Former World No. 1 Rory McIlroy has a record-setting $US 2.5m extra incentive competing in this week’s 25th anniversary Dubai Desert Classic.
‘Golf in Dubai’ is offering what is believed to be the richest-ever prize to the first player to record a hole-in-one at the 17th hole over the closing two days on the Majlis Course during this week’s European Tour event.
Rory McIlroy licking his lips at thought of winning $US 2.5m for an ace during the last two rounds of the Dubai Desert Classic. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
The par four 17th is the shortest of the par fours measuring 359-yards (328 meters) and with Tour officials advising also the tee will be brought forward for the closing two rounds to entice those making the cut.
It is common around in tournaments around the world to offer anything from motor vehicles, wrist watches, champagne and even most recently at the Volvo Champions event in Durban where there were prizes of a truck and also an excavator for a hole-in-one.
Bizarrely, at an Australian mini-tour event some years to the south of Sydney there was a prize of a full funeral service for an ace, and with a coffin set up on the tee promoting the prize.
The $US 2.5m on offer this week in Dubai matches the total prize purse, and also the reputed fee World No. 1 Tiger Woods has been paid to compete in Dubai for a first time in three years.
As well, the amount is $US 1.1m more than the $1.4m Lee Trevino earned for the richest-ever hole-in-one during the 1988 Skins Game at PGA West in what was then a non-money counting PGA Tour event.
“If we get the right wind on the 17th hole as we’ve had in previous years, especially off the back tee, then I’ll go for it,” said McIlroy.
“Also with officials moving the tee forward for Saturday and Sunday, so for the last two rounds no matter what way the wind is, it shouldn’t be a problem to reach the green.
“There’s no many chances you have to win $2.5 million in one shot, so I’ll give it a go.
“If you’re confident enough with your driver, why not go for it. It mightn’t even be a driver, that’s the thing.
“If they move the tee up, it’s only going to play 295 or 300 yards, so it’s a 3-wood.”
If successful, it would be McIlroy’s first-ever hole-in-one in his professional career.
However McIlroy is certain to more focussed over the opening two rounds finishing in front of Woods.
The duo were paired for the opening two rounds of last year’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and with McIlroy, using new Nike equipment for a first occasion, crashing out of the event with a pair of 75s.
However after victory in last month’s Australian Open and then sharing second place with Phil Mickelson in Abu Dhabi a fortnight ago the 24-year old is quietly-confident of repeating his 2009 Dubai Desert Classic success at the scene of his maiden pro career win.
“It’s always good to get a win early on in the season, and it would be nice to be up there at least and challenging for the trophy on Sunday,” he said.
“It was fitting in a way that I won my first tournament as a pro here in Dubai.
“And four years later my physique is different. I’m also more experienced. I’m more sure of myself, more confident. I feel like I belong. Not that I didn’t back then, but just getting that first win of my career.
“So while a lot of things have changed in five years, but as a person, I feel like I’m sort of similar.”
