• The Dubai Desert Classic was first played in 1989 and the roll of honour includes six different Major Champions. They are: Seve Ballesteros (1992), Ernie Els (1994, 02, 05), Fred Couples (1995), José Maria Olazábal (1998), Mark O’Meara (2004) and Tiger Woods (2006). Between them they have won 25 Major Championships.
• Els has played nine times in the Dubai Desert Classic over the Emirates course. In that time he has recorded three victories, seven top threes and never finished lower than eighth. Of his 36 rounds on the Emirates course he is a total of 139 under par, with a stroke average of 68.14. He set the current course record of 61 (-11) on the opening day in 1994, which contained a European Tour record of 12 birdies in a single round. He has broken par in 33 of his 36 rounds and has yet to sign for on over par score – his highest being a 72.
• Defending champion, Woods, will try and create Dubai Desert Classic history by becoming the first player to successfully defend the crown.
• The 2007 Dubai Desert Classic will be the 18th staging of the event. The tournament has seen 15 different winners from ten different nations. Only Els has recorded multiple victories.
• In 2004 O’Meara became the oldest winner of the Dubai Desert Classic, aged 47 and 54 days and the sixth oldest in European Tour history.
• Nine former winners of the Dubai Desert Classic are in the field – Wayne Westner (1993), Els (1994, 02, 05), Colin Montgomerie (1996), Richard Green (1997), David Howell (1999), Thomas Björn (2001), Robert-Jan Derksen (2003), O’Meara (2004) and Woods (2006).
