Sponsored by Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and organised and promoted by the Dubai Desert Classic Executive Committee, the tournament will be the 13th in a series that has seen many of the world's greatest players grace the fairways of Dubai. It's staging is seen as hugely important to the European Tour.
Speaking in the latest edition of the European Tour's weekly magazine Schofield emphasised that it was not the Tour's job to cancel tournaments but to "promote them or help to promote them."
Schofield's comments follow a couple of misleading British newspaper reports that cast doubts on the staging of several sporting events in the Middle East.
The reports – one of which wrongly indicated that powerboat races in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Dubai would be cancelled – suggested that the European Tour was reviewing the staging of the Dubai event.
But following a visit by Dubai Desert Classic Executive Committee members Mohammed Juma Buamim and Nick Tarratt to the World Matchplay at Wentworth, Schofield was quick to pour cold water on the suggestions.
"We appreciate that Mohammed and Nick took the trouble to come and see us with the reassurance that the Dubai Desert Classic will take place in 2002," he said.
"This is particularly comforting as we look at the tournament as the center piece of our earl season schedule. We can only stress that our job is not to cancel tournaments but to promote them or to help promote them."
Schofield's words were welcomed by both Buamim and Tarratt who also took the opportunity to meet with players' managers and business representatives at Wentworth.
"The feedback we received was very positive and the support means we will be looking to announce the confirmation of some major names within the coming few weeks," said Buamim.
"The message from us was that international golf is continuing in golf along with our course preparation, which has involved the relaying of all 18 greens to bring them back to their original size and surface. It's business as usual and we are working towards another wonderful tournament in March."
"We are expecting to announce some major players in the next few weeks, not only from Europe but from America and the rest of the world, " said Buamim.
"We are also especially greateful to all our locally based UAE sponsors who without exception have continued their suppoort of the classic."
The support of the European Tour also follows the recent visit to the Emirates Golf Club by Senior Tournament Director Mike Stewart who deemed the venue as "good as ever" during his customary pre-tournament progress meetings.
"The players enjoy being in Dubai, they are treated very well both on and of the course while the weather and hospitality are second to none."
