The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 4 Men's Golf's Maas claims top-10 finish at DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic
01.25.2026 | Men's Golf
Senior Christiaan Maas earns low amateur honor with a tie for 10th at 6-under overall in prestigious Rolex Series event.
DUBAI, UAE — University of Texas senior Christiaan Maas claimed low amateur honors with his tie for 10th-place finish at the DP World Tour's Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday at Emirates Golf Club. Maas, who received an exemption into the prestigious Rolex Series event courtesy of his current No. 2 ranking in PGA TOUR University, posted a 72-hole score of 6-under 282 (70-71-69-72).
Maas was the lone amateur in the field to advance to the weekend after making the 36-hole cut. He placed higher in the final standings than several current top-100 OWGR players, including Viktor Hovland (T-14 at 5-under), Thomas Detry (T-14 at 5-under), Shane Lowry (T-26 at 3-under), Rory McIlroy (T-33 at 2-under), Tyrrell Hatton (T-33 at 2-under), Tommy Fleetwood (T-41 at 1-under) and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (T-45 at even-par).
A three-time All-American during his career at Texas to this point, Maas is No. 5 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Jan. 21). He claimed three top-10 individual finishes in five events during the fall season at Texas, earning a tie for second at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational (Sept. 29-30), a tie for third at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup (Sept. 15-16) and a tie for sixth at the Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 6-7).
Maas also paced Team South Africa to the team title at the 2025 World Amateur Team Championships (Oct. 8-11) in Singapore. He became the first individual from South Africa and first from the African continent to win the individual title at the World Amateur Team Championships with a four-round score of 22-under 266 (66-66-65-69), 10 shots in front of runner-up Declan O'Donovan (Australia). In addition, Maas competed in the DP World Tour's Investec South African Open in March 2025 as an amateur and earned a tie for fourth.
The Dubai Desert Classic was founded in 1989 as the first DP World Tour event to take place in the Gulf, and the first and only GEO-certified golf event in the Middle East, highlighting the event's continued dedication to environmental responsibility and sustainable golf events. Regarded as one of the most significant events on the DP World Tour, and part of the prestigious Rolex Series, it has been credited with paving the way for golf's presence in the Middle East.
Players Mentioned
