Tee times announced for Omega Dubai Desert Classic opening rounds

Rory McIlroy will begin his defence of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic title alongside Henrik Stenson and Louis Oosthuizen in the pick of the opening day groups at Emirates Golf Club. The trio will tee off from the tenth hole at 08.05 tomorrow morning, with McIlroy looking to add to the titles he won here in 2009 – his first as a professional – and 2015. Another player with multiple Omega Dubai Desert Classic victories to his name is Ernie Els, who starts the quest for his fourth win at 12.15 from the first, with Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger. Ten minutes after them is another former champion in Thomas Bjørn (2001), who has been drawn with Englishmen Danny Willett and Chris Wood for the first two rounds. In the next group Welshman Jamie Donaldson will make his first appearance of the season alongside British Masters champion Matthew Fitzpatrick and Byeong Hun An, last season’s Rookie of the Year. Two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer, who was second here in 2008, is off at 07.55 from the tenth with fellow US Open champion Graeme McDowell and four-time European Tour champion Søren Kjeldsen. Then ten minutes later Andy Sullivan will tee up with Thongchai Jaidee and Miguel Angel Jiménez. European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke will have another chance to run the rule over a number of hopefuls for Hazeltine, not least his playing partners for the first two rounds, Thorbjørn Olesen and Thomas Pieters. That group will tee off at 08.25 from the tenth. Dubai Eye is the official radio partner for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic so stay tuned to 103.8 for all the action between February 4th-7th