Jon Rahm is delighted to be back in Dubai as he bids to become the first player to claim a hat-trick of victories at the DP World Tour Championship.
Jumeirah Golf Estates' Earth Course has been a happy hunting ground for Rahm, who has two wins and a joint-fourth placed finish to show for his three trips there.
The Spaniard's last visit came in 2019 when he won both the tournament and the Harry Vardon Trophy.
The Covid-19 pandemic has prevented him from returning since that stunning victory, but he takes his place among a star-studded field for the final tournament of the 2022 season this week.
Ahead of the campaign's fifth and final Rolex Series event, Rahm sang the praises of the host course, describing it as "world class".
He said: "I didn't get the chance to defend right away since Covid had other plans.
"So I'm happy to be back and I'm happy to have a chance to hopefully win this tournament again.
"It's a city I really enjoy and a week I really enjoy. It's been fun every time I come. Hospitality has been unmatched. It's just hard to beat.
"And it's a world-class golf course, especially those last finishing maybe five to seven holes where if you take the necessary risks, you can come up with some birdies like Collin (Morikawa) did last year and end up with the win. So hopefully I have a good showing again.
"I'm looking forward to it. Like I said, it's a tournament and a week that I really enjoy."
Rahm highlighted the importance of driving the ball well this week.
He added: "It is a golf course where if you can drive it well, like I have in the past, you can have a lot of advantages.
"There are certain bunkers you can cover. There are certain holes where you can have a much shorter iron coming in and actually have a chance to make birdies, especially if you put it in the fairway.
"So off the tee, it's a massive advantage. It's no surprise that Rory (McIlroy) has had success here as well. I'm not surprised Collin last year, one of the straightest drivers on Tour, had such a good week as well.
"It's a combination of things. It all starts off the tee. Your iron game needs to be precise. These greens are very undulated, and you want to be on the right section of the green.
"If you are on the right section, you will have a birdie chance - if not, you will have a complicated one-putt.
"If you can hit it long out here with some accuracy, you're going to have a lot of chances. The par fives are long and you have a couple of long par fours."
