The year that was: World’s best golfers descend on the UAE

KARIM SAHIB / AFP

The best golfers in the world once again descended on the UAE in 2019.

The three European Tour events attracted a high-quality field including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and world number one Brooks Koepka.

But among the stars, it was Shane Lowry who claimed victory at the first event of the season, winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by a shot over South Africa’s Richard Sterne.

The Irishman’s magnificent win in the UAE capital was followed by his maiden major triumph at The Open Championship.

The European Tour then moved down the road to Dubai for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, where Bryson DeChambeau stole the show by claiming a record-breaking seven-stroke win at the Emirates Golf Club.

But the biggest winner this year in the UAE was Jon Rahm.

In a thrilling finish, the Spaniard made a birdie on the last hole at Jumeirah Golf Estates to secure victory in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai.

Rahm shot a four-under-par final round of 68 to finish on 19 under, one clear of Tommy Fleetwood.

The 25-year-old, who also won the DP World Tour Championship in 2017, became the first golfer from Spain to be crowned Europe’s number one since the late Seve Ballesteros.

More from UAE

  • UAE Central Bank sanctions exchange house

    The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) on Wednesday said it imposed sanctions on an exchange house operating in the UAE for "failing to comply with anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism policies."

  • Tawazun Council signs defence deals worth AED 10.18b

    The UAE's defence and security acquisitions authority, Tawazun Council, secured deals worth AED 10.18 billion on the third day of IDEX and NAVDEX on Wednesday, bringing the total to AED 19.95 billion across 28 deals. 

  • UAE President reaffirms to Rubio: No Palestinian displacement

    President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday reaffirmed the UAE’s stance of rejecting any attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land in a meeting with Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, who is visiting the UAE.

  • UAE leaders congratulate King of Jordan following surgery

    President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on the success of the surgery he recently underwent.