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Stephan Gallacher is the winner of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic Image Credit: Francois Nel/Gulf News Archives

Dubai: Golf Citizen members will receive a 25 per cent discount on tickets for the 25th edition of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, to be held at Emirates Golf Club from January 27 to February 2 next year.

Featuring world number one Tiger Woods and second-ranked Rory McIlroy, among many other past champions in a star-studded field, the silver jubilee event will see top-class players contest for a share of the $2.5 million (Dh9 million) prize fund.

Daily tickets for the four-day main competition, starting on January 30, are priced at Dh175. Season passes, which provide access all week, including the Champions’ Challenge and Pro-Am day, are available for Dh675. Tickets to the Champions’ Challenge on the Tuesday and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic Pro-am on the Wednesday cost Dh75 each.

Anybody aged 18 or under will be allowed free entry if they are accompanied by an adult who is holding a valid ticket for the day.

The Champions’ Challenge — an 18-hole stroke-play showpiece — will see past Desert Classic champions vie for a $600,000 prize fund on the Majlis course

“With a number of big names from both sides of the Atlantic, including Tiger and Rory, in the field, besides plenty of family-friendly attractions lined up off course, we are confident of a full house during the tournament week,” said Mohammad Juma Bu Amim, vice-chairman and CEO of Golf in Dubai.

“We are offering a special discount to encourage golfers of all levels to join the Golf Citizen network and avail of many other attractions that the user-friendly golf reservation website has to offer.”

Launched by Golf in Dubai in 2011, the golfcitizen.com website aims to promote the golf courses on its network, especially in the UAE, in a bid to realise the country’s golf tourism potential.

Golfers from around the world can register as a ‘Golf Citizen’ for free to book rounds at a number of courses globally. Once registered, they are able to purchase their tickets online through www.dubaidesertclassic.com or www.golfcitzen.com. Many major courses in the UAE are part of Golf Citizen and more are being added from as far afield as Thailand and Vietnam.

Golf in Dubai is backed by Omega as its title sponsor and Dubal (Dubai Aluminium) as sponsor. The co-sponsors are CNN, Drydocks World & Maritime World, Emirates NBD, Gulf News, Mercedes-Benz and wasl, while Dubai Duty Free, Carpetland and Motivate are the Patrons in Golf in Dubai’s drive to showcase the emirate’s vibrant golfing scene to a worldwide audience.