Such is the current demand for golf in Dubai, they could not find an available course to accommodate the England cricket team, who were hoping to play 18 holes on a day off last week.
Now, while Eoin Morgan and Co have moved an hour down the road to Abu Dhabi for their Twenty20 World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, the European Tour will complete their season with back-to-events that could hardly have a more contrasting feel.
Both tournaments will take place at Jumeirah Estates, but there the comparison ends. Beginning on Thursday, on the Fire course, it is all about survival and living off your nerves as those on the bubble strive for one good week to earn enough dollars to keep their full status for next season.
Open champion Collin Morikawa seeks to become the first American to win the Order of Merit
Then, on the Earth course, Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and the rest of the top 50 are in town as Open champion Morikawa seeks to become the first American to win the Order of Merit, now known as the Race to Dubai.
In a vivid illustration of the different worlds, the winner of next week's event will receive £2.2million, twice the amount the entire field are playing for this week. Even 50th and last place will mean a tidy Christmas bonus of £22,400, more than the sum that quite a few familiar names are striving for this week but will have to go through all sorts of agonies to earn.
They include one of the great stalwarts in Scot David Drysdale. For all but one of the last 20 seasons, the 46-year-old from Edinburgh has played in at least 20 events a year, adding up to a magnificent 542 tournaments in all.
Now he stands 123rd on the list, with the top 122 keeping all their privileges. Loose change away from the promised land for another year in other words — but can he keep mind and soul together for 72 holes to make a few dollars more?
Lucas Bjerregaard holed from 40ft for tied-second at the Portugal Masters on Sunday
The talisman for Drysdale and others like Eddie Pepperell in the same position has to be Lucas Bjerregaard, who summed up what
