The Hero Dubai Dessert Classic 2026 is all set to deliver the big-money drama. Like the past three years, this time too the prize purse is locked in at a massive $9 million. It is the first Rolex Series event of the season and the seventh stop on the DP World Tour calendar. So, the event is nothing but lucrative and interesting, with both the DP World Tour players and many LIV players on the field.

While the top finisher has a one-and-a-half-million-dollar check at stake, the runner-ups, too, will have a handful. The second-place golfer will have almost a $500k drop, earning $990k. For the second runner-up, the fall would be the steepest, with just $567k as the prize. From there on, however, the decline in prize money becomes more gradual.

But money is not the only thing at stake; there are other rewards too. The winner will earn approximately 34.3 OWGR points. Along with that, he’ll take home a massive 1,335 Race to Dubai points from a total pool of 8,000 available to the field. On top of this, there also comes a two-plus-season DP World Tour exemption.

With so much to look forward to, the golfers need to amp up their play. Let’s now take a look at the detailed prize breakdown.

So, none of the 70 players will return home empty-handed. As the competition stiffens, we have our top 3 picks.

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Value golfers to watch for at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic 2026

While the field is filled with many marquee names, from the likes of world number 2 Rory McIlroy to Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry, there are only a few who should be on your watchlist, as many others will go home empty-handed.

Among the standouts is Patrick Reed. Reed’s comfort at Emirates Golf Club is well known from his playoff loss to Rory McIlroy in 2023. Last year, he finished at T10 with a closing 66. Hence, Reed does come up as a favored player to win, with almost +4000 odds. As a LIV player, this would be one of those rare times that he would compete with golfers outside of his circle. But that shouldn’t be much of an issue. Just a few days back, he secured a T26 at the Dubai Invitational. While the result was, it might have acted as a steady tune-up for this event.

Next up, we have the defending champion Tyrrell Hatton. Hatton returns after edging Daniel Hillier by one stroke in 2025. That win marked the Englishman’s fifth Rolex Series title, matching Jon Rahm. Performance-wise, Hatton is aggressive and has sharp iron control. This would suit the greens of Emirates GC. He has had a taste of achievement here, with a T4 in 2022. While LIV Golf’s downfall might affect Tyrrell Hatton, here he is one of the favorites with odds of +1600.

At last, there is David Puig. The Spaniard has come with a continued momentum, having secured a third place at the Dubai Invitational. Before that, more than a month ago, the Spaniard had emerged victorious at the Australian PGA Championship, marking his first DPWT title. And a month before that, he finished at T9 at the Open de España. In short, Puig comes with a winning mindset.

This blend of money and star power continues to define golf’s premier stop in the Gulf. Now in its 36th edition, the tournament remains true to the legacy it began in 1989.