• Overnight leader Young has a two-shot advantage going into the final round on Sunday after shooting 71
  • Emirates Golf Club saw fans dress to impress in Retro-Vintage-inspired looks to mark the 35th edition of the region’s longest running golf tournament   

Dubai, UAE: Cameron Young will go into the final day of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic with a two-shot lead over Rory McIlroy, who carded a stunning 63 to jump up the leaderboard and put himself in the mix for a fourth title.

Thousands flocked to Emirates Golf Club for Saturday’s thrilling third round and were treated to outstanding performances on the Majlis from the world’s best golfers. Three-time and defending champion, Rory McIlroy, who began the day 10 shots adrift of Young, producing a bogey-free round with seven birdies before finishing with an eagle on the 18th.

The eagle had put the World No.2 at the top of the leaderboard before Young reclaimed top spot as McIlroy is tied second on -12 with Poland’s Adrian Meronk.

McIlroy said: “I played some very, very good golf. Definitely better than I played the last couple of days and nice to get myself right back in the tournament.

“It would be amazing (to win the HDDC for fourth time). (To be the) first player to get my name on it four times would be awesome. I've had so much success in Dubai, whether it be at this tournament or in the Race to Dubai events. It's been a really good place to me. I love coming back here and I really enjoy my time here.”

For Cameron Young, it was a mixed day for the American, who carded 71 to finish 14 under ahead of the final day. He suffered a blow with a double bogey and bogey on the seventh and eighth holes but recovered with three birdies in the last nine to put himself in a strong position of clinching his first title on the DP World Tour.

He said: “I played okay. The front nine, especially, is one of those days when a few things don't quite go your way. I didn't putt quite as well as I have the last few days, and with a little bit more wind, it wasn't that easy. I think all in all, it was a good battle. I've put myself in another great place to have a chance (of winning), I'm happy with that.”

Lurking behind Young alongside McIlroy is Meronk, who shot 70 in a round that included bogeys on the four-par 5th and 9th holes while 2018 HDDC champion Haotong Li and Rasmus Hojgaard are tied fourth on 9-under.

Meanwhile, fans descended on Emirates Golf Club in their favourite fashion attire inspired by iconic looks from past decades to celebrate Retro-Vintage Day as part of this year’s 35th edition of the illustrious event. Tournament Town also saw golf enthusiast of all ages take in the winter sun on Saturday.

With sustainability a key focus for HDDC, young fans had the first opportunity to take part in engaging eco-focused activities at Sustainability Corner, including Urban Farming and Seed Bombs while they learned new ways to take care of our green planet.

Free general admission tickets are still available for the final day - Sunday 21st January. Fans keen to witness history can visit the all-new Hero Dubai Desert Classic app available on App Store or Google Play or visit www.dubaidesertclassic.com to secure their tickets.

About Hero Dubai Desert Classic 

The Dubai Desert Classic was founded in 1989 as the first DP World Tour event to take place in the Gulf, and the first and only Geo-certified golf event in the Middle East. Regarded as one of the most significant events on the DP World Tour, and part of the prestigious Rolex Series, it has been credited with paving the way for golf’s presence in the Middle East, as well as creating some of the most iconic moments in golfing history.

Promoted and organised by Falcon and Associates, the tournament played on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club, is fondly referred to as the ‘Major of the Middle East’, due to its legacy and world-class players drawn to the tournament every year.

The tournament is supported by title sponsor, Hero MotoCorp, and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), a founding partner of the Dubai Desert Classic. As the 35th edition of the event, the tournament will take place from 18th to 21st January 2024 in Dubai.

To learn more about the tournament, visit www.dubaidesertclassic.com and follow Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, (@dubaidcgolf), or download the new app (Desert Classic) for all the latest event information, and to purchase and manage your tickets.

About Hero MotoCorp Ltd.

