The 2025 golf year is about to begin and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic promises an action-packed event as defending champion Rory McIlroy returns to the Emirates Golf Club in his bid to win the Dara Trophy for a fifth time.
In addition to the four-time Grand Slam champion, there are the likes of Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Askhay Bhatia , as well as six big-name players from the LIV Golf League.
McIlroy returns to defend title
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Among those heading to Dubai are league individual champion Jon Rahm, who is making his debut in the championship virtually, while his XIII team-mate Tyrrell Hatton is set to return in 2025 Participated in the competition for the first time in the year.
Hatton has a strong record in the event, entering the championship in good form, including four consecutive top-10s, including a third win at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October.
Another player returning to Dubai is Patrick Reed, who locked in an epic battle with McIlroy in 2023, with the American finishing runner-up to the Northern Irishman. In addition to Reed, you can also see Thomas Pieters, Adrian Meronk and Dean Burmester in attendance.
A total of five LIV players have won the event, the last being Paul Casey in 2021
(Image source: Getty Images)
The Hero Dubai Desert Classic is the first individual event of the 2025 DP World Tour, following the Team Cup held the previous week. One such player in this field is LIV Golf's Hatton, who will join Justin Rose's GB&I team.
As for LIV Golf's season, most of the league's players will compete in the India International Series, a new event on the Asian Tour, including current U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau .
From there, individual players will travel to Riyadh for the opening event of the 2025 LIV golf season, before traveling to LIV Adelaide the following week (February 14-16).
