5 big-name European golfers missing from the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic field

The 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic will take place from January 18 to 21 at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, UAE. The tournament will be held in a 72-hole format and features a stacked field with some of the top-ranked DP World Tour players.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy, who finished second at the Dubai Invitational last week, will tee off at the tournament alongside Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Ryan Fox. However, the field misses some big names, including Ludvig Aberg and Jon Rahm.

Here are the top 5 European Tour players who will miss the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

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5 big golfers missing from the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic

#1 Ludvig Aberg

Ludvig Aberg (Image via Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Ludvig Aberg played in The Sentry and also at the Sony Open in Hawaii earlier this month. However, this week, he will miss both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour events.

Aberg has been in great form, winning two tournaments in 2023, the year he turned pro. He also displayed a decent performance in the last two tournaments he played on the PGA Tour in 2024. However, the Swede will take the rest this week.

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#2 Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm (Image via Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Jon Rahm holds European Tour membership as he renewed it ahead of signing the contract with LIV Golf; however, he will still miss the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Rahm has been banned from competing in the PGA Tour events and will thus miss The American Express this week. Moreover, he will also not be playing at the DP World Tour event. The reigning Masters winner is likely to compete at next month's LIV Golf Mayakoba event.

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#3 Ian Poulter

Ian Poulter (Image via Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

LIV golfer Ian Poulter competed at the Hero Dubai Classic in 2023 and finished in a tie for the sixth place with Thomas Pieters. However, he will not be part of the competition in 2024 because he resigned from his DP World Tour membership last year.

The European Tour has imposed fines on its players for competing in LIV Golf. Following this, several DP World Tour players, including Ian Poulter, resigned from their membership to continue their journey with LIV Golf.

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#4 Thomas Detry

Thomas Detry (Image via Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Thomas Detry is another European Tour player who will miss the 2024 Dubai Desert Classic. The Belgian golfer has been committed to playing at The American Express, a PGA Tour event this week and will thus miss the DP World Tour event.

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#5 Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry (Image via Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

European Ryder Cup player Shane Lowry will also miss the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic following his commitment to a PGA Tour event. He will be playing at The American Express, which will take place from January 18 to 21.