With 126 of the world’s top golfers, including eight of the top 14, the annual Abu Dhabi Golf Championship begins On 21st January 2010 with the strongest and most diverse field its five-year history.Representing 26 counties from six continents, this year’s line-up boasts a glittering array of rising stars, household names, defending champions and seasoned veterans from as far a field as Argentina and the USA in the West to Australia, China and Thailand in the East – a clear indication of the tournament’s global appeal.
Leading the charge at the European Tour-backed Championship, running until 24th January at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, are top 25 heavyweight contenders, Lee Westwood (4), Henrik Stenson (7), Geoff Ogilvy (9), Rory McIlroy (10), Ian Poulter (12), Sergio Garcia (13), Anthony Kim (24) and Camilo Villegas (25) and as well as defending champion, Paul Casey (8) and 2008 Championship winner, Martin Kaymer (14).
And with one of the most extensive showings of up-and-coming talent, the more established European Tour elite will have their work cut out for them.
Throwing down the gauntlet to seasoned colleagues will be Italian brothers, Eduardo and Francesco Molinari – who led their country to its first World Cup victory at the Mission Hills Golf Club in China last November.
They are joined by fellow countryman and one of golf’s most exciting young prospects, 16-year-old amateur, Matteo Manassero – the current British Amateur Champion and the youngest player to win the prestigious title, a victory that qualified him for a spot in the US Masters this coming April.
The Italian contingent lead a stellar cast of rising young-guns including 21-year-old Oliver Fisher, the youngest ever Briton to win a tour card; and two of the Arab world’s most promising golfers, UAE national, Ahmed Al Musharrekh and Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla.
Not to be outdone by their younger counterparts, a wealth of the sport’s most established personalities will be looking to add their names to the coveted Falcon Trophy, including the USA’s Todd Hamilton, the 2004 Open champion; New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, the 2005 US Open champion; Darren Clarke, who famously beat Tiger Woods in the 2000 WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship; Thomas Bjørn, Denmark’s nine-time Tour winner; Robert Karlsson, Europe’s no.1 player in 2008; Indian’s highest world ranked golfer, Jeev Milkha Singh; and the ever popular cigar-smoking Spaniard, Angel-Miguel Jimenez.
And with the 2010 Ryder Cup looming, European captain, Colin Montgomerie, will be carefully watching his potential picks and wildcard hopefuls, which include the British trio of Graeme McDowell, Oliver Wilson and Simon Dyson – the winner of last October’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews – who are ranked 40, 41 and 45th respectively in the current World Rankings.
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which organises the Championship, said the line-up’s global reach serves as a barometer to the event’s international appeal.
“The impressive depth of field is the event’s truly unique selling point, meaning fans from the world over will be spoilt for choice in which top golfers they decide to support. For those unable to be with us at the Championship, we have ensured they can catch all the action via a host of different media, such as TV, online, radio and even from their phones. This brings massive brand exposure for the emirate globally,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, Head – Major Events Division, ADTA.
ADTA has taken major steps to ensure the 30,000 expected visitors are treated to the best off-course entertainment possible.
With enhanced spectator viewing platforms, a revitalised interactive Championship Village and a host of entertainment and F&B outlets, this year’s event will be the most spectator-friendly yet.
Organisers have also introduced a number of key spectator-engagement components this year including a dedicated iPhone application – the first time the technology has been used outside golf’s four Major Championships.
The free-of-charge application, designed in conjunction with Etisalat, can be downloaded via iTunes. It is filled with useful tournament information including daily news, player profiles, hole-by-hole descriptions, minute-by-minute leader board updates and a daily video highlights package.
The 2010 Championship formally begins today (Wednesday) with the Al-Masaood Pro-Am and Awards Gala when sponsors and their guests will play and socialise with some of the world’s best professionals.
All four days of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010 will be covered live on high definition TV, reaching a cumulative global audience of over 400 million.
