SUNDAY DECEMBER 11, 2011 – DUBAI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY DP WORLD
• His sixth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 119th European Tour event.
• Moves to €2,259,242 in The Race To Dubai. This is his highest single-season earnings.
• His second victory of the 2011 European Tour season, following the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Would record multiple victories in the same season for the first time in his career.
• Moves into the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking, from 52nd.
• Becomes the 11th multiple winner of the season. They are: Luke Donald (WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship, BMW PGA Championship and Barclays Scottish Open), Thomas Björn (Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy, Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and Omega European Masters), Charl Schwartzel (Joburg Open and Masters Tournament), Martin Kaymer (Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and WGC – HSBC Champions), Darren Clarke (Iberdrola Open and The 140th Open Championship), Alex Noren (Saab Wales Open and Nordea Masters), Simon Dyson (Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland and KLM Open), Michael Hoey (Madeira Islands Open and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship), Sergio Garcia (Castelló Masters and Andalucía Masters), Rory McIlroy (US Open Championship and UBS Hong Kong Open) and Alvaro Quiros (Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Dubai World Championship presented by DP World).
• This victory is his third Desert title from his six European Tour triumphs overall, including three of his last four wins. They are: 2009 Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy, 2011 Omega Dubai Desert Classic and 2011 Dubai World Championship presented by DP World.
• Makes European Tour history by becoming the first player to win three different European Tour events in the Desert. They are: Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy, Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Dubai World Championship presented by DP World.
OTHER FACTS
• Victory comes in his third appearance in the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World. He was tied 42nd in 2009, tied third in 2010 and first in 2011.
• Joins Ernie Els (2005 Dubai Desert Classic and 2005 Qatar Masters), as the only players to win consecutive European Tour events in the Desert, having won the 2011 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
• Continues his wonderful record in recent years in European Tour events in the Desert. Since the start of the 2009 season he has played in 13 events in the Middle East, winning three and finishing in the top ten in eight of the 13.
• The sixth Spanish victory of the 2011 season. They are: Pablo Martin (Alfred Dunhill Championship (Dec 2010), Alvaro Quiros (Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Dubai World Championship presented by DP World), Pablo Larrazabal (BMW International Open) and Sergio Garcia (Castelló Masters and Andalucía Masters).
• The 163rd Spanish victory in European Tour history.
• His seventh win as a professional.
• Moves €5 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings.
• Gains a five year European Tour exemption until the end of the 2016 season.
• Gains his largest European Tour prize of €922,645.
• Gains a place in the 2012 Masters Tournament (as a result of moving back into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking by the end of 2011), the 2012 US Open Championship and 2012 Open Championship, as a result of his finishing position in The Race to Dubai and the three World Golf Championship events.
