Golf Form Guide

Hero Dubai Desert Classic 2025: Course and current form stats

The Majlis Course at Emirates hosts a DP World Tour event for the 34th time
Emirates Golf Club stages the first Rolex Series event of 2025

The DP World Tour has arrived in Dubai for this week's Rolex Series event at Emirates Golf Club and Andy Swales has the course info as well as the players' form stats...


Tournament Notes

Following on from last week's Team Cup in Abu Dhabi, the DP World Tour travels 65 miles north-east to tee-up in Dubai

The Hero Dubai Desert Classic is the first of four back-to-back stroke play tournaments in the Persian Gulf.

First played in March 1989, it is the oldest European Tour event in the region, with Emirates Golf Club hosting 33 of the 35 Desert Classics to have been staged so far.

This week's tournament is also the first of this year's five Rolex Series events, three of which take place in the Middle East.

Betfair Exchange latest betting for Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Course Notes

Opened in 1988, the Majlis Course at Emirates is largely flat and located a few miles south of Dubai City centre.

Designed by American architect Karl Litten, it was the first grass course to be opened in the Middle East.

For the professionals, water comes into play on six holes, while the greens are reasonably tame and uncomplicated.

Four years ago all 18 greens returned to their original dimensions, which resulted in a collective 33% increase regarding overall size.

The game's longer hitters have generally thrived in the dry desert conditions at Emirates, with the course now measuring over 7,400 yards from the back tees.

Good Course Form

The one stat which immediately jumps straight out of the page is Rory McIlroy's 7/24.50 remarkable record at the Emirates.

The 35-year-old is not only seeking a third straight win in this event, he's also chasing a fifth victory in all. His last 11 visits have all yielded top-10s, with nine of these inside the top-six.

McIlroy last teed-up in mid-November, when he won the DP World Tour Championship, which was staged less than 10 miles from this week's venue.

One other player with a strong course history is Tyrrell Hatton 9/110.00, who currently plies his trade on the Saudi-backed LIV Tour.

The Englishman has posted a hat-trick of top-four finishes here and he warmed up by remaining unbeaten (three wins and one tie) at last week's Team Cup in Abu Dhabi. Hatton finished fourth on last year's LIV standings, which included a victory in Nashville.

Thorbjorn Olesen 25/126.00, a member of last week's Continental Europe team which was thrashed in the Team Cup, has a respectable record at the Emirates with four top 10s.

He also ended last year in great form by posting four T10s from his final five starts, including a podium in the UAE. This booked the Dane's spot on the 2025 PGA Tour.

Betfair Sportsbook latest betting for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Good Current Form

Tommy Fleetwood 10/111.00 will be full of confidence having won all four of his matches at last week's Team Cup in Abu Dhabi.

The world No 10 and Olympic silver medallist is one of the most consistent pros of his era, but probably doesn't win as much as he should.

With so many players having taken a well-earned Christmas break, it's tough to evaluate their current states of mind, as well as their swing.

One golfer who hasn't allowed the grass to grow under his feet during the early weeks of 2025 is Robert MacIntyre 20/121.00.

Scotland's world No 14 has teed-off twice in Hawaii and, despite two mediocre performances, will still be better prepared than the majority of his rivals this week.

He stood on the Emirates podium in 2021 and is therefore a decent each-way option in Dubai.

Spain's Jon Rahm 9/25.50 makes a first-ever visit to the Emirates, and is one of a handful of LIV Tour pros in the field.

He topped the LIV standings in 2024 but hasn't played competitively since 20 October. That said, the former world No 1 cannot be ruled out.

And if you're looking for someone just outside the top group to emerge from this week's fairly strong field, then perhaps go for Rasmus Hojgaard 25/126.00.

The young Dane played in last week's Team Cup event and just two months ago he finished runner-up to McIlroy at the DP World Tour Championship.

