The DP World Tour continues this week with the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The 132 field with the top 65 including ties making the cut will all be competing for a share of the $9M prize purse with the winner collecting the Dubai Desert Classic title and a winner's cheque for $1.5M.
Last year's playoff winner Viktor Hovland will not be in attendance to defend his crown due to workload management so has decided not to travel to Dubai.
Emirates Golf Club will be playing 7,428 yards long this week, it’s a par 72 desert track where the key attribute will involve power and precision.
The weather forecasts heavy rain on Thursday and Friday with sunnier conditions over the weekend. Breezes will peak at around 15mph.
This event will be screened on Sky Sports Golf with live coverage starting at 4 am on Thursday morning for the early birds.
So let's get started with the Dubai Desert Classic Betting Tips.
Dubai Desert Classic Betting Tips
Min Woo Lee 20/1 EW PaddyPower 1-7 places
For my first and main selection this week in Dubai I’m going to advise Min Woo Lee 20/1 EW PaddyPower 1-7 places.
The 24-year-old from Perth, Australia had a fantastic start to the year with a runners-up finish last week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship but can go one better this week with another W in the bag. In Min Woo Lee’s last seven events, he has finished no worse than 12th place but it gets much better than that.
3rd at the Open de Espana,3rd at the Andalucia Masters, T8th at the Nedbank Golf Challenge,12th DP World Tour Championship, T4th Australian PGA Championship, 3rd Australian Open and finally as mentioned above runner up at last week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, if you can find a player with better performances than that over the past half dozen or so events then I’m all ears.
That’s truly a phenomenal effort and surely it must all add up to a winning formula anytime soon, possibly this weekend. Now I’m fully aware that a certain Rory McIlroy will be in attendance this week in Dubai but I’m sorry the price available is far too skinny for my liking.
If you consider that just a place in the Top 7 for Min Woo Lee would give you a better return than a Rory win, then it’s not rocket science so my advice is to bank on Min Woo Lee to win the Dubai Desert Classic this coming Sunday afternoon safe in the knowledge that you have the insurance with those 1-7 places available for profiteers.
Thomas Pieters 35/1 EW Bet365
For my next best selection in the desert, I’m going to point you all in the direction of Thomas Pieters 35/1 EW Bet365.
The 30-year-old from Antwerp, Belgium and six-time DPWT champion could be ready to make it a magnificent seven titles this weekend in the Dubai sunshine.
Currently sitting at Number 39 in the world rankings, Pieters clearly enjoys playing in the desert. That’s where he enjoyed his last victory just over one year ago at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship not too far from here. My only concern is that he missed the cut when defending his title last week but I’m more than willing to forget that just as he will.
Last year at this event Pieters finished 12th having won the previous week so I’m thinking that he will arrive in Dubai firing on all cylinders having put the missed cut from last week behind him.
To be fair it was the last couple of holes on Friday's round that cost him and if he had made the cut he would have been still well in contention. Pieters has more experience and Ws than most in this field and he can put all that expertise to good use to claim yet another victory in the desert when he’s crowned the Dubai Desert Classic champ this weekend in Dubai.
Antoine Rozner 66/1 EW 1-6 places BetUk
For my final outright pick on the DP World Tour this week I’m going to recommend Antoine Rozner 66/1 EW 1-6 places BetUk.
Now I’m fully aware that I tipped the 29-year-old Frenchman last weekend at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship but I’m totally baffled yet again as to this price. I tipped Rozner to win the Mauritius Open just a matter of weeks ago and the talented Frenchman duly obliged on that occasion.
Last week I tipped him at 50/1 EW and correct me if I’m wrong but he was only two shots adrift from the leaders entering Sunday's final round with as good a chance as any.
Unfortunately, a double bogey and a bogey on the front nine cost him not only any chance of a victory but also a place. I just cannot understand why he is available at bigger odds this week.
He was playing just as well as anyone until that front nine nightmare last weekend and having won an event in three successive years on the DP World Tour, he could easily make the firms look silly come Sunday afternoon when he makes it four consecutive years with a victory.
Again just a place will return a tidy profit or why not look at a Top 20 finish available at 21/10 Bet365 or even a Top 30 5/4.
All that’s left now is the customary match bet which has been so kind to us so for this week's Nap in the desert I’m going to single out Tommy Fleetwood to beat Shane Lowry over 72 holes 10/11 Bet365.
Dubai Desert Classic Best Picks
- Min Woo Lee 20/1 EW PaddyPower 1-7 places
- Thomas Pieters 35/1 EW Bet365
- Antoine Rozner 66/1 EW 1-6 places BetUk
- Tommy Fleetwood to beat Shane Lowry over 72 holes 10/11 Bet365
Min Woo Lee 40/1 PP.
Hi chelseagirl, yip that’s always going to be the case in play .Some odds will go out while some will shorten . Classic case with Min Woo Lee here but still a great price as he’s currently sitting on -1 . However my other selection Thomas Pieters who I tipped at 35/1 is at the moment leading the tournament on -5 all be it early days & best price I can see is currently available at 10/1. Golf prices can get crazy at times , Jon Rahm was as much as 400/1 in play on the final round when 7 shots adrift & making a dramatic comeback to win the Sentry Tournament of Champions just the other week. That’s why I’m always on the look out for value & keep an eye out for future developments when we may start advising about grabbing such opportunities . All the best Chelseagirl & good luck for this weekend & beyond 🤞⛳️