Tiger's Desert Classic pride

Then something clicked, as it often does with Woods, and a birdie blitz on the back nine took him to an astonishing second win in the Classic. And the spur to this success? It was the pride of achievement, and the adrenalin rush of genuine competition.

If only we could see more of the world number one in Europe - and maybe we will if Tiger realises that it is more satisfying to win when pushed and that he is more likely to be pushed on the European circuit than on the PGA tour.

Woods is supreme in America at the moment - way out ahead on the money list and for qualification for the Ryder cup. His recent comfortable win in the Buick Invitational was his third in a row in this tournament and few would bet against him on any American course.

But in Europe it is different. Not only are courses like the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club a different technical challenge - but the field is arguably much stronger as well. The 2008 was truly a classic and Woods had a proper fight on his hands throughout.

Ernie the Desert King

After his magnificent 65 in the third round Ernie Els seemed the man to beat not just because of his form but because nobody knows the Emirates course better than he does. With wins in 1994, 2002 and 2005 Els can justly claim to be the 'Desert King'.

Golfers of every standard often stand in awe at the board close to the first tee on the Majlis where Ernie's course record of 61 back in 1994 is commemorated. The course has been lengthened and is much changed since then, of course, but it is still almost as tameable as Woods with his two 65s and Els showed.

In all the years that Ernie has been coming to Dubai he has a stroke average of 68 on the Majlis and he has never taken more than 72 strokes in any one round. But he is mortal and his jitters on the 11th and 12th probably scuppered his chance rather more than his 18th hole bogey.

Standing on the 18th Tee and knowing that he had already taken more strokes than Woods on the back nine with one hole still to play was a psychological killer blow. The body language was all wrong and the six he took after putting his second in the water was no real surprise.

Great finishing hole

For me the 18th at Emirates is one of the great finishing holes in golf. A player standing on the tee needing a Par to win, or a birdie to tie has a mishmash of thoughts going through his mind. Few will forget fine players having rushes of blood to the head and finishing in the water - the Tiger in 2001 and Ian Woosnam a few years earlier, and Els this year.

Tiger claims not to like the 18th after his humbling experience in 2001, but he may revise his opinion after this year, with three birdies in four rounds. In the final round we saw the genius that he is in all its improbable pomp. At the 18th his five wood second cleared the green and finished horribly in long grass. He got out, but was clearly unhappy with his too short chip to the green but, wouldn't you know it, he holed a curly downhill putt for a birdie. Lucky? Well you know what Gary Player said about luck!

Tiger Woods' record speaks for itself, but the man is no cold, calculating scoring machine. Even today with over 60 wins to his name, Tiger is vulnerable and shows his emotions at times. The key to his win in the Classic was actually at the 17th in the final round when he got angry on the tee. Some unhelpful spectator had clicked a camera just as he addressed the ball. 'Put that camera away,' Woods admonished tetchily. 'That will upset him,' I said with my customary foresight just before he then drove the green and completed a comfortable birdie!

The Dubai Desert Classic is one of golf's finest tournaments - it is shame that, Tiger excepted, the Americans stay away. I still believe that the Classic will remain Dubai's premier event, despite the arrival of the 'Dubai World Championship' next year and hope that not only will Tiger defend his title in 2009 but that we see an even stronger international field to challenge him.

See also:
Tiger roars to comeback win in Dubai
World's-best golfers greeted by blue Abu Dhabi skies
Tiger Woods speaks out in Dubai