Abu Dhabi: Double Major Champion and 3-time winner of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Martin Kaymer, has applauded the challenging changes to The National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club ahead of the 12th edition of the Championship from January 19-22.
Kaymer, Championship course record-holder, believes that minor golf course changes throw up the most effective test — something he feels the Championship has achieved well.
“A few changes have been made over the last two or three years and I think it’s one of those golf courses where you see that those were good changes,” commented the German Major winner. “Sometimes these days, they change golf courses just to make them longer, but longer doesn’t always mean better or more difficult.”
Kaymer and 125 of the world’s leading golfers, including defending Champion Rickie Fowler, World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, US Open Champion Dustin Johnson and Open Champion Henrik Stenson, will face a cunningly tweaked course when they tee it up in the Capital.
Clinton Southorn, Director of Agronomy at Abu Dhabi Golf Club explains “the changes we have been made since the 2016 Championship have been more refinements than major alterations. Green extensions on holes seven and nine are the most notable changes — the seventh green has been extended on the right-hand side increasing the putting surface by some 25 per cent and, importantly, providing space for more testing pin positions. The 9th green has also been extended to the right, again providing the opportunity for more challenging pin positions bringing the large greenside bunker into play.”
Another small but notable amendment for 2017 is on the picturesque par-three fourth hole, where a small change in the green contours adds to the degree of difficulty.
Now a ball landing to the right of the pin risks feeding off the green and down the tightly mowed fringe to find the water hazard. Additionally, all the bunkers will revert to having broomed faces with the bottom areas raked to enhance the presentation and make for more consistent lies.
Kaymer will be pleased to find that no new changes have been made to the iconic 18th hole, of which he has fond memories of winning his maiden European Tour title.
“My favourite hole has to be the 18th; I think it is one of the best par-fives that we play, especially for my type of game,” he said. “The tee shot fits my eye perfectly and my ball flight very well. I can aim at that left hand bunker and just let the ball fade into the fairway and then the second shot is a great one towards the long, large green. “I have great memories of that hole when I won my first European tour event in 2008.”
Peter German, Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Tournament Director commented: “The changes we have made for 2017 aren’t major, but each of them has been strategically implemented to provide a different and new challenge for the players by enhancing the degree of difficulty. The Championship course is renowned for providing a tough but fair test and we look forward to watching the world’s best, including first-timers such as US Open Champion Dustin Johnson, take it on in January.”
The 12th Championship will welcome 126 players including defending champion Rickie Fowler and a galaxy of global stars including Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett, Branden Grace, Alex Noren, Thomas Pieters, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Thongchai Jaidee and the newly announced Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn.
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council and will take place from 19 — 22 January 2017 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
