Rory McIlroy makes his 13th appearance at the Emirates Golf Club for the Dubai Desert Classic, traditionally one of the bigger events on the DP World Tour calendar.

Since its inception in 1990, the Classic has become a mainstay on the old world circuit with the biggest names in the game adorning the trophy.

Ernie Els and Tiger Woods are multiple winners as is McIlroy himself having claimed victory in 2009 and 2015.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: The popular Viktor Hovland took the title in a play-off over Richard Bland last year after a thrilling finish which saw Rory McIlroy capitulate at the final hole.

The Northern Irishman needed a birdie at the par-5 to win or par to join the play-off but instead found water with his fairway wood approach from 230 metres.

The resulting bogey consigned him to third place and Hovland went on to win with a birdie at the first extra hole.

Interestingly, Hovland will not defend his title this year in a field that is somewhat weaker than usually tees up at this event.

COURSE: The Majilis Course at The Emirates Golf Club will forever have a place in history as the first grass course built in the Middle East.

RIGHT: Min Woo Lee has been showing great form and clearly enjoys desert golf. PHOTO: Jonathan Di Maggio/R&A/R&A via Getty Images.

Opened for play in 1988 the course has hosted the Dubai Desert Classic since 1990 and has proved itself an annual snapshot of a rapidly expanding city.

Once located literally in the middle of a desert the course now features a stunning city backdrop with the 8th tee having become the poster child for showing off this remarkable view.

The course itself weighs in at a hefty 6,800 metres so is plenty long enough to test a field of this calibre though there are also plenty of scoring opportunities.

Doble digits under par is the norm for winning scores with 20-under being breached seven times in tournament history.

Only once has single digits under par been enough to claim the trophy, Lucas Herbert’s nine-under total and eventual win in a play-off in 2020.

As mentioned, the par-4 8th will get plenty of airtime this week as much for its stunning backdrop as the quality of the hole but it is the closing hole which almost always provides drama.

A par-5 fronted by water it is reachable in two but demands a quality shot to find the putting surface with anything not well struck almost certain to find water.

McIlroy’s finish last year was a case in point as was Lucas Herbert’s 72nd hole three years ago when he, too, found water with his approach before going on to win in extra time.

An overall strong test rather than a series of standout holes the course is always presented immaculately for the tournament though understandably more difficult than it plays during the rest of the year.

The rough is penal and the greens run at speeds which pros find comfortable but would prove daunting for most handicap players.

Hosting the tournament has made the course a popular destination with golfers looking to test themselves on a tournament course but it remains a favourite for many as it is considered an enjoyable place to play.

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

PRIZEMONEY: US$9,000,000
 

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Perhaps the most interesting note about the field this year is, sadly, about who isn’t here rather than who is.

Defending champion Viktor Hovland won’t be teeing up nor will 18 of the world’s top-20. Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are the only two of those ranked players in the field.

Mostly this is a result of changes to the PGA Tour rules regarding the newly introduced ‘elevated events’ launched in 2023 to combat the LIV Golf threat.

Hovland hinted in December he likely wouldn’t be here this week given the requirement to play 12 of the 13 elevated events in the US plus fulfill DP World Tour requirements to qualify for the Ryder Cup.

That aside, McIlroy will start as favourite this week and that is as it should be based on both his world ranking and past performances here.

A third win would put him alongside Ernie Els as the only player to capture the title more than twice and with nine top-10 results in 12 starts his chances seem mathematically good.

However, he won’t have it all his own way with some of the Tour’s best showing excellent recent form.

The rejuvenated Francesco Molinari hadn’t traditionally found the Majilis to his liking but with much to play for in a year when the Ryder Cup heads to Italy that could change this week.

The 2018 Open champion has a determined look about him and with such strong motivation and an impressive start to the year it won’t surprise if he is a regular contender most weeks in 2023.

Also showing signs of form these last two weeks in Abu Dhabi has been Lowry. A final round 76 last week was hardly encouraging but likely more a blip than a pattern for the Irishman who was a genuine contender entering Sunday.

Perhaps the player to watch more than any other this week, though, is our own Min Woo Lee.

A little unlucky not to at least be in play-off last week, the Perth native has been outside the top-5 only twice in his last seven starts.

That’s a run that stretches back to October last year, his worst result in that span a T12 at the DP World Tour Championship.

72-HOLE RECORD: 264 (-24, Bryson DeChambeau, 2019)

COURSE RECORD: 61 (Ernie Els, 1994)

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: Richard Green (1997), Lucas Herbert (2020)

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

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Thursday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 6:30pm – 12:30am)
Round 2: Friday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 6:30pm – 12:20am)
Round 3: Saturday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 6pm – 12am)
Round 4: Sunday (Fox Sports 505 LIVE 6pm – 12am)
*AEDT, check local guides