Everything you need to know about the innovative tournament in Dubai, including who's playing, who's had to withdraw, the format and how to watch.
After a month off, the Ladies European Tour girls are back competing this week in Dubai in the UAE.
The 2020 Dubai Moonlight Classic is taking place at Emirates Golf Club, Dubai from November 4 to 6 and we can’t wait for it to kick off.
Offering a much-needed distraction from the developing pandemic over in the UK, this is our guide to the innovative and very exciting tournament.
A unique format
In 2019 the inaugural Dubai Moonlight Classic made history as the world’s first professional day-to-night golf tournament.
Previously known as the OMEGA Dubai Ladies Classic, the new format is exceptionally cool.
Held under the floodlights on the Faldo Course with the glittering Dubai skyline in the background, the players will all be teeing off from late morning, with the last group for Round 1 out in a shotgun start draw at 4.35pm.
With darkness falling just after 6pm, this means that half the players will get to experience playing in darkness and under the floodlights during each round.
A $285,000 prize fund is up for grabs across three days, with the final taking place on Saturday November 6 (this also fits the UAE weekend as the working week starts on a Sunday over there).
The field of 56 players includes a mix of LET and LPGA Tour players, and all the biggest names are taking part.
Star-studded line up
The Brits are exceptionally well represented, with Georgia Hall, Charley Hull, Amy Boulden, and golfing legend Dame Laura Davies all taking part.
Unfortunately, Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, England's Annabel Dimmock and Finland's Ursula Wikström all tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Dubai. They have now all withdrawn from the tournament and won't be teeing off in the desert tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the LPGA players include none other than former number one Lydia Ko, and World No.6 Minjee Lee.
Defending champion and three-time LET winner Nuria Iturrioz will also be hoping to keep her title. The Spanish player said she is looking forward to the challenge: “It’s not going to be an easy title defence, every player here wants to win and that is no different to normal. This year with a stronger field, for sure it will be another great experience but I feel confident about my game and the key will be on the greens this week, let’s see if my caddy can read the breaks as well as normal in the dark.”
For many of the players, including 2018 Women’s British Open winner Georgia Hall, it will be there first time playing under floodlights.
Georgia, who didn’t take part in the 2019 edition of the tournament, said “The prospect of being back out in Dubai where I first played in 2014 as a teenager is an exciting one. I’m looking forward to finishing off the season in style and playing under the floodlights for the first time will be something new for my game to have to adapt to, it’s incredibly exciting for the players and we are very grateful that we have the opportunity to safely compete together once again.”
How to watch
We may be heading back into lockdown, but luckily there are lots of ways we can watch these fantastic players battle it out.
The LET is live streaming all the action on their website throughout the tournament from 3pm to 6pm GMT (local time 7pm to 10pm).
The commentary team includes former LET player Sophie Walker, and coverage will also be shown on Sky Sports Golf with times found HERE.
With amateur golf severely restricted, we’re more grateful than ever that we can still enjoy the professional game.
And it goes without saying that the players themselves will be too.
You can find out more about the OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic HERE.
