The spotlight will be firmly on defending champion Alvaro Quiros as he bids for a unique hat-trick at the Dubai Desert Classic, which begins at the Majlis course of Emirates Golf Club from Thursday. If the Spaniard manages to successfully defend his crown, he will have won all three tournaments in Dubai in his last three starts.
After winning the 2011 Dubai Desert Classic following a thrill-a-minute final round, Quiros also won the season-ending Dubai World Championship in emphatic fashion in December. Quiros' final round last year was a wild roller-coaster. After making a second-round four-under par 68 to ensure he made it to the weekend rounds, he added two further 68s to win by one shot over Dane Anders Hansen and James Kingston of South Africa. The $2.5 million tournament, which is now in its 23rd year, has again attracted a very good field, including the world number two and 2009 champion Rory McIlroy, number three Lee Westwood and number four Martin Kaymer.