The cream of European golf has arrived in Dubai for this week’s Tour finale over the Earth Course at Jumeirah Estates.
The second staging of the Dubai World Championship will once again take place at the Greg Norman-designed venue where, 12 months ago, Lee Westwood conjured up a brilliant closing round of 64 to win the tournament by six shots and also snatch top spot in the Race to Dubai Standings.
Westwood is now the world No 1 and is also third in this season’s Tour rankings.
However, the battle to become European No 1 is between Germany’s Martin Kaymer and Ireland’s Graeme McDowell.
Both players have won Major championships this year and with one event remaining in the 2010 Tour schedule, Kaymer leads McDowell by a little over 290 thousand euros.
In last year’s tournament, where champion Westwood pocketed 830 thousand euros, McDowell finished tied-for-30th, one stroke ahead of Kaymer.
Water comes into play on five holes, while the greens are both large and undulating.
So who else is teeing-up this week, other than Kaymer and McDowell?
Padraig Harrington: Fourth here last year and has showed signs of a return to form during the past few weeks.
Matteo Mannasero: The teenage Italian has been in stunning form of late – a maiden Tour victory in Spain and second on Sunday in Hong Kong.
Rory McIlroy: Finished third last year in Dubai when he was in with a chance of becoming European No 1. Without this extra pressure on this occasion he could do even better this week. Top-six finishes on each of his last two Tour outings.
Francesco Molinari: Another in-form Italian who won the HSBC Champions event in China earlier this month. He is currently fourth in the Race to Dubai standings.
Ian Poulter: Winner last week in Hong Kong having finished sixth in Singapore a few days earlier.
Lee Westwood: The defending champion who was second on his most recent Tour outing in Shanghai.
