26th November 2012 - Tom Bushell takes a closer look at the DP World Tour Championship

25th November 2012 - Rory McIlroy wins the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai

World Number One Rory McIlroy reminded everyone just why he is the greatest player on Earth by winning the $8 million DP World Tour Championship on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai yesterday.

The 23-year old from Northern Ireland produced a sensational finish of five consecutive birdies for a round of 66 to finish on 23-under par and win by two shots from England’s Justin Rose (-21). World Number Two Luke Donald and former Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen tied for third place on eighteen under par.

It was a blistering finish by McIlroy – already The Race to Dubai Champion - who found himself two shots behind with five holes remaining after Rose’s new course record of 62 (-10) saw the 32 year-old Englishman emerge as the clubhouse leader.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling – I said I wanted to win both trophies this week and that is exactly what I’ve managed to do even though I didn’t get off to the best of starts with a bogey on the first,” said McIlroy after receiving the glittering DP World Tour Championship trophy from Mohammed Sharaf, Group CEO of DP World. “I saw that Justin was making a charge and knew I needed to do something special over the closing few holes - I really couldn’t have wished for a better ending.”

24th November 2012 - It's McIlroy and Doanld til the very end

Billed as the “Greatest Weekend on Earth”, the DP World Tour Championship goes into its final round today with Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald – ranked one and two in the world – tied for the lead and set for a winner-takes-all showdown.

Donald’s long-standing love affair with the Earth course continued yesterday with the Englishman’s bogey free round of 66 ending with a birdie on the 18^th, his 100^th consecutive hole without dropping a shot over the Jumeirah Golf Estates course.

But that remarkable statistic has failed to daunt World Number One McIlroy whose own third round of 66 means the pair go into the final day of the $8 million tournament tied on seventeen under par, three shots ahead of South African Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen.

“It’s an incredible statistic but logically it means he is due a bogey,” smiled McIlroy, already confirmed as this year’s Race to Dubai winner. “Hopefully that will come tomorrow. But I am really looking forward to going out with Luke tomorrow. I’m excited by it and I am sure a lot of other people are too.”

A superb back nine of 31, featuring an eagle and three birdies, saw McIlroy claw back Donald’s advantage after the Englishman had forged a three shot lead over the front nine and gives the finale of The European Tour season the Sunday Showdown everyone wanted.

The last time Donald dropped a shot on the 7,675-yard coursecame at the eighth hole in the second round a year ago - but even after the subsequent 32 birdies and 68 pars last year’s Race to Dubai champion believes today’s showdown is far from a two-horse race.

“We can’t afford to get complacent out there as there are some great players right behind us,” said Donald. “Obviously this is a course that can throw out some low scores so for me it's more about just playing my game again. Rory is hitting it so far right now that it's a different golf course for us. But obviously I know how to play to my own strengths and that's what I'll be concentrating on. “

23rd November 2012 - McIlroy, Donald and Warren lead the way

World Number 189 Marc Warren finds himself perched alongside the top two players on the planet after the Scot joined Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald at the top of the leader board on eleven under par after two rounds of the DP World Tour Championship yesterday.

Overnight leader Donald, who has yet to drop a shot at the final event on The Race to Dubai, carded a four under par 68, while Warren matched McIlroy’s round of 67. Lurking one shot further adrift on ten under par are South African duo Branden Grace and former Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen.

For McIlroy, who complained of suffering from a mild case of sunstroke, it was a more than satisfactory round.

“I got off the course yesterday and had a really sore head and a fever," said the 23 year-old World Number One. "I think it was a bit of sunstroke but I took a few things and felt better, but I'm not feeling great again. The sun's taking it out of me a bit. But I had a solid round again today and being tied for the lead with 36 holes to play is a great position to be in.”

No player has enjoyed a bogey-free tournament on The European Tour in 2012 but Donald remains on course for just that after following his opening round 65 with a solid 68.

“Obviously I haven't dropped a shot in 36 holes so I feel good about that,” said last year’s Race to Dubai Champion. “I wasn't quite as good on the greens today but that was a solid round of golf. I thought the course played a little bit tougher than yesterday. But it’s the last tournament of the year and we’re looking forward to going out on a high note so it should make for a fun weekend.”

