The DP World Tour is back this week with a strong field set to compete at the Yas Links in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Damien Kayat previews.
2022 DP World Tour
Rolex Series
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
Yas Links, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
20th-23rd January
It has been nearly two months since the newly minted DP World Tour’s ignominious debut at the Joburg Open. It was reduced to 36 holes as the Omicron variant wreaked havoc with the tour’s debut event.
The tour will be looking to relaunch with the first leg of the Middle East swing. A star-studded field should allow the tour to distance itself from its embarrassing opening salvo.
This will be the 17th edition of the Abu Dhabi Championship and the first of two consecutive Rolex Series events. The stage is set for a potentially epic grudge match between World Number Two Collin Morikawa and European icon Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy was left tearing his own shirt in frustration after blowing the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. It crowned an exceptional year for Open champion Morikawa (who became the first American to claim the European Order of Merit).
Just to shake things up, this year’s event will take place at a brand-new course: Yas Links.
Yas Links is situated on the popular leisure island Yas Island. Yas Links opened as recently as 2010 and is being referred to as the first ‘true’ links course in the UAE. Designed Kingsbarns architect Kyle Phillips, this links course will feature dramatic desert vistas and should provide a true test for the professionals.
The Paspalum grass layout features plenty of dunes and well-placed bunkers. Players will need to be accurate this week from the tee and may need to find specific spots in the fairway to attack the greens.
As with all Middle East events, I think it’s vital to consider form in this region. Links form should also prove crucial in determining this week’s champion with winds expected to bellow around Yas Links.
Rory McIlroy just edges Collin Morikawa in the betting markets. This is obviously due to his ridiculous form in this event. Though never a winner, the Northern Irishman has four runner-up finishes and four 3rd place finishes.
He is a links and desert golf specialist. On the flip side, Open champ Collin Morikawa will be playing in this event for the first time. This probably won’t be too significant this week given the change in venue.
Morikawa enjoyed a solid start to the PGA Tour, finishing in a tie for 5th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. This week represents his 3rd opportunity to capture the World Number One spot.
This week’s field will also feature defending champ Tyrell Hatton and World Number Seven Viktor Hovland.
Past Winners
2021: Tyrell Hatton (-18)
2020: Lee Westwood (-19)
2019: Shane Lowry (-18)
2018: Tommy Fleetwood (-22)
2017: Tommy Fleetwood (-17)
To Win Outright:
Rory McIlroy 13/2 | Collin Morikawa 7/1 | Viktor Hovland 10/1 | Tommy Fleetwood 22/1 | Shane Lowry 25/1
Value Bets
Adam Scott- To Win (45/1), To Place (19/2)
Scott last tasted victory in the 2020 Genesis Invitational at Riviera and he could be due a big week. He had a largely disappointing 2021 before picking up some momentum towards the end of the year. He finished in a tie for 2nd at the Wyndham Championship before a T5 at the CJ Cup. Scott has finished inside the top 10 of the Open Championship on five occasions. He also has decent desert credentials, twice winning the Qatar Masters in Doha. This combination of desert and links credibility makes him an interesting dark horse this week.
Haotong Li- To Win 140/1 | To Place 30/1
Sure, Haotong Li endured a disgusting 2021 campaign. Sorry, I just couldn’t think of a better word to describe it. He was cut in his first 13 events. Ouch! His first made cut was a decent T14 at the Alfred Dunhill Links (thus showing he has what it takes for links golf). He obviously must have been hugely affected by all the Covid disruptions. Li is a talented iron player who has won in the desert before, winning the 2018 Omega Dubai Desert Classic. More importantly, his form seems to have turned. He recently finished runner-up at the Volvo China Open and he was in a tie for 3rd after 54 holes at last week’s Sony Open (he had to ultimately settle for a T12 finish). This could be a chance for him to show what he’s really made of.
The Man to Beat: Tommy Fleetwood- To Win 22/1 | To Place 48/10
I’m opting to swerve the three favourites this week. I could probably make a great case for all three of them. But their prices are quite low on a course that is new to everyone. I have instead decided to opt for value in desert specialist Tommy Fleetwood. A two-time winner of this event at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Fleetwood has finished inside the top 30 in his last ten visits to desert courses in this region. This week should be a severe test of precision iron play and accuracy from the tee. Yas Links should suit Fleetwood, who ranked 2nd for Greens in Regulation and 6th for SG: Tee-to-green on the 2021 European Tour. Fleetwood needs a pick-me-up and I think this week could be a defining moment for him.
