Preview
Starts: 22 January 2026
Course: Emirates GC, Dubai
Par: 72 (35-37)
Length: 7,428 yards
2026 Dubai Desert Classic Tips
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2026 Dubai Desert Classic Course Info
Course Designer: Karl Litten
Fairways: Wide
Rough: Average
Greens: Bermuda
Water Hazards: On 9 holes
Par 5's: 3rd, 10th, 13th, 18th
Hosted Since: 1989
Premium on: Strong driving and approach.
Last 10 Course Champions
2024 - Tyrrell Hatton
2024 - Rory McIlroy
2023 - Rory McIlroy
2022 - Viktor Hovland
2021 - Paul Casey
2020 - Lucas Herbert
2019 - Bryson DeChambeau
2018 - Hao Tong Li
2017 - Sergio Garcia
2016 - Danny Willett
2015 - Rory McIlroy
2014 - Stephen Gallacher
How the weather should affect this week
Conditions are expected to be windier on Friday but the other three days should be ideal for scoring.
Significant Info To Be Aware Of
-This is the first full field event in 2026 for the DP World Tour. You may see rust from some players.
2026 Dubai Desert Classic Trends
Winning score
With the exception of 2020, 2022 and 2024, the winning score has been between -15 and -24 in the last twelve editions. Severe wind in 2020 meant the winning score was -9, testing conditions in 2022 saw Viktor Hovland win with -12 and Rory McIlroy won with -14 in 2024.
World ranking
World ranking of the last ten winners prior to their win was 17-3-1-5-27-223-5-60-15-19 (most recent first). Winners are generally shorter odds.
Correlating Courses
Dom Pedro, Ras Al Khaimah, Jumeirah Golf Estates, East Lake.
Course form
Absolutely crucial. Of the last fourteen winners, twelve had posted a top 20 prior to winning. The only players who hadn't were Haotong Li and Viktor Hovland, who had posted a top 40 finish in their only appearance prior to winning. We value course form highly when making our Dubai Desert Classic picks.
Recent form
Haotong Li won in 2018 after missing the cut in and Lucas Herbert won in 2020 after a 67th place finish. In 2021, Casey was 8th in his previous start. 2022 winner Viktor Hovland was 5th the week before whilst Rory McIlroy was making his first start of the year in 2023 but carried strong momentum from the end of 2022. McIlroy finished 2nd the week prior to his win in 2014. Tyrell Hatton ended 2024 in exceptionally stroong form prior to his win here last year.
Rust
Until McIlroy's win in 2023, every champion in the past nine years had teed it up in the calendar year prior to winning. As the event now plays as the second event of the year, we may see more winners playing their first event but shaking off the rest certainly helps, as Rory did in 2024 with a 2nd palce week prior to this event. Tyrrell Hatton made his first start of the year last year.
2026 Dubai Desert Classic Stats Analysis
Strokes Gained stats are available since 2018 on the DP World Tour. Preference is for a strong driver who finds a hot putter.
SG: Off The Tee
The past eight champions have ranked 4-2-1-2-6-5-11-38 (latest year first) in this category. Key stat in recent years, although it should be noted Patrick Reed ranked 113th off the tee in 2024 and lost to McIlroy by a single shot.
SG: Approach
The past eight champion rankings have been 17-5-24-3-2-74-16-27 (latest year first). Strong approach play goes a long way here.
SG: Around the Greens
Windy conditions in 2020 meant short game was at a premium and this was evident as Herbert and runner up, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, ranked 5th and 3rd in this category. However, Hatton ranked 39th last year, McIlroy ranked 31st in 2024 and 45th in 2023, whilst Hovland ranked 85th in 2022 despite the poor scoring. Paul Casey ranked 19th in 2021. The the two winners previously ranked 46th and 36th. Short game is not key here.
SG: Putting
The winner generally needs to putt well. The past eight champions have ranked 22-37-11-18-57-18-5-3 in this category. It should be noted that he greens in 2021 were exceptionally poor and were ripped up immediately after the tournament ended.
Par 4 Scoring
Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland both ranked inside the top 2 of the previous season par 4 standings. Tyrrell Hatton was 29th int he 2024 par 4 standings prior to his win last year.
In Play Golf Betting Advice
Tough Holes
Par 4's 9th, 12th and 8th played as the three hardest on the course last year.
Birdie Holes
The four par 5s (3rd, 10th, 13th, 18th), played the easiest last year and need to be taken advantage of.
Fast or Slow Start
In the last 13 years only five winners have opened with a score worse than 67 in round one. Eight of the past thirteen had been leading after the third round. It is not a course to play catch up unless conditions make it tough.
Closing Stretch
The 17th and 18th both rank among the five easiest holes on the course. However, players must negotiate water up the 18th hole and we saw Christiaan Bezuidenhout hit his 3rd shot at the 72nd hole in 2020 into the water.
What will it take to win the 2026 Dubai Desert Classic?
1. Strong SG: Off the tee stats
2. Strong desert form, with at least a previous top 20 at Emirates.
3. Preferably shaken off the rust already this year (exceptions can be made for those who finished 2025 with strong momentum).
4. Strong Par 4 scoring stats in 2025 calendar year
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2026 Dubai Desert Classic Tips
You can sign up for all our Dubai Desert Classic tips and DP World Tour Tour tips for 2026 by clicking the button below.
