DID YOU KNOW – OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC
• The Dubai Desert Classic was first played in 1989 and the roll of honour includes seven different Major Champions. They are: Seve Ballesteros (1992), Ernie Els (1994, 02, 05), Fred Couples (1995), José María Olazábal (1998), Mark O’Meara (2004), Tiger Woods (2006, 08) and Rory McIlroy (2009). Between them they have won 28 Major Championships.
• Should defending champion Alvaro Quiros make a successful defence of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, he would make history and become the first player to win back-to-back titles in the event. The 29 year old won the last European Tour event staged in Dubai, the 2011 Dubai World Championship presented by DP World.
• On his way to victory in 2011, Quiros made a hole-in-one at the 11th hole in the fourth round. He became only the third player in European Tour history to win a European Tour event and record an ace in the final round. He followed Thongchai Jaidee (2004 Malaysian Open) and Miguel Angel Jiménez (2008 BMW PGA Championship).
• The 2011 event witnessed four holes-in-one. All of them were in separate rounds. The only other time this has occurred on The European Tour was at the 1991 Fujitsu Mediterranean Open.
• Barry Lane, playing this year on a sponsor’s invitation, holds the unique record of being the only player to have played in all 22 previous editions of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. The 2012 event will be his 680th European Tour career appearance.
