Dubai: Europe's top 58 golfers — including three of 2011's four major winners — tee off today in the $7.5 million (Dh27.55 million) season-ending Dubai World Championship.
British and US Open winners Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy join Masters champion Charl Schwartzel in the UAE as the 52-event Race to Dubai draws to a close at the par 72, 7,675-yard Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Joining them will be the last three world No 1s since Tiger Woods in Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and current top man Luke Donald.
England Donald, who has held the world No 1 spot since May, is €789,788.60 (Dh3,894,780) ahead of last weekend's Hong Kong Open winner McIlroy in the Race to Dubai (European Tour Order of Merit), with a maximum €922,645 left to pocket from winning this decisive event.
Donald must finish inside the top nine here to be sure of securing a historic first-ever US PGA Tour and European Tour money-list double, having already confirmed the first leg in October.
With the competition's only two previous winners — Westwood and Robert Karlsson — back again, along with the only two previous Race to Dubai champions — Westwood again and Kaymer — McIlroy must see off more than just Donald if he is to mount a serious challenge for Europe's top spot.
The field comprises 28 winners from the 2011 European Tour, five former European Tour No 1s and ten previous Major champions.
Another event
Whatever happens, Donald and McIlroy are going to remain the best of friends.
"I'm not going to not like him just because of rivalries — we certainly don't want to lose to each other when we are on the course, but off the course we get along," Donald said.
McIlroy added: "I'm sure we'll have a nice time out there and chat and just treat it like any other round, any other golf tournament."
