(Photos by Tristan Jones/LET)

A star-studded cast are aiming for the new Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic title. Welcome to a new floodlit dawn for the LET event.

By Kent Gray
Bright new lights. Refocused cameras. Unbeatable, fan-friendly action.

Welcome to a new dawn for Dubai’s celebrated Ladies European Tour (LET) stop, a ground-breaking pathway to the future of women’s professional golf in the emirate which will be illuminated, partially at least, by the snazzy new LED floodlights on the Faldo layout at Emirates Golf Club.

The $285,000 Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic is the 13th edition of Dubai’s revered LET stop but nothing like the 72-hole strokeplay championships that have preceded it. A new 54-hole, Pro-Am format, a new course and the chance to showcase Dubai’s extended golf season to the world courtesy of Emirates G.C.’s night golf offering, complete with that glittering Dubai Marina backdrop.

Meghan MacLaren, third in the LET Order of Merit standings after last week’s €450,000 Lalla Meryem Cup in the Moroccan capital of Rabat, has welcomed the change of tack.

“Anytime that golf tries to innovate it creates a bit of a buzz which I think is exactly what the game needs,” MacLaren said. “Hopefully the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic means a few more people will be paying attention just to see something different happening. The playing level is and always will be there, so it’s about forcing people to sit up and take notice.”

Tristan Jones/LET

MacLaren has her heart set on winning this season’s OOM title and has made a fine start with four top-10s in seven starts highlighted by the successful defence of her NSW Open title and runner-up finish in the pioneering Jordan Mixed Open.

The 23-year-old Englishwoman won’t be satisfied with her T-28 placing in Rabat, however, and will be confronted by another quality field this week including new Lalla Meryem Cup champion Nuria Iturrios.

Cheyenne Woods, the niece of you-know who, is the headline invitee and will be hoping to better her share of 20th and 10th places when she played the then Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) finished tied 4th in Rabat while 2017 Solheim Cuppers Emily Kristine Pedersen (Denmark) and Florentyna Parker (England), former money list winners Beth Allen (USA) and Becky Brewerton (Wales) and LET life-member Trish Johnson, the 53-year-old, 18-time LET winner from Bristol, will also be watched closely.

Throw into the mix 24-year-old former world amateur No.1 Leona Maguire and the Irishwoman’s twin Lisa, Caroline Hedwall – the highest ranked player in the field at No.128 – and the likes of Sophie Lamb, Scot Carly Booth and Spaniard Emma Cabrera Bello, and the winner of the inaugural Moonlight Classic is a tough pick.

There’s the also not inconsiderable night-time factor to, well, factor in. Each of the professionals will play at least nine holes of one of their opening two rounds under the Faldo’s powerful new floodlights.

“The idea of playing under floodlights is pretty cool. I’ve always enjoyed going to watch evening football matches more than ones in the day so hopefully golf will be the same,” MacLaren said. “Even though the golf will be the same, I imagine it might affect our perception of distance and also green reading a little bit. Trusting yourself will probably be the most important thing. It’ll be a different experience for all of us but one that I think will create even more engagement which, for women’s golf in particular, is a great thing.”

Fan engagement is exactly what the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic is all about. With no live television cover (there will be a highlights package beamed worldwide post event), the only way to watch the action is to wander the Faldo’s pristine fairways. And the only thing better than being outside the ropes is to be one of the lucky 168 amateurs involved in the Pro-Am portion of the new event tomorrow and Thursday. It will be a fascinating battle within the battle at Emirates G.C. in what is an exciting new chapter for Dubai Golf and the LET. Lights, cameras…action!