Emirates - the Official Airline of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic - gave golf fans the chance to test themselves against some stars of the game in the tournament's Pro-Am.
The nine amateurs in the three Emirates teams lined up with New Zealand's Michael Campbell, the 2005 US Open champion; India's Jeev Milkha Singh, a three-time winner on the European Tour; and South Korea's emerging star Seung-yul Noh.
Ron Barker, Madhu Gopinath and Lorne Rutherford, members of Skywards - the airline's frequent flyer programme - won a qualifying tournament for a place in the event at Emirates Golf Club.
"It was great privilege to play in a field including the three best players in the world. The course has been set up to test them and playing under those conditions was an amazing experience," said Barker, 61, from Australia, who played with Milkha Singh.
"The pros make it look so easy, but - believe me - it is far from it. It was incredible to be walking down the 18th fairway alongside Jeev and a tremendous learning experience to study his game up close. He was very friendly and shared handy tips throughout the round," added the 19 handicapper.
In addition to Campbell, several other players will be flying the flag for Emirates at the $2.5 million event which gets under way at the Majlis course tomorrow, including Colin Montgomerie, a Ryder Cup great and Emirates ambassador; Ben Curtis, the 2003 Open Championship winner who has Arizona Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson caddying for him; and British rookie Chris Cannon.
Nothing says Ireland quite like a cold Guinness. The harp that graces every bottle is an internationally recognized symbol of Irish culture. The drink itself is a thick, dark beer known as stout. Brewing began in 1759 at the Saint James's Gate Brewery by Arthur Guinness. At the end of that year he signed a 9,000 year lease at £45 per year for the previously unused brewery.&...
This is a significant archaeological site since the remnants of the old city wall which stretches for about 40 meters dates back to a time when the Chinese people of Shanghai sought to protect themselves from Japanese attacks around the mid- 16th century. Located nearby is a small museum showcasing life in the old city of Shanghai and giving a glimpse of the history of this city. Tim...
Formerly known as Babylon by the Romans, Old Cairo is located on the southern tip and is considered the oldest part of the city. Old Cairo is also often referred to as “Coptic Cairo because the area reflects Cairo's Christian past. Old Cairo is a must see on anyone's itinerary....
The Batu Caves lie thirteen kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur in the appropriately titled suburb of Batu Caves. Inside is a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Murugan, a popular god among the Tamil people. The temple was founded in 1891 by Tamil immigrants to Malaysia. The caves are one of Hindu’s holiest sites outside of India. The best time of year to visit the Batu C...