The DP World Tour Championship, Dubai has retained its five-star rating in the fourth edition of Dubai Sports Council’s Sports Events Ranking System.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, has given his seal of approval to the rankings for 2017-18 where sporting events in the emirate are ranked against several factors.
The 2017 DP World Tour Championship, the climax of the European Tour’s Race to Dubai which is attended by over 60,000 spectators with a TV home reach of 475million, has been recognised once more and awarded the highest possible commendation alongside the Dubai World Cup, Dubai Tour’s cycling event and the Government Games.
Due to the timing of the awards, the 2017 DP World Tour Championship, won by Jon Rahm, has been recognised, rather than the 2018 event when Danny Willett was victorious.
HH Sheikh Hamdan said: “We are very pleased with the success of this system, which is a purely home-grown initiative that is aligned with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and supports the objective of enhancing innovation.
“The Dubai Sports Council designed and implemented a unique indigenous system that fits the needs of Dubai, a diverse city with a character of its own, home to more than 200 different nationalities, all living in harmony and working for a better future.
“The past years have witnessed increasing growth in the sports sector and a rise in its contribution to the national economy through the creation of jobs and construction of sporting infrastructure. Sports events not only contribute to the development of this sector but also encourage members of the community to embrace sports and a physically active lifestyle.
“The atmosphere that these events create and the stars and heroes they bring play a big role in inspiring the community to adopt a sporting and fitness culture.”
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman and CEO of DP World said: “We are a business that prides itself on world class performance, so it is a huge honour for the DP World Tour Championship to retain its five-star ranking, one of only four events to achieve the highest award possible.
“Since its inception in 2009, the DP World Tour Championship has shown incredible growth, becoming one of the stand-out events in the UAE sporting and social calendar, as well as being a spectacular finale for the European Tour’s Race to Dubai. Hosting the tournament not only puts Dubai firmly on the map for international sporting events, but it also helps to attract future generations to the game of golf – something we are all extremely passionate about.”
The DP World Tour Championship Director, Freddie Schmeisser, is delighted that the event received this accolade again: “It is a huge honour for the DP World Tour Championship to retain a five-star ranking, one of only four events to achieve the highest award possible.
“Since the first event in 2009, this tournament has shown incredible growth and year on year it gets bigger and better. It has become one of the stand-out events in Dubai’s sporting and social calendars, as well as being an incredible end to the European Tour season and the Race to Dubai.
“This award recognises the hard work of many people who have made this event what it is and, as we constantly look to evolve, we are already working to enhance this year’s event to be the best to date.”
Launched by the Dubai Sports Council in 2014, the Ranking System is a pioneering initiative that seeks to incentivise and recognise the organisation of sports competitions and events in the emirate, with each event being ranked on the quality of organisation and its impact in six categories: environmental, organisational, promotional, social, sporting and economic.
