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25th Jan 2022 | Dubai Desert Classic

Dubai Desert Classic Trends

Dubai Desert Classic Trends

The Desert Swing continues with the Dubai Desert Classic. A strong field has assembled with Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa amongst the headline acts. We look at the trends of past winners.

This is the 33nd Dubai Desert Classic and with the Emirates GC having hosted all but two of the events, there is lots of course form.

The roll of honour suggests class normally comes to the fore in Dubai as we look at the trends of the past 121 winners.

Top-60 on tour for scoring average
The best players on tour usually thrive in Dubai but don’t discount the slightly less fashionable European Tour golfers with Lucas Hebert, Alvaro Quiros, Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Stephen Gallacher all winning in recent years. Each of the last 11 winners ranked inside the top-60 on tour for scoring average.

Top-60 on tour for GIRs
Low scoring resumed after the anomaly of 2020. You need to be around 20-under, therefore you have to create birdie opportunities. 10 of the last 12 winners ranked inside the top-60 on tour for GIRs.

Top-40 finish the previous year
Players tend to repeat their form at Emirates GC. Stephen Gallacher won back to back titles, Rory McIlroy has seven consecutive top-10s and Ernie Els managed seven top-3 finishes in a row in the early 2000s. Even Bryson Dechambeau was able to improve on his 18th finish from 2016, his previous only visit to the course. Lucas Herbert finished seventh the year before winning.

Players that fit all three trends:
BJÖRK, Alexander
CANTER, Laurie
FLEETWOOD, Tommy
KORHONEN, Mikko
PIETERS, Thomas
ROZNER, Antoine
SAMOOJA, Kalle
SCHWAB, Matthias
WIESBERGER, Bernd
ZANOTTI, Fabrizio

Odds correct at time of publishing: 15:57 25th Jan, 2022 but subject to change

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