Dubai, Mar 03: The big matchup for Woods in Dubai will come from World No. 3 Ernie Els, a two-time winner here in 1994 and 2002.
Els looked set to win for a third time last year in the absence of Woods as he led going into the final few holes on Sunday.
But an uncharacteristic home-strait wobble and the round of a lifetime from unheralded Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen left him stunned.
Els says he adores Dubai and underscored that on Monday by becoming tha latest star to put his name to a new course there which the South African promised would be "a modern classic".
"I've been coming to Dubai since 1993, so I've got a long relationship with the city and always love playing here," said Els, last year's European PGA Tour Order of Merit winner.



"But Tiger is really on fire at the moment - he's hot having won at the weekend," he said. "I just hope he's suffering from a bit of jet lag."


Bureau Report