Pat Perez will join Rory McIlroy and defending champion Sergio Garcia in headlining a top-class field for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic which gets under way at Emirates Golf Club from January 25-28.

The 29th edition of the longest-running European Tour in the region will also see Henrik Stenson, Matt Fitzpatrick and Race to Dubai leader Tommy Fleetwood, among other European Tour top-draws, further bolster a sizzling star-cast at the famed Majlis course.

Riding high on confidence after picking up his third career PGA Tour victory at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, the 41-year-old American will be hoping to keep the momentum rolling into Dubai.

Perez’s win, which earned him an automatic entry for next year’s Masters in April, took on a special significance at it came after a long recovery from a shoulder injury last year that threatened to wreck his career.

“It’s been an amazing 12 months. I can’t explain it, but I hope it continues,” said Perez, who also won the OHL Classic at Mayakoba on the PGA Tour in November last year.

“I have always wanted to play the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. It looks incredible and I have heard it’s run amazingly well.”

Returning to the site of his first professional win on the European Tour will be McIlroy, who will be aiming to match the feat of the great Ernie Els as the only three-time winner of the event.

McIlroy, who was forced to pull out of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year due to injury, enjoys an incredible record at Emirates Golf Club, going 96-under-par for his last seven appearances which resulted in two firsts and five top-10s.