Jumeirah Golf Estates, the outstanding host venue for The European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, has been named Monday as the ninth European Tour Destination, marking an expansion into the Middle East for the growing network of venues under the European Tour Properties banner.
The historic announcement, which comes less than a month before the climax to the fifth Race to Dubai played over the superb Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Nov. 14-17, also coincides with the launch of the second state-of-the-art European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) located at the venue.
European Tour Properties is The European Tour’s portfolio of world-class venues that benefit from focused, year-long sales, marketing and operational support. As a European Tour Destination, Jumeirah Golf Estates joins PGA Catalunya Resort in Spain; London Golf Club in England; Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort in Provence, France, and its sister venue Golf Club St. Leon-Rot near Frankfurt, Germany; Le Golf National in Paris, France where The 2018 Ryder Cup will be played; The Dutch in Holland; Diamond Country Club in Austria; and Golf & Country Club Fleesensee, near Berlin in Germany, in an expanding collection.
Meanwhile, the Middle East’s first ETPI academy, boasting world-class training facilities for elite professional and amateur golfers alike, serves to enhance the status of Jumeirah Golf Estates as one of the region’s most exciting new all-round golf complexes. The latest ETPI follows in the footsteps of the inaugural facility at Terre Blanche, where the Albatros Golf Performance Center was officially launched as the first ETPI in March 2012.
Since its launch in 2009, European Tour Properties has grown to encompass 13 member venues – nine Destinations and four Tour Courses spanning 11 different countries — the majority of which have staged top class tournament golf at European Tour, Senior Tour, Challenge Tour or European Tour Qualifying School level, either currently or in the recent past.
Along with hosting the Tour’s season-end finale, Jumeirah Golf Estates will benefit from the global recognition and exposure which comes with becoming a Tour Destination. Jumeirah Golf Estates, which currently boasts two Greg Norman-designed championship layouts in the Fire and Earth courses, also delivers a luxury residential golf community within the complex, adjacent to a state-of-the-art clubhouse currently under construction, which is planned to be part operational in time for the 2014 DP World Tour Championship.
Tournament golf in the region has expanded dramatically in 2013 with the traditional ‘Desert Swing’ in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai being augmented by Challenge Tour events in Oman and Dubai scheduled over the next month, with discussions at an advanced stage for a Senior Tour event in early 2014.
George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, welcomed the first all-purpose European Tour facility in the Gulf region.
He said: “Today’s historic announcement of the first Tour Destination and ETPI in the Middle East further endorses the status of Jumeirah Golf Estates as our season-ending tournament venue and as an internationally acclaimed destination, which has been widely praised by the players and public alike.
“We thank Yousuf Kazim and all the Board of Directors at Jumeirah Golf Estates for their cooperation and support, and we look forward to working closely in partnership to complete the development over the next 18 months, while the world class practice and training facilities available at the ETPI academy, along with the highest standards of biomechanical and nutritional advice, deliver all the necessary requirements for the elite European Tour professional.”
Jumeirah Golf Estates becomes first European Tour Destination in Middle East
Jumeirah Golf Estates becomes first European Tour Destination in Middle East
Jon Rahm putts his way to 2nd round lead at LIV Adelaide
- A two-time LIV individual season champ, Rahm is looking for his first tournament win since 2024
ADELAIDE: Jon Rahm fired a 63 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead into the third round of LIV Golf Adelaide in Australia.
Rahm posted a bogey-free round at Grange Golf Club that included seven birdies — five of them on the back nine — and an eagle on the 561-yard par-5 No. 7 hole to move to 13-under for
the tournament.
The Spaniard stands one shot ahead of Ben Campbell, who also recorded seven birdies and an eagle for his 9-under round of 63.
Bryson DeChambeau is in third place at 11-under after
shooting a 67.
Rahm can credit his success on Friday to his putting. His eagle on No. 7 was courtesy of a 47-foot putt, and he also holed five more putts of between 10 and 25 feet. He made about 150 feet
of putts. A two-time LIV individual season champ, Rahm is looking for his first tournament win
since 2024.
“I can’t remember the last time I made this many, but it was a lot — and the ones that didn’t go in looked like they were going to go in,” Rahm said. “It was a fantastic day on the greens.”
Campbell, of New Zealand, is seeking his first win in Australia as a pro. He had a contingent of family and friends
following him.
“It’s great,” Campbell said of his support system. “It’s as close to I get playing at home. Everyone has been amazing.”
Without the windy conditions of Thursday, the course played easier on Friday. The stroke average of 69.035 bested the opening round by more than
two strokes.
Thirteen different players recorded eagles or better on Friday. David Puig of Spain made the third albatross in league history with his 2 on the par-5 10th hole.
One of those eagles belonged to DeChambeau, who had an up-and-down round that also included five birdies and
two bogeys.
“I was scrambling all day, and that’s something you just can’t do if you’re trying to win a golf tournament,” DeChambeau said.
In fourth place is Anthony Kim (67 on Friday) at 10-under with Talor Gooch (63) and Branden Grace of South Africa (64) in fifth place at 9-under.
On the team front, Campbell’s round helped to propel the RangeGoats into a tie for first at 23-under with Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces, aided by Kim’s performance.
Those teams are one shot ahead of Rahm’s Legion XIII as well as Ripper GC and
Torque GC.
