Top names teeing off at Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI: Three of the top-five ranked players in the world will head a stellar field assembled for this week’s Dubai Desert Classic, which tees off Thursday.

World No.1 Rory McIlroy (2009) and No. 2 Henrik Stenson (2007) have already won the tournament once before, while No. 5 Sergio Garcia will be searching for his first triumph at the Emirates Golf Club.

European Ryder Cup regulars Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood would be playing their first event of the new year, while Germany’s world No. 12 Martin Kaymer is attempting to make a comeback from his unexpected final-round meltdown in Abu Dhabi a couple of weeks ago, when he lost despite leading the tournament by 10 shots at one stage.

Scotland’s world No. 34 Stephen Gallacher is the twice defending champion.

A win on Sunday will not only tie him with Ernie Els as the most successful player in the 26-yearold history of the tournament, but also make him only the sixth player on the European Tour to win the same tournament in three consecutive years.

Gallacher, runner-up in 2012 and winner the last two years, would join the select club of Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Tiger Woods and Els with a third consecutive win.

The Scotsman, who is 55-under at the venue in his last three visits, said: “It’s great to be associated with them, isn’t it? I’ve earned my place to be associated with them, so I cannot change it now. It’s there.

“The only thing I can do is add to it and I would love to.

“It is hard to do, but I’ve got a chance to do it. I’ve got expectations of what I want this week but I’m not going to put myself under any more pressure. If it happens, brilliant.

“I just want to give it my best shot.”

Kaymer was surprisingly candid in talking about his Abu Dhabi experience and insisted it has been one of the greatest learning experiences of his life.

“What happened on Sunday has never happened in my career before — leading by six, seven, ten shots at one stage, and then losing,” said the German world No. 12.

“It was a new situation, and something I’m actually very glad that it happened, because it is bound to happen at some stage in your career.

“They are not nice when they happen, but afterwards, you are even more motivated because you grow not only as a golfer, but also as a person.

“You became more mature. It was almost like a life lesson, and I’m very glad that happened.”

The $2.5 million tournament, the oldest tournament in the region, will be played Thursday to Sunday.