Race to Dubai takes Centre Stage

The inaugural Race to Dubai will visit a minimum of ten destinations in the first four months following the announcement of the opening sector of The 2009 European Tour International Schedule. Starting November 6, 2008, with the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, The Race to Dubai – which replaces the Order of Merit – will take in China, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Dubai, India, Malaysia and the United States through to the end of February. The Race to Dubai comprises all events on The European Tour International Schedule including all European Tour tournaments, the Major Championships and the World Golf Championships (WGC’s) ensuring the cream of world golf will qualify for the end-of-season Dubai World Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE, on November 19-22, 2009. All players numbered 1 to 60 in The Race to Dubai will be eligible to compete in the Dubai World Championship, the world’s richest golf tournament with a US$10,000,000 prize fund from which the winner will earn US$1,666,660. The Race to Dubai provides an annual Bonus Pool of US$10,000,000 with the Number One player receiving US$2,000,000 and The Harry Vardon Trophy, the runner-up US$1,500,000 and the third placed player US$1,000,000 with prizes down to the 15th player who will earn US$250,000. Both The Race to Dubai and the Dubai World Championship are the creation from the partnership between The European Tour and Leisurecorp, the company developing Dubai’s leading residential golf community at Jumeirah Golf Estates, which is initially in place for five years with an option to extend for a further five years. George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “We are especially excited to announce the opening sector of The 2009 European Tour International Schedule as this will launch The Race to Dubai and with it bring a new dimension to our season as all the best players in the world are given the opportunity to compete in the world’s richest golf tournament. “With the combined prize funds of The Race to Dubai and The Dubai World Championship we can look forward to a momentous season culminating with the prospect of a player standing over a putt for US$3,600,000.” The winner of The Race to Dubai will also receive a ten year European Tour exemption and the winner of the Dubai World Championship will receive a five year European Tour exemption. From 2010 it is anticipated that The Race to Dubai will commence in January with The Dubai World Championship completing the season in November.