Law delighted to secure spot in UAE event

All four of Scotland’s Challenge Tour graduates last season are now in the field for this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The set was completed when Aberdonian David Law arrived in the UAE on Saturday to discover that he had joined Grant Forrest, Liam Johnston and Bob Macintyre in securing a spot in the $7 million Rolex Series event.

“It’s brilliant,” said Law, who won the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge at Macdonald Spey Valley in Aviemore last June en route to securing a seat at the top table in European golf for the first time.

“I actually decided to travel at fourth reserve as I’m playing a qualifier for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic next week, so worst case scenario I’d get a week’s practice done.

“My plane was pushing back and I had just moved to first and then I landed in Dubai to see I was in. I have heard great things about the course and the tournament, so I am looking forward to it.”

Meanwhile, European captain Catriona Matthew has expressed her delight after watching Charley Hull start the countdown to September’s Solheim Cup at Gleneagles on a winning note.

The 22-year-old English player led from wire to wire in claiming the opening event of the new LET season, the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi.

Hull’s first success on the circuit in nearly five years, it was a step towards securing a spot on Matthew’s team for the clash against the Americans in September, having already played in the last three encounters.

“It’s obviously nice to get the year started with a win and get momentum into the year,” Matthew, who partnered Hull in her first Solheim Cup match in Colorado in 2013, told The Scotsman.