Dubai Desert Classic Winners and History
The first European Tour event to be staged in the Middle East, the Dubai Desert Classic was inaugurated in 1989. It currently is one of five European Tour tournaments played in the United Arab Emirates. In fact, the entire European Tour has been renamed the DP World Tour. DP World is a Dubai based logistics company.
The current sponsor of the Desert Classic is Hero, a manufacturer of scooters and motorcycles.
With the exception of two tournaments (1999 and 2000) the tournament has been played at the Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club.
A few factoids:
- The tournament record were set by Thomas Bjorn in 2000. Aggregate: 266 ; To par: −22.
- With three wins, Ernie Els has won the most titles (1994, 2002, 2005).
- In 1994, Els shot a tournament record 61—11 under par.
- Tiger Woods has won twice.
- At just under 20 years old, Rory McIlroy is the youngest winner (2009)
- Mark O’Meara was the oldest winner, aged 47.
- The tournament’s 19 different winners hail from 12 different nations.
- Martin Kaymer has played in every one of the tournament’s editions.
From a business perspective, the Desert Classic has gained some notoriety for the generous appearance fees that it pays top stars.
A complete list of Dubai Desert Classic Winners is below:
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin |
| Hero Dubai Desert Classic | ||||
| 2024 | Rory McIlroy | 274 | -14 | 1 shot |
| 2023 | Rory McIlroy | 269 | -19 | 1 shot |
| Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic | ||||
| 2022 | Viktor Hovland | 276 | -12 | Playoff |
| Omega Dubai Desert Classic | ||||
| 2021 | Paul Casey | 271 | −17 | 4 strokes |
| 2020 | Lucas Herbert | 279 | −9 | Playoff |
| 2019 | Bryson DeChambeau | 264 | −24 | 7 strokes |
| 2018 | Li Haotong | 265 | −23 | 1 stroke |
| 2017 | Sergio García | 269 | −19 | 3 strokes |
| 2016 | Danny Willett | 269 | −19 | 1 stroke |
| 2015 | Rory McIlroy (2) | 266 | −22 | 3 strokes |
| 2014 | Stephen Gallacher (2) | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke |
| 2013 | Stephen Gallacher | 266 | −22 | 3 strokes |
| 2012 | Rafa Cabrera-Bello | 270 | −18 | 1 stroke |
| 2011 | Álvaro Quirós | 277 | −11 | 1 stroke |
| 2010 | Miguel Ángel Jiménez | 277 | −11 | Playoff |
| Dubai Desert Classic | ||||
| 2009 | Rory McIlroy | 269 | −19 | 1 stroke |
| 2008 | Tiger Woods (2) | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke |
| 2007 | Henrik Stenson | 269 | −19 | 1 stroke |
| 2006 | Tiger Woods | 269 | −19 | Playoff |
| 2005 | Ernie Els (3) | 269 | −19 | 1 stroke |
| 2004 | Mark O’Meara | 271 | −17 | 1 stroke |
| 2003 | Robert-Jan Derksen | 271 | −17 | 1 stroke |
| 2002 | Ernie Els (2) | 272 | −16 | 4 strokes |
| 2001 | Thomas Bjørn | 266 | −22 | 2 strokes |
| 2000 | José Cóceres | 274 | −14 | 2 strokes |
| 1999 | David Howell | 275 | −13 | 4 strokes |
| 1998 | José María Olazábal | 269 | −19 | 3 strokes |
| 1997 | Richard Green | 272 | −16 | Playoff |
| 1996 | Colin Montgomerie | 270 | −18 | 1 stroke |
| 1995 | Fred Couples | 268 | −20 | 3 strokes |
| 1994 | Ernie Els | 268 | −20 | 6 strokes |
| 1993 | Wayne Westner | 274 | −14 | 2 strokes |
| 1992 | Seve Ballesteros | 272 | −16 | Playoff |
| 1991 | Tournament cancelled due to the Gulf War[4] | |||
| Emirates Airlines Desert Classic | ||||
| 1990 | Eamonn Darcy | 276 | −12 | 4 strokes |
| Karl Litten Desert Classic | ||||
| 1989 | Mark James | 277 | −11 | Playoff |
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