The Desert Swing: By the numbers

The conclusion of the Ras Al Kaimah Classic saw the end of a four week desert swing in the Middle East, which also included the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Slync Dubai Desert Classic and The Ras Al Kaimah Championship. We take a look at some of the key numbers from the desert swing

By The Numbers

1 - With his win at Yas Links in the first week of the 2022, Thomas Pieters became the first Belgian to win a Rolex Series event. A week later, Viktor Hovland made a similar claim as the first Norwegian to win a Rolex Series event during his play-off victory over Richard Bland at the the Slync Dubai Desert Classic.

1 - Ryan Fox was the only player to record a hole in one during the first four events, recording on the fourth hole during the third round of the Slync Dubai Desert Classic - the first of his career on the DP World Tour.

2 – For three of our champions - Fox, Hovland and Højgaard - their victories also marked their second wins on the DP World Tour.

2 – The number of new venues in this year's Desert Swing. Yas Links made its debut during the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, while Al Hamra Golf Club had its first, and then second, outing at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship followed by the Ras Al Khaimah Classic.

3 - Only three players posted a round in the 60s (Donaldson 69, Brun 69 & Winther 69) in the second round of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. In difficult conditions, this was the fewest number of rounds in the 60s ever recorded in a single round at a Rolex Series event.

5 – Ryan fox claimed the biggest winning margin of the four events at Ras al Khaimah, finishing five strokes clear of Ross Fisher thanks to a closing 69 at Al Hamra Golf Club.

9 – The number of players to record two top 10 finishes across the four events. Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Adam Scott, Scott Jamieson, Oliver Bekker, Jordan Smith, Adrian Meronk and Justin Harding all achieved the feat.

9 – The 9th hole at the Slync Dubai Desert Classic proved the hardest test across all four events. The 488 yard par-four averaged 4.42 strokes, which 247 pars, 22 birdies, 113 bogeys and 40 double bogeys or worse during the four days of competition.

19 – The number of different nationalities that finished in the top 10 over the four events. (Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Spain and South Africa.)

62 – The lowest round recorded across all four events of the Desert Swing, recorded by Oliver Bekker during the second round of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic.

66 - The lowest final round score achieved by winner. Viktor Hovland posted the score during Sunday's final round at the Slync Dubai Desert Classic, where he finished birdie-eagle-birdie to set the clubhouse target and ultimately book himself a place in the play-off with Richard Bland.

100 – Of the four champions, Ryan Fox had the biggest move up the Official World Golf Rankings. Fox moved from 219th to 199th, Nicolai Højgaard from 100th – 67th, Viktor Hovland from 5th -3rd, and Thomas Pieters from 72nd to 31st.

142 – Lowest cut line across four events, which came at both Ras Al Khaimah events.

148 – Highest cut line across all four events, which came at the Slync Dubai Desert Classic.

264 - The lowest winning total (-24) across all four events, which Nicolai Højgaard achieved through rounds of 67, 65, 64 and 68.