Words supplied by the European Tour
The European Tour announces The Dubai World Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates – the world’s richest golf tournament with a US$10,000,000 prize fund
• New “Race to Dubai” offers additional US$10,000,000 annual Bonus Pool
• The European Tour International Headquarters to be built at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai
The European Tour and Leisurecorp, the company developing Dubai’s leading residential golf community at Jumeirah Golf Estates, today announced a wide-ranging partnership which will create The Dubai World Championship, the world’s richest golf tournament with a US$10,000,000 prize fund.The partnership will run initially for five years, with an option to extend for a further five years, and will include the creation of the end-of-season Dubai World Championship; an additional annual US$10,000,000 Bonus Pool; significant support for selected European Tour events; funding of The European Tour’s Physio Truck; the construction of a new International Headquarters for The European Tour at Jumeirah Golf Estates; and the creation of a global property company, in a joint initiative with Leisurecorp, to develop new tournament venues around the world.
The inaugural Dubai World Championship will take place from 19-22 November, 2009, on either the Fire or Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, UAE, with the winner earning US$1,666,660 from the US$10,000,000 prize fund.
The Dubai World Championship will provide a thrilling crescendo for spectators as it brings together the players numbered from 1 to 60 from The Race to Dubai – formerly The European Tour Order of Merit – comprising all events on The European Tour International Schedule. The Race to Dubai, which for The Dubai World Championship 2009 will start in November 2008, will provide an annual Bonus Pool starting in 2009 at US$10,000,000. The Number One player will receive US$2,000,000, the runner-up US$ 1,500,000 and the third-placed player US$1,000,000, with prizes down to the 15th player, who will earn US $250,000.
From 2010 it is anticipated that The Race to Dubai will commence in January and The Dubai World Championship will complete the season in November
The first five years of the partnership between the two organisations – which will officially start in January 2008 – will see the relationship being further cemented by the creation of a new International Headquarters for The European Tour. The purpose-built facility at Jumeirah Golf Estates will include a “Centre of Excellence”, providing a unique base for European Tour Members to practice and train at any time of the year.
The state-of-the-art fitness centre at The European Tour International Headquarters will also reflect Leisurecorp’s sponsorship of The European Tour Physio Truck, which will provide Tour Members with outstanding facilities on The Race to Dubai.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai World, the parent company of Leisurecorp, said: “At Jumeirah Golf Estates we are creating the world’s leading residential golf community based around four of the world’s leading courses. It is absolutely fitting therefore that we should welcome the world’s leading tournament.
“This deal is yet another step in Dubai’s evolution as one of the most important golf centres anywhere in the world. From golf tourism to world-beating golf communities to world-class tournaments we can claim to offer it all.
“It also marks an important step forward in extending the Leisurecorp brand across the globe. Leisurecorp already has assets around the world, and it will become an ever more important name in the golf and wider leisure industries in the coming years.”
George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “This is so much more than a tournament sponsorship. It is a long term partnership which will see The European Tour and Dubai joining together to significantly enhance the game world-wide and take golf to a new level for spectators everywhere.
“The scale of this agreement is testament to the vision of Dubai and its ruler His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who has recognised the dynamic role golf can play in developing the global profile of this amazing city. It is also testament to Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who has been instrumental in turning that vision into reality.
“The Race to Dubai will bring a new dimension to The European Tour, creating great drama and theatre throughout the year as all the best players in the world are given the opportunity to compete in the world’s richest tournament – The Dubai World Championship. With the combined prize funds of The Dubai World Championship and The Race to Dubai we have the prospect of a player standing over a putt for US$3,666,660.
“Moreover as The European Tour has become ever-more global in its outlook, it has become increasingly important to us to have an international base in a strategically placed location. Dubai is a massively important and growing hub, with outstanding air links to all our locations, and the perfect place for us to offer a tailor-made service to all our Members through the “Centre of Excellence” at The European Tour International Headquarters. Furthermore, it provides a central meeting place for sponsors and promoters from all tournaments on The European Tour International Schedule.”
David Spencer, Chief Executive of Leisurecorp, said: “The partnership agreement we have reached with The European Tour is great news for Leisurecorp, it’s great news for Dubai – and it’s also great news for The European Tour. We look forward to extending this relationship well into the future.”
