The DP World Tour is in full swing but with many of the world’s stars off to the controversial Saudi Arabia event, this is a chance for those just outside the elite players to nab a vital win.

At around 7300-yards, the par-72 is a typical desert course, and although probably relating more to Qatar than Dubai, form in the area can rarely be ignored.

With smaller greens than at the previous two events – Abu Dhabi and Dubai – finding the short stuff will be vital this week, and whilst Al Hamra has held no top tier events, it held three tournaments on the Challenge Tour, won by the most typical of iron wizards, none anywhere near perfect with the flat stick.

Looking at previous course winners, 2016 winner Jordan Smith led home a field of players that thrive at the likes of Dom Pedro in Portugal and the Alfred Dunhill Links, whilst 2017 winner Jens Dantorp held on from players suited to the same events.

Romain Langasque Win +2500

It was so tempting to go with Jordan Smith, a player running into form and at his ideal track in ideal conditions, but his claims look very similar to the Frenchman. Therefore, at the bigger price, Langasque gets the vote.

There is no real secret behind the 26-year-old after a sixth (behind Smith) and fourth around here, but the progression from Abu to Dubai suggests he’ll be at peak here this week.

12th and 18th over the last two weeks in fields containing the likes of Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland reads very well in this field, and it’s his improvement from 17th to 14th in greens found and 32nd to first for scrambling that catches the eye.

Old-fashioned stats or new fangled strokes gained? It’s one of those perennial quandaries, but either way, it encouraged me to see him find strokes on the field from tee-to-green but in vastly different ways.

At Abu Dhabi, Langasque relied on leading the field in approach to rank 20th from tee peg to short stuff, but last week it was a reliable driver (ranked seventh) that contributed more to being 33rd in that regard.

The drop in class will suit many of those up the top of the market, but the Frenchman just stands out.

Marcus Armitage Win/Top 10 +5500/+500

34-year-old Armitage is yet another tee-to-green merchant that needs the putter to perform better more frequently. However, with this course being reliant on sticking it close enough so you ‘don’t need’ to putt rather than holing 35 footers (see Luke List at Torrey Pines), this is the place to get with a highly regarded player that finally broke through in emotional scenes last year.

That victory in the Porsche European Open reads very well given the 2017 winner and second-favourite this week, Jordan Smith, was the first winner in the four years at Green Eagle golf club. A final round, seven birdies, 65 was the best of the day by three shots, and it’s that aggressive play that should see the Englishman challenge here.

Armitage signed off last season with a 36th at Dom Pedro, a result that should have been better given a third round 76, but found more consistency when then recording two top-20 finishes in Dubai, where he ranked top-10 for tee-to-green, in the main thanks to a top-20 approach game.

Most recently, the man from Huddersfield finished next to Langasque when 12th at the Dubai Desert Classic finishing alongside the likes of Paul Casey (another Green Eagle winner), Tommy Fleetwood and Thomas Pieters, all of whom would be one-quarter of the price he is today.

Sixth in greens found and approach contributed to being 18th from tee-to-green and, as a player that thrives on confidence, he should use that to challenge in a weaker field.

Victor Dubuisson Win/Top 10 +6600/+650

I’m taking a flyer with the mercurial Frenchman this week, given nobody knows if he will withdraw at any point, or how he will play at all.

The trouble with leaving him out is that he is still showing sporadic bursts of his brilliant talent, and I feel it’s worth taking a chance at the price on a course that will reward his outstanding iron game.

For a player that was runner up to Jason Day at the World Matchplay and finished top-10 in two Majors, Dub’s career has been a tough ride but, leaving aside the personal issues; he can still play top class golf when it counts.

Since 2020, the 31-year-old has top-10 finishes at the high-class Saudi International, Scottish Open at Wentworth and in Kenya whilst, a fortnight ago, he was a closing fourth in Abu Dhabi before a missed-cut last week.

When he is on his game, without distractions, Dubuisson finds plenty of greens – top-10 in Italy, Spain and Abu – whilst he ranked top-20 for tee-to-green in the first and last named of those three events.

He can be hit and miss, but, as shown, he can play golf in the highest class, and this should set up well for his skill set.