This month’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship had a little more stardust sprinkled upon it on Monday, with news that another four leading European players have confirmed. Here are the details.
Formidable quartet
The January 19-22 event, already well stocked with talent, has signed up 2016 European Ryder Cup participants in Matthew Fitzpatrick, Rafa Cabrera Bello and Chris Wood, while fast-rising Englishman Tyrrell Hatton has also been added to the field. Both Hatton and Fitzpatrick enjoyed fine 2016 seasons in particular, finishing fourth and sixth in the Race to Dubai, respectively.
Strengthening a stellar line-up
This year’s tournament boasts big-hitting American Dustin Johnson, the PGA Tour’s player of the year for 2016, who makes his Middle East debut. The reigning US Open champion, the world No 3, will be joined by world No 2 Rory McIlroy, world No 4 Henrik Stenson and defending champion Rickie Fowler. Danny Willett, the current Masters champion, is also competing at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Emirates expertise
Fitzpatrick, a three-time winner on tour, will be looking to pick up where he left off on his last visit to the country, when he clinched the 2016 DP Tour World Championship. “I am really looking forward to competing in Abu Dhabi again,” he said. “Winning the end-of-season European Tour event in the UAE in November was the best moment of my career so far and I hope I can build on that in 2017. The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has a great reputation amongst the players and it is great to have Dustin and Rickie at a European Tour event.”
Staying in the groove
Hatton also finished last season strongly, posting four top 10s in his final six tournaments, including victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship - his first professional win. “I just want to continue where I left off,” he said. “It is going to be a massive test to compete in such a strong field, but I want to add more titles this season. I love playing in the Middle East and really enjoy the set up at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, so hopefully I’ll be contending on that final day.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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Day 2, stumps
Pakistan 482
Australia 30/0 (13 ov)
Australia trail by 452 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the innings
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UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Mohammed Al Attas
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue
Brighton 1
Gross (50' pen)
Tottenham 1
Kane (48)
The Al Barzakh Festival takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm in the Red Theatre, NYUAD, Saadiyat Island. Tickets cost Dh105 for adults from platinumlist.net
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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