Ryder Cup stars Fitzpatrick, Hatton and MacIntyre set for Abu Dhabi Golf Championship

Ryder Cup stars and Rolex Series winners Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, and Robert MacIntyre are the latest players confirmed for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, taking place from November 6-9 at Yas Links.

The trio will join reigning Masters Champion and career grand slam winner Rory McIlroy in a world-class field for the opening event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs on Yas Island.

The quartet all played a role in Europe’s stunning 16½–11½ victory over the United States at the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, and will return to help defend the trophy at Bethpage Black in New York next week.

World No 9 MacIntyre has enjoyed a strong season worldwide, finishing second at the US Open at Oakmont Country Club and the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club, as well as tied seventh at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

MacIntyre said: “I really enjoy finishing the season in the Middle East and I’m looking forward to returning to Abu Dhabi for the first of two big events later this year. It’s been a strong start to my year, and with some good memories at Yas Links, I hope to keep that momentum going and give myself a chance to finish the season on a high.”

Hatton, the 2019 Abu Dhabi Championship winner, returns following a runner-up finish at Yas Links last year. He currently sits fourth in the Race to Dubai Rankings following his win at the Dubai Desert Classic in January and a tied-fourth result at the 2025 US Open.

“I’ve got some great memories from playing in the UAE, especially winning Abu Dhabi in 2019 and this year in Dubai,” said Hatton. “Yas Island is an incredible destination with so much to see and do, and this tournament always has a fantastic atmosphere, so I’m looking forward to getting back to Abu Dhabi and kicking off the DP World Tour Play-Offs."

Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open Champion, has had a consistent 2025 campaign with six top-10 finishes globally, including tied fourth The Open.

The nine-time DP World Tour winner will be looking to build on his recent momentum, and is looking to add another Rolex Series title to his name as the Play-Offs get under way.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to Abu Dhabi and getting the DP World Tour Play-Offs started,” said Fitzpatrick. “Abu Dhabi is always a great place to play, and I hope to carry my recent form through and give myself a chance to have a strong end to the season.”

The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship returns to Yas Links for the fourth season after England’s Paul Waring won his maiden Rolex Series title in 2024.

General admission tickets are free of charge for the first two days of the event, with prices starting at just AED 75 for the final two days. Tickets are available from the European Tour website.

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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

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Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.

Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.

The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.

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