About the Event: A strong turnout for this contest as usual with 11 of the top-50 ranked players in the world taking part alongside 11 former champions. Performances should be noted as the course will be used for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

Course Characteristics: The layout rewards solid iron play and will also suit the longer hitters who can attack the par fives and the large flat greens, while they will also be hitting shorter irons on the approaches to the par fours.

The Main Men

Rory McIlroy (9-2): Took this title in 2009 and posted a couple of top-10s in the two subsequent seasons. Led going into the final day 12 months ago but slipped back to 10th after a 74. Carried on his excellent form from 2011 with a second in Abu Dhabi on his seasonal return last month.

Martin Kaymer (9-1): Finished just outside the top-30 in last year's edition of this contest but prior to that he'd been second once and fourth twice. Made amends for a missed cut in Abu Dhabi with an excellent ninth on Sunday.

Lee Westwood (11-1): Not missed a cut for the last nine renewals, picking up three top-10s, with a second in 2010 being the highlight. Two solid efforts so far in 2012, 17th in Abu Dhabi and 12th in Qatar.

Peter Hanson (22-1): Two top-10s in the last five seasons of the Dubai Desert Classic and a last-time-out second in the Qatar Masters gives the Swede a solid profile.

Thomas Bjorn (25-1): The Dubai resident took the title in 2001 and has posted a couple of top-10s since, the latest in 2007. Won three times in 2011 and shaped as though a return to the winner's enclosure could be imminent when third in Abu Dhabi.

Alvaro Quiros (25-1): Landed this title 12 months ago by a shot and although he has yet to hit top form this year, he obviously likes playing in the UAE as he ended 2011 with a win in the very competitive Dubai World Championship.

Anders Hansen (28-1): In the last six years he has twice led the Dubai Desert Classic going into the fourth round, eventually finishing second and fourth. Topped the GIR rankings when sharing 12th spot in Qatar last week.

Nicolas Colsaerts (35-1): Impressive start to 2012 with a couple of top-10s and a top-25. Topped the distance rankings when fourth in the Volvo Golf Champions event and also headed the GIR stats on his way to ninth last week.

George Coetzee (40-1): Nine top-10s in the last 13 months, six of which were top fives, will surely be turned into winning opportunities before long and the big-hitting South African could make an impression this week.

Francesco Molinari (40-1): Not much form to shout about in this event but an eighth in Abu Dhabi last month was a promising start to 2012, while he was ranked 10th for fairways hit at Doha last week despite finishing 69th.

Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (50-1): Fourth place last year followed a 14th three years earlier while he shaped promisingly last week when ranking second for GIR and 10th for driving distance on his way to fifth in Qatar.

Robert Rock (50-1): Defeated a strong field, which included Tiger Woods among others, to win in Abu Dhabi and that's one of three top-10s in his last four starts, while he's posted two 20th place finishes in the Dubai Desert Classic.

Seung-Yul Noh (66-1): Deserves respect as he earned his US tour card via the tough qualifying school, finishing third and fourth in two of the stages. Best result so far on that tour was a 27th (third for distance) in the Farmers Insurance Open.

David Lynn (125-1): Finished third in 2003 after leading going into the fourth round and has picked up a couple of top-20s subsequently. Disappointing outcome last week after being in a promising position at the halfway stage, but is worth persevering with having registered a couple of top-20s prior to that.

Thongchai Jaidee (150-1): Led with a day to go in the 2010 Dubai Desert Classic before eventually finishing third and has recorded two other top-10s. Returned to form with a 20th in Qatar last week and looks a little overpriced.