World Number Four Confirms Eighth Visit To Dubai Event
Dubai, (United Arab Emirates): World number four and former European Tour number one Retief Goosen will make his first Dubai Desert Classic appearance in five years when the event is staged at the Emirates Golf Club in February 2006.
The two-time Major winner last appeared in Dubai when Tiger Woods made his Middle East debut in 2001 and the two will again come face-to-face at the Majlis Course for the 17th staging of the $2.4 million Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL)-sponsored tournament from February 2-5.
For Goosen it will be the eighth time he has played in the Middle East’s premier European PGA Tour event. And although he hasn’t yet tasted victory in Dubai, he did finish runner-up just two shots behind winner Wayne Westner in 1993 and was eighth in 1998 the year Jose Marie Olazabal won the title.
"It’s been five long years since Retief Goosen played in the Desert Classic and in those intervening years he has won two Majors so we are honoured and delighted he has agreed to join us again in 2006," said event chairman HE Mohammed Ali Alabbar. "The field of 120 players is growing all the time as the players on the PGA European Tour plan their schedules for 2006 and we will announce more big names in the days and weeks to come."
Now 36, Goosen captured his first US Open Championship title at Southern Hills, Tulsa, in 2001 where he beat Mark Brooks in an 18 hole play-off and took his place among golf’s elite three years later with a stunning victory at Shinnecock Hills in 2004, holding off the challenge of Masters Champion Phil Mickelson.
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At the end of 2001, the man from Pietersburg became the first non-European to win the Order of Merit since 1982 and the first South African to win the Harry Vardon Trophy since 1975. He followed it up in 2002 by becoming the first non-European to retain the crown after a battle with Ireland’s Padraig Harrington which went right to the final event of the season.
In 2004, he took second place behind fellow South African Ernie Els, and this year finished fourth behind winner Colin Montgomerie although the South African played just 13 Tour events to Monty’s 25.
Despite a busy international schedule, Goosen has no problems with golf’s jet set lifestyle. "We’ve been doing it for so long now, 15 or 20 years, so I suppose I’m used to it now," he said. "But I’m not going to travel as much next year. I’m doing my schedule a little differently next year, and I’m taking quite a bit of time off in January – I need a bit of a break. Playing different continents, different courses, the different people you play against – I think playing in America can get boring after while. Travelling the world allows you see different things."
Besides DUBAL as the main sponsor of the Desert Classic, CNN International, Arabian Ranches by Emaar, Nakheel, and Samsung as co-sponsors, other sponsors include: Emirates as official airline and Hole In One Sponsor; official caterer, hotel and challenge match sponsor Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa; Official Bank National Bank of Dubai; official courtesy car BMW; and event newspaper Gulf News.
Tickets for the 2006 Dubai Desert Classic can be purchased online from the official website www.dubaidesertclassic.com.
Contact:
Alan Ewens
Dubai Desert Classic
Tel: 04 3512887
Mob: 050 4514188
alan2804@emirates.net.ae
www.dubaidesertclassic.com
