Garcia targets Desert Classic title

Dubai: Big gun Sergio Garcia will be aiming to go the full distance when he joins a world-class field, led by world number one Tiger Woods and defending champion Henrik Stenson, vying for honours in the Dubai Desert Classic, which gets under way at the Emirates Golf Club from January 29 to February 3.

The Spanish ace is hoping to celebrate his unique relationship with Dubai - home to the first course design project Garcia has been involved with - with success in the Dubai Desert Classic.

Last year, Sergio missed the cut by one shot in his maiden appearance in Dubai, but now, that's history.

Bad luck

Armed with renewed enthusiasm, the 28-year-old hopes to provide finishing touches to the series of near misses he has had to endure last year.

His heart-breaking loss to Padraig Harrington at The Open Championship last summer will go down as one of the epic battles at Carnoustie.

Garcia was on the wrong end of luck when he lost a four-shot lead and then a playoff - perhaps the hardest thing he has ever had to cope with in his scintillating career.

However, Garcia has a lot to look forward to in Dubai, including the chance to make further progress on the design of his first golf course, the Wind course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Working in partnership with Greg Norman and Pete Dye, the father of modern golf course design, Sergio is aiming to take golf back to its most elemental roots, with a traditional links-style course in which the power and energy of the wind plays a core role.

With reference to this year's Dubai Desert Classic, Sergio said: "I had a fantastic experience last year in Dubai and am really hoping for something great at this year's Desert Classic. Dubai itself is such an exciting city it's great to see somewhere make golf a real focus of its development and I'm honoured to be a part of that.

"My main focus whilst I am here will be the golf but I am also really looking forward to seeing the progress at Jumeirah Golf Estates." David Spencer, chief executive of Leisurecorp, Jumeirah Golf Estates' parent company, said:

"We're delighted to see Sergio back here in Dubai. He has proven himself as a tremendous competitor, especially on links courses.

"His runner-up finish at last year's Open Championship further reinforces the fact that we have the right man to help lead on the designs of the Wind course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and bring the elements of a traditional course to Dubai for the first time."