All-star line up confirmed as big six head for Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa Challenge Match

In addition to that Majors haul, the Big Six - including three of the world's top five - also boast five victories in the Dubai Desert Classic, for which the Jebel Ali-based Challenge Match is the traditional curtain raiser.

The man every golf fan in the region will want to see, world number one Tiger Woods returns for his third crack at the title along with great friend and fellow US Ryder Cup star Mark O'Meara, Masters and Open champion in 1998 and the winner of the 2004 Dubai Desert Classic.

Also teeing up at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa's Resort Course will be European Ryder Cup stars Thomas Bjorn of Denmark and the ever-popular Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland.

In Ryder Cup year, both Bjorn and Clarke will be keen to get vital points on the board in the build-up to this year's Europe v USA clash at the K Club in Ireland.

Bjorn, who shared second place in last year's US PGA behind Phil Mickelson, won the Dubai Desert Classic in 2001 and he and Clarke are also no strangers to the Challenge Match having both been on the winning sides twice. Clarke lifted the trophy with Els in 2003 and 2004, while Bjorn was victorious with Colin Montgomerie in 2001 and 2002.

World number five Ernie Els also makes a welcome return to the Resort Course after several months out through knee injury and rehabilitation. The three-time and current Dubai Desert Champion will also be in familiar company as Retief Goosen, the current world number four, is a fellow South African and a player Els has played alongside for around 20 years.

Goosen will be making his first appearance in the traditional Desert Classic opener and his confirmation means that the six-man challenge match will feature three players from the top five in golf's world rankings.

"This will be our eighth Challenge Match at the Resort Course and the quality of the field is as good as ever," said David Thomson, General Manager of Corporate Affairs for Jebel Ali International Hotels.

"When you consider the achievements of all the players it's almost unbelievable that they will all be coming together for nine holes of golf here at the Resort Course. Our thanks go to Golf in DUBAI, the organisers and promoters of the Dubai Desert Classic for providing what is a Who's Who of world golf."

The Challenge Match will officially launch the 2006 Dubai Desert Classic - sponsored by Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) - to be held at the Emirates Golf Club Majlis Course from February 2-5. As well as hosting the nine-hole competition, for the 17th year in succession the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa will also act as Official Caterer and Hotel for the $2.4 million event.

The Challenge Match will see the six players paired into teams with each golfer allowed to drive from the tee. The players then subsequently play the ball considered to be in the best position and alternate shots are played until the hole is complete. And once again, in addition to the Challenge Match trophy, the players will have the chance to raise much-needed funds for charity in a Birdie, Eagle, Albatross Challenge sponsored by Nakheel.

Nakheel will pay Dh 10,000, Dh 15,000 or Dh 20,000 when any of the three teams achieve a birdie, eagle or albatross on any of the par four or par five holes. Nakheel will also pay out a further Dh 5,000 per stroke for each team who completes the nine-hole round in under par.

This charity boost will run alongside the popular US$1 million Hole-in-One Challenge, also sponsored by Nakheel, that will see three charities share 40 per cent of the winnings with the six players having two chances to win the money on offer. The first opportunity will be on the second hole and will carry a prize of
US$ 500,000. If none of the players makes a hole-in-one at the second, they get another chance on the eighth where the prize doubles to a staggering US$1 million.

"We always provide world-class stars for the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa Challenge Match but with Woods, Goosen, Els, Clarke, Bjorn and O'Meara I think we have brought together a field that would grace any tournament in the world," said Golf in DUBAI (GiD) Vice Chairman Mohamed Buamim.

Besides Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) as the main sponsor of the Desert Classic, CNN International, Emaar, Dubai Waterfront by Nakheel, and Samsung as co-sponsors, other sponsors include: Emirates as official airline and Hole In One Sponsor; official caterer, hotel and challenge match sponsor Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa; Official Bank National Bank of Dubai; official courtesy car BMW; and event newspaper Gulf News.