Star-studded field and enhanced course for 2007 Abu Dhabi Championship
A star-studded international field of 120, including defending
champion Chris DiMarco, world number 10 Sergio Garcia, Ryder Cup
talisman and eight-time European Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie,
and championship newcomer Retief Goosen, ranked 5th in the world,
will vie for the top prize in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2007,
to be held at the capital’s National Course at the Abu Dhabi
Golf Club in January.
It will be the first event in 2007 on the PGA European Tour, adding
considerable swing to the emirate’s desire to drive its way
onto the global golfing map.
The Championship, fully sanctioned by the UAE Golf Association
with a US $2 million prize fund, will be contested over four days
from January 18th – 21st on the newly enhanced course, and
enjoy improved facilities at Abu Dhabi’s premier golf course.
Looking to build on the success of this year’s inaugural Championship,
the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which owns the tournament,
says the aim of placing the capital on the global golfing map is
well within reach.
“The inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship brought significant
benefits to the emirate which is now actively engaged in talks with
a number of leading sports tour operators worldwide to bring golfing
tourists to the UAE capital,” said His Highness Sheikh Sultan
bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADTA Chairman.
“We are now drafting a long-term golf tourism strategy for
the emirate which will see us move significantly forward with plans
for a number of new world-class courses - particularly on our flagship
Saadiyat Island international destination development, for which
two courses are being designed.
“We have identified golf tourism as a key growth target in
our aim of attracting up to three million visitors annually to Abu
Dhabi by 2015, a three fold increase from its current yearly average.
Golf means business. It brings tourism revenue to hotels, restaurants,
car rental firms, taxis and airlines and our first, home-grown golf
championship is ensuring awareness of Abu Dhabi is spreading rapidly
throughout the tourism industry.”
The world-class field is certainly drawing attention to the tournament
and, from the viewpoint of the ADTA, is proving a fantastic pull
in setting the groundwork to allow Abu Dhabi to evolve in to one
of the world’s top golfing destinations.
Mubarak Al Muhairi, ADTA Director General, said: “Once again
we will have a premier contingent of the world’s top golfers
competing for honours at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Chris
DiMarco’s victory in this year’s event heralded the Abu
Dhabi’s emergence as a major player on the global golf scene
and the 2007 Championship seems certain to drive additional impetus
to the UAE capital’s world-wide appeal as a golfing destination
of choice.”
Speaking of his determination to defend his 2006 title, 38-year-old
DiMarco said: “Earlier this year Abu Dhabi and I made golfing
history – and while it’s commonly held that history never
repeats itself – I shall be looking to turn that particular
saying on its head next January.
“Apart from winning the championship, I also was blown away
by how well we were treated in Abu Dhabi. The start of a new year
brings many new opportunities and I view the Abu Dhabi Championship
as an important personal goal for 2007.”
Several revisions are being made to the National Course in time
for the 2007 event. “A number of new tees are being built and
fairway shaping changes put in place to enhance the degree of difficulty,”
explained Ahmed Hussain, ADTA Director, Product Development.
“This is the second phase in a long-term programme of agronomic
and design improvements to the course aimed at providing a stiff,
but fair, test for the world’s best players, while, at the
same time, taking care not to spoil the enjoyment of the members
and guests who play the course for the 51 non-tournament weeks of
the year. Several other off-course improvements are underway as
well to enhance the championship experience for all spectators.”
Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship has won resounding support
from the PGA European Tour. It’s Executive Director, George
O’Grady, commented: “The players last year were over the
moon with the way they, and the inaugural championship, was received
in Abu Dhabi. Given the very positive feedback, we are immensely
pleased that the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship will kick start the
European Tour international schedule for 2007.”
DiMarco won the inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Tournament – his
first European Tour event outside the Majors and World Golf Championships
– with a superb performance in which he carded a final round
of 67 for a 20 under par total of 268 and a one shot victory over
the gallant Swede Henrik Stenson, winner of the BMW International
Open and the reigning Qatar Open champion.
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