The New Delhi (India) headquartered Hero MotoCorp Ltd. is the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles, in terms of unit volumes sold by a single company in a year — the coveted position it has held for the past 21 consecutive years. The Company has sold over 100 million motorcycles and scooters in cumulative sales since its inception. Hero MotoCorp currently sells its products in 43 countries across Asia, Africa, Middle East, and Latin South & Central America. Hero MotoCorp has eight state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, including six in India, and one each in Colombia and Bangladesh. Hero MotoCorp has two world-class, state-of-the-art R&D facilities — the Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in India and Tech Centre Germany (TCG) near Munich. Hero MotoCorp is one of the world’s largest corporate promoters of multiple disciplines of sports, including, Golf, Football, Field Hockey, Cricket and Motorsports. Fifteen-time Major winner Tiger Woods is Hero’s Global Corporate Partner.

For more information on Hero MotoCorp: Press Contact: corporate.communication@heromotocorp.com 

About the DP World Tour

The DP World Tour is the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group. 

Our 2024 global schedule features a minimum of 44 tournaments in 24 different countries across three distinct phases of the season: five ‘Global Swings’ from November 2023 to August 2024; the ‘Back 9’ from September 2024 to October 2024; and the ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’, comprising two consecutive Rolex Series events in November 2024.

Overall, the 2024 season features five Rolex Series events – the premium category of events on the DP World Tour - and four Major Championships, all of which count towards the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex, the Tour’s season-long competition which concludes at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. 

DP World, the leading provider of global smart end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions, has been the title partner of the DP World Tour since the start of the 2022 season, the Tour’s 50th season following its formation in 1972. 

About the European Tour group

The European Tour group is the overarching corporate brand which administers: the DP World Tour, the Challenge Tour, the Legends Tour and the G4D Tour and, along with the PGA of America, is the Managing Partner of golf’s greatest team contest, the Ryder Cup.

Established in 1972, the European Tour group is committed to ‘Driving Golf Further’ through our guiding principles of being innovative, inclusive and global.

Innovative: We are driving innovation in golf through the creation of award-winning content, pioneering tournament formats and the use of the latest technology and inventive fan engagement. We are committed to attracting new audiences whilst respecting the tradition of our sport.

Inclusive: We are committed to include all who share a love for the game of golf. We are passionate about a closer collaboration with the women’s game, golf for the disabled and promoting the many physical and mental health benefits of playing golf.  

Global: Since 1972, players from 38 different countries have won tournaments on our main Tour, while our live broadcast reaches more than 490 million homes in more than 150 countries every week, generating in excess of 2,200 global broadcast hours for each event. We also enjoy the support of many of the world’s leading business brands with DP World, Rolex, BMW, Emirates, Fortinet and Hilton as Official Partners.

The European Tour group has Strategic Alliances with the PGA TOUR, the Sunshine Tour and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. Those Strategic Alliances, combined with partnerships with the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), and the TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India, provide global pathways for players from across the world to compete internationally on the DP World Tour, the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group. 

We ensure we have a positive long-term impact on the courses, countries and the communities we visit through ‘Golf for Good’, the umbrella name for the European Tour group’s commitment to ‘Driving Golf Further’ in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.

About the Rolex Series

The Rolex Series is the premium category of events on the DP World Tour, comprising five tournaments in 2024, staged in a variety of world-class golfing locations around the globe, each with a minimum prize fund of US$9 million.

Showcasing innovation, enriched media, content and broadcast coverage, and a superior event experience for both fans and for the world’s top players, the list of Rolex Series Champions includes some of golf’s most distinguished names.

The Rolex Series was launched in 2017, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Rolex’s enduring partnership with the European Tour group.

In 2024, the Rolex Series comprises; the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (January 18-21), the Genesis Scottish Open (July 11-14) the BMW PGA Championship (September 19-22), the Abu Dhabi Championship (November 7-10) and the DP World Tour Championship (November 14-17). The latter two events comprise the DP World Tour Play-Offs and feature the leading 70 and 50 players from the Race to Dubai respectively.