Rory McIlroy has been confirmed to headline the inaugural Dubai Invitational in January.
The world No 2, fresh off his pivotal role in Europe’s 2023 Ryder Cup victory, will feature in the new four-day event at Dubai Creek Resort from January 11-14.
The Dubai Invitational comprises a 72-hole, stroke-play DP World Tour tournament played concurrently with a three-day Pro-Am team event. Sunday features professionals only.
With McIlroy already confirmed to defend his Hero Dubai Desert Classic title next January also, it means the four-time major champion will compete in the emirate in back-to-back weeks.
“I’m really excited to start my year at the Dubai Invitational,” McIlroy said in a statement. “I’ve always enjoyed coming back to Dubai to set up my season, and with a pro-am format, this tournament is going to be an enjoyable week.
“Dubai Creek Resort is a fantastic course, and given the support we get in Dubai from the fans, I’m sure they are going to make it another great week on the golfing calendar.”
McIlroy, 34, is a five-time winner in Dubai already, with three Desert Classic victories and two successes at the DP World Tour Championship. The reigning European No 1, currently leading the 2023 Race to Dubai, returns to Jumeirah Golf Estates next month for the DP World Tour’s season-ending event.
Abdulla Al Naboodah, the new tournament's host, said on Tuesday: "We are absolutely delighted to welcome Rory McIlroy to the Dubai Invitational at Dubai Creek Resort.
“The United Arab Emirates has played a significant role in the global growth of golf, with its world-class courses and enthusiastic golfing community.
“The inaugural Dubai Invitational will welcome global business leaders and celebrities from around the world to play alongside some of the world’s top professionals over three days, and Rory’s participation further underscores the UAE’s prominence in the international golfing landscape.”
The Dubai Invitational represents the opening event on the International Swing on the DP World Tour's revised 2024 schedule. It is slated to be played bi-annually between next year and 2028, comprising 60 DP World Tour professionals and 60 amateur golfers. General admission to the event will be free.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
MATCH INFO
UAE Division 1
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 12-24 Abu Dhabi Saracens
Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
