DUBAI, UAE – Feb. 17, 2005 – Six world-class golfers with more than 200 international titles - including eight Majors - will come together in the annual Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa Challenge Match on March 1, the now traditional curtain raiser for the Dubai Desert Classic.

One of the most eagerly anticipated pairings will see world number three and winner of the 2004 European Tour Order Of Merit Ernie Els partnering Australian Greg Norman, one of the greatest and most colorful players in the history of the sport. Els is one of the true giants of the modern game, while two-time Open winner Norman held the world number one slot for 331 weeks and is the only man to top both the US and European Orders of Merit.

Also teeing up at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa's Resort Course will be Ryder Cup stars Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn. Both Montgomerie and Bjorn are former winners of the Dubai Desert Classic, while they are also no strangers to the Challenge Match format having last won the title as a pairing in 2002.

The third pairing brings together two Americans who have both tasted Major success. In 1998, Mark O'Meara lifted both the Masters and Open titles and is the current Desert Classic defending Champion, while in 2003 Ben Curtis surprised the sporting world by coming from nowhere to win the famous Claret Jug. This will be Curtis' first visit to the nine-hole Resort Course.

"We would like to thank the Dubai Desert Classic for their great support each year, as well as for providing us with such a strong field of players for the Challenge Match," said Gerhard Hardick, General Manager of Jebel Ali International Hotels. "

"It's wonderful to be able to welcome Greg Norman back to Dubai and to show Ben Curtis just why the professionals enjoy the Challenge Match format. It also gives us the opportunity to provide a unique corporate hospitality vehicle and showcase the traditional Arabian hospitality of both the city of Dubai and the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa."

The Challenge Match will officially launch the 2005 Dubai Desert Classic - sponsored by Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) - to be held at the Emirates Golf Club Majlis Course from March 3-6. As well as hosting the nine-hole competition, for the 16th year in succession the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa will also act as Official Caterer and Hotel for the $2.2 million event.

As in previous years, 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.

In addition to the Challenge Match trophy, the players will also have the chance to raise funds for charity in a new Birdie, Eagle, Albatross Challenge sponsored by Nakheel who will pay either US$2,700, US$4,000 or US$5,400 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 US$1,300 per stroke for each team who completes the nine-hole round in under par.

This new feature will run alongside the US$1 million Hole-in-One Challenge that will see three charities share 40% 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.

"Once again we are proud to see the partnership between the Dubai Desert Classic and the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa continue for a 16th year," said Dubai Desert Classic Vice Chairman Mohamed Buamim. "It's a relationship that has benefited both parties so we are delighted to see it continue and look forward to yet another excellent Challenge Match before the Desert Classic itself tees off on March 3."

Besides Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) as the main sponsor of the Desert Classic, CNN International, Arabian Ranches by Emaar, 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 and Spa; Official Bank National Bank of Dubai; official courtesy car BMW; and event newspaper Gulf News.

Contact:
Alan Ewens, DDC Media Manager
Tel: 04 3512887/050 4514188
Fax: 04 3512887
alan2804@emirates.net.ae
media1@dubaidesertclassic.com
www.dubaidesertclassic.com