DID YOU KNOW? – DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, DUBAI
· Celebrating its fourth year, the 2012 DP World Tour Championship will feature the top 60 players on The European Tour’s Race to Dubai, following the conclusion of the penultimate events: the UBS Hong Kong Open and the SA Open Championship on 18 November.
· The 2012 DP World Tour Championship will be played on the Greg Norman designed Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
· Tee times will take place from 07:30 - 12:30 at 10 minute intervals. Competitors will play four rounds of stroke-play golf, from Thursday to Sunday with no cut.
· Competitors at the DP World Tour Championship will play for a prize fund of US$8 million, including a winner’s cheque of US$1.33 million.
· With an additional Race To Dubai bonus pool of US$3.75 million up for grabs, the tournament is the richest on the European Tour, with combined prize money of US$11.75 million.
· All 12 of the victorious European Ryder Cup Team will be competing at the DP World Tour Championship.
· The winner of the DP World Tour Championship will receive a five year European Tour exemption.
· The course record is 64 (-8) and has been achieved five times – Lee Westwood (2009), Ross Fisher (2010), Alvaro Quiros (2011), Peter Hanson (2011) and Martin Kaymer (2011).
· Former Winners: Lee Westwood (2009), Robert Karlsson (2010), Alvaro Quiros (2011)
NOTES ON THE DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, DUBAI
• There are 18 different countries represented among the 57 players competing. They are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand and Wales.
• Here is the breakdown of players by nation: England, 11, South Africa seven, Scotland and Spain six, Sweden four, Denmark, France, Ireland and Northern Ireland three, Germany and Italy two and one each for Australia, Austria, Belgium, India, Netherlands, Thailand and Wales.
• Miguel Angel Jiménez is the oldest player at 48. In all there are seven members of the 57 man field aged 40 and over. They are: Jiménez (48), Paul Lawrie (43), Thongchai Jaidee (43), Anders Hansen (42), Jeev Milkha Singh (41), Padraig Harrington (41) and Fredrik Andersson Hed (40).
• Matteo Manassero at 19 is the only teenager playing. Romain Wattel is the next youngest at 21.
• The field is made up of 28 winners from the 2012 European Tour season. Nine of those 28 are placed in the top ten of The Race to Dubai. Only Graeme McDowell among the top ten players has yet to win on the 2012 European Tour International Schedule.
• The field contains 51 different European Tour winners. The 2012 European Tour Number, Rory McIlroy is joined by five former European Tour Number Ones. They are: Lee Westwood (2000 and 2009), Padraig Harrington (2006), Justin Rose (2007), Martin Kaymer (2010) and Luke Donald (2011). There also seven Major Champions competing.
• There are five players in the field who have recorded multiple victories during the 2012 season. They are: Branden Grace (four) and Peter Hanson, Paul Lawrie, Louis Oosthuizen and Bernd Wiesberger, all with two apiece.
• Of the 57 players Rory McIlroy has amassed the most top five finishes with eight. Nicolas Colsaerts has collected the most top ten’s with ten.
• Branden Grace is the only 2011 Qualifying School graduate to make it into the top 60.
• During the 2012 season, four players have been Number One in The Race to Dubai. Rory McIlroy has been there for 24 weeks. The other three were: Justin Rose (11), Branden Grace (six) and Louis Oosthuizen (one).
**The field size is now 57 with Thomas Bjorn, Ross Fisher and Retief Goosen not competing.
