Eleven of Europe’s defeated Ryder Cup team will be teeing it up on the Earth course this month, with the recuperating Olympic gold medalist Justin Rose the only absentee. At the top of the Race to Dubai standings, Henrik Stenson’s Final Series form has seen him overtake long-time leader Danny Willett to hold a near 300,000 point advantage over the Englishman and make the Swede – who won it all in 2013 – the firm favourite to capture his second order of merit crown. Rory McIlroy’s decision to skip both Turkey and last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa looks to have cost him the chance to win a fourth Race to Dubai title in five years, as he goes into this week almost 1.2 million points adrift of the only man who has as good a record as he does on the Earth course, but the Northern Irishman has stood by his decision to pass on Turkey.

To book your hospitality passes at this unmissable event on Dubai’s sporting calendar, CLICK HERE

There is no doubt Greg Norman’s design sets up perfectly for both McIlroy and Stenson, who share similarly impressive ball-striking traits. Straighter, shorter hitters who traditionally fare better on tighter layouts don’t derive any advantage here given the number of bunkers that lie in the centre of the fairways, and ultimately, it is those players who have enough power to fly these traps and then hit high approach shots into the undulating putting surfaces who thrive.

Henrik Stenson is attempting to win a second Race to Dubai title at Jumeirah Golf Estates this week

Masters champion Danny Willett is the Swede’s nearest challenger in the standings

Looking beyond the likes of Stenson and McIlroy, one such man might well be Thomas Pieters, a breakout star for Europe in the Ryder Cup and a player who is tipped for an imminent appearance in the world’s top 10. The form player is undoubtedly Alex Noren, who has climbed to No.3 in the standings after winning yet again in South Africa to capture a fourth title since July. On the other hand, Rafa Cabera Bello, who should perhaps have won this event two years ago, remains without a tour victory since the 2012 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, but few players on the planet have matched the Spaniard’s consistency in 2016. Like Pieters, Cabrera Bello only enhanced his reputation at the Ryder Cup, and a win here in Dubai would be a fitting way to cap an outstanding year.

The post Race to Dubai goes to the wire appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Speaking at the unveiling of the new Race to Dubai brand, McIlroy, winner of the 2015 Race to Dubai and DP World Tour Championship said: “Dubai has always been a special place for me. I made my first cut here on the European Tour and then went on to have my first as a professional win in the Dubai Desert Classic. It’s been a pretty amazing journey since then – and throughout all the success I have enjoyed around the world, Dubai has been a constant part of the story for me, my family and friends. I have been lucky enough to win the DP World Tour Championship twice as well as three Race to Dubai titles and I’m a resident here as it is the perfect place to come and work on my game. It’s become a real home from home for me so I always love coming back.”

L-R: Julian Small, Managing Director, Club Operations, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council, Keith Pelly, CEO of European Tour, Abdulaziz Bukhatir, Executive Director, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Issam Kazim, ‎CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) , Salman Bin Karam, Customer Relations Manager, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Peter Dawson, President of the International Golf Federation.

McIlroy is bidding to win a fourth Race to Dubai title in five years, but enters the season’s final event here on the course where he won last year over one million points behind leader Henrik Stenson. The Swede, who won his first major in 2016 at The Open after a thrilling duel with Phil Mickelson, crossed the four million point barrier last week in South Africa and leads Danny Willett by just under 300,000. Alex Noren, the form player on tour with four wins since July, is in third sport, and can become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2006 to win five tournaments in a single European Tour season if he triumphs here on Sunday.

The post Stars unveil new Race to Dubai brand for 2017 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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This is your chance to WIN a place in the official Pro Am on Tuesday December 6 and play the stunning Majlis course with a star of the Ladies European Tour. Entering could not be easier. Just fill in your details below and we’ll draw the three winners at random on Sunday December 4. You must have an official handicap to be eligible to win.

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The post Video: Stars look forward to the 2017 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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orld No.3 and PGA Tour Player of the Year Dustin Johnson will make his Middle East debut when he headlines the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, January 19-22. The big-hitting American harnessed his prodigious talent in 2016 to break through and win his first major, the U.S. Open at Oakmont with an awesome display of ball-striking, adding the WGC Bridgestone Invitational to his trophy haul and helping the USA finally recapture the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine. 

