Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Set to Thrill as the First Professional Championship of 2022

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is set to start tomorrow, on 20th January 2022.

What is the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship?

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is the first of 2022’s DP World Tour events, as well as being a part of the Rolex Series. As one of the years first events, it sets the stage for the remainder of the season, and for the DP World Tour events to follow.

In the run-up to this much anticipated event, news has begun to come to light for what fans should expect to see out on the course. The championship, which is the first of many in the Rolex Series, will be hosted for the first time at Yas Links– a beautiful yet challenging course that is sure to keep play at this year’s event interesting.

The course, designed by legendary architect Kyle Phillips, is one renowned across the Middle East, having won a variety of awards from multiple golf publications as one of the area’s number 1 locations. Designed with challenging bunkers across its lush 7,000 yards, the course will be sure to test the professional players, and is certain to be a great stage for the game to come. 

Also of interest is the line-up of players said to be competing in this year’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Many famous faces are said to be taking their shot at success on the course, with a win at Yas Links being a good foundation to continue on into the Rolex Series and DP World Tour. 

While there are many players set to compete, here are just some worth keeping an eye on. 

Collin Morikawa

Collin Morikawa will be playing at this year’s event, set to make amends after his defeat at the Hero World Challenge. 

Having come fifth place in his previous outing, the 24 year old has a lot to prove, with his goal to to come out on top at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to get ahead on the DP World Tour. Furthermore, as the world’s current second best player, keeping his current position and even fighting for a spot as number one will surely be critical motivators for Morikawa’s success. 

With five PGA Tour wins under his belt, his credentials in the professional golf world speak for themselves. However, with the amount of pressure Morikawa is under to succeed at this years Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, just how well he will play in tomorrow’s game is yet to be seen.    

Rory McIlroy

Former world number one player Rory McIlroy is also set to be up to play at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Despite having never won the championship, Rory McIlroy is expected to be a fierce opponent at the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. With a pedigree including major championship wins at the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Tour, and 2014 Open Championship, as well as victories in many other significant tournaments and championships, this accomplished player is set to pose a threat.

Furthermore, this is not McIlroy’s first attempt at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, having played at the tournament multiple times, and having almost claimed victory with his second place win in 2011. If being that close to victory isn’t a drive to succeed, it is difficult to know what might be. 

Tommy Fleetwood

Another player to look out for in tomorrow’s tournament is Tommy Fleetwood, playing his first game of the season at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. 

Having won the championship in both 2017 and 2018, Fleetwood is no stranger to the course’s challenges. However, he has also been experiencing somewhat of a dry spell as of late, having not had a single victory since 2019.

Will returning to his old winning grounds give Fleetwood the chance to break his losing streak? Or will a new player be able to swipe the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship crown?

 

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will be broadcast on Sky Sports Golf, and will begin airing live on 20th January 2022 at 3.30am.