O'Meara & Montgomerie commit to Dubai

Former Open champion Mark O'Meara and seven times European number one Colin Montgomerie will join a host of top players at this year's Dubai Desert Classic in two months time.

O'Meara, who won the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale, and Montgomerie, Dubai winner in 1996, will be competing for the European Tour title from March 7-10 along with defending champion Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke and Ernie Els.

"Mark O'Meara is no stranger to Dubai and one of golf's great ambassadors. We are always delighted to see him in the Desert Classic," Mohammed al-Abbar, chairman of the organising committee said.

"As we get closer to the 13th Dubai Desert Classic, the line-up just gets better and better."

O'Meara, who also won the 1998 US Masters at Augusta, will be playing in the Dubai event for the fourth time. "Although I travel to few events outside of the United States these days, I always look forward to coming back to Dubai," the American said.

"The organisation and hospitality are second to none, while the quality of the field and the standard of golf is always exceptionally high."

Montgomerie won the 1996 Dubai Desert Classic on his way to topping the European order of merit for a fourth successive time.

"I have great memories of when I won there over five years ago," he said. "It has always been an ambition of mine to become the first player to win the trophy twice. Fingers crossed, I can achieve that in 2002."

Tiger Woods, who lost on the closing hole last year to playing partner Thomas Bjorn when found water on the 18th, has not confirmed his entry for the 2002 event.

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