In an exclusive interview with Golf Digest Middle East, Johnson revealed that he has heard all about the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and can’t wait to tee it up in the capital. “I’m really excited about going to Abu Dhabi and playing in the Middle East for the first time. I’ve heard a lot of really good things about the golf course from all the guys who have played over there, Rickie and Rory, they think the course is great and they tell me I’m definitely going to like it.”

Dustin Johnson won the WGC-HSBC Champions in 2013 – can he add the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship to his collection?

Given the way he has played this year there are few courses that don’t set up well for one of the world’s longest hitters, but the National course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club will play to his strengths. “I won’t do too much differently,” he said when we asked what his strategy would be for tackling a new venue. “I’ll get out there and figure out the best game plan [early in the week].”

Since becoming a father, a life change that Johnson says has given him “a whole new perspective”, the South Carolina native has combined his supreme athletic prowess with a harder, more ruthless edge that has seen him banish the tag of major nearly-man and come through the toughest test of all at America’s hardest venue, the fabled Oakmont. A blue riband year also saw him add a victory at the BMW Championship during the FedEx Cup Playoffs and register a top five at the Masters and a top 10 at the Open Championship. Being part of a winning Ryder Cup team at his third attempt was the icing on the cake.

“Obviously getting my first major was very special and something I’ll never forget, walking off that 18^th green,” he said. “Winning the Ryder Cup too, it’s different being a team event where you’re playing for your country and the fans, and the guys on your team. It’s very, very special to bring home the cup. I’ve played on three teams and this is the first time we’ve won it, so it’s a very special feeling – similar I would say to the [U.S.] Open, but with the Open I’m out there playing for myself.”

Johnson overcame a rules debacle and ensuing penalty to win his first major by three strokes at Oakmont with a nerveless display

You get the distinct feeling that the newly crowned PGA Tour Player of the Year is just getting started. Johnson knows he has the talent to win multiple majors, and now he has the confidence to go with it. But right now, his sights are trained squarely on the UAE capital. “I’m proud of the way I played [in 2016] but right now I’m looking forward to coming to Abu Dhabi and I’m excited about the new year.”

Lining up against a stellar field that includes Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Masters champion Danny Willett and defending champion Rickie Fowler, Johnson won’t lack for motivation as he looks to start 2017 with a bang.

The post Interview Exclusive: Dustin Johnson can’t wait for Abu Dhabi appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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Mel Reid discussed a range of topics, including the Olympics, Solheim Cup controversies and the ordeal of LPGA Q-School

What are you thoughts on Saadiyat Beach Golf Club as a venue?
The setting speaks for itself – it’s absolutely stunning. You’re playing a couple of holes right on the beach and it’s a ball striker’s golf course. There are some nice carries that the longer hitters can take advantage of. When I heard this tournament was going to be at Saadiyat I was extremely happy and my priority for a while now has been to try to peak at this tournament. I have a lot of good memories of golf in the UAE and would love to win out here.

Reid and many of the other players have expressed their delight with this week’s beautiful venue, Saadiyat Beach GC

Do you feel like another win is around the corner?
This year I’ve worked extremely hard and feel like I’ve played well, I’ve just missed the odd putt or pulled the odd wedge. You need a bit of luck in this game and I haven’t had that. But now that I’ve got a run of tournaments I’m getting into the swing of things. We didn’t start our season until late in the year and the scheduling has been tough on the LET players.

You have Q-School coming up for the LPGA Tour. How will you approach that week?
That is probably the hardest week of the year. But a lot of girls go there without any status [to fall back on]. I’m fortunate that I have the LET. The reason it’s difficult is that the name of the game is to avoid mistakes – but you can’t play defensively either, you have to treat it like a tournament you’re trying to win, and have a number in your head. I’ll be going out a few days earlier with my coach, Kevin, and our goal is to make the week as relaxed as possible.

