European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington will head to the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club next month, where he will be joined by his successful predecessor Thomas Bjorn and two-time winning assistant Miguel Angel Jimenez.
The trio of European Tour legends join an already star-studded field, which sees the return of the tournament-record setting defending champion Bryson DeChambeau.
Previous winners Rafa Cabrera Bello, Sergio Garcia, Haotong Li, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett will also be in attendance, in addition to star names such as Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter, Matt Wallace and Lee Westwood.
The oldest tournament in the region and the longest running on the circuit outside of Europe will be played on the stunning Majlis Course from January 23-26.
Harrington will make his eighth appearance at the Dubai Desert Classic next year and will no doubt have a busy week assessing those in early contention for one of 12 Ryder Cup berths next September.
“The OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic is one of our most iconic events and one I cannot wait to return to,” said the 15-time European Tour winner, who finished in a tie for second alongside Tiger Woods at this event in 2001, two shots adrift of Bjorn.
“There is a lot of golf to be played between now and Whistling Straits and, in that time, I hope to play with everyone who is in contention for the team. I can think of no better place to do so than Emirates Golf Club, so I’m looking forward it.”
Bjorn knows what it takes to triumph over Team USA, but with his experience in Paris behind him, 2020 provides a great opportunity for ‘The Great Dane’ to demonstrate how he earned that moniker.
What better place than an event the 48-year old has tasted success at before having, some 18 years ago, played alongside Woods on all four days to deliver one of the event’s most iconic closing Sundays.
“I always love coming back to Dubai and the Desert Classic has so many great memories for me,” said the 2018 European Ryder Cup Captain.
“To go toe-to-toe with Tiger and come out on top is not something many people can lay claim to, so it is a moment from my career that I will never forget. The Majlis Course is always in impeccable condition and it will be great to get out there again in January.”
No stranger to the Dubai Desert Classic, Jimenez will make his 26th appearance at the event in 2020, stand out in which was his table-topping display nine years ago.
That year he triumphed over Westwood in extra holes, some five years on from narrowly losing out to three-time winner Ernie Els, as the South African eagled the 72nd hole to win by a stroke.
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