THE Dubai World Championship from November 19 to 22 is the final event to The Race to Dubai, a reported $10-million season long competition which replaces The European Tour Order of Merit.
Held at Jumeirah Golf Estates, at the time of writing there was some debate as to whether or not the prize money would be cut to $7.5 million due to the credit crunch.
The Guardian reported that prize funds would be cut from $10 million to $7.5 million, both in the season-ending Dubai World Championship and the bonus pool from the accumulative points in the Race to Dubai. The European Tour did not comment but said a representative would be visiting the region soon.
Greg Norman was the designer of the Earth course which will host the championships. Ticket sales for the inaugural Dubai World Championship have been steady, and registration for free tickets will be available up until the event via www.dubaiworldchampionship.com.
The tournament’s official website also announces the latest standings in The Race to Dubai, which features 51 golf tournaments in 28 destinations around the world. Here are also details of two hospitality packages, both of which include facilities overlooking the 18th green, and one offering the chance to be among the first to play the Earth course following the Dubai World Championship.
Hamza Mustafa, managing director of Nakheel Leisure, said that he had seen a strong interest in corporate hospitality sales, and they were encouraging those wanting to “provide something special for their clients and business partners to purchase now”.
Leisurecorp, a division of Nakheel Leisure, in November 2007 announced a long-term partnership with The European Tour.