Would you like to see a back-to-back run of events here in the Middle East now there are some new tournaments on the calendar?
We’ve got a couple of new tournaments this year so no complaints, but like you said, it would be nice to make it a run like the guys [on the European Tour] have, with three or four events in a row, just so that we can stay out here continuously and avoid all the unnecessary travel. I think it could be something really big out here. The girls have always enjoyed coming to the UAE, and Dubai is one of my favourite events of the year. In a couple of years, I think a UAE swing for the LET would be fantastic, either at the end of a season or the start of one.

Reid (left) and Sweden’s Camilla Lennarth show off their skills on Saadiyat Island’s stunning beach

What did you make of golf’s return to the Olympics and can it have a widespread impact on the game?
There’s been some mixed reviews, but I was gutted that I wasn’t a part of it – I’ve always loved the Olympics and I think [golf’s return] was actually a bigger success than a lot of people thought it would be. The Olympics is special, but in my opinion they should change the format and make it mixed, with a foursomes or fourballs match play involving both the men and the women. It would make it a lot more exciting than just a standard four-day event. In the future, hopefully they can do that and it can have a massive impact on our sport. They [the game’s authorities] played it extremely safe because it was the first year it had been back, and hopefully they take a bit more of a risk going forward. Perhaps for the guys that didn’t play, it might get them more interested to take part.

We’ve seen controversy play a role in both the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup. Is an element of that good for the events, in terms of extra publicity?
I think golf has been seen as a game with very high standards of sportsmanship, but I love the intensity of the competition. The controversial stuff, obviously Solheim was not ideal but then it did generate a huge amount of publicity – a lot more people watched it as a result. It’s a fine line. Maybe the crowds at the Ryder Cup were a little bit too much. When you’re harassing players constantly, then clearly that’s inappropriate. You need passion, that’s why people love playing and watching those events. Certainly a minority of the American crowd took it too far.

Reid took part in Saadiyat Beach Golf Club’s #womenoncourse campaign, choosing “passionate” as the word that best describes female greatness

The players were joined by the AD Movement’s Sarah Al Nowais for the social media campaign

The level of golf at both events was incredible. How do the players raise their games like that?
It’s weird and it sounds silly but I probably feel my most calm at a Solheim Cup. I don’t know if it’s the format – I mean basically you’re just going all out for everything. And you have 11 other players that have your back as well. Because we play such and individual sport, the majority of players really embrace team spirit. It’s a very special week and you do get more up for it. We have 10 months between now and the next one, and I think Annika’s here primarily just to look around and check out the amazing young talent we have on the tour now.

The main theme of the week is about providing inspiration for women here to take up golf. What inspired you to make it as a golfer?
I played a lot of sport growing up, including tennis and football. I’ve skiied since I was 18 months old and snowboarded from the age of six. I think the reason I got into golf was that one of my brothers was pretty decent, and I joined this golf camp one summer and took it from there. I think you’re environment plays a huge role. My family were never pushy at all, if anything they were the complete opposite. They would bring me back in when I needed to, but really they just pointed me in the right direction, and I’m so thankful for that because you see a lot of kids getting pushed into doing things they don’t want to. I never had a problem working hard and being competitive and even as a kid of six years old, I knew I wanted to play sport professionally. At 18, I didn’t want to go out on a Friday night, I wanted to stay in and get up early to play golf the following morning. But it’s tough on kids now. It’s so competitive now and it’s also very hard to stay focused on what you have to do and not get distracted by everything else going on around you.

The post Encourage your kids but don’t push them, says England’s Melissa Reid appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

With the beachside par 3 sixth hole providing a stunning backdrop for a giant hashtag encouraging more women to take up the sport, the stars of the game chose a wide range of words to sum up female greatness, from ‘strength’ to ‘perseverance’, ‘passion’ and ‘dedication’.

England’s Mel Reid will be playing with plenty of passion on a course she knows well this week

Emma Cabrera Bello had a straightforward answer to the question, ‘what makes women great?’

