Tiger to return to play Desert Classic in 2004
BY iseekgolf.com | European PGA Tour | 2004 Dubai Desert Classic | General | 09 Dec 2003
World number one Tiger Woods yesterday took time out from arranging his own end-of-season charity tournament in California to look ahead to the 2004 Dubai Desert Classic – and the world’s most famous sportsman admits he can’t wait to return to the region’s finest course.
“Although I’ve cut down my schedule each and every year to a number where I can have enough energy to play at a high level every week, it has always been my aim to play again in Dubai,” said Woods during a break from preparations for the fifth annual Target World Challenge presented by Williams (TWC) at Sherwood Country Club.
“I was really disappointed not to have made it over to Dubai this year so I’m more than excited about returning in 2004. The organisers were cooperative and supportive and I appreciated their understanding of my decision not to play back in March. Because I wanted to thank everyone in Dubai for their understanding, I immediately agreed to play in the 15th Desert Classic.”
The PGA European Tour event will celebrate its 15th anniversary at the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course from March 4-7 with Woods the star attraction in what is gearing up to be the strongest line-up in the history of the event.
Sponsored by Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) and organised and promoted by the Dubai Desert Classic Executive Committee, the tournament will once again see the cream of the European Tour take on the region’s premier golfing venue. But it’s Woods who will be the top box office draw.
“I think it’s safe to say we were all massively disappointed that Tiger couldn’t make it to the tournament in 2003,” said Executive Committee Chairman Mohammed Alabbar.
“He is without doubt the greatest golfer of our generation and I am sure Dubai will welcome him back again in March 2004. We completely understood his decision not to play this year and were delighted with his immediate response to add us to his schedule for the coming season. It clearly underlines the event’s standing within the game as Tiger picks and chooses his overseas tournaments very carefully indeed.”
The winners of five tournaments in 2003, Woods will make his last appearance of the year at the season’s end TWC in California from December 10-14 where he will head an all-star line-up of 16 professionals in an event that raises funds for the player’s own Tiger Woods Foundation. Although unable to claim a Major in 2003, it has been far from a disappointing year for the world number one.
He has reached the five-victory plateau for the fifth year in a row and is in contention to win the PGA TOUR Player of the Year award for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year. Besides the five victories, he also has eleven top-10 finishes and earned more than $6.9 million this year.
But Woods has never been a man to rest on his successes and he will be fired up for another onslaught on the game’s biggest titles in 2004, including the Dubai Desert Classic – an event he narrowly lost out on in 2001 to eventual winner Thomas Bjorn. “You know, I came so close to winning the Desert Classic two years ago,” added Woods. “To lose any tournament on the final hole is a disappointment – hopefully I can go one better next year.”
Source – Dubai Golf
