The course at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club is in very good condition.
As I walked around I realized that If the wind is down, it can be overpowered by many of the golfers in the field.
The existing course record is 10 under par 61. Will they murder the course?
Distance is never a problem these days for the players. Time will tell.
The course may need a few tough pins for protect ion. It is measured at 7,059 yards on the scorecard and plays as a Par 71 – 35 out and 36 back.
I have very many happy memories of the Dubai Creek. In the first of the two Dubai Desert Classics held here in 1999, one of the players I was coaching, England’s David Howell, won the title.
David shot rounds of 69, 68, 71 and 67 to be 13 under par when it was a Par 72.
Unfortunately, Padraig Harrington has pneumonia and has not made the trip to Dubai. In addition, Victor Perez is injured. So, this week I have only player in the field to look after – UAE resident Guido Migliozzi who is a talented Italian golfer.
If I am pushed to name a winner this week I would say there are at least six outstanding players in the field in no particular order, who could be the one – the Hojgaard twins, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Fox or Adrian Meronk.
One of these six should be near the top come Sunday night holding up the Dallah Trophy.
A am always happy to share my thoughts with Khaleej Times readers.
Over Xmas and the New Year in Rotherham I have had time to review my career wins to date. I stopped counting at just over 270 tournament wins plus 13 majors, plenty of Order of Merits and plenty of World Number Ones.
Now that I just turned 73 at the start of this week – I am not looking to do more travel and run around more than I have – but the opposite looks to be the case looking at my expected 2024 schedule.
We have some good youngsters coming through in golf especially on the Challenge Tour.
England’s Sam Bairstow is coached by Nick Huby at my Rotherham Driving Range – Nick has been with Sam since he was a very young lad. He has plenty of talent and will be one to watch. He is currently a reserve for next week’s Classic – I hope he can get in.
I will also have Joaquim Niemann with me at Emirates Golf Club – he is currently 66th in the OWGR, had a big win in the ISPS HANDA Australian Open on the DP World Tour just a few week’s ago – and is hoping to get in the Top 50 of the OWGR with all the resulting playing access benefits.
I am also here in Dubai to catch-up with my Pros at the Peter Cowen Academy at Dubai Creek. I always look forward to sharing my ideas and getting feedback from what is happening in the Dubai market.
ALSO READ
It was a pleasure to meet up with Luke from Palm Tees on the Range – he showed me his nice local UAE eco-initiative involving moulded recycled Palm Waste converted into Tees that undoubtedly deserves all our support. There is no damage to golf agronomy equipment – I will try them out over the next couple of weeks whilst I am in Dubai. That is the way forward.
See you all soon!
Pete is 73 years-old, arguably the world’s Number One golf coach, and a Dubai Golden VISA Awardee, who has his Peter Cowen Golf Academies at Dubai Creek Resort and Emirates Golf Club as well as being headquartered at Rotherham Driving Range in England.