22nd November 2012 - Luke Donald leads after Day One

The world’s top two players seem destined to flex their Race to Dubai muscles at the DP World Tour Championship this week after Luke Donald – winner of the 2011 Race to Dubai – and 2012 champion Rory McIlroy were among several big names to stamp their class on day one of the $8 million tournament staged on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates yesterday.

World Number Two Donald’s opening salvo of seven birdies in a bogey free 65 (-7) sees him one shot clear of McIlroy, Scotland’s Marc Warren and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain who all carded opening rounds of 66 (-6) on a day that started with a Dubai rainstorm and ended up in golfing sunshine.

For Donald, aiming to win his fourth title of the year on a fourth different continent, it was a fitting riposte after having his Race to Dubai crown snatched away by 23 year-old McIlroy less than seven days earlier.

But with just three shots covering the top 20 players, the stage is perfectly poised for a tournament that brings the curtain down on The European Tour’s Race to Dubai while living up to its billing as the Greatest Weekend on Earth.

Tom Bushell looks back at Day One with Wayne Johnson from JGE

20th November 2012 - Rory McIlroy wants both trophies

Rory McIlroy with UAE golfer Ahmed Al Musharrekh

Although World Number One Rory McIlroy has already won The Race to Dubai, the 23 year-old from Northern Ireland has no intention of taking it easy at this week’s DP World Tour Championship.

McIlroy admitted that while topping the money lists in both Europe and the US, clinching his second Major and helping Europe win the Ryder Cup had been a good year – “I’ll give it eight out of ten” – he is out to end the season in style when the final leg of The Race to Dubai gets underway on Thursday (22 November).

“Of course it is good to have wrapped up The Race to Dubai and know I’ll be getting a trophy on Sunday but it would be even better to get two trophies at the end of the week,” he said after the Rolex Pro-Am on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

18th November 2012 - Ahmed Al Musharrekh

Just months into his career as the UAE’s first professional golfer, Ahmed Al Musharrekh will rub shoulders with many of the biggest names in world golf when he becomes the first Arab golf pro to play in the Rolex Pro-Am at next week’s DP World Tour Championship.

To be staged on 20 November on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Rolex Pro-Am will see Al Musharrekh as pro captain for the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) team in a line-up that features the top 60 players on The European Tour, including the 2012 Race to Dubai Champion Rory McIlroy during the annual curtain raiser for the $8 million tournament.

The 22 year-old won the UAE National Championship in 2008 as has tasted gold medal success at both the Arab Games and the GCC Championships but this will be the biggest test of his professional career as he plays alongside the elite players who have qualified for the final round of The Race to Dubai.

11th November 2012 - Rory McIlroy wins Race to Dubai

Rory McIlroy is looking forward to signing off a glorious season in style when he heads to the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai as the European Tour Number One.

The Northern Irishman sealed The Race to Dubai crown with a third place finish in the Barclays Singapore Open, which was won by Italian teenager Matteo Manassero after a play-off with Louis Oosthuizen.

McIlroy, who also won the US PGA Tour money list, will play in this week’s UBS Hong Kong Open before taking on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from 22-25 November in the season finale, and he is aiming to win at least one of those events to cap a marvellous campaign.

“It really is hugely satisfying to finally become the European Number One, especially after finishing second in two of the last three years,” said the World Number One. “It has been one of my main goals to become Number One in Europe ever since securing my card five years ago, so to end the year as the Number One on both The European and US PGA Tours is absolutely amazing.

5th November 2012 - Ian Poulter on the rise

Ian Poulter has set his sights on winning the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai after claiming his second WGC title in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.

The Englishman, who also won the 2011 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, rose from 13th to fourth in The Race to Dubai and knows his typical end-of-season good form will give him every chance of triumphing in The European Tour’s season finale on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estate in two weeks’ time.

“To move to fourth in The Race to Dubai is lovely news,” said Poulter. “I will now have a week off with the family at home, then I am going to defend in Australia before heading to Dubai where I will be trying to win the event and finish as high up in The Race to Dubai as possible.

“I don’t know what it is about this time of the year. I seem to perform very well at the end of the year. I have won in Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and now China at a WGC, so it would be good to add Dubai to that list.

