Hero Dubai Desert Classic: Commentator's Column with Nicolas Colsaerts

As the Rolex Series returns for the first time on the DP World Tour in 2024 with the 35th edition of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Nicolas Colsaerts writes our Commentator's Column.

Working in media has come fairly naturally to me. I have done stints of commentary sporadically, including a few Open Championships and a Ryder Cup in 2021 as well, over the past few years.

But there is always room for improvement. I listened back to two 20-minute stints I did last week at the Dubai Invitational, for example. I have always been quite critical of myself at whatever I was doing so it's going to be exactly the same here.

I want to share my knowledge and experience that I have in this game, and I want to be able to put words together in a way whatever your golfing level you would be able to appreciate.

The team is great, we have quite a healthy working relationship amongst us, and I think that is why the feedback has been positive.

I am pretty much covered from a golf knowledge point of you but it is more about how you deliver it in a broadcast manner, considering you are in a commentary box working with other individuals and factoring in the dynamic of working together. When the teams gel it gets noticed and you are trying to make the person watching at home understand things they didn't know. You have got to be stupid not to look up to someone like Ken Brown, who has been doing broadcasts for 40 years now. On top of that he is an extremely likeable person to be around.

Obviously, working in commentary is going to be a Plan B once I completely hang up the boots. I am not quite there yet though. I am going to play the next two weeks after this, in Ras Al Khaimah and Bahrain, in fact. I don't know if I am going to play 10 or 15 events this year, but it will be somewhere in that region. I watched a lot of golf last year because of the Ryder Cup and being a Vice Captain, but in all honesty I always taken a keen interest. However, nowhere near as much as last year! Of course, I would love to be on screen a little more but we will see how this year pans out.

When you compete with these guys, you are still involved in what you are doing and therefore don't see quite as much as I do now when I stand outside without hitting shots and can look deeper at what people are doing and how they react to things that are happening out on the course. It is actually quite interesting to me to see how egocentric we can be and think 'why does it always happen to me?!'

I try to have slots of an hour and half here and there to practice, just to make sure I don't show up with a bit of rust next week. But I'll be fine, I have been doing this for a long time and the game is never too far off and yet at the same time sometimes it feels very far. We'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks.

In any role you're involved with at the Dubai Desert Classic, it's always very exciting because it's been on the calendar for a long time. When you look at the tournament winners, it's a who's who of golf. It's early in the year, you're quite happy to play a golf course like this coming out of the winter if you live in Europe. It's become a big, big event. It is no surprise it is one of the Rolex Series events. It has everything that a Rolex Series event stands for. I am not surprised it is an event that is on the majority of players' shortlist of favourites.

I have a soft spot for this tournament because of the quality of the golf course. The first tee shot at the Majlis Course is always impressive. But I do think the finish is what stands out. Once you get past the 12th, you have got reachable par fives and a driveable par four at the 17th. The 17th and 18th have produced a lot of drama over the years. It's never over until it is over here. You don't really get a better recipe than great fields and a great manicured golf course with amazing views and amazing shots to hit towards the end of the round.

I do think the key this week is to hit it long off the tee and putt it well. On the first, you can cut the corner, on the second you can drive the green. The par five third is reachable in two if you hit it long. The sixth is reachable if you hit it long off the tee, so is the eighth and tenth, a reachable par five in two. If you can strike it 310+ yards it is a big advantage. The further you hit it, the less you need to be on the fairway. You still need a bit of luck with the lies and sometimes if you hit it in the sand you can find one of the bushes but there have not been a lot of short hitters who have won here.

Any time Rory McIlroy tees it up he is always going to be one of the contenders. He has the perfect game for here. He knows this place inside out. He hits it a long way and comes into the event after a good week at the Dubai Invitational where he probably thinks he gave it away. This event is dear to him so I'm sure he'll want to go one better than last week.