Third appointment for the Desert Swing, the triptych of tournaments in the United Arab Emirates. After Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the players move a few kilometers further north to Ras Al Khaimah, less known than the other two Emirates, but much more “real” and wilder: where sport meets nature, as written along the way of the Al Hamra Golf Club.
The tournament – from tomorrow, Thursday 2, to Sunday – has a prize pool of 2 million dollars and will feature two Azzurri: Edoardo Molinari, vice-captain of the Europe team at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, and Guido Migliozzi.
Both are returning from an excellent performance in Abu Dhabi with 17th place for the Turinese and 20th for the Vicenza driver, and a more disappointing one in Dubai where they missed the cut. Among Migliozzi’s objectives, also that of returning to the Italian number 1 after overtaking Francesco Molinari (who this week takes a rest before returning to play on the PGA Tour in America).
In the second edition of the tournament, the title will be defended by the Dane Nicolai Hojgaard who, in 2022, dominated the match by four strokes behind the Englishman Jordan Smith. The Dane tried the field yesterday in the ProAm, which he also won: “I saw that some changes were made to the course, I like them because they made it even more difficult and demanding”.
Among the favorites of the eve are Victor Perez (triumphant in Abu Dhabi), Ryan Fox, Adrian Otaegui and Adrian Meronk. The young Finn Sami Valimaki also appears in great form.
Desert Swing, schedule
With Molinari on the field also the other two captains of Ryder’s European team, Thomas Bjorn and Nicolas Colsaerts.
Then there is Padraig Harrington, captain in the last edition, who at 51 is always among the best. Apart from the Ras Al Khaimah tournament, many Italians are involved in other tournaments around the world. At the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, on the Asian Tour, Italy will be represented on the course by Filippo Celli and Stefano Mazzoli.
An important occasion for the Roman and the Lombard, both in the PIF Saudi International field, a race that has a prize pool of 5 million dollars (1,000,000 will go to the winner). In South Africa, however, the 2023 Challenge Tour season is ready to begin.
In Cape Town, in the Bain’s Whiskey Open, six Azzurri are competing. With Renato Paratore and Francesco Laporta – who after a not exciting 2022 are looking for a breakthrough – here are also Matteo Manassero, Andrea Pavan, Lorenzo Scalise and Lorenzo Gagli. The prize pool is $350,000.
