By Rahul Banerji
The venerable Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday named Hero MotoCorp as the new title partner of the tournament, the second Rolex Series event of the 2023 DP World Tour season.
This means the Indian two-wheeler giant will now be supporting two of the four legs of the West Asia leg of the Europe-based tour, which opens with the January 13 to 15 Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi.
The Hero Dubai Desert Classic is part of the West Asia swing of the DP World, beginning with the Hero Cup, a new team match play contest aimed at giving European players experience in the format ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup.
That will be followed by back-to-back Rolex Series events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and concluding at the Ras al Khaimah Championship.
The Hero Dubai Desert Classic will thus bring together the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles, and the DP World Tour’s longest-running event in the region.
Stellar field
World no. 1 Rory McIlroy will lead a stellar field as the event returns to Emirates Golf Club from January 26 to 29 for its 34th edition.
The tournament was elevated to Rolex Series status in 2022 and next year will once again form part of the traditional ‘Desert Swing’, which annually attracts golf’s leading players to the region.
The new agreement extends Hero MotoCorp’s long-term relationship with the DP World Tour which began in 2015 at the Hero Indian Open.
Since then, Hero has also supported the Hero Challenge – a series of showpiece events – as well as the Hero Open, which featured on the DP World Tour schedule from 2020 to 2022.
Hero MotoCorp will be the title partner of three events on the 2023 DP World Tour schedule – the Hero Cup, Hero Dubai Desert Classic and Hero Indian Open.
Long-term relationship
In a statement, Dr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman and CEO of Hero MotoCorp, said: “We continue to have a long-term partnership with the DP World Tour; and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is an extension of this engagement.
“We are delighted to be associated with this iconic event and will now be supporting two much-awaited marquee tournaments in the Middle East – the Hero Cup and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic – as part of the traditional Desert Swing.
“It promises to be an exciting start to the season, and we look forward to seeing world-class golf on display.”
Added DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley, “It is my pleasure to welcome Hero MotoCorp as the new title partner of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
“We are proud to further develop our long-term relationship with Hero MotoCorp and thank Dr Pawan Munjal for his continued support of golf in general and the DP World Tour in particular.
“January promises to bring yet another memorable edition of this historic event, as we once again welcome some of the best players in the world to Dubai for the second Rolex Series event of 2023, two weeks after an exciting season-opener in the new Hero Cup.”
The Dubai Desert Classic was the DP World Tour’s first event in West Asia in 1989, cementing the Tour’s relationship with Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.
Past winners include major champions Seve Ballesteros, Ernie Els, Fred Couples, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett, Sergio Garcia and Bryson DeChambeau.
Also read: Hovland hangs on to retain Hero World Challenge crown
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