Garcia and Norman combine to create Dubai links course

LONDON, Jan 29 (Reuters) Former world number one Greg Norman is to team up with Sergio Garcia and leading designer Pete Dye to create Dubai's first links-style course.

The fourth course on the Jumeirah Golf Estates, known as the 'Wind', will take inspiration from the earliest forms of the game by featuring uneven fairways, thick rough, small greens and pot bunkers.

Norman and Dye have signature courses around the world but it will be one of the first such projects for the 27-year-old Garcia.

''I am really excited to be working with Pete Dye and Greg Norman,'' the Spaniard said in a news release today. ''I cannot think of a more experienced and successful pair of golf course designers in the world today.

''Pete Dye in particular is a legend in golf course design and it is a real honour to work with him on his first project in the region.'' Norman helped to create the 'Fire' and Earth' courses while 'Water', the other layout on the Jumeirah development, was designed by world number seven Vijay Singh.

''I don't know of another project anywhere in the world that has brought together three internationally recognised figures to collaborate on one golf course,'' said Norman.

''Sergio Garcia brings enthusiasm and excitement to this project that is contagious and there is nobody in the world today that knows more about golf course design (than Dye), especially links golf.'' Work on 'Wind' is expected to start soon, with completion planned for 2009.

This week's Dubai Desert Classic represents the third and final leg of the European Tour's 'Gulf Swing'.

South African Retief Goosen won in Qatar on Sunday while Paul Casey of Britain was triumphant in Abu Dhabi.

Reuters SAM KP1956