The European Tour have confirmed that a deal has been agreed to continue the Race to Dubai until at least the 2017 season.
Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy have all won the season-long tournament since it replaced the European Order of Merit in 2009.
On the day when Henrik Stenson is poised to be crowned 2013 champion, European Tour chief executive George O'Grady has announced that the "simply outstanding" event will be maintained for four more years.
"It was 25 years ago that I came to Dubai for the first time for the first Dubai Desert Classic," he told reporters. "Since then, we have helped to grow the game here and throughout the whole of the UAE while, in addition, we are also hugely supportive of Dubai's bid to win the right to host Expo 2020.
"They have rewarded us with an incredible growth of courses alongside the facilities they provide for all our players. Thanks to the leadership and vision of DP World, the tremendous contribution of everyone at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and the continued commitment of our partners, the future of The Race to Dubai is exceptionally positive.
"We have announced today extending The Race until 2017 and I've said many times that this is the perfect venue to finish our year. The climate is excellent, the facilities here are superb, and the welcome from everyone here in Dubai is simply outstanding."
Swede Stenson held a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the DP World Tour Championship, where victory will make him the first man to win the Race to Dubai and the FedEx Cup in the same year.
Joe Fish
