WINTER FANTASY GOLF: Dubai Desert Classic preview

Players worth considering...

Pool A - Rory McIlroy
This remains McIlroy's only professional win to date but a second is surely just around the corner. He has four top fives in his last fivestarts and he clearly loves the desert as proved by his third in Abu Dhabi and the Dubai World Championship on top of his narrow win 12 months ago.

Pool B - Henrik Stenson
The Swede is yet to get going in 2010 but is well worth a selection given his class and love of desert golf. Has won in Qatar and here in Dubai, as well as the WGC-Accenture Match Play and his form at the Emirates since 2006 reads as follows - 7th, WON, 6th and 3rd.

Pool C - Robert Karlsson
It was great to see the hugely likeable Swede back in the winner's circle last week after missing nearly all of last season. What is he like after a win? In 2008 he followed it up with another one and when he is on form he tends to maintain it very nicely with a series of high finishes.

Pool D - Alexander Noren
A third Swede to follow and another who will go close to making this year's Ryder Cup team. Noren broke through in Switzerland last year and added three more top 10s before the season was out. Played here twice, has made both cuts and only had one over-par effort in eight rounds.

Pool E - Scott Strange
The Australian has only played in this event once and was seventh 12 months ago thanks to rounds of 66-69 over the weekend. Is a tricky player to try and gauge when he is going to play well - both his wins came on the back of no form - but he has won twice and is worth a punt in this pool.

(The following players have entered though the field is subject to change)

Pool A 

Lee Westwood

Ross Fisher 

Martin Kaymer 

Soren Kjeldsen 

Oliver Wilson 

Paul Casey 

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano 

Rory McIlroy 

Darren Clarke 

Shane Lowry 

Ross McGowan 

Edoardo Molinari 

Michael Jonzon 

Richard Finch 

John Bickerton 

Thomas Bjorn 

Pool B 

Miguel Angel Jimenez 

Henrik Stenson 

Soren Hansen 

Peter Hanson 

Alvaro Quiros 

Anders Hansen 

Thongchai Jaidee 

Bradley Dredge 

Niclas Fasth 

Danny Willett 

Kenneth Ferrie 

Michael Hoey 

Oskar Henningsson 

Mikko Ilonen 

Sam Hutsby 

Pool C 

Robert Karlsson 

Francesco Molinari 

Charl Schwartzel 

Nick Dougherty 

Simon Dyson 

Thomas Levet 

Robert Rock 

Gregory Bourdy 

Ignacio Garrido 

Matteo Manassero* 

Pool D 

Graeme McDowell 

Jeev Milkha Singh 

Alexander Noren 

Steve Webster 

Louis Oosthuizen 

Johan Edfors 

Raphael Jacquelin 

Chris Wood 

Rafael Cabrera-Bello 

Oliver Fisher 

Richie Ramsay 

Pool E 

James Kingston 

Anthony Wall 

Peter Hedblom 

Scott Strange 

Peter Lawrie 

Graeme Storm 

Thomas Aiken 

Jamie Donaldson 

David Drysdale 

Stephen Dodd 

Colin Montgomerie 

David Howell 

Gareth Maybin 

Damien McGrane 

Pablo Martin

* Denotes wildcard