Steve Palmer's Dubai Desert Classic predictions and free golf betting tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates GC on the European Tour.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 4am Thursday

Best bets

Tyrrell Hatton
5pts 15-2 bet365
Matt Wallace
2.5pts each-way 22-1 Betfair, Paddy Power
Danny Willett
1pt each-way 55-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Romain Langasque
1pt each-way 75-1 bet365

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Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas have jetted back to the States from the Gulf, leaving Tyrrell Hatton as clear favourite for the Dubai Desert Classic in the wake of his Abu Dhabi heroics. Hatton dominated his final twoball with McIlroy in Abu Dhabi, winning the tournament by four shots, moving up to world number five.

US PGA champion Collin Morikawa, likely to be receiving a significant appearance fee, has turned his back on his home-state event - the Farmers Insurance Open - to make his Desert Classic debut. Emirates Golf Club has been used on the European Tour since 1989, so Morikawa is a long way behind others in terms of course experience.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Tyrrell Hatton 15-2

An almost faultless final-round display meant Tyrrell Hatton kicked clear of his rivals in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and the ever-improving Englishman can claim another trophy in nearby Dubai.

Aside from a short missed birdie putt at the opening hole of round four, Hatton provided a masterclass in finishing off a tournament and nobody in the field carded a superior Sunday round. Given he was playing under the pressure of a final twoball alongside McIlroy, it was an awesome achievement from Hatton, who went bogey-free to become Britain's number one player.

After the short hop to Dubai, where Hatton will be tackling a similar track to the one he destroyed last week and facing a weaker field than the one which lined up in Abu Dhabi, there is no reason why further silverware should not be lifted.

Hatton has won back-to-back on the European Tour before - the Dunhill Links Championship in 2017 followed by the Italian Open - and his full form figures next time out after a victory are 9-1-11-46-3-3. When this feisty character gets his tail up, he is difficult to stop, and the opportunity to forge even higher in the world rankings will surely mean he retains full focus.

The 29-year-old, who won two massive events last year and has been showcasing much more positive reactions to adversity, has form figures of 8-3-3-38 from his last four Emirates starts and can add a one to that sequence on Sunday.

Next best bet

Matt Wallace 22-1

The biggest threat to Hatton may be the man who appeared alongside him in the Angry Golfers skit which won such rave reviews on social media last week. Wallace, like Hatton, realised he needed to become a calmer character to compete better on the circuit - and there have been signs that he is getting there. The recruitment of Gareth Lord as caddie can only help the process.

Lord, one of the most highly respected caddies in the business, teamed up with Wallace for the first time last week, resulting in four solid rounds for seventh place in Abu Dhabi, and their union should be a successful one. Wallace has finished runner-up in all three European Tour events staged in Dubai - the Desert Classic, the DP World Tour Championship and the Golf in Dubai Championship - and the 30-year-old can turbo-charge his bid for a Ryder Cup debut by going close again in the Gulf's most famous golfing city.

Other selections

Danny Willett 55-1

Romain Langasque 75-1

There was a significant draw bias in Abu Dhabi over the first two rounds and Danny Willett did well to finish 16th in the tournament from a bad set of tee-times, closing with a 68 on Sunday. The 2016 Masters champion can build on that solid effort by contending for an eighth European Tour title this week.

Willett won this tournament in 2016 - and he was DP World Tour Championship victor in 2018 - so Dubai has been a happy hunting ground. A one-two-three of Englishmen is entirely feasible, but Romain Langasque may scupper it. The Frenchman is worth backing at juicy prices.

There were bursts of brilliance from Langasque in Abu Dhabi, where he finished tied with Willett for 16th place, and the Wales Open champion should enjoy this week's more straightforward assignment even more.

Players to note

Lucas Herbert
The defending champion may have been able to boast form figures of 2-1 on this track had he not suffered a two-shot penalty for improving his lie in the sand in 2019. After a long break from competition, he showed up well in Abu Dhabi to halfway, before fading at the weekend.

Andy Sullivan
Herbert and Sullivan came closest to the staking plan, but Herbert may still be short of sharpness after his long spell on the sidelines prior to Abu Dhabi, while Sullivan returns to Dubai after squandering a gilt-edged winning chance in the Golf in Dubai Championship. Has that dented the Midlander's self-belief?

Tommy Fleetwood
Missed tiddlers were an annoying theme of the Abu Dhabi Championship for Fleetwood fans and he is winless since November, 2019. His record in Abu Dhabi is far superior to his record in the Desert Classic, so he can be left alone at the odds.

Matthew Fitzpatrick
The DP World Tour Championship victor missed the cut by a shot in Abu Dhabi. Emirates does not set up perfectly for him, underlined by form figures of MC-45-5-MC-16-45.

Emirates course guide

Course Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Prize money $3.25m ($541,660 to the winner)
Length 7,353 yards
Par 72
Field 132
Course records- 72 holes 264 Bryson DeChambeau (2019) 18 holes 61 Ernie Els (1994)

Course winners taking part Ernie Els (three times), Thomas Bjorn, Henrik Stenson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Alvaro Quiros, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Stephen Gallacher (twice), Danny Willett, Sergio Garcia, Haotong Li, Lucas Herbert

When to bet By 3.10am Thursday morning

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 4am Thursday

Time difference Dubai is four hours ahead of the UK and Ireland

Last week - Abu Dhabi Championship 1 T Hatton (12-1), 2 J Scrivener (175-1), 3 R McIlroy (6-1), 4 R Cabrera-Bello (80-1), T5 D Lipsky (140-1), M Warren (250-1)

Course type Desert

Course overview Emirates Golf Club has been used for the Desert Classic since 1989 apart from a two-year switch to Dubai Creek from 1999 to 2000. A score of just nine under par was enough to reach a play-off in the tricky conditions of last year, but traditionally the Emirates has been a low-scoring track where something approaching or passing 20 under par has been required for victory. The back nine is the scoring half, with three par-fives (the tenth, 13th and 18th) and two relatively short par-threes (11th and 15th) and Tiger Woods came home in 31 shots (six under par) when winning in 2008 with a late birdie blitz. Trees and shrubs are waiting to punish the seriously wayward, and water comes into play on ten holes, but fairly straightforward, flat greens mean the competitors can relax once they have got putter in hand

Story of last year Lucas Herbert started the final round six shots behind, but on a day of strong winds and some showers, his 68 was enough to make a playoff. The Australian beat Christiaan Bezuidenhout with a birdie at the second extra hole

Weather forecast Sunny and warm, with moderate afternoon breezes, for all four days

Type of player suited to the challenge The Emirates has traditionally been a big-hitters' track and the champions usually make their score on the par-fives. Those who can hit it long and fairly straight, and are comfortable in desert conditions, should thrive

Key attribute Power

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