Stroke Averages

Lowest 10 At Emirates (2019-24)
Average .... (Rounds)
68.33: Rory McIlroy (12)
69.90: Adrian Meronk (10)
70.19: Thorbjorn Olesen (16)
70.29: Tommy Fleetwood (24)
70.45: Tyrrell Hatton (20)
70.45: Thomas Pieters (20)
70.58: Johannes Veerman (12)
70.64: Robert MacIntyre (14)
70.73: Romain Langasque (22)
70.82: Ashun Wu (22)
Min. No. of Rounds = 10
Only those entered this week are included in table

MC* - Missed Additional 54-Hole Cut

Note: List Contains Leading Reserves


Now read Dubai Desert Classic: The Punter's Preview


Last 10 Weeks / Emirates Form (2015-24)

Position

  • 1–5
  • 6–15
  • 16–25
Player W2 W1 W52 W51 W50 W49 W48 W47 W46 W45
Rory McIlroy 1 3
Viktor Hovland 36
Jon Rahm
Tommy Fleetwood 16 6
Robert MacIntyre 53 15 7 7 19
Patrick Reed 17 13 1
Tyrrell Hatton 5 6 2
Adam Scott 15 3 46
Akshay Bhatia 32 4 2
Rasmus Hojgaard 2 32
Thriston Lawrence MC 14 30 6
Min Woo Lee 27 15 24 23
Nicolai Hojgaard 24 13
Matt Wallace 53 11 3
Thorbjorn Olesen 5 24 3
Romain Langasque 15 2 19 32
Jordan Smith 6 MC 21 19 13
Ryan Fox
Niklas Norgaard Moller 48 40 10
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen 39 8
Paul Waring 24 16 1
John Parry 1 2 MC 8
Jorge Campillo 47 13 19 32
Tom McKibbin 24 60 11 10
Dean Burmester 28 22 5 1
Julien Guerrier 19 6 34 52
Keita Nakajima 4 7 13
Matthew Jordan 2 34 10
Shaun Norris 1 1 50 2 4
Johannes Veerman 1 16 27
Laurie Canter 42 21 14 23
Sebastian Soderberg 48 42 27
Adrian Meronk MC 30 37
Ewen Ferguson 31 19 23
Guido Migliozzi 31 19 52
Daniel Brown 57 55 43 Wd
Frederic LaCroix 28 21 34 46
Joe Dean MC 43 40 59
Alex Fitzpatrick 19 43 24 19
Dan Bradbury MC 36 46 46
Angel Hidalgo Portillo 31 48 52
Adrian Otaegui 28 24 13 52
Yannik Paul MC MC 34 56
David Ravetto MC MC 31 44 65
Marcel Siem MC 63 27
Nacho Elvira 19 40 34 56
Sam Bairstow MC 52 14 59
Andy Sullivan 7 14 24 27
Alexander Bjork 48
Connor Syme MC 59 49 65
Grant Forrest 63 59
Elvis Smylie 14 5 1 24
Nicolas Colsaerts MC MC MC 53
Robin Williams MC MC 36 MC
Ugo Coussaud 15 43 30 6
Jeff Winther 37
Bernd Wiesberger MC 52 59
Daniel Hillier 24 23 43
Shubhankar Sharma MC 32
Richard Mansell MC 36 32
David Micheluzzi 26 54 5 37
Joost Luiten 24 37
Adrien Saddier 11 34 19
Yuto Katsuragawa 18
Sean Crocker 42 42 27
Marcus Kinhult 13 2
Brandon Stone 24 18 19
Francesco Laporta MC 6 45 13
Darius Van Driel 5 55 39 28 69
Calum Hill Wd 55 67
Alfredo Garcia-Heredia 54 43 44
Todd Clements 40 MC 71
Aaron Cockerill MC 52 49 46
Pablo Larrazabal MC 24
