The 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic will have a star-studded field with European Ryder Cup heroes Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry, along with two-time Major champion Dustin Johnson, set to participate at Emirates Golf Club next month.
The tournament, taking place from January 22-25, had earlier seen defending champion and European Ryder Cup star Tyrrell Hatton announce his return to the event, along with reigning Masters champion and Race to Dubai winner Rory McIlroy and FedEx Cup champion Tommy Fleetwood.
Former world No 1 Johnson further strengthens an elite field for the first Rolex Series event of the 2026 Race to Dubai.
Hovland and Lowry were instrumental in Europe's recent Ryder Cup dominance, with Lowry holing the crucial putt on the 18th green that ensured Europe retained the trophy at Bethpage Black in September. The Irishman's heroics marked a career-defining moment for the 2019 Open Championship winner, who has now represented Europe at three consecutive Ryder Cups.
Lowry, who will make his 10th Dubai Desert Classic appearance, and his first since 2023, said: "There were some incredible moments in 2025, particularly at Bethpage Black, and now I'm looking forward to getting 2026 off to a positive start by returning to Dubai for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. I've played this tournament many times over the years, and I always love being back at Emirates Golf Club. It's a fantastic way to start the year."
Norwegian star Hovland, who lifted the Dallah Trophy in 2022, returned to winning ways this year with victory at the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour before helping Europe to victory in New York.
"Winning here in 2022 was really cool, and it’s always a great place to start the year," said Hovland. "The tournament is one of the highlights of the season – great golf course, great weather, and I'm looking forward to competing for the trophy again."
Johnson, a two-time Major champion who claimed the 2016 US Open and the 2020 Masters, will be making his Dubai Desert Classic debut. The former world No 1 spent 135 weeks at the top of the rankings.
At the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, Johnson became the first American player in over 40 years to achieve a perfect 5-0 record, earning every point available to him as the United States claimed a dominant victory.
"I'm really looking forward to playing the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for the first time," said Johnson, who has won three times on the LIV Golf Tour, topping the individual standings in 2022, and is captain of the 4 Aces team, who he led to series victories in 2022 and 2023.
"I've heard great things about the event and Emirates Golf Club. When you look at past champions like Seve, Tiger and Rory, you know it's a really prestigious tournament with incredible history. I'm excited to compete for the Dallah Trophy and be part of what is always a world-class field."
Simon Corkill, executive tournament director of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, said: "To welcome three global superstars of this calibre to the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic is incredibly exciting. Viktor and Shane were heroes at Bethpage Black, while Dustin's Major championship pedigree speaks for itself.
"With this being Dustin's first professional tour event in Dubai, we're thrilled to showcase Emirates Golf Club to one of the game's biggest names. Alongside Tyrrell, Tommy and Rory, the quality and depth of our field continues to strengthen as we head into what promises to be an exceptional 37th edition."
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
