Spieth’s fine
Being world No 1 means you obviously enjoy certain privileges, but being immune to the European Tour’s new “monitoring” rules is definitely not one.
Jordan Spieth was hit with a monitored penalty during his first round after he had been informed he was being timed by the rules official as he walked off the 4th green (his 13th hole).
Spieth then took more than the 40 seconds allotted to hit his shot on the 8th green and, when he got to the next tee, was told he had been penalised. Under the tour’s new rules, a second penalty equals a £2,000 (Dh10,365) fine.
“It didn’t make any sense to me,” said Spieth, playing alongside Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler. “It didn’t affect the round, but Rory and Rickie were surprised as well.”
Read more: 'Very rare': Spieth, McIlroy and Fowler lend a special air to Abu Dhabi start
Holes in one
With the tournament in its 11th year, the National Course has been tweaked and tampered with to ensure it always provides a stern test for the cream of professional golf.
Maybe the organisers should look at the par-3 15th, though, since Thursday it surrendered two hole-in-ones only 12 months after Miguel Angel Jimenez and Rory McIlroy aced it, too.
Gregory Havret and Thomas Bjorn were next to fill their boots, and Branden Grace almost followed suit as well.
Just a shame the celebrations were somewhat muted. “There was one person clapping around the green, and it didn’t sound like it was something really good happening,” Bjorn said. “So we didn’t actually know until we got to the hole. Yeah, a fun one.”
Read more: Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship groups and tee times – Round 2
Social media
In recent years, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship has made a habit of recruiting the game’s best players, with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler debuting.
This week is no different, since world No 1 Spieth makes his bow, bloating the field to include four of golf’s top six golfers.
Next year could continue the trend, thanks to Fowler. The American, something of a social media expert, was in charge of the tournament’s official Twitter account following his first round on Thursday and promptly posted a picture of him alongside a poster of good friend Bubba Watson.
He copied in Watson’s handle, too, and seemed to be having such a good time in the championship village that hopefully the two-time Masters champion was paying close attention. Watson for 2017?
Yes, please.
Read more: Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship 2016 — Day 1 as it happened
Kaymer proves point
Martin Kaymer must be sick of saying he is over the back-nine meltdown that cost him a fourth Abu Dhabi title 12 months ago.
He did his best to prove it at the earliest opportunity this year, playing the same stretch - his opening nine this time - in 4-under before finishing the round on a 3-under-par 69.
“I think I placed myself in a decent position,” Kaymer said. “I know I can always shoot a low score on that golf course, as long as I hit the fairways.”
The German’s playing partner, Gary Stal, suffered a faltering start to his own title defence, carding 1-over.
Robert Rock, the 2012 champion, was at 2-under, the same score as Pablo Larrazabal, the 2014 winner.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
