HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC ACHIEVES GEO CERTIFIED® TOURNAMENT STATUS FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Continued commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable event delivery sees the tournament recognised once again with golf‘s highest standard for sustainability

Dubai, UAE – June 5, 2026: The Hero Dubai Desert Classic has achieved GEO Certified® Tournament status for the fourth consecutive year, reinforcing its position as one of the leading examples of sustainable event delivery in professional golf.

The achievement marks another important milestone in the tournament’s sustainability journey, which saw the Hero Dubai Desert Classic become the first GEO Certified® tournament in the Middle East and now the first event within the DP World Tour’s Rolex Series to maintain certification across four successive editions.

The announcement coincides with World Environment Day, which this year focuses on accelerating collective action to address environmental challenges through practical, measurable solutions.

GEO Certified® is the internationally recognised distinction for sustainable golf tournaments, administered by GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation. The independent verification process assesses event performance across tournament staging, communications and legacy delivery, while also identifying opportunities for continual improvement.

The 2026 certification follows another year of significant action across the tournament’s sustainability programme, building on initiatives introduced in previous editions while continuing to reduce environmental impacts and strengthen positive social outcomes.

Key initiatives recognised through the verification process included:

• The Green Incubator Challenge as a global initiative to find innovative sustainable solutions for events, with the winner to implement their idea at the 2027 Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
• Continued use of renewable and alternative energy solutions across tournament operations with 100% energy from solar and biodiesel.
• Reduced reliance on traditional diesel-powered generation through battery and energy management technologies.
• Expanded sustainable procurement practices and responsible material sourcing.
• 100% of waste diversion through comprehensive recycling and energy recovery programmes.
• Promotion of public transport notably the Dubai Metro and lower-carbon travel options for spectators, staff and suppliers.
• Community engagement initiatives focused on health, wellbeing, education and participation in golf.

The tournament also continues to work closely with Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Golf, suppliers, sponsors and delivery partners to embed sustainability considerations throughout event planning and operations.

Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, said: “Achieving GEO Certified® Tournament status for a fourth consecutive year is a significant achievement and reflects the commitment of everyone involved in delivering the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

“Sustainability continues to be a central part of our planning and decision-making. While we are proud of the progress made over the past four years, our focus remains on continual improvement and identifying new opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, create positive social outcomes and leave a meaningful legacy through the tournament.

“We are grateful to our partners, suppliers, stakeholders and spectators for their support in helping us achieve this important recognition.”

The verification highlights several areas where the tournament demonstrates leadership within professional golf, including sustainability communications, stakeholder engagement, responsible resource management and collaborative legacy programmes.

Jonathan Smith, Founder and Executive Director of GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation, added: “The Hero Dubai Desert Classic continues to be a leading example of what can be achieved

when sustainability is integrated into every aspect of event planning and delivery. The commitment shown by Falcon and Associates, Emirates Golf Club and their partners has

helped establish the tournament as one of the most progressive events in professional golf from a sustainability perspective.

“We congratulate the entire team on achieving GEO Certified® Tournament status once again and look forward to supporting their continued progress in the years ahead.”

The Hero Dubai Desert Classic’s continued GEO certification reflects Dubai’s wider commitment to environmental responsibility, innovation and sustainable development, while demonstrating how major sporting events can contribute positively to communities, climate action and resource stewardship.

About Hero Dubai Desert Classic

The Dubai Desert Classic was founded in 1989 as the first DP World Tour event to take place in the Gulf. It was the first golf tournament in the Middle East to achieve GEO Certification, maintaining this status for three consecutive years (2023, 2024 and 2025), highlighting the event’s continued dedication to environmental responsibility and sustainable golf events.

Regarded as one of the most significant events on the DP World Tour, and part of the prestigious Rolex Series, it has been credited with paving the way for golf’s presence in the Middle East, as well as creating some of the most iconic moments in golfing history.

Promoted and organised by Falcon and Associates, the tournament, played on the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, is fondly referred to as the ‘Major of the Middle East’, due to its legacy and world-class players drawn to the tournament every year. The event has produced some of the sport’s most memorable moments, with past champions including Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie, and record four-time winner Rory McIlroy.

About GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation

GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation is an international not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing sustainability and climate action in and through golf. GEO Certified® is the internationally recognised distinction for credible and comprehensive sustainability in golf.

About Hero MotoCorp

Hero MotoCorp, headquartered in New Delhi, India, is the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters for 25 consecutive years with ~$5 billion revenue. The Company’s global footprint spans 52 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Central and Latin America with a customer base of over 125 million. The Company operates eight manufacturing facilities – six in India and one each in Colombia and Bangladesh – along with two Research and Development centers: Centre for Innovation and Technology (CIT) in India and Tech Centre Germany (TCG).Hero MotoCorp is driving the transition to electric mobility through VIDA, powered by Hero. Strategic alliances with Harley-Davidson and Zero Motorcycles support the design and development of premium and electric motorcycles, respectively. Further demonstrating its commitment to the EV future, the Company has made strategic investments in two- and three-wheeler EV manufacturers, Ather Energy and Euler Motors. Hero MotoCorp is the only Indian two-wheeler manufacturer listed on the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). 

Hero MotoCorp’s Executive Chairman, Dr. Pawan Munjal, was named to the 2025 TIME100 Climate List of the 100 most influential leaders driving business climate action.Beyond mobility, Hero MotoCorp is a major global promoter of sports, including golf, football, field hockey, and cricket. Hero MotoSports Team Rally is India’s flag bearer in global rally racing.

About the DP World Tour

The DP World Tour is the main men’s professional golf tour of the European Tour group.As golf’s global tour, we showcase global talent in global destinations and use our platform to build, entertain and connect our global community. GLOBAL TALENT: We provide pathways and a platform for the leading international talent, bringing together golfing icons, national heroes and emerging stars from around the world.  GLOBAL DESTINATIONS: We stage tournaments in iconic cities and locations around the world and each week we celebrate and showcase the rich diversity of the courses, cities and cultures we visit. GLOBAL COMMUNITY: We build, entertain and connect communities through our commitment to innovation, creative content and having a positive social and environmental impact. Our 2026 Global Schedule features 42 tournaments in 25 different countries and comprises three distinct phases: five ‘Global Swings’, the ‘Back 9’ and the ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’. It features five Rolex Series events – the premium category of events on the DP World Tour – and four Major Championships, all of which count towards the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World, the Tour’s season-long competition which concludes at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. DP World, the leading provider of global smart end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions, has been the title partner of the DP World Tour since the start of the 2022 season, the Tour’s 50th season following its formation in 1972.  We also enjoy the support of many of the world’s leading business brands with DP World, Rolex, AWS, BMW, Emirates, Fortinet, Nexo and Vestas as Official Partners.

About the Rolex Series

The Rolex Series is the premium category of events on the DP World Tour, comprising five tournaments in 2026, staged in a variety of world-class golfing locations around the globe, each with a minimum prize fund of US$9 million. Showcasing innovation, enriched media, content and broadcast coverage, and a superior event experience for both fans and for the world’s top players, the list of Rolex Series Champions includes some of golf’s most distinguished names. The Rolex Series was launched in 2017, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Rolex’s enduring partnership with the European Tour group. In 2026, the Rolex Series comprises; the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (January 22-25), the Genesis Scottish Open (July 9-12) the BMW PGA Championship (September 17-20), the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (November 5-8) and the DP World Tour Championship (November 12-15). The latter two events comprise the DP World Tour Play-Offs and feature the leading 70 and 50 players from the Race to Dubai respectively.