30th October 2012 - Peter Hanson moves into second

World Number One Rory McIlroy maintains his lead in The Race to Dubai but with Peter Hanson’s sixth European Tour title moving the Swede up to second place the two Ryder Cup stars have it all to play for as they count down to the season ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

McIlroy leads his Ryder Cup team-mate by € 812, 572 in the fight to be European Number One but with the man from Northern Ireland sitting out this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions at Mission Hills Golf Club in southern China, Hanson can eat into that lead with another solid performance and even overtake McIlroy with a victory.

“I’m moving closer to Rory in The Race to Dubai and next week I’m playing while he isn’t so hopefully I can keep this form going and be up there again next Sunday,” said Hanson following his one-shot victory over McIlroy at the BMW Masters at Lake Malaren Golf Club in Shanghai.

21st October 2012 - Alvaro Quiros still hopes to defend his title

Alvaro Quiros is in a position that may see him unable to defend his title at the DP World Tour Championship. Quiros holed an eagle on the 18th at Earth a year ago to secure his second tournament win of 2011 in Dubai after his Desert Classic success. However the Spaniard currently lies outside of the top 60 that qualify for the end of season event. The Race to Dubai which culminates with the DP World Tour Championship Dubai sees the top 60 money earners of the season battle it out. Tom Bushell spoke to Alvaro whilst in Dubai. They talked about his win last year and why 2012 has been more challenging.

16th October 2012 - Shane Lowry checks in for Dubai

Having booked his berth in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai with victory in last week’s Portugal Masters, Shane Lowry has now set his sights on securing a place in the top ten of The Race to Dubai.

Lowry won his first European Tour title as a professional with a dazzling display on the final day at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course on the Algarve, where a closing round of 66 secured a one shot win and with it a cheque for €375,000 which moved the Irishman from 65th in The Race to Dubai to 29th place.

Lowry, who shot to fame by winning the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009 in front of ecstatic home crowds, finished in a tie for eighth place on his maiden visit to the Earth Course last year, a result which helped the 25 year old finish the 2011 season in a career high 41st place in The Race to Dubai.

15th October 2012 - Joel Sjoholm - Race to Atlantis

Joel Sjoholm is a Chilean born, Swedish golfer. He was adopted whilst on the streets in Chile by a Swedish family and for that reason he is grateful for everything that comes his way. He turned professional in 2008 after impressing on the amateur tours across the USA. After 3 seasons on the Challenge Tour he moved onto the European Tour.

Sjoholm is currently ranked 61st in the Race to Dubai rankings. The top 60 qualify for the DP World Tour Championship and Sjoholm is keen to make it to Dubai.

Sjoholm is also the golf ambassador for Atlantis the Palm. Tom Bushell spoke to the golfer whilst at the Els Club for the Race to Atlantis golf day. Sjoholm spoke about his nervy practice tee-shot at the Alfred Dunhill Links this year, his passion for golf and thoughts on the golfing facilities in Dubai. Not to mention his drive for the top 60 of course.

9th October 2012 - Joel Sjoholm targets Dubai..

With qualification for the 2012 DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, limited to the top 60 European Tour golfers, Sweden’s Joel Sjoholm knows his “best ever tournament” may well have booked his place at the $8 million finale of The Race to Dubai.

Fourth place at the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland provided the biggest pay day of the powerful Swede’s short career and launched him from 87^th to 55^th place in The Race to Dubai. And for the man who travels the world as golfing ambassador for Atlantis, The Palm – Official Hotel of the DP World Tour Championship – there’s a good chance of ending the season on ‘home’ soil.

“At the start of the year, my aim was to win a tournament, qualify for the DP World Tour Championship and keep my playing card,” said Sjoholm. “I could say my ambitions were to win 14 tournaments and be World Number One within five weeks but you have to be realistic and set achievable goals.”

That Race to Dubai goal is now within his grasp after the flamboyant Scandinavian in the plus-fours produced his best golf of the year in Scotland following a week’s break at Atlantis, The Palm. That spell in the Dubai sunshine seems to have paid off and left him on track to join the 60-man field on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from 22-25 November.

Congratulations to the European Ryder Cup Team.

If you weren't in Chicago to see the European Ryder Cup team claim the greatest ever golfing comeback then not to worry. Each one of these players will be playing throughout the DP World Tour Championship Dubai as the Race to Dubai culminates between the 22nd and 25th November.

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