The Dubai World Championship is not just about who wins the European Tour money list.

The top 30 on the final standings will qualify for next year's Open Championship at St Andrews and it is also the last chance for some to secure a place in the world's top 50 before the end-of-year cut-off for The Masters in April.

Victory for Ian Poulter, meanwhile, could take him as high as fifth in the world - just 22 months after he was ribbed for saying he felt he could make it to number two.

Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els and Oliver Wilson are among those still looking for their first Tour wins of the year.

The European Tour, meanwhile, has decided to shelve plans to devise a points system for membership for next season.

Instead players will again be required to appear in 12 events, two of them in Europe.

Thomas Bjorn resigned as tournament committee chairman last month after criticising Harrington for airing objections to a proposal to tighten up membership rules.