Jumeirah Golf Estates has brought together the world’s leading golf and course design superstars to create Dubai’s premier residential golf community. Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and the “father of modern golf course design” Pete Dye are working on creating one of the world’s most distinctive golf developments.
Four courses – Fire, Earth, Water and Wind – will pay tribute to the power of nature, each employing the distinctive characteristics of their own surroundings to deliver their own unique challenges. They will be surrounded by the most desirable residential communities in Dubai with luxury homes distinguishable by their beauty and space both inside and out.
The Middle East has firmly established itself as a world-class golf destination, and Top 100 Golf Courses reflects this evolution with an expanded Top 25 ranking for 2025. For the first time, dedicated panellists living in the region have played virtually every course in the region, ensuring the most informed assessment of the Middle East's premier golf courses. The region now spans seven countries, featuring exceptional layouts from the UAE's championship courses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as emerging destinations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. These rankings identify the courses genuinely worth building a golf trip around, distinguishing between the must-play experiences from the merely adequate. Middle East Top 25 Golf Course Ranking 50 Word Synopsis: Top 100 Golf Courses unveils its expanded Middle East Top 25 for 2025, assessed by dedicated regional panellists. Yas Links maintains its 13-year reign at #1, whilst five new entries include Saudi Arabia's Riyadh at #15. The UAE dominates with 17 courses, as the region's golf landscape continues to evolve remarkably. 2025 Rankings: The Top 25 Era The 2025 rankings represent a significant milestone. The chart has expanded from 20 to 25 courses, with all assessments based on play by dedicated Middle East panellists. An additional 21 courses can be played in the region but haven't made the rankings, not meeting the calibre needed to justify a dedicated golf trip. The exception is Shura Links in Saudi Arabia, which opened recently and will feature in the 2026 update once panellists complete their visit. 2025 Top 25 At A Glance The Unchanged Elite #1: Yas Links Golf Course (UAE) - No change - World Ranking #96 #2: Al Mouj Golf (Championship) (Oman) - No change #3: Trump International Golf Club Dubai (UAE) - No change The Rising Stars #9: Al Zorah Golf Club (UAE) - Up 4 positions #5: Emirates Golf Club (Majlis) (UAE) - Up 3 positions #7: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club (UAE) - Up 3 positions #4: Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth) (UAE) - Up 2 positions #6: The Els Club - Dubai (UAE) - Up 1 position The New Entries #14: Al Hamra (UAE) - New #15: Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) - New #18: Yas Acres (9 Holes) (UAE) - New #22: Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club (UAE) - New #25: The Montgomerie (UAE) - New Notable Movements #10: Dubai Hills Golf Club (UAE) - Down 6 positions #23: Emirates Golf Club (Faldo) (UAE) - Down 4 positions #24: Arabian Ranches (UAE) - Down 4 positions #8: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (UAE) - Down 3 positions #19: Royal Golf Club (Montgomerie) (Bahrain) - Down 3 positions #20: Doha (Championship) (Qatar) - Down 3 positions #21: Caesarea (Israel) - Down 3 positions Complete Top 25 #11: Royal Greens Golf & Country Club (Saudi Arabia) - Down 2 #12: Education City (Championship) (Qatar) - Down 2 #13: Ayla (Jordan) - Down 1 #16: Jumeirah Golf Estates (Fire) (UAE) - Down 2 #17: Abu Dhabi Golf Club (National) (UAE) - Down 2 Best Golf Courses by Country UAE Golf Courses Dominate 17 of 25 courses (68%) are located in the UAE Dubai and Abu Dhabi continue their head-to-head rivalry for the region's best courses Five new UAE entries join the Top 25 Yas Links maintains 13-year reign at #1 Saudi Arabia Golf Courses Emerge 2 courses in Top 25: Royal Greens (#11), Riyadh (#15 - new entry) Additional courses monitored: Dirab, Nofa, Shura Links (recently opened) 2030 development plans remain ambitious Regional Golf Destinations Oman: 1 course (Al Mouj at #2) Qatar: 2 courses (Education City #12, Doha Championship #20) Jordan: 1 course (Ayla #13) Bahrain: 1 course (Royal Golf Club #19) Israel: 1 course (Caesarea #21) What the Rankings Tell Us Consistency at the Top Yas Links has held the #1 position since 2012, an unprecedented 13-year run that speaks to Kyle Phillips's masterful design. The Abu Dhabi course remains the only Middle Eastern layout in the World Top 100, currently ranked #96 