European Tour adds new tournament in Dubai for 2020

The Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World, has been announced, completing the European Tour’s revamped 2020 schedule.

The event will take place on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Wednesday December 2 to Saturday December 5.

It will form a December ‘Dubai Swing’, preceding the fourth and final Rolex Series event of the year, the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, which will be played on the neighbouring Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Thursday December 10 to Sunday December 13.

The tournament builds on the long-term relationship the European Tour has with Dubai, which began more than 30 years ago, and many of its Dubai-based Official Partners, including DP World, Dubai Duty Free and Emirates.

It also means the European Tour will visit the United Arab Emirates four times in 2020.

Chris May, CEO of Dubai Golf, told the Business Breakfast on Dubai Eye 103.8 that the Emirate's safety record and infrastructure make it the right location for major sporting events:

The announcement adds to the tour's schedule, now featuring 38 tournaments, including 15 additional events which did not exist prior to the season being paused between March and the beginning of July. It also means the European Tour will visit the United Arab Emirates four times in 2020.

With a prize fund of USD 1.2 million, the Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World will be played in the same week as the South African Open.

Players in both fields will attempt to secure their spot in the USD 8 million DP World Tour Championship which, due to the disruption this year, will comprise the leading 60 available players on the Race to Dubai as well as any European Tour member in the top 75 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

No players have been announced yet for the Golf in Dubai Championship, but Chris May says he expects the line-up will be very strong:

Announcing the new Dubai event, Keith Pelley, the European Tour’s Chief Executive said, “It has undoubtedly been a very different and complex challenge to completely reimagine our 2020 schedule since March, but our team has worked incredibly hard behind the scenes, demonstrating creativity and agility."

Daniel Van Otterdijk, Chief Communications Officer, DP World added, “As a long-term partner of the European Tour, DP World is proud to support the Golf in Dubai Championship."