Agathe Sauzon was one of numerous Ladies European Tour players to speak in glowing praise of Gary Player’s Saadiyat Beach design

Emirati woman Sarah Al Nowais co-founded The AD Movement and believes Perseverance is the key to her success

Annika Sorenstam, the all-time great who has been actively growing the game of golf among women through her ANNIKA Foundation for the past eight years, singled out ‘family’ as the word that resonates more powerfully than any other. “I really applaud the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and everyone involved [with the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open] for what they’re doing here at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club,” said Sorenstam, who won 10 majors during a glittering career.

Annika Sorenstam (right) with compatriot and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club ambassador Camilla Lennarth

High flying Spaniard Belen Mozo and Sana Tufail, an amateur who grew up playing golf in Abu Dhabi and is now pursuing a college career in the United States, also joined in with the campaign, which saw a massive amount of engagement on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as players underwent their final preparations for today’s first round.

Alongside world-class golf, the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open will offer an action-packed four days of interactive experiences, golf clinics, children’s activities, competitions, cuisine and much more for families and friends.

The FBMLO has been organised by the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, in co-operation with Abu Dhabi Sports Council and is also sponsored by: TDIC, Al Masaood, CNBC, Etihad, Marriott Downtown Abu Dhabi and Omega. The event is free to attend and tees off today.

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More information is available from www.fbmladiesopen.com, on Instagram and Twitter (@fbmladiesopen), and on Facebook

The post Saadiyat Beach lights up social media with #WomenOnCourse appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam teamed up with Abu Dhabi-trained Sana Tufail to lead an inspiring golf clinic for more than 50 school children at Abu Dhabi City Golf Club ahead of this week’s inaugural Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open.

Annika, who is in Abu Dhabi this week as a guest of honour of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open, spoke about her love of the game and shared advice before taking to the range to demonstrate the skills that have made her one of the best female golfers of all time. Several budding players were also given the opportunity to impress Annika and the group with their shot making on the range.

Junior golfers watch the all-time great demonstrate her skills on the driving range at Abu Dhabi City Golf Club

Annika Sorenstam won 10 majors during a glittering career, and is making her first visit to Abu Dhabi

Annika said: “I think this evening sparked an interest in the game of the golf and for those who don’t play; I hope they will be able to say ‘this is something I can use in life’.”

“For those already playing, I hope I can inspire them to learn something about their technique or practice routine, and how to improve their game,” added the European Solheim Cup team captain.

Joining Sorenstam at the clinic was 19-year-old Sana Tufail, who a decade ago, was in the same shoes as the budding golfers listening intently just metres away from the pair. Tufail, who grew up in the Capital, used to regularly practice at Abu Dhabi City Golf Club and is regarded as the best female golfing talent to ever come out of the UAE. She is now studying in America to further her golf career and will make her first Ladies European Tour appearance at the FBMLO this week.

Sana said: “It has been really nostalgic for me to come back here. I think it is going to be a great experience for the young players here to learn from a player of Annika’s calibre. Having Annika here is a great way to promote the game in Abu Dhabi.”

Alongside world-class golf, the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open will offer an action-packed four days of interactive experiences, golf clinics, children’s activities, competitions, cuisine and much more for families and friends.

The FBMLO has been organised by the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, in co-operation with Abu Dhabi Sports Council and is also sponsored by: TDIC, Al Masaood, CNBC, Etihad, Marriott Downtown Abu Dhabi and Omega. The event is free to attend and tees off today.

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More information is available from www.fbmladiesopen.com, on Instagram and Twitter (@fbmladiesopen), and on Facebook

The post Golf legend Annika inspires next generation appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Story by Robbie Greenfield

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even long years have passed since an 18-hole golf course opened in Dubai, but its newest addition will turn the clock back much farther than that when it opens for play in just a few months time. With its crumpled fairways, swathes of native grasses, generous open spaces and flowing teeing grounds, the Trump International Golf Club Dubai exhibits many of the same characteristics as an ancient Scottish links.

It also has plenty in common with another recent Gil Hanse creation that made full use of undulating ground and was met with rave reviews – the Rio Olympic Golf Course. It’s a style that can best be described as modern-classic, and refreshingly, the club have not rushed their opening date. These exclusive pictures show a course that not only has the style of a classic, but the appearance too.