globally. Al Mouj's consistent #2 ranking demonstrates Greg Norman's ability to create championship golf in challenging environments. The top three positions remain unchanged for the second consecutive ranking, suggesting a quality gap at the elite level. Dubai and Abu Dhabi's Architectural Excellence The Emirates' dominance extends beyond sheer numbers. The region features designs from the world's elite architects, including Kyle Phillips, Greg Norman, Gil Hanse, Ernie Els, Gary Player, and European Golf Design. This depth allows for genuine competition, with courses moving significantly up and down the rankings based on conditioning, innovation, and playing experience. Dubai's golf courses benefit from healthy competition, driving standards ever higher. Great Golf Doesn't Always Mean 18 Holes Yas Acres becomes the first 9-hole layout to feature in the Top 25 at #18, recognising that exceptional short courses can match the quality and strategic interest of full 18-hole facilities. This inclusion reflects modern golf's appreciation for variety in the playing experience. Saudi Arabia's Golf Development Riyadh's debut at #15 and Royal Greens' solid #11 position demonstrate Saudi Arabia's commitment to golf development. With Shura Links recently opened and ambitious plans through 2030, the Kingdom is positioning itself to challenge the UAE's regional supremacy. The expansion of golf courses in Saudi Arabia represents the most significant Middle East golf development story of the coming decade. A Decade of Growth: 2012-2021 2012: The UAE Foundation The journey began in 2012 with a UAE Top 10, doubling the previous chart and establishing the foundation for regional rankings. Kyle Phillips's Yas Links in Abu Dhabi claimed the top position immediately, described as "the first links layout in the Middle East" and elevating modern golf course design to new heights. Greg Norman's Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth and Fire courses made their debuts at #3 and #5 respectively, whilst Gary Player's Saadiyat Beach Golf Club entered at #7. 2014: Regional Recognition Two years later brought significant expansion with the UAE chart growing to a Top 15 and the first comprehensive Middle East regional ranking. Oman emerged as a serious golf destination with Greg Norman's Al Mouj taking the #1 position in the Sultanate and claiming #2 in the wider regional rankings. The chart highlighted quality across the region, featuring Pete Dye's Caesarea in Israel, Peter Harradine's Doha Golf Club in Qatar, and Montgomerie's Royal Golf Club in Bahrain. 2017: The First Top 20 The inaugural Middle East Top 20 in 2017 brought together 14 UAE courses with six from neighbouring countries, recognising the region's importance following nearly three decades of growth since the first European Tour event in 1989. Yas Links retained its #1 position whilst Al Mouj held firm at #2. Notable inclusions were Peter Harradine's Championship layout at Doha Golf Club (#6), Pete Dye's rare international design at Caesarea (#11), and Montgomerie's Bahrain course (#13). 2019: Quality Deepens The first revision of the Top 20 showcased a region maturing rapidly, with 26 courses now featured across thirteen countries. The top three positions remained unchanged, demonstrating the quality gap at the elite level. Trump International Golf Club Dubai made an impressive debut at #7, the first new Dubai course in seven years. The Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates climbed to #13, whilst monitoring began on Dubai Hills Golf Club and Education City in Doha. 2021: The Modern Era The third biennial edition revealed European Golf Design as the most prolific firm with four courses listed, whilst Major champions including Els, Faldo, Nicklaus, Norman, Olazábal and Player all had designs featured. Trump International Dubai surged from #7 to #3, whilst Royal Greens in Saudi Arabia climbed five places to #9, taking nearly a decade to complete but delivering exceptional quality. Dubai Hills made its debut at #4, Education City entered at #11, and Arabian Ranches returned at #20. Planning Your Middle East Golf Trip These rankings serve a clear purpose: identifying courses worth building an itinerary around. The Middle East offers convenient travel between destinations, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi golf courses easily combined in a single trip. Qatar's Doha provides an alternative hub, whilst Saudi Arabia's emerging golf scene rewards the more adventurous traveller. The distinction between the ranked Top 25 and the additional 21 playable courses matters. These rankings focus on golf courses worth travelling for, not simply courses that exist. Every layout in the Top 25 offers something