It never rains but it pours. Due to the heavy rain in the UAE, the opening day of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday will be closed to the general public.

A statement from the organisers, released late on Wednesday evening, read: “Due to the adverse weather conditions, and with the safety of all in mind, the organisers of Hero Dubai Desert Classic have made the decision to close the tournament to the public on Thursday January 26. Emirates Golf Club will be open only to the players, the caddies, officials and the media.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Friday 27 January.  Please ensure you are checking our official social channels @dubaidcgolf for the latest updates.
For those who booked hospitality packages for Thursday, please contact: [email protected] for a refund. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.”

The first day open to the public will be Friday.