Abu Dhabi Golf Club Unveils Course Improvements for stongest ever line up
Since it was established in 2006, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship has become a firm favourite with players and spectators alike, welcoming the world’s best golfers to the sublime Abu Dhabi Golf Club and its famed Falcon Clubhouse, to kick off the gulf swing of the European Tour.
In 2011, as the tournament prepares to welcome its strongest ever field from the 20th – 23rd January, Abu Dhabi Golf Club is delighted to unveil additional length, and bunkering developments to its National Course.
Ranked as one of the world’s Top 100 courses (Golf World T100 2010), Abu Dhabi Golf Club looks set to challenge the world’s best players like never before. Leading the way will be 11 members of the victorious European Ryder Cup Team, including World #1 Lee Westwood, reigning Abu Dhabi Golf Champion and PGA Champion Martin Kaymer, U.S Open Champion Graeme McDowell, Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and completing the ‘Major’ line up World #4 and reigning U.S. Masters Champion Phil Mickelson visiting Abu Dhabi for the first time. Also in the impressive line up are charismatic WGC – World Matchplay Champion Ian Poulter, two-time Abu Dhabi Golf Championship winner Paul Casey and European Tour Rookie of the Year and Abu Dhabi Ambassador Matteo Manassero, making for one of the European Tours strongest events.
“We are delighted to welcome the European Tour back to Abu Dhabi Golf Club and to have such an illustrious field is a testament to just how much the players enjoy visiting Abu Dhabi. We have some great new additions to the course and the falcon clubhouse has undergone a full refurbishment, which is going to make for the perfect setting for what we all believe will be yet another stunning championship,’ commented Ken Kosak, General Manager, Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Having already received considerable praise from the world’s best players, the additional length and strategic bunkering, as well as the refurbishment of existing bunkers, will add to the visual appeal and difficulty of the Troon Golf managed venue. New tees have been built on holes #8 and #10 – both par-5’s, and extensions made to the 6th and 14th, making the testing course 7,590 yards for the 2011 event.
As Abu Dhabi’s meteoric rise to be one of the world’s top destinations continues, TDIC, the master developer of tourism, cultural and residential destinations in Abu Dhabi, which owns Abu Dhabi Golf Club, will unveil further developments at the club in the imminent future. A Westin Hotel & Spa is being developed to open in 2011, which will sit alongside the iconic clubhouse, making the ideal base for visiting golfers. TDIC’s sustained investment in leisure facilities represents its ongoing commitment to further establishing Abu Dhabi Golf Club as one of the world's premier golfing destinations.
‘The Westin is going to make a significant statement about Abu Dhabi Golf Club as an international venue, but also the continued development of Abu Dhabi’s burgeoning tourism industry as the emirate’s first golf resort,’ continued Kosak. ‘The opening date is schedule for the 3rd quarter of this year. It is an exciting year for golf in the capital city of the UAE with three fantastic golf clubs to play and we are looking forward to welcoming golf and leisure guests in 2011.’
