RAK Championship stars speak their mind
HASSAN AL MUSHARREKH IS BACKED BY EMIRATES GOLF FEDERATION
Nicolai Højgaard is set to defend his title at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra Golf Club beginning today.
The Danish 21-year-old star won by four strokes in last years edition after rounds of 67, 65, 64, 68, a 24 under par total. “It was a special week last year and I’m really looking forward to getting back out there,” said Højgaard.
Victor Perez, winner of the Race to Dubai’s first Rolex Series event of the season at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, is making a return to Al Hamra Golf Club. The scene where he graduated from the Challenge Tour in 2018. The Frenchman joins Højgaard at the culmination of the four week Desert Swing after the Hero Cup, Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and last weeks Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
Fun memory
“When I walked in the clubhouse here it’s the first time I have been here since 2018 graduating on the 18th green out here. Adri Arnaus holed a great putt on the last to win and JB became the Challenge Tour number one graduate, it’s such a fun memory to come back here for sure,” he said.
Padraig Harrington comes off a missed cut in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, although a fourth placed finish the week before in Abu Dhabi a huge positive for the Irishman who returns to Al Hamra for the second time. “It’s extremely narrow, easily the narrowest golf course that I have ever seen. Even on the tough driving holes you have got 15 — 20 yards of fairway at most about half the size of what you would regularly see. They have obviously got heavier rough which is big flyer rough, and they have brushed up the sand. So once you have missed that you used to be in hard sand now you are in soft sand which will be full of foot prints,” he said.
Flying the flag for the UAE is Hassan Al Musharrekh who is representing the Emirates Golf Federation.