Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, who finished fourth last year, will be aiming to prevent Annika Sorenstam from staging a perfect finale of a third successive triumph in the Dubai Ladies’ Masters at the Emirates Golf Club.

On Sunday, Sorenstam will step away from her full-time tournament career. The ten-time major winner is gearing up for her marriage next month to American Mike McGee, and the plan is to start a family and concentrate on her many business interests.

With 89 wins worldwide, the 38-year-old Swede admits it would be sweet to end on a high note. “Mike, both sets of parents and my sister (fellow Tour player, Charlotta) are all here this week, so it is going to be a bit of a farewell party,” she said. “But it would be lovely to go out as the champion.”

Matthew has had a mixed season, but showed her liking for the course when she posted a six under par total 12 months ago and was four shots behind Sorenstam. This year, the course is playing longer after a spell of heavy rain. 

Clare Queen, the leading Scot on the Ladies’ European Tour at no. 47 on the money list with £30,000, Lynn Kenny and Jenna Wilson, who has had a disappointing rookie season, are the other Scottish professionals in the line-up.

A spot has also been found for amateur, Buchanan Castle’s Kylie Walker, who was runner-up to fellow-Scot Roseanne Niven at this season’s British Open Strokeplay Championship.