After slipping straight back into the old routine on Thursday on his first day back after a three-month injury layoff, Brooks Koepka termed his second day back on the fairways “a bit of a disaster”.
The world No 1 started Day 2 of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA as he had ended the first. He birdied the opening two holes to reach 8-under par for the tournament.
From that point on, though, the wheels came off. He bogeyed the par-4 third, then carded a double-bogey six at the fifth.
By the end of the round he cut a bruised figure, posting another double-bogey six at the 11th, and ending ignominiously with a bogey at an 18th that had generally proved fruitful for the Friday field.
It meant he had to sign for a 3-over round of 75, leaving him at 3-under for the tournament – seven shots back from the leader Francesco Laporta.
“My timing was a bit off,” Koepka, the four-time major winner, said.
“I didn’t hit that many good shots the last 15 holes. It was good on the first two but other than that, it was a bit of a disaster.
“I’m going to go to the range and just figure it out. It's just timing. It will take 15 balls.
“It’s a lot different on the golf course trying to do it because there are consequences.”
Koepka will stay in the Middle East after this tournament, as he is due to play the Saudi International at the end of the month.
He will sit out the Omega Dubai Desert Classic next week, but is expected to stay in the city, and train at the academy of his swing coach, Butch Harmon, across the city at the Els Club in Sports City.
With two rounds still to play in Abu Dhabi, he has not given up on a noteworthy finish.
“[I will] be off a little earlier [on Saturday], so probably no wind, shoot a low one and then we’ll see,” Koepka said. “We'll see where Sunday ends up.”
The second-highest ranked player in the field, Koepka’s fellow American Patrick Cantlay, enjoyed improved fortunes on Day 2.
The world No 6 holed seven birdies and signed for a 66, to reach 7-under for the tournament, so will tee it up on Saturday three shots off the lead.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
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
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
RESULT
Copa del Rey, semi-final second leg
Real Madrid 0
Barcelona 3 (Suarez (50', 73' pen), Varane (69' OG)
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
