Trump National Doral will play host to another elite World Golf Championship field as 33 European Tour members get set to tee it up in the latest stop in The Race to Dubai this week, the WGC-Cadillac Championship.
Set on the outskirts of Miami, the recently-revamped Blue Monster course will pose a fresh test to the 68-strong field, with new bunkering, water hazards and additional tees being added by world-renowned architect Gil Hanse to the now 7,481 yard layout.
World Number Three Henrik Stenson will headline the European charge in Florida. The Swede is seeking a second WGC title, following his success seven years ago at the WGC-Accenture World Match Play Championship.
Justin Rose has been nursing a shoulder injury for much of the season, but he will no doubt enter the week buoyed by a return to the scene of his only WGC victory in 2012, when he triumphed by a stroke over Bubba Watson.
There will also be plenty of eyes on Rory McIlroy, as he looks to recover from losing out in a play-off last week at the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour. The two-time Major Champion has recorded top ten finishes in the past three seasons in Doral, his best being when he finished third behind Rose.
WGC-Accenture World Match Play finalist Victor Dubuisson will garner plenty of attention on his debut at Trump National Doral, as the golfing world waits to see if the Frenchman can replicate the fine form that saw him push Jason Day all the way to a 23rd hole in Tucson.
Eight other European Tour members will be making their debut this week alongside Dubuisson: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Jonas Blixt, Brendon de Jonge, Jin Jeong, Joost Luiten, Brett Rumford, Peter Uihlein and Dawie Van der Walt.
Race to Dubai leader Thomas Björn could increase his lead at the top of the season long list with a strong showing in this week’s US $9m event, while two-time WGC-Cadillac Championship winner Ernie Els will also be in the field and looking to build on a fine fourth place finish at the Match Play a fortnight ago.
Tiger Woods won this title for the seventh time last year – the most of any player in history – but he will only defend this week if he is able to recover from the back injury that forced his withdrawal midway through the final round of last week’s Honda Classic.
