Dubai iswarren’s bonus in this extraordinary year
Marc Warren is heading for a desert finish to the season, which was beyond his wildest dreams while stuck in lockdown earlier this year.
Wa r re n is i n Du b a i for the last two events on the European Tour schedule – the newly- created Golf in Dubai Championship, followed by the big one, the DP World Tour Championship, which is the climax of the Race to Dubai.
The 39- year- old is currently 51st on the list, and with the top 60 qualifying, it would take something extraordinary for him not to be in the field.
And taking part in the lucrative $ 8- million event after a three- year absence was not on his mind until victory at the Austrian Open in July – his first win for almost six years – changed everything in his first event post-lockdown.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone,” Warren told The Sunday Post.
“But golf- wise, from the position I was in during lockdown, it couldn’t have gone any better, which sounds a bit bizarre given the year it’s been.
“I didn’t know where and when I was going to be playing, so to win in Austria and get back into the winners’ category made it a dream few months.
“I have played pretty well since then, and it’s a nice way to end the season in Dubai, having not played it for a few years.
“The victory has meant I’ve planned a schedule with fewer tournaments, and I’ve spent more time at home with my family.
“I’ve just enjoyed five weeks off after the Italian Open, so my practice in the last few days has been like cramming for the first exam.
“But it’s better than playing because you had to when you are struggling. That is a tough place to be mentally, and physically, as you’re never calm. You’re always looking for the answer.”
While qualifying for the Race to Dubai would be a recognition of Warren’s return to form in 2020, it will always be a celebration of sorts for the European Tour.
The schedule was in pieces in March, but through hard work, planning and diligence, there has been almost- continuous golf since July.
Events without spectators, regular Covid testing and social- distancing away from the course have become the norm for players. But Warren acknowledges how grateful they have been to have so much golf to play.
“I t ’s testament to the European Tour that we are going to finish with the Race to Dubai,” he admitted.
“The UK swing in the summer was great, then we had the Scottish Open then Wentworth. As you were playing one event, it felt like another was announced.
“We thought 2020 was going to be a total washout but it’s almost been a full schedule, just in a crammed calendar.
“When we played the first event in Austria, we saw how much expense and hard work had gone in from the Tour with the social distancing, testing and the set-up for food.
“We, as players, were not left wanting for anything and we have maybe been treated even better than before.
“Things like leaving your hotel room with a mask felt funny at the start, but they have become second nature.
“We’re probably stricter than in everyday life. But everyone has adapted and we’ve stuck to the rules as best we can, which is testament to how few cases there have been.
“We’re tested weekly, but once inside the bubble at an event, we’re in a wide- open space and it’s probably been as safe as anywhere.
“We realise how lucky we are compared to the likes of the NHS.”