Disembo 'Dubai Expedition'... "To Defend the Title~"

Dubai Desert Classic Back-to-Back Title Defense, Westwood Marches Toward Second Consecutive Win, Korea's Wang Jeonghun and Lee Taehee Enter the Fray

Bryson DeChambeau has started his title defense at the Dubai Desert Classic.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] It is the 'Dubai expedition' of Bryson DeChambeau (USA), ranked 17th in the world.

On the afternoon of the 23rd (Korean time), he is defending his title at the European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic (total prize money $3.25 million) held at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (par 72, 7,301 yards). This is the second leg of the 'Middle East Series' following the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship that ended on the 20th. Lee Westwood (England) is challenging for 'back-to-back wins,' and Tommy Fleetwood (England) is dreaming of redemption after finishing second last week.

DeChambeau is famously known as the 'icon of innovation.' He constantly makes news with his unique fashion, such as frequently wearing a hunting cap reminiscent of the late Payne Stewart, unconventional club settings, and extraordinary experimental spirit. It is fascinating that all 10 irons are the same length of 37.5 inches and weigh 280 grams. In January 2017 at the CareerBuilder Challenge, he even chose a putter with the shaft inserted in the middle of the body, which led to a penalty.

With five PGA Tour wins, his skills are outstanding. He achieved his first victory at the John Deere Classic in July 2017 and swept three wins in 2018, gaining attention as the 'next-generation golf emperor.' In August, he drew even more spotlight with 'two consecutive playoff (PO) wins' at The Northern Trust and Dell Technologies. After securing his fifth win at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in November, he has been without a victory for one year and two months, causing some frustration.

Recently, DeChambeau has taken extreme measures, including "special body building," to increase his driving distance. He boasts, "Through strength training, I have developed core muscles in my legs and lower back, increasing ball speed by 12 mph to 185 mph and club head speed by 6 mph." His relatively weak putting remains a variable. He is placing his hopes on the 'promised land,' where he achieved a dominant 7-stroke victory by shooting 8 under par on the final day last year.

Westwood is a player to watch out for. Although the course is different, his real-game shot sense remains sharp after posting a 19-under-par winning score at Abu Dhabi Golf Club (par 72, 7,583 yards). European stars such as 'The Open Champion' Shane Lowry (Ireland), Henrik Stenson (Sweden), who is particularly strong in the Middle East region, and Sergio Garcia (Spain) have joined the competition for the title. From Korea, Wang Jeong-hoon (25) and Lee Tae-hee (36) are looking for their opportunity.