Francesco Laporta who was second here almost 12 months ago.
Laporta has already booked his spot for the Earth Course thanks to a solid second half to the year, highlighted by his tie-for-sixth at Wentworth in September.
He was fourth in the national opens of Ireland and Italy and, on Sunday, was seventh in Portugal.
One other player who has seemingly already qualified for next week is Alexander Bjork.
The Swede has a decent record in the region and last month at Valderrama posted his highest finish of the season.
Middle East Form
European Tour Top-20s (since November 1st, 2017)
T-20s
10: Tommy Fleetwood
8: Alexander Bjork
8: Martin Kaymer
8: Thomas Pieters
7: Ross Fisher
7: Mike Lorenzo-Vera
7: Andy Sullivan
6: Rafael Cabrera-Bello
6: Jorge Campillo
6: George Coetzee
6: Thomas Detry
6: Joost Luiten
6: Chris Paisley
6: Victor Perez
6: Jason Scrivener
6: Matt Wallace
6: Fabrizio Zanotti
Note: Only those taking part this week are included in table.
Twitter: Andy Swales@GolfStatsAlive
MC* - Missed Additional 54-Hole Cut
Note: List Contains Leading Reserves
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