Dubai dispels Ryder Cup fatigue

Season-ending DP World Tour has a holiday charm to it

Iam busy on the driving range here at St Andrews for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championships.

This is event number 34 of 39 events on the 2021 European Tour season, ending at Jumeirah Golf Estates with the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course next month. Another Race to Dubai is coming to a close.

We all flew back from The Ryder Cup in Wisconsin on Monday and I drove up to Scotland on Tuesday from my Peter Cowen Academy HQ in Rotherham. It is remarkable how the players adjust back to their tournament routine so quickly after such a tiring week. The Ryder Cup last week is already history for us all. Professional golfers always look forward and only rarely reflect on past successes or otherwise.

This week’s field

This week has a cut after three rounds over three courses: the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns with the final round over the Old Course.

I have seven of my players in this week’s field; Padraig Harrington, Thomas Pieters, Victor Perez, Branden Grace, Danny Willett, Jazz Janewattananond and Scott Crocker.

This tournament is a favourite social event for many with celebrity amateurs, family and friends in the field as it has a Pro-Am team format concurrent with the usual 72-hole individual pro format.

I see in the draw that Abdullah Al Naboodah, Mohammad Farooq, and Alan Stanton are all playing. I have not seen them yet, probably because waterproofs are compulsory all week here in October and the winds are up, probably not the weather these Dubai residents are used to, especially on the range.

Finally, Mrs Cowen is back home packing as we prepare for next week’s holiday in Dubai at JA The Resort, Jebel Ali, a favourite for the Cowen family.

It has been two-and-a-half years since our last proper holiday, long overdue.

Dubai here we come!

This is event number 34 of 39 events on the 2021 European Tour, ending at Jumeirah Golf Estates with the DP World Tour Championship next month.