Ryggs Johnston 36 24 1 43
Richie Ramsay MC 34
Alejandro Del Rey 37
Andrea Pavan 19 24
Fabrizio Zanotti
JaydenTreySchaper 13 MC 17 37
RyanVanVelzen 63 2 48 24
Gavin Green MC 47 46
Casey Jarvis 36 11 MC 56
Tom Vaillant
Hao Tong Li
Matthew Baldwin 55 46
Scott Jamieson 9 42
Kiradech Aphibarnrat MC 5 MC
Marcus Armitage
Jeong Weon Ko MC MC 24
Padraig Harrington
Jens Dantorp 47
Maximilian Kieffer
Thomas Pieters 9 13
Dylan Frittelli 47 31 MC 59
Jason Scrivener 4 MC MC
Andrew Wilson
Jannik De Bruyn 52 21
Marcel Schneider MC 15
Callum Shinkwin
Nathan Kimsey 11
Thomas Aiken 42 MC
Jacques Kruyswijk MC 3
Ivan Cantero Gutierrez 42 34 24
Ricardo Gouveia MC 24
Darren Fichardt MC
Joel Girrbach MC 11 70
Jimmy Walker
Louis De Jager 52 MC 13
Manuel Elvira 28 27 MC
Jordan Gumberg MC 62 16 MC
Ross Fisher MC MC
Veer Ahlawat 37 43
Simon Forsstrom 11 61
Matthias Schwab
Mike Lorenzo-Vera
Dale Whitnell 7 43
Ashun Wu 46 34
Ockie Strydom 55 6 41 13
Luke Donald Wd
Rafael Cabrera-Bello MC 69
Jamie Donaldson
Adam Bresnu 6 49
Alexander Knappe
Richard Sterne 5 MC
Daniel Gavins 63
George Coetzee MC 34
Preston Summerhays
David Ford
Adrien Dumont De Chassart 25 3 MC
Brandon Wu 49 23 30
Trace Crowe MC 37 Wd
Troy Merritt MC 12 MC
Kevin Chappell 53 47 12
Oliver Lindell 19 36 16 24
Angel Ayora 36 5 23 6
Player `24 `23 `22 `21 `20 `19 `18 `17 `16 `15
Rory McIlroy 1 1 3 2 6 1
Viktor Hovland 1 23
Jon Rahm
Tommy Fleetwood 14 59 12 17 11 16 6 MC 50 47
Robert MacIntyre 38 MC 3 8
Patrick Reed 2
Tyrrell Hatton 31 38 4 22 38 3 3 8 55
Adam Scott 7 9
Akshay Bhatia
Rasmus Hojgaard 11 20 47 9 MC
Thriston Lawrence MC MC MC MC
Min Woo Lee 13 MC
Nicolai Hojgaard 7 38 MC
Matt Wallace 16 35 51 MC 2 37
Thorbjorn Olesen 21 16 35 7 29 32 8 MC
Romain Langasque 25 16 18 MC 27 20
Jordan Smith 41 20 9 60 32 29 MC 23
Ryan Fox 31 20 26 41 30 MC MC 63
Niklas Norgaard Moller 63 51 58
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
Paul Waring 41 65 MC MC MC 3 MC MC 67
John Parry
Jorge Campillo 56 28 55 MC MC 56 MC 23 50 47
Tom McKibbin 14 MC
Dean Burmester 55 35 3 48 22
Julien Guerrier 70 65 26 MC 32
Keita Nakajima
Matthew Jordan 41 20 70
Shaun Norris 65 56 61
Johannes Veerman 16 8 35
Laurie Canter MC 73 4
Sebastian Soderberg 41 MC 73 MC 70 MC
Adrian Meronk 2 MC 4
Ewen Ferguson MC 28
Guido Migliozzi 25 MC MC 44 MC
Daniel Brown MC
Frederic LaCroix
Joe Dean
Alex Fitzpatrick 16
Dan Bradbury MC 28
Angel Hidalgo Portillo MC 8
Adrian Otaegui 56 28 47 51 45 MC 22 65
Yannik Paul MC 70
