Kings of the swing
Golf’s biggest names head for the capital this month for the 12th Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship
Twelve is the magic number for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. This year is the 12th edition of the tournament, which takes place at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, and the line-up features 12 golfers, and many of those are some of the biggest names in the sport. Teeing off will be defending champion Rickie Fowler, 2016 US Open winner Dustin Johnson, Irish star Rory McIlroy and Swedish legend Henrik Stenson. That’s four of the current top ten players on the planet, all making their way to the capital.
English talent Danny Willett (the winner of the 2016 Masters Tournament in Augusta), South African Branden Grace, Sweden’s Alex Noren, Belgian Thomas Pieters, Germany’s Martin Kaymer (he’s previously won two major championships), Englishman Lee Westwood, Thailand’s Jaidee Thongchai and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn (the winner of 15 tournaments worldwide on the sport’s European Tour) complete the line-up.
“I’m excited to go back, having been there the past two years, and now there’s a good reason, being defending champion,” says Rickie Fowler. “Abu Dhabi was a high point for my 2016 season along with competing in the Olympic Games and being on the winning 2016 USA Ryder Cup Team. Coming out on top against the strongest field on the European Tour was as good a start as anyone could aspire to.”
Fowler will have to be on top of his game to hold off some of the world’s elite, in particular McIlroy (who is appearing for the tenth time and has finished as the runner-up four times) plus Stenson, who won silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
The Championship has become something of an institution in the capital. It’s an event all the family can enjoy, and you don’t have to be a golf fan to get something out of a visit to Abu Dhabi Golf Club over the weekend – there’s also plenty going on at the Championship Village. January 19 to 22
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Khalifa City, Dhs50 day pass, Dhs150 season pass. Tel: (02) 5588990. Taxi: next to the Westin. abudhabigolfchampionship.com