| Tiger Keeps Promise to Return to Dubai Desert Classic | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 13 2013, 01:09 AM (124 Views) | |
| zoee | May 13 2013, 01:09 AM Post #1 |
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The Dubai Desert Classic gets under way this week in Dubai this year without the immediate threat that a pending war in the Gulf provided last year. As a result of an arguably improved political climate in the region, Tiger Woods is back after discretion got the better of velour, when making a decision not to play in the 2003 event. In a statement released by the tournament late last year Woods said, Although I’ve cut down my schedule each and every year to a number where I can have enough energy to play with the new golf clubs for sale at a high level every week, it has always been my aim to play again in Dubai, I was really disappointed not to have made it over to Dubai this year so more than excited about returning in 2004. The organizers were cooperative and supportive and I appreciated their understanding of my decision not to play back in March. Because I wanted to thank everyone in Dubai for their understanding, I immediately agreed to play in the 15th Desert Classic. Woods was runner up to Thomas Bjorn here in 2001. The danger to such a high profile American here in 2003 was obvious, so his non-participation with the golf clubs for sale was understandable at that time. His involvement this year however, will have the tournament organizers now licking their lips at the prospect of Woods lining up against not only Ernie Els, but a field that also includes Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington amongst others. The event carries prizemoney of 1.6 million euros ($A2.5 million) with a first prize of 268,000 euros. The event was first played in 1989 for players with their golf clubs for sale and in all but two of its staging, it has been played at the Karl Litten designed Emirates Golf Club. In 1999 and 2000 it was held at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. The course was essentially the first of the modern courses to be constructed in this region, where building golf courses in the desert has become quite an art. Recent winners have been Jose Coceres (2000), Thomas Bjorn (2001), Ernie Els (2002) and Dutchman, Robert-Jan Derksen last year. In 2003, Derksena’s win was his first on the European Tour but he would have just one further top ten for the year, which came in his very next event on Madeira Island. |
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