LONDON, 3 March 2004 — Twelve months ago, Tiger Woods decided to withdraw from the Dubai Desert Classic because of international tensions in the Middle East, putting on hold a mouth-watering showdown between the game’s top two players.
At the time, though, the American world No. 1 promised organizers he would be back. True to his word, Woods has returned to Dubai for this week’s European Tour stop where he will be teeing off in tomorrow’s opening round at the Emirates Golf Club, along with twice winner Ernie Els and world No. 11 Padraig Harrington. “I was really disappointed not to have made it over to Dubai last year, so I’m more than excited about returning,” the 28-year-old Woods was quoted as saying by the tournament’s organizers.
With his eagerly anticipated Dubai showdown with Els back on track, Woods arrives in the United Arab Emirates fresh from a 3 and 2 victory over Davis Love III in Sunday’s 36-hole final of the WGC-World Match Play Championship.
The title was his first of the year but his 40th on the PGA Tour in 149 career starts and earned him a tour record winner’s check for $1.2 million. Although Els is no longer the game’s second-ranked player, having been edged down to three by Fiji’s Vijay Singh, the big South African has won twice in just four starts this season, triumphing at the Hawaii Open in January and at last month’s Heineken Classic in Melbourne.
His head-to-head with Woods this week, their second meeting this year following the PGA Tour’s season-opening Mercedes Championships in Hawaii, will undoubtedly draw big crowds to the Majlis course he so dearly enjoys.
Prize money this week will reach $2 million for the first time in the tournament’s history, with the winner to receive a check for $333,330.
The strong field also includes twice major winner Mark O’Meara, world No. 13 Darren Clarke, former European No. 1 Lee Westwood, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Britons Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.
Denmark’s Ryder Cup player Thomas Bjorn, who has spent most of the European winter in Dubai in recent years and won the 2001 event by holding off Woods, is also taking part.
First Transsexual to Tee Up in Australian Open
In Sydney, the first transsexual to enter a pro golf tournament says she has no physical advantages despite being born a man and many top women players hit the ball further than her. Mianne Bagger, who moved to Australia from Copenhagen in 1979, says after her operation she’s like any other female — even admitting she has lower testosterone levels than most women.
Bagger, 37, tees off in the first round of the Women’s Australian Open at Concord Golf Club here tomorrow against the likes of Karrie Webb, Rachel Teske and Laura Davies.
Bagger, who took up golf as an eight-year-old boy before having sex-change surgery aged 28, is playing thanks to the unique rules of Women’s Golf Australia. She will become the first person not born as a woman to play in a women’s pro tournament.
Teske said she supported the move, Webb wished her luck while Davies, who took on the men several weeks ago in the ANZ Championship, was most supportive.
“She’s a girl now, let her have a go, good luck to her,” Davies said.
