Dubai plays host to the ‘Old World’ circuit for a second straight week as the Race to Dubai champion is crowned at the DP World Tour Championship.

The final event of the season will also be the last played under the European Tour moniker, with the new DP World Tour name adopted later this month when the 2022 schedule gets underway in South Africa.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: England’s Matt Fitzpatrick defeated compatriot Lee Westwood by a single stroke here in 2020 to claim the trophy, while Westwood secured the season long Race to Dubai crown on the back of his runner-up finish.

COURSE: The Tour moves from the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates to the venue’s Earth Course for its conclusion this week.

RIGHT: Matt Fitzpatrick took home the winner's sceptre in 2020, defeating the Race to Dubai winner Lee Westwood by a shot. PHOTO: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Like last week’s layout, the Earth was designed by our own Greg Norman and uniquely was first played in its entirety under tournament conditions when this event debuted on the schedule in 2009. Westwood emerging the winner.

The par-72 will measure a tick over 7,000 metres this week for the best players in Europe with all three of the par-3 holes listed to play over 170 metres.

Featuring water and expansive bunkering, the course still yields plenty of scoring opportunities to the limited field each year, with the highest winning score in relation to par belonging to Robert Karlsson in 2010 (14-under) while the 20-under mark has been broken four times in 12 years.

Always presented in exceptional condition, the Earth Course finishes with 567 metre, split fairway par-5, ending a four hole stretch Norman calls “the most challenging mile in golf”.

PRIZEMONEY: US$9,000,000

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Two Americans sit atop the Race to Dubai standings heading into this week, Collin Morikawa and Billy Horschel seeking to become the first non-European player to win the title since it replaced the former Order of Merit.

Morikawa currently sits at No.2 in the world rankings and arrives after a break following a 2nd and T7 at the limited field CJ Cup and ZOZO Championship respectively on the PGA Tour.

Twice a winner already in 2021, the Californian ball striking machine will find this venue to his liking.

For his part, Horschel has played a smattering of purely European Tour events this year, including winning the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, and is a previous FedExCup winner, a win this week putting him in some elite company winning both Tour titles in their career.

World No.2 Collin Morikawa is aiming to become the first American winner of the Race to Dubai this week. PHOTO: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images.

With Jon Rahm deciding to withdraw this week, those below his third place on the ranking will like their chances of not only winning the event but the season long prize, including West Australian Min Woo Lee.

Lee sits on the fringe of the top-50 of the world rankings (No.51) and if he was able to win or go close this week could almost guarantee a spot inside the number at the end of the year that would earn him a maiden invitation to Augusta National and The Masters.

The Scottish Open champ is in red-hot form too, arriving after three straight top-10s, including a T4 at the Fire course last week. And if he needed any more motivation, taking in the Aussie T20 World Cup in person on Sunday will have provided just that.

Of the other entrants, consistent performers this year like Abraham Ancer warrant attention, while Matt Fitzpatrick is something of an Earth Course specialist, as is two-time winner of this event Rory McIlroy who makes his first start since winning in Las Vegas on the PGA Tour last month. The Northern Irishman defeating Morikawa on his home track on that occasion.

Lucas Herbert is also worthy of keeping an eye on, the two-time European Tour winner, including one in the desert, was understandably not at his best when missing the cut the week following his maiden PGA Tour win recently. But the Victorian is another who will suit this course and is full of confidence right now.

72-HOLE RECORD: 263 (-25, Henrik Stenson 2013).

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: No Australian has won this event.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Lucas Herbert, Min Woo Lee and Jason Scrivener.

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Thursday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 6pm – 12am)
Round 2: Friday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 6pm – 12am)
Round 3: Saturday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 6pm – 12am)
Round 4: Sunday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 5:30pm – 11.30pm)
*AEDT, check local guides