HOLE 17 | PAR 3 | 156 YARDS

The short par 3 17th hole will be one of the highlights of a round at the Trump International Golf Club Dubai. Says director of golf operations, Craig Waddell: “Holes like Troon’s Postage Stamp and the 12th at Augusta National prove you don’t need excessive length to make a challenging par 3, and this golfing truth is evident on the 17th here. This short hole will place a premium on your accuracy with a mid-to-short iron. From an elevated tee, a large expanse of native ground contrasts beautifully with the well-protected green, offering an enticing but nonetheless intimidating target.

SEE ALSO:
Top 10 Golf Courses in the Middle East
Dangerous Driving: Welcome to Kabul Golf Club

HOLE 5 | PAR 3 | 224 YARDS
The linksy terrain of the Trump International Golf Club Dubai is evident once more on the par 3 fifth hole, which offers players plenty of room to bail out to the right, but a stiff penalty for those who attack the flag and overdo it. “The fifth is a fantastically challenging par 3 and with the residential development as a backdrop it gives the sense of a stadium feeling to this part of the course,” says Waddell. “The tournament pin position will definitely be tight left, with any player short-siding themselves faced with a very difficult up-and-down.”

HOLE 1 | PAR 4 | 439 YARDS (left) – HOLE 8 | PAR 4 | 343 YARDS (right)
A view looking back down the first hole (left) to the clubhouse, with the green complex on the eighth hole pictured right. Gil Hanse has designed a course with generous, open playing areas, but the undulating ground will provide a links-like challenge. Hanse says of the opening hole: “An ample fairway, flanked by beautiful palms, narrows toward the green into a tightly mowed approach. The shorter tif-grand bermuda grass approaches found property-wide promote ground-game play and provide an added level of shot creativity.”

The par 4 eighth hole is a short hole but one that can easily catch you out. “This par 4 has the most distinct elevation change on the property and players need to navigate an impressive bunker on the left and a potential blind second shot into a well guarded green,” says Hanse.

HOLE 9 | PAR 5 | 561 YARDS

“The ninth offers a huge wide fairway shared with the first that is reminiscent of the opening drive at the Old Course at St Andrews, but any false sense of security can quickly evaporate,” says Waddell. “Water hugs the right side and a large sand barranca stretches all the way along the left. Birdies are definitely there to be had, but no golfer, no matter how skilled, will complain with a par.”

Golf Digest Middle East: FIRST TAKE

nderstatement is perhaps not what you would expect to see in a golfing creation borne from the fusion of brand Dubai with Donald Trump. But whatever your opinion of Trump as a celebrity, businessman and presidential candidate, the tycoon-turned-politician’s growing international golfing empire is inarguably impressive.

The Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen is generally regarded as one of the best links courses in Scotland, and his company’s reworking of Turnberry’s classic Ailsa course has been hailed as a brilliant upgrade. In the soft-spoken architect Gil Hanse, Trump has the perfect foil, a man at the very top of his profession who is happy to let the quality of his courses speak for themselves.

Any judgments on a course that is yet to open must be made with plenty of scope for future improvement in mind, but what is eye-catching about the Trump International Golf Club Dubai (located within the AKOYA by DAMAC development) is just how ready it is. The course has actually been playable for the best part of a year, and as it prepares to make its bow in the golf market, this maturity is certain to pay off. After waiting seven years for a new course to open in Dubai, golfers will have a finished product to look forward to.

The Trump International Golf Links in Scotland has built a reputation as one of the best links courses in the world

Stylistically, the layout has many links-like characteristics without of course being a genuine links. It’s a progressive design, too. Hanse is clearly mindful of the fact that for a recent period of golf course development, designers obsessed over difficulty while forgetting what features make the game fun to play. The Trump International Golf Club Dubai has generous open spaces, but plenty of nuances too. It’s a modern course with a traditional feel. In the golfing ballot box, this one gets our vote.

For more information, visit trumpgolfdubai.com

The post Exclusive First Look: Trump International Golf Club Dubai appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.