Abu Dhabi adds to European Tour in Middle East
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2006 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship | Preview | 18 Jan 2006
The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship makes an auspicious debut in European golf this week with a high quality field listed to take to the fairways of the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on the southern shores of the Arabian Gulf.
Abu Dhabi is some 150 kilometres from Dubai where the Dubai Classic will be played in two weeks time. The Abu Dhabi Golf Club was opened in 2000 and was designed originally by the prolific Swiss based English golf course architect Peter Harradine who has done some marvellous work in the Gulf States. Modifications have been added to the course in recent times through the resources of IMG and European Golf Design.
The field includes four players from the top twelve in the world namely Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, Colin Montgomerie and Chris DiMarco along with a host of other top quality European Tour players looking to make a quick start to their 2006 campaign and to secure some of the US$2 million on offer. The first prize here is €275,000.
Singh arrives here direct from his good week at the Sony last week in Hawaii and his runner up placing at the Mercedes the week prior. Like everyone else in the field he has not played here previously but he has become such an adaptable player that nothing is likely to phase him and he deserves to be the favourite.
Sergio Garcia has played brilliantly in recent months and at his last start was a respectable 7th at the Mercedes Championship. He stands a very good chance of tackling and beating Singh. He has seldom played in the Middle East but he is a class act capable of doing well anywhere.
Montgomerie returns from his bounce-back year in 2005 rearing to go no doubt. He has an affinity with the Middle East having won the nearby Dubai Classic and finished well often. He won his last official tournament played in Hong Kong although it was not quite as impressive in California at The Target Challenge where he struggled.
Chris DiMarco plays his first event in 2006 but he would need to be taken on trust given that he did not play well late in season 2005 and when playing internationally he is a relatively unknown quantity. He is to be commended for playing outside of the US as apart from events such as the Nedbank Challenge, the Majors and the Ryder Cup he seldom ventures outside of the US
Thomas Bjorn played two weeks ago at the Royal Trophy in Thailand and although he was beaten in the singles there by Keiichi Fukabori he generally has a good record when playing worldwide.
David Howell won the HSBC Champions event in November and played at the Royal Trophy earlier this month. He has reached his highest ever ranking in world golf of number 14 courtesy of an outstanding 2005 which included two victories and eight other top tens. He has won previously in the Middle East of course when winning the Dubai Classic in 1999. He might be the one to challenge the leading favourites.
John Daly is in the field but with the likes of Bubba Watson and Scott Hend now longer than him amongst recent USPGA Tour players he will need to rely on his capacity to win or contend to continue to receive the adulation he has had in recent years as the game’s most powerful hitter.
Swede’s Henrik Stenson and Niclas Fasth are in the field and certainly have chances against a strong line-up.
The field is limited to 120 players and just Richard Green, Wade Ormbsy, Marcus Fraser and Peter Fowler get starts amongst the Australians.
From Asia come Shi Kapur, Zhang Lian Wei, Jyoti Rhandawa and the Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee.