special—championship pedigree, architectural significance, or playing experiences unavailable elsewhere. Read our UAE & Abu Dhabi Travel Guide Looking Ahead The Middle East golf landscape continues to evolve at a remarkable pace. Shura Links in Saudi Arabia represents the future. Recently opened and highly anticipated, the course will undoubtedly feature in the 2026 update once our regional panellists complete their assessment. Tiger Woods's design at Trump World Golf Club in Dubai continues its development, whilst various projects across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia progress toward their 2030 targets. The region that began with a simple Top 10 for the UAE in 2009 now boasts 25 courses worthy of international recognition, with another 21 playable layouts and significant development in the pipeline. Kyle Phillips's Yas Links may have held the crown for 13 years, but competition intensifies with each passing season. View the complete Middle East Top 25 rankings
Shifting sands: A Dubai update 9th February 2009 Developments in Dubai stalling, amongst economic gloom DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – It’s a 35-minute taxi ride from the city center to Tiger Woods Dubai, perhaps the most ambitious golf project yet in this sprawling desert oasis. Leaving the city, we pass structures in various stages of completion. As the boom stretches Dubai’s fringes, the once-modest settlement on Dubai Creek expands into a metropolis. Eventually, the building sites yield to open desert. On the turn toward the city of Al Ain, the desert sweeps away majestically at the horizon and a dirt road weaves into the sand. Trucks slowly navigate the dusty route. This is the spot where Woods’ architectural reputation will be established. Woods’ first design project is well under way, with two holes already grassed, 10 shaped and the other six roughly cast out. Yet Dubai, the last of three consecutive Persian Gulf stops on the European Tour and home to the season-ending “Race to Dubai,” is a picture in contrasts. More than one year into a worldwide economic slowdown, many projects here have sputtered recently. While Tiger Woods Dubai bucks the financial headwinds and takes shape, doubt permeates the rest of the city’s building boom. The cabbie who drove me to the Woods project is an expatriate from Pakistan, one of many who have come to the “City of Gold” on the promise of better living. He said the past four months have been dire. “From 2002 to 2008, much boom in Dubai – lots of work, lots of construction, big projects,” he said. “From September last year until now, very, very bad. Lots of work stopped, lots of projects canceled or not started.” That workingman’s view from the streets would seem to belie what meets the eye, given all the construction in the city. At Woods’ Al Ruwaya course, a 7,829-yard layout near Dubai Sports City, there was no shortage of endeavor on the Saturday of the Dubai Desert Classic. Woods’ design – he also has projects near Asheville, N.C., and in Mexico – is scheduled for completion in September. Project director Abdulla Al Gurg, when asked for a status report, was hesitant. “We are committed to completing Tiger Woods’ vision here in Dubai,” Al Gurg said on two separate occasions, avoiding a target date. Al Gurg says 35 percent of the 197 properties have been sold and the remaining lots were expected to sell in the next 24 months. These aren’t typical golf villas or condominiums. It’s a mixture of palaces and mansions. A 90-suite hotel with 14 bungalows also is on-site. Membership at Al Ruwaya is restricted to homeowners, and hotel guests also will be able to play. “We don’t want outside people playing the course,” Al Gurg said. “This is a very exclusive club.” Since oil in the UAE was discovered in mass quantities in the mid-20th century, the region has surged into a leading global economic power. Dubai, the jewel in the seven-emirate crown ringing the Persian Gulf, has proved to be a magnet for international business and development. But the Middle East’s boomtown is finding that it is not immune from the global economic meltdown. Things aren’t as bad as in some markets, but investors – even in Dubai – have become more guarded with a shrinking pool of capital. “There’s a realization that the good times have ended,” said Medardo Cadiz, a U.S.