DEFENDING CHAMPION: In 2019 Spain’s Jon Rahm claimed his second trophy at this event in three years. The current World No.2’s total of 19-under gave him victory by one stroke from Tommy Fleetwood and secured the season-long Race to Dubai title. Rahm will not tee it up in Dubai this week.

COURSE: Jumeriah Golf Estates hosts the European Tour for the second consecutive week, with the Greg Norman-designed Earth course taking centre stage as it does each year for this event.

Measuring a tick over 7,000 metres, the par-72 opened for first view when staging this tournament in 2009 and places a premium on risk-reward. The final stretch of four holes, which Norman once described as “the most challenging mile in golf”, inevitably provides drama, particularly the 567-metre par-5 18th.

PRIZEMONEY: US$8,000,000.

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

PLAYERS TO WATCH …

The inaugural champion of this event, Lee Westwood has been solid all year since claiming a win in his first start of 2020 in Abu Dhabi.

Westwood has rested from tournament golf since a missed cut at the RSM Classic after some promising signs during a share of 38th at Augusta National and arriving fresh should benefit the fourth-ranked player on the Race to Dubai standings.

Patrick Reed heads the American charge this week as he makes just his third standalone European Tour start of the year, despite leading the season-long rankings.

The 2018 Masters champion has made it known the Race to Dubai title is on his list of goals and a T10 in his last start at Augusta and a course that should suit him suggests the World No.11 is worth keeping an eye on this week.

RIGHT: Jon Rahm poses with the tournament and Race to Dubai trophies after his win in 2019. PHOTO: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Reed’s compatriot Collin Morikawa will conclude his major-winning year with a chance to take home the order of merit crown, despite not playing a single non co-sanctioned event until this week.

Morikawa’s pedigree is now widely known and it is a positive that he has made the decision to leave his homeland to test his game, albeit likely inspired by the money on offer on this occasion.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout is arguably the hottest golfer on the planet right now, having won back-to-back events in his native South Africa over the last two weeks.

There is no question this field is significantly better than those he has overcome recently, however, the World No.35 was impressive against the world’s best at Augusta National in November and was T12 here last year.

72-HOLE RECORD: Major champion Henrik Stenson set the tournament scoring record in 2013 when he reached 25-under (263), defeating Ian Poulter by six shots.

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: No previous Australian winners.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: No Australians in the field.

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Thursday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 6pm – 12am)
Round 2: Friday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 6pm – 12am)
Round 3: Saturday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 5:45pm – 11:45pm)
Round 4: Sunday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 5:30pm – 11:30pm)
*AEDT, check local guides