Organisers of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship are expecting a “bigger and better” tournament this week to its inaugural run at Yas Links.
The event, now in its 18th year, takes place on Yas Island for the second successive edition having moved 12 months ago from its traditional home at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Beginning on Thursday, Belgian Thomas Pieters returns to defend the title he won last year by a solitary stroke.
The tournament, one of the five elevated Rolex Series events on the DP World Tour, will boast improvements to both the course and the surrounding infrastructure, with this week’s purse increased by $1 million from last year to $9m.
“We’re really excited for this week,” Tom Phillips, head of Middle East for the DP World Tour, told The National. “It’s an event with so much history. It’s one of our standout popular events, not just on our schedule here in the UAE, but on our global schedule.
“When you move to a new venue, you’re always taking learnings, on the golf course but off the course as well. There’s lots of areas where we’ve made small changes or improvements; we’re always looking to make things bigger and better. So, excited to be back for a second time at Yas Links.”
Phillips said improvements include an upgrade to the “already spectacular championship village" – it will showcase a different theme each tournament day – and changes to the flow of how spectators move around the course to offer a better viewing experience.
Sustainability is of particular focus, too – a beach clean will take place on Wednesday, in partnership with Miral, while reusable water bottles will be provided to help eradicate plastic – with the tournament reducing its carbon footprint to offset its unavoidable emissions.
Meanwhile, for the second successive year, general admission to the event is free.
“This is about not just promoting the tournament and promoting Abu Dhabi, it’s about promoting the game of golf,” Phillips said. “We want to make golf in Abu Dhabi and in the UAE accessible to everyone. So, making it free general access was a big part of that; we now do that back-to-back across both Rolex Series events, here and in Dubai [next week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic].
“That’s important. We’re looking forward to welcoming even more people along, maybe some who haven’t watched a golf tournament before, who are interested to come along and watch the golf but also enjoy all the extra activations we’ve got outside the ropes. And that’s all part of growing the game here in Abu Dhabi and the UAE.”
Phillips said the tournament is broadcast to more than 600 million households around the world in approximately 125 countries.
“One of the big things that Yas Links offers is the way it promotes Yas Island and Abu Dhabi as a destination to a global audience,” he said.
“You can imagine all these people around the world watching the best players in the world, and the course itself is one of the very best in the world, but there’s also the backdrop, the views you have.
“Ultimately that’s what we want to do: promote Abu Dhabi as a world-class destination to the world. And there’s no better way than doing it with Yas Links as your backdrop.”
Miguel Vidaor, tournament director since the event’s inception in 2006, said the Kyle Phillips-designed course is in even better shape than its debut run.
“Last year, Corey Finn, the superintendent who’s been here a number of years, only had about five months since the tournament was announced quite late in the year, and he delivered world-class playing surfaces." he said.
“But what he has achieved this year is simply out of this world. And I’m not exaggerating; I’ve been doing this for 30 years, and this has to be perhaps the best-conditioned golf course I’ve ever seen.
“It’s just absolutely pristine. Fairways, tees, approaches: they’re tight, they’re running fast, they’re firm. Which is what we want.”
Last year, some players were less than enamoured with the course set-up. Tyrrell Hatton, the defending champion who captured the Falcon Trophy the final year at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, made public his dislike of the 664-yard, par-5 18th. Hatton double-bogeyed the closing hole in Round 2 and posted a nine there the following day. Eventually, he concluded the tournament on 7-under par, three shots behind Pieters.
Asked about player feedback from last year, Vidaor said: “We played 16 years at Abu Dhabi Golf Club; it’s an iconic venue and change is difficult. Obviously, there were some comments last year about the course. A professional golfer is an individual person; everybody has their own opinion.
“But I believe the more we play Yas Links, the more the guys are going to get used to it and the more they’re going to enjoy it. Because what Kyle Phillips has produced here is just an outstanding venue.
“You get tested in all parts of your game: there’s a wonderful variety of long par-4s, short par-4s, long par-3s, short par-3s, long-5s, short-5s. it’s just perfect. It’s such a good design. And with the firm and fast surfaces, it’s going to be super again.”
Last year’s second round was impacted significantly by 30mph winds that threatened the day’s play, with only nine of the 131 players in the field breaking par 72. This week, winds are expected to reach around 18mph between Thursday and Sunday.
“I’m sure a golf course like this is going to deliver a great winner, no matter who that is,” Vidaor said. “Because they’re going to have to play some great golf to beat this very, very strong field in these conditions. It’s going to be a super tournament. Everything is set to be a wonderful week.”
Thomas Pieters wins 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
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.”
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
The specs: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')
Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')
Results:
5pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,200 metres
Winner: Jabalini, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Younis Kalbani (trainer)
5.30pm: UAE Arabian Derby (PA) | Prestige | Dh150,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Octave, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round 3 (PA) | Group 3 Dh300,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Harrab, Richard Mullen, Mohamed Ali
6.30pm: Emirates Championship (PA) | Group 1 | Dh1million | 2,200m
Winner: BF Mughader, Szczepan Mazur, Younis Al Kalbani
7pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (TB) | Group 3 | Dh380,000 | 2,200m
Winner: GM Hopkins, Patrick Cosgrave, Jaber Ramadhan
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) | Conditions | Dh70,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF La’Asae, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
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Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
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Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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