The tough par 5 18th on the Greg Norman designed Earth Course © Peter Corden
The European season and the race to Dubai reach its climax this week on a course that is perfect for this type of shoot out. Greg Normans Earth course opened, with the staging of this event back in November 2009, Lee Westwood (5/1) won that year with a score of -23
This is the first Greg Norman designed track in Dubai along with sister course Fire at the Jumeirah Golf Estates. The Earth course is a very open layout with generous fairways and large sloping greens, so position is all-important. Talk about bring coals to Newcastle, or Sand to Dubai, which is exactly what has happened here. The bleached white sand in the fairway waste areas and bunkers was imported from North Carolina!!
There really isn’t to much rough to worry about, but the players will have tricky recovery shots off the red wood chips, if they do manage to miss these wide fairways.
The most challenging hole is the final hole, with its rock-lined stream meandering up the middle of it’s 620-yard fairway. The hole gently climbs to the huge and undulating green, a fitting crescendo to this 7706 yards track.
My Tips to Win:
Luke Donald 10/1 © Keith Allison
No surprise that my tips to win are between the two players battling to win the Race to Dubai. Luke Donald 10/1, these are probably the best odds that have been offered on Luke all year, mainly due the fact he hasn’t played in recent events due to the arrival of his new baby. But Donald will want to become the first player to top both the European and US Order of Merits and what better way for him and you to celebrate at these odds.
Rory McIlroy 5/1 will be coming into this tournament on a high after taking the Hong Kong Open in dramatic style. Finishing the third round off the pace, his final round of 65, which culminated with him holing a bunker shot on the final hole to take the title, was probably one of the most dramatic come backs of the year, especially as he was suffering from a virus, which apparently still hasn’t shifted.
Lee Westwood 5/1 is another player in great form and his stunning third round 62 at the Nedbank Golf Challenge last week was a statement, that he was back to playing his best golf. It may only have been a twelve man field, but as the saying goes “You can only beat wants in front of you” and a -15 total states Westwood will becoming into the Dubai World Championship full of confidence.
Jaco Van Zyl 80/1 © Kevin Murray
My each way tips are:
Another player coming into the tournament having regained some of his form is Martin Kaymer 14/1 after a very indifferent year. A win in the year’s final WGC event added to his second place finish at the Omega European Masters and an eighth place finish at the Portugal Masters, are all good signs that the lad from Mettmann is getting back to his best.
Joost Luiten 40/1 has had a win and four other Top 10 finishes in his last eight tournaments. Add to that another eight Top 20 finishes over the year and you can see its been a very good year for Joost, who could prove to be a dark horse come the shake up for next years Ryder Cup team.
If you’re looking for an outside bet then maybe Jaco Van Zyl 80/1 might fit the bill. The South African has made the Top 20 in his last six tournaments, two of those being third place finishes and at these odds represents very good value.
For betting odds updates during the tournament Click Here
The stunning Earth Course designed by Greg Norman © Peter Corden
