Defending DPWTC and Race to Dubai champion Jon Rahm in the lead up to this week’s Masters. 

By Kent Gray
Get use to the fan-less fairway look at Augusta. It’s coming to a tournament near you soon.

For the first time in the event’s 12-year history, the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship will be played behind closed doors at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Dec. 10-13.

The announcement, released on social media, came as little surprise given the on-going challenges of the coronavirus.

There was no official release but it follows that the newly announced $1.2 million Golf in Dubai Championship, to be played on the Fire layout at JGE in the week preceding the DPWTC, will also be spectator-less.

The one upside is confirmation that the $8 million DPWTC on Earth will be broadcast on Dubai Sports Channel for UAE viewers and the Golf Channel and Sky Sport UK for the European Tour’s international audience. The same broadcast arrangement is likely on Fire for the Dec. 2-5 Golf in Dubai Championship.

There was hope the DPWTC could allow as many as 3000 spectators per day at JGE but tournament officials are understandably acting with an abundance of caution to protect the players and tournament staff in the bio-secure bubble being set up for the final fortnight of the season.

The LET’s OMEGA Dubai Classic at Emirates Golf Club and this week’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City have both been staged behind closed doors.