Luke Donald of England with the Race to Dubai Trophy after the final round of the Dubai World Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on December 11, 2011 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.(credit:
Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
The European Tour’s Race to Dubai tees off early next month and it’s no surprise to see last season’s winner Luke Donald installed the short-priced 4/1 favourite alongside runner-up Rory McIlroy.
The season begins on January 5, 2012 when the Africa Open gets underway at East London Golf Club in Buffalo City, SA. Two weeks later the European Tour delivers its first main golf tournament, the Volvo Golf Champions, which sees a change in venue this year following unrest in Bahrain.
Winners from the previous season's European Tour will battle it out for a first-place prize of over €350,000, so expect to see the likes of Paul Casey (20/1), Charl Schwartzel (25/1), Louis Oosthuizen (33/1), Matteo Manassero (50/1) and Retief Goosen (100/1) all tee-up at The Links at Fancourt on January 19.
The excitement doesn’t end there. The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship (January 26), Qatar Masters (February 2) and Dubai Desert Classic (February 9) follow next. All three are held in the highest regard and each yields a prize pool in excess of $2.5m.
One player expected to feature prominently in all three is major champion Martin Kaymer (5/1). The German finished third in last season’s Race to Dubai and it became apparent towards the end that he was returning to somewhere near his best, so keep on the right side of Kaymer early in the season.
Another golfer to stick by is Alvaro Quiros (28/1). The Spaniard executed a near perfect performance at the recent Dubai World Championship, and his love for desert golf should not be overlooked in the early stages of the Race to Dubai 2012.
One notable addition to the tour this season is the eight-time PGA Tour winner Mike Weir. The 41-year-old only recently discovered that he’s fully exempt thanks to his Masters victory in 2003. Whilst Weir is almost certain to tee-up regularly in the US, he should be noted when he makes the trip overseas, as the Canadian is notorious for playing his best golf in the early part of the year.
Another golfer to keep on the right side of for 2012 is Lee Westwood (7/1). The Englishman, whose talents deserve greater recognition, has the experience to disregard the failure of winning a major championship, and if he manages to secure another two wins on the European Tour he’ll equal the record of legendary golfer Jose Maria Olazabal. The Spaniard has recorded a remarkable 23 victories to date (eighth best of all time).
Players to follow in 2012
Alvaro Quiros, Martin Kaymer, Charl Schwartzel & Alexander Noren