-educated Filipino and chief executive of Cadiz International, an architectural company in Dubai. “A lot of people made a lot of money very quickly here, but that’s not going to happen in the next few years. People are going to have to lower their sights. “The problem is that until now, everything was high end, but the market is crying out for properties that are much more affordable. People just don’t have the money right now. Those that do are not willing to buy now. They will wait until the prices come down.” The ruling Al Maktoum family keeps a tight lid on bad news, but even the normally cautious UAE newspapers can’t ignore the impact of the current financial crisis. Gulf News carried a story Jan. 27 in which Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, the largest property developer in the UAE, rebuffed notions that property values could fall as much as 60 percent, calling such talk “illogical.” However, he did concede to decreasing property prices, perhaps by 20 percent if “owners are in dire need for cash.” The decline in the fourth quarter of 2008 alone was 23 percent, according to a report by HSBC. Now, in a move all too familiar to the West, layoffs are infecting companies that do business in Dubai. A who’s who of architectural and property firms with operations in the UAE – Emaar, Burt Hill, WS Atkins, Nakheel, Damac and Omniyat among them – have laid off hundreds in recent months. Clearly, the business of building Dubai has slowed greatly. How this might affect the European Tour’s much-vaunted Race to Dubai remains to be seen. Leisurecorp, the Dubai government-backed group, pledged $100 million to the European Tour over the next five years. Much of the money is predicated on selling homes through Jumeirah Golf Estates. Talk in the emirate about the Race to Dubai remains upbeat. The Dubai World Golf Championship, the final event on the Euro Tour calendar, will be played Nov. 19-22 on the Greg Norman-designed Earth Course. The event is a key to the marketing strategy behind Jumeirah. So it’s a little early to start writing obituaries. However, one American golf professional based in Dubai who did not wish to be named said the road ahead won’t be smooth for Leisurecorp. “They have to sell homes to justify the prize money they are putting up,” he said. “And people are just not buying homes right now. Real estate is not shifting.” The Palm Jumeirah is a case in point. This massive manmade island not far from the Emirates Golf Course is fully built, with about 8,000 residential units, yet it has the feel of a ghost town. “It’s only running at about 40 percent occupancy,” said one resident in the Bidi Bondi bar. “It’s pretty quiet around here.” Back at Tiger Woods Dubai, excitement about the World No. 1’s initial design project grows. Workers are sodding the fairway at the fifth hole. Greenkeepers roll out the grass – cultivated from seed imported from Georgia and grown here in a vast nursery – like carpet over the fairways. “The only potential problem with it is getting the sod to knit together,” general manager Patrick Bowers said. “But we’re confident.” Confidence. It’s an emotion that built Dubai. These days, the City of Gold might need another pallet of it. By: Alistair Tait of Golfweek
Managed by Troon Golf and designed by Colin Montgomerie and Desmond Muirhead, The Montgomerie, Dubai’s golf course and academy opened in October 2002. About 40,000 rounds of golf are played on the 81-hectare course every year. Since its opening, the club has struggled with the grass used during course construction, a species used, and subsequently removed, by several other clubs at the time. Despite substantial care and attention, the grass deteriorated year by year in the fierce heat to the point that large areas of the putting greens were covered in brown patches. “It would deteriorate to a point that the summer heat would actually kill it. The grass that was chosen in this region for golf course construction back in the early 2000s just wasn’t tested or proven for this type of climate.” said Ray Metz, general manager. At The Montgomerie, that translates into a Dh5 million (US$1.3m) makeover programme that will see all 18 fading putting greens dug up over the next two years and replaced with a new species of turf grass that makers claim will not wilt in the UAE’s intense heat. The work will halve the number of playable holes for the next four months and for the same period of time next year; The front nine holes were closed from 1st June until Sept 30 2008, and the remaining holes a year later, to allow the turf and top six inches of soil to be replaced with a mix of blended silica sand and peat moss. The hot summer months provide the best growing conditions and tend to keep all but the bravest golfers off the course. A species of turf grass known as TifEagle Ultradwarf Bermuda will be used on the putting greens, which is widely used by new courses in the UAE and, according to its makers, retains its colour under the harsh glare of the Arabian sun. The greens will then be compacted and reshaped to their original contours. By Robert Ditcham - The National.ae
