The DP World Tour will break new ground as the Ras Al Khaimah Championship tees off on Thursday morning, with the likes of 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett and local hope Ahmad Skaik vying for the honour of becoming the first-ever winner of the $2 million tournament at Al Hamra Golf Club.
As part of the expanded ‘UAE Swing’ on the rebranded DP World Tour, the RAK Championship is the third leg of a quartet of tournaments being held in a four-week period in the UAE, following on from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic and preceding the Ras Al Khaimah Classic, which also takes place over the Championship course at Al Hamra.
When and where
The first-ever ball will be struck at 7.10am on Thursday morning as Marcel Schneider, Lukas Nemecz and Sebastian Heisele go off in the first group on the first tee at the Championship resort in RAK, which has already held major events on the European Challenge Tour and ‘Race to RAK’ qualifying events. Richard Mansell, Matthew Jordan and Benjamin Herbert get going from tee 10 at the same time.
Who is playing?
Willett and UAE No. 1 amateur Skaik will have some stiff competition in a field of 132 professionals if they are to lift the trophy on Sunday. Danish twins Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard are in the field alongside a multitude of DP World Tour winners including Robert MacIntyre, Marc Warren, Thomas Detry, Alexander Bjork, Thorbjorn Olesen, Jamie Donaldson, Ross Fisher, David Howell Howell, Haotong Li and two-time Dubai champ Stephen Gallacher.
European Tour and Ryder Cup legends Colin Montgomerie, Thomas Bjorn and Miguel Angel Jimenez also know their way around the courses in the UAE and will be sure to put up a fight against the younger generation.
How to watch
The competition will be broadcast on Dubai Sports from noon each day on Dubai Sports. It will also be available on live streams and blog from the DP World Tour website.
Rules and regulations
To gain entry to the event, all UAE residents and spectators must provide proof at the entry gates on each day of attendance of either: Full vaccination (two doses) administered at least 14 days before the event date through the Al Hosn app or another international vaccination app; a negative PCR test result within 96 hours of attendance to the event. Children under 12 do not require proof of vaccination.
All international spectators will be required to provide proof of either full (two doses) WHO approved Covid-19 vaccination administered at least 14 days before attendance by vaccination certificate or an international app or a negative PCR test result within 96 hours of attendance to the first day of entry.
This Covid-19 Code of Conduct applies to all ticket holders and hospitality customers attending the Championship.
Face masks must be worn at all times within the course apart from when you are eating and drinking. Original identification must be produced (passport, driver’s license, Emirates ID).
How to get there
From Dubai, you can reach Al Hamra by following Airport Road/D89 to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and then take Exit 110 from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and continue straight towards Al Hamra Al Jazeera. From there follow signs to Al Hamra Village. Continue straight on Oslo Street and follow signs to resort.
