Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship - Preview

Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Abu Dhabi GC, United Arab Emirates

Thursday Jan 19th - Sunday Jan 22nd, 2017

by David Barwise

As the PGA settles into the new season, we jet off to the European Tour for one of the biggest events of the year – the vastly lucrative Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Photo: thanational.ae

The Course

A fairly standard, 7600 yard par-72. The as-you-see-me greens mean the focus this week will be driving the ball well and bagging GIRs instead – case and point see Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy’s records here. And being Abu Dhabi, of course, there’ll be no escaping the sand this week.

The Field

Going into its twelve year, the event is now one of the biggest and most glamorous of the season. This week, Abu Dhabi is playing host to:

-       -   79 European Tour winners

-       -   23 Ryder Cup players

-       -   7 Major winners

-       -   6 Abu Dhabi champs

-       -   2 former World Number Ones

With Martin Kaymer the only golfer to fit into all of those categories. Reigning Major champions Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson will all be in attendance along with Rickie Fowler (defending champion), Thomas Pieters (runner up), and the European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn.

 The most notable absentee is Rory McIlroy who is expect to take over a month out with a stress fracture to his rib.

Last Year

Fowler started the Sunday with a clear lead, but charges from Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy and Thomas Pieters as the American double bogeyed on 7 kept things close. In the end, the man in orange held his nerve and hit one of the bunker shots of the season to get back on top, ultimately winning by a single stroke.

Photo: muzul.com

Spotlight

The European Tour Golfer of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year square off for the first time this season. As two of the greatest tee-to-green players in the game, Stenson and Johnson will both be expecting to lift the Falcon Trophy on Sunday and stamp their authority on the new year.

Fowler, despite winning here last season, went on to have the most disappointing 2016 of all the sport’s big names. He currently finds himself ranked 14^th in the world and will be desperate to kick start his year somewhere he knows he can win.

Prediction

Like I’ve already said, I expect to see Stenson and DJ on the leaderboard at close of play as it’s a course that suits both of these high-flying superstars. But the Swede has to be my shout after his great play here last season and his precise play from the tee. Simply put - if his putter gets hot, Henrik Stenson will win.