David Ravetto
Marcel Siem 56 MC MC MC MC
Nacho Elvira 41 MC 35 51 16 MC MC 11 MC
Sam Bairstow
Andy Sullivan 66 75 47 48 Dq MC 6 MC 2 4
Alexander Bjork 16 60 35 45 20 6
Connor Syme 51 38 MC MC MC
Grant Forrest 51 51 43 27 16
Elvis Smylie
Nicolas Colsaerts MC* MC 27 50 48 51 MC 40 32
Robin Williams
Ugo Coussaud 70
Jeff Winther 66 MC MC 27 37
Bernd Wiesberger 21 20 24 6 MC MC 32 32 16 4
Daniel Hillier MC MC*
Shubhankar Sharma 16 MC 75 22 MC 29 61
Richard Mansell 25 51
David Micheluzzi
Joost Luiten 21 51 MC 44 66 MC MC 23 8 47
Adrien Saddier MC
Yuto Katsuragawa
Sean Crocker MC MC MC 51 58 MC MC
Marcus Kinhult MC 8 MC 60 MC MC
Brandon Stone 26 2 MC MC MC 7 MC
Francesco Laporta MC
Darius Van Driel MC* MC MC
Calum Hill 41 13
Alfredo Garcia-Heredia
Todd Clements 51 68
Aaron Cockerill 4 MC
Pablo Larrazabal 4 28 35 51 MC 20 MC MC 54 20
Ryggs Johnston
Richie Ramsay 21 32 68 58 56 6 60 MC Wd
Alejandro Del Rey 38
Andrea Pavan MC 18 Ret MC MC
Fabrizio Zanotti MC 38 18 27 MC 29 MC MC MC MC
JaydenTreySchaper 38 48 MC
RyanVanVelzen
Gavin Green MC MC 71 27 MC 45 32 MC
Casey Jarvis 41
Tom Vaillant MC
Hao Tong Li 7 32 MC MC 12 1 39
Matthew Baldwin MC MC 71
Scott Jamieson 31 70 35 27 32 MC 51 60 45 74
Kiradech Aphibarnrat 66 60 51 MC 61
Marcus Armitage MC 28 12
Jeong Weon Ko 70
Padraig Harrington MC MC 9 6 50
Jens Dantorp MC 28 48
Maximilian Kieffer 31 38 MC MC MC MC 32 19 MC 32
Thomas Pieters 6 12 27 37 29 32 23 MC 42
Dylan Frittelli 41 6
Jason Scrivener MC 59 MC 41 58 7 6 39
Andrew Wilson
Jannik De Bruyn
Marcel Schneider MC 75
Callum Shinkwin 11 4 MC MC 58 56 MC MC
Nathan Kimsey 56 78 MC
Thomas Aiken MC 55 51 42 9
Jacques Kruyswijk 28 MC
Ivan Cantero Gutierrez
Ricardo Gouveia 74 66 MC MC MC
Darren Fichardt MC MC MC 32 MC MC
Joel Girrbach
Jimmy Walker
Louis De Jager 56 51
Manuel Elvira 41
Jordan Gumberg
Ross Fisher MC MC 47 60 MC 24 45 MC 26 20
Veer Ahlawat
Simon Forsstrom MC
Matthias Schwab MC MC 9 23 64
Mike Lorenzo-Vera 25 MC 8 MC MC 19 MC 42
Dale Whitnell 38 78 MC
Ashun Wu MC 20 30 9 6 38 37 MC 24
Ockie Strydom MC MC
Luke Donald 66 MC*
Rafael Cabrera-Bello 31 MC 47 35 MC MC 6 11 2 MC
Jamie Donaldson MC 38 MC 45 MC MC
Adam Bresnu
Alexander Knappe MC 65
Richard Sterne MC 20 MC MC 67 MC
Daniel Gavins MC 38 55
George Coetzee MC 47 60 MC 38 MC 7 26 MC
Preston Summerhays
David Ford
Adrien Dumont De Chassart
Brandon Wu
Trace Crowe
Troy Merritt
Kevin Chappell MC
Oliver Lindell
Angel Ayora

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