Abu Dhabi LET event moved to January

The Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Golf Open (FBMLO) has been moved from its traditional November slot to January 10-12, it was confirmed yesterday.

From being one of the closing four-round events on the Ladies European Tour (LET), it will now be a three-round season-opener not only for the LET but also the entire Abu Dhabi golfing season.

The event will also benefit from a new finale — the fourth hosting of the Gary Player Invitational pro-celebrity tournament — which will take place on January 13, the day after the ladies tournament. Both will continue to be played at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi.

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, one of the opening events in the men’s European Tour season, will then wrap up a fortnight of world-class golf in the capital from January 16-19.

Along with a new date, the FBM Ladies Open will be the first tour-sanctioned, entirely pro-am tournament format to be held in the UAE. Under this new format, 56 professional golfers will join with 56 amateurs to form team pairings.

While all teams will compete on day one and two of the tournament, day three will see only the top 15 teams advance — but the top LET professionals within that 15 will still contest for the individual title.

“The game of golf continues to evolve globally and given Abu Dhabi’s heritage of innovation in sport, we are continuously seeking ways to encourage and engage both sport fans and participants while at the same time, ensuring the longevity of our events,” said Aref Al Awani, general secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council.