Out of the Rough: Hero Dubai Desert Classic (2026)

The DP World Tour heads across the city of Dubai, from last week’s visit at Dubai Creek Resort to this week’s stay at the Emirates Golf Club for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. 

This week also serves as the first of five Rolex Series events of the season, offering an increased purse and more Race to Dubai points.

This event was first staged in 1989 and outside of the event not taking place in 1991, has been held every year since. This makes this year’s playing the 37th edition.

The Dubai Desert Classic takes place at the world-famous Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Club. It has been held here every year outside of 1999 and 2000 where it was held at the Dubai Creek Resort.

The Field

As has become tradition at this event, we’ll be welcomed to a star-studded field this week in Dubai.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy highlights this week’s field. McIlroy is a four time winner of this event, winning most recently in 2024.

He’ll be joined by defending champion Tyrell Hatton who won this event a season ago by one stroke over Daniel Hillier.

Other notable names playing this week include Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Patrick Reed, Nicolai Hojgaard, Ryan Fox, David Puig, Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann and Tom McKibbin.

Other former winners of this event playing this week include Hovland (2022,) Danny Willett (2016) and Rafa Cabrera-Bello (2012.)

The Course

The Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Club will once again play host this week.

It plays as a par-72 at 7,428 yards.

The Majlis Course was designed by Karl Litten and opened in 1988.

Off-the-tee, there is little to no defense offered this week. This adds an emphasis to driving distance, as historically proven.

The fairways are fairly generous and the rough is non-penal.

Water is the course’s main line of defense as it comes into play on ten holes.

The greens were completely renovated four years ago, now featuring a Bermuda TifEagle grass that plays at roughly 11.5 on the Stimpmeter.

The front nine here at the Majlis Course plays much more difficult than the back nine. Four-of-the-five toughest holes on the course are featured on the front nine.

Four years ago, the front nine played to the tune of 35.18 (as a par-35) on average as the back nine played to an average of 35.6 as a par-37.

Of course, this track is an exposed desert track. Therefore, the wind has a lot to do with the way the course is played and managed.

If the wind picks up, the course dries out and scoring becomes much more difficult.

This was evident in 2020 when Lucas Herbert won at just -9 as the year prior, Bryson DeChambeau won at -24. 

The Weather

As of the time of writing this, Thursday and Friday currently call for a zero-percent chance of precipitation. Saturday currently calls for a ten-percent chance and Sunday just a five-percent chance. Temperatures will begin the week at 71-degrees before reaching 73-degrees on Friday. Temperatures will continue to climb across the weekend, reaching 74-degrees on Saturday and 76-degrees for Sunday. Winds will be at the highest on Thursday at 14 miles-per-hour. Winds will settle to eight miles-per-hour on Friday before bouncing back to nine miles-per-hour on Saturday. Winds will finish the week at seven miles-per-hour on Sunday. 

Key Stats

• Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (SG: OTT)

• Average Driving Distance

• Greens in Regulation Percentage (GIR%)

• Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: PUTT)

• Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: APP)

Betting Card

Joaquin Niemann (+2500)

I never thought I’d be betting Niemann but here we are. He most recently teed it up at this event in 2024 where he finished T4th. Now, I know his last few starts have not been great with missed cuts at the Crown Australian Open and BMW Australian Championship, but his game lines up well for this event. He finished the last season on LIV first in average driving distance, second in GIR% and 29th in SG: PUTT. He’s failed to perform outside of LIV, but we all know the talent is there with two PGA Tour victories, one of the DPWT and seven on LIV Golf. 

Daniel Hillier (+3500)

I was on Hillier last week with his solo second place finish and I can’t keep my finger off the pulse. Outside of his performance last week, he also placed sixth at the Crown Australian Open and fifth at the BMW Australian PGA Championship so far this season. He was also the runner-up at this event a season ago. Hillier is currently third on Tour in GIR%, fifth in SG: APP, 20th in SG: APP, 34th in SG: OTT and 35th in average driving distance. 

Julien Guerrier (+12500)

We saw a DP World Tour veteran claim victory last week in the desert as Nacho Elvira won the Dubai Invitational, so why can’t Guerrier win this week? He is currently tenth on our in SG: PUTT, 15th in average driving distance, 18th in SG: APP, 45th in GIR% and 63rd in SG: OTT. He placed 21st here a season ago, 70th in 2024 and T65th in 2023. Guerrier placed T3rd last week at the Dubai Invitational and outside of missing the cut at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, he also placed sixth at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Ewen Ferguson (+13000)

Desert golf directly correlates to links golf so let’s go with Ferguson. He is currently eighth on Tour in GIR%, 15th in SG: APP, 26th in SG: OTT, 45th in SG: PUTT and 62nd in average driving distance. He placed 20th last week at the Dubai Invitational and tenth at the Nedbank Golf Challenge so far this season. He also placed 16th at this event a season ago, missed the cut in 2024 and placed T28th in 2023. 

2025 Betting Card

• Viktor Hovland (+1400) - MC

• Adrian Meronk (+8000) - MC

• Scott Jamieson (+30000) - MC

2024 Betting Card

• Nicolai Hojgaard (+2200) - T7th

• Thriston Lawrence (+4000) - MC

• Zander Lombard (+7000) - T16th

• Alejandro Del Rey (+10000) - T38th