Dubai Desert Classic Winners and History

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.
Omega Dubai Desert Classic Winners and History

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:

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin
Hero Dubai
Desert Classic
2024Rory McIlroy274-141 shot
2023Rory McIlroy269-191 shot
Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic
2022Viktor Hovland276-12Playoff
Omega Dubai Desert Classic
2021 Paul Casey271−174 strokes
2020Lucas Herbert279−9Playoff
2019Bryson DeChambeau264−247 strokes
2018Li Haotong265−231 stroke
2017Sergio García269−193 strokes
2016Danny Willett269−191 stroke
2015Rory McIlroy (2)266−223 strokes
2014Stephen Gallacher (2)272−161 stroke
2013Stephen Gallacher266−223 strokes
2012 Rafa Cabrera-Bello270−181 stroke
2011Álvaro Quirós277−111 stroke
2010Miguel Ángel Jiménez277−11Playoff
Dubai Desert Classic
2009Rory McIlroy269−191 stroke
2008Tiger Woods (2)274−141 stroke
2007Henrik Stenson269−191 stroke
2006Tiger Woods269−19Playoff
2005Ernie Els (3)269−191 stroke
2004 Mark O’Meara271−171 stroke
2003 Robert-Jan Derksen271−171 stroke
2002Ernie Els (2)272−164 strokes
2001Thomas Bjørn266−222 strokes
2000José Cóceres274−142 strokes
1999David Howell275−134 strokes
1998 José María Olazábal269−193 strokes
1997Richard Green272−16Playoff
1996Colin Montgomerie270−181 stroke
1995Fred Couples268−203 strokes
1994Ernie Els268−206 strokes
1993Wayne Westner274−142 strokes
1992Seve Ballesteros272−16Playoff
1991Tournament cancelled due to the Gulf War[4]
Emirates Airlines Desert Classic
1990Eamonn Darcy276−124 strokes
Karl Litten Desert Classic
1989Mark James277−11Playoff

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