Sergio Garcia makes his 2021 European Tour debut at this week’s OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic with not only immediate thoughts of a second Desert Classic crown that will help him board the European Team flight later this year to Wisconsin.
Garcia, 41, teed-up in the opening two events of the New Year in Hawaii, and that included a T11th in the Sentry Tournament of Champions, and with the proud father of two arriving in Dubai seeking a 17th Tour victory after capturing the 2017 OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic just two months before being fitted with an Augusta National members green jacket.
And this week marks Garcia’s 10th appearance teeing-up on the multi-acclaimed Emirates club course in the UAE.
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 27: Sergio Garcia of Spain plays in the pro am ahead of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 27, 2021 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
“This is obviously a course that I enjoy and I like playing – and I’ve done well here in the past which definitely can help,” said Garcia.
“This year is a big year with a lot of big tournaments to be played with The Ryder Cup, the Olympics and the Majors, so we’ll see what this week holds.
“Everyone knows how much I love The Ryder Cup and I would love to be a part of a few more – and that’s obviously one of the biggest goals of the year for me.”
Garcia is currently lying 14th on the ‘World’ points list on the European Team standings and still plenty of time to be assured of a 10th European Team cap.
Play gets underway Thursday and Garcia will be joined for the opening two rounds by Tyrrell Hatton, and sensational Abu Dhabi HSBC winner, and American star Collin Morikawa, who is making his OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic debut.
The 23-year-old Californian stormed into golfing history a last year in captuing the PGA Championship in San Francisco and is keen to enjoy just as much success in 2021.
“It’s exciting to come out here and compete with some guys that I know and some guys that I’ve obviously seen a lot, but I’m here solely focused on trying to win this week and getting off to a good start tomorrow,” said Morikawa.
“Off the tee, this course is very demanding and the rough is up in a lot of places.
“The fairways are pretty narrow, so getting the ball into the fairway off the tee is going to be key. The greens are pretty small, so hopefully I can get the ball in the fairway, hit some good iron shots and then make some putts.”
A truly world-class field has been assembled for the 32nd staging of the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic which includes Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, and Major champions Ernie Els, Shane Lowry, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Danny Willett and Padraig Harrington.
Attendance at the event is for invited guests only but the action will be beamed to a worldwide audience on mainstream broadcast sports networks and highlights and exclusive content will be shared on the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic social media channels.
