Added to the golfing calendar in 2020, this tournament acted as the first of a doubleheader at the Jumeirah Golf Estates facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Amongst the most lavish lifestyle estates in the world, the site is home to two Greg Norman-designed golf courses – the Fire Course and the Earth Course – with this tournament held on the former. Taking place in November, the Dubai Championship served as the penultimate event of the season, coming just a week before the DP World Tour Championship finale which takes place on the Earth Course.
English golfer Andy Sullivan certainly made his mark on that inaugural event, setting a course record when carding a 61 in the first round. Sullivan did however have to settle for a share of second in the end, with Antoine Rozner of France going on to claim the title. Initially intended to be a one-off tournament, the event returned in 2021 – being won by Joachim B Hansen – but was absent from the calendar in 2023.
Past Winners
Year | Course | Winner |
---|---|---|
2021 | Jumeirah Golf Estates | Joachim B Hansen |
2021: Joachim B Hansen
The Aviv Dubai Championship was always going to have a feeling of a warm-up for the season ending DP World Tour Championship. Just like in 2020, it was the final event before the really big names fly in to compete for the finale. It was, however, clear from the emotion of Joachim B Hansen that this was much more than just a warm-up to him. By holding his nerve to win in a final day full of twists and turns, Hansen secured his second European Tour title and earned a last-minute place in the field for the DP World Tour Championship and the chance for another substantial pay cheque.
Hansen put himself into a strong position to win the tournament right from the start. A brilliant opening round of 61 gave him an early two shot lead and although he wasn’t note perfect on Friday and Saturday, he held a share of the 54 hole lead.
Another fast start on Sunday saw Hansen take sole possession of the lead with a birdie on the first hole. That lead would not last long during a pulsating day of golf in which Antoine Rozner, Bernd Wiesberger and Francesco Laporta were among those to challenge. That trio ended up just one shot shy of Hansen’s winning score of -23, a lead the Dane did very well to maintain with very solid pars on the 17th and 18th holes.