Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship News

Stenson eyes ultimate Abu Dhabi prize on 10 year tournament anniversary

Man of the moment and UAE golfing favourite Henrik Stenson will leverage his decade-long affinity with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship as a driving force to take the Falcon Trophy at the event’s tenth anniversary in January. Having played in Abu Dhabi since day one, the former UAE resident, who earlier this week defended his DP World Tour Championship title and has twice been a Championship runner up – in 2006 and 2008 – says his deep knowledge and love of the event has him well positioned to finally taste success in the emirate.
“I’ve seen first-hand and experienced the Championship’s incredible growth over the past 10 years and I feel very proud to have been a part of it all,” said the newly crowned world number two.

“It’s truly a world-class event on a world-class course and year-on-year it consistently attracts the strongest field in the Gulf. I’ve always found it the best possible way to start my season, and there’s extra incentive for me next year given my long association with the tournament.”
This year has seen Stenson reach a career-high record of world number two on two occasions, as well as achieving career-best finishes in The Masters, U.S. Open and PGA Championship. The 38-year-old topped off the year playing an integral role in the victorious Team Europe during September’s Ryder Cup and in Dubai this week he successfully defended a title for the first time in his career.
“After an incredible season last year, it has been a good year of new achievements for me and I’m feeling very confident going into 2015,” said Stenson, who made history in 2013 by winning both the European Tour and US PGA Tour.

The long-time Abu Dhabi stalwart has a unique opportunity to make next season another record-breaking year by becoming the first player to complete the clean sweep of Gulf titles. Stenson has already recorded big wins in Dubai and Qatar, as well as the Race to Dubai in 2013.
“With three Gulf titles already under my belt, winning on the National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club is up there at the top of my list of goals next year,” said Gothenburg-born Stenson, who made the UAE his home for almost 10 years.
Stenson joins an all-star cast for the January 15-18 Championship hoping for a slice of the US $2.7 million prize purse that includes world number one Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose and Matteo Manassero.
“Henrik has been playing in Abu Dhabi for such a long time that he’s almost become part of the fixtures,” said Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director Tourism, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), which owns and organises the Championship.
“It would be a fairy-tale story if he won the Falcon Trophy on the championship’s tenth anniversary, but Henrik knows as well as anyone that he’ll have to be at his best against another strong field of the world’s greatest.”

HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship & Events Giles Morgan said: “The big names just keep on coming and it’s great to see Henrik line up alongside Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer and many other world class players in what has truly become the jewel in the crown of Middle Eastern golf. As a long-term international sponsor of the sport, we’ve seen the strength of the fields for our global flagship events just grow and grow – we’ve seen it in Shanghai for HSBC Champions, we’ve seen it in Singapore for HSBC Women’s Champions and in the last few years the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship has evolved into a genuinely world class event. It’s clear the tournament has a place in many of the players’ hearts and everything is building nicely towards what promises to be an unmissable tenth anniversary celebration in January.”

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