RAK Championship: Bernd Wiesberger wants to add a title in the Middle East
36-year-old Austrian has secured nine top-10 finishes in the region so far
Dubai: Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger has his sights set on a maiden Middle East victory at this week’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital, having secured nine top 10 finishes in the region.
The 36-year-old, who made his Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits last year, becoming the first Austrian to represent Team Europe, came agonisingly close to victory in last year’s AVIV Dubai Championship, missing out by a stroke to Joachim B. Hansen at Jumeirah Golf Estates and he’s aiming to go one step further Al Hamra Golf Club.
“I love playing in this part of the world and I’ve had some good results here, I’m just missing a win,” said Wiesberger, an eight-time winner on the DP World Tour. “They really take good care of the players and the surroundings, everything is right there - the golf courses here make it a major golfing destination for a lot of people around the globe.
“They have great facilities and great golf courses and try to present them as challenging as possible for us which I prefer and therefore it’s always a good atmosphere for me. I feel comfortable and the weather plays its part as well so all that adds up to hopefully another enjoyable week here in Ras Al Khaimah.”
This week’s event, taking place from February 3-6, will see Ras Al Khaimah become the third emirate to host a DP World Tour event and Wiesberger is relishing the opportunity to add another new playing experience to his CV on the stunning Al Hamra course.
“It’s nice to experience new challenges and new golf courses,” he said. “I heard nice things about Ras Al Khaimah, I’ve never personally been there and it’s a new territory for the majority of players so I’m looking forward to having another tournament in the UAE in our schedule.”
Despite never having played the course before, Wiesberger, who got 2022 off to a solid start with a tied 12thin the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship followed by a tied 24th in the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, is confident that he has the game to overcome the Peter Harradine-designed track.
“To be honest, I feel like I can adapt quickly so we’ll have a good idea about the course after a couple of practice rounds. It’s true that we don’t often come to complete new grounds on the Tour because most courses come back in loops over the years but I always felt that I have quick transition into different golf courses and adapt and see the opportunities and challenges that each one represents. I’m sure we’ll do just fine in Ras Al Khaimah as well.”
Free tickets are available for the Ras Al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital via Ticketmaster: https://www.ticketmaster.ae/artist/ras-al-khaimah-championship-tickets/1129884.