Young golfing sensations to challenge the best in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: Two of Europe's brightest young golfing talents, Matteo Manassero and Tom Lewis, are hoping strong Abu Dhabi connections will serve them well when they take on a who's who of the world's top players at the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship next month.

Italy's Manassero and Englishman Lewis, aged 18 and 20 respectively, both have extensive experience of Abu Dhabi Golf Club's National Course.

Manassero, a global golf ambassador for Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (Adta), the championship organiser, will contest his third consecutive Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, while Lewis dismantled the par 72 course with a stunning round of 64 en route to finishing second in the 2009 Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship.

So they will go into the course's big event of 2012 between January 26 and 29 — when they will compete in a field including the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald — feeling confident.

With a prize fund of $2.7 million (Dh10 million) up for grabs, the event will also feature players such as Martin Kaymer, Paul Casey, Charl Schwartzel, Darren Clarke, Jason Day and K.J. Choi. Having broken records at every stage of his fledgling career, Manassero, who has two PGA European Tour wins to his name, is eager to make it third time lucky in Abu Dhabi.

"The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship is one of the biggest tournaments we play in all year outside of the Majors and the World Golf Championships, so I am hoping to make a good start to the year to help my quest for Ryder Cup qualification," said Manassero, who became the youngest winner in European Tour history when winning the Castello Masters in October 2010 aged 17 years and 188 days.

"I first played in Abu Dhabi on an amateur invitation in 2010. Although I've made the cut both times I've played in Abu Dhabi, I haven't really featured on the leaderboard and that is my aim this January."

After claiming his maiden European Tour title in only his third professional start at October's Portugal Masters, Lewis is relishing the prospect of kicking-off his first full year as a professional on familiar territory.

"It's going to be great coming back to Abu Dhabi — time has really flown since the junior tournament two years ago," said Lewis, "Pretty much every tournament in 2012 is going to be a new experience, so being in Abu Dhabi will be great because it is a course I know well… The field is amazing and I'm crossing my fingers that I get paired with one of the top names, like Luke Donald or Tiger Woods at some point during the week."

Adta Events Manager Faisal Al Shaikh said: "Our commitment to bringing the world's best players to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship every year is only matched by our steadfast support of grassroots golf, both locally and internationally, so it is fantastic to see protégés from the Junior Golf Championship, like Tom, returning to contest the main event. As for Matteo, who works so hard promoting Abu Dhabi internationally as a world-class golf destination, he can be assured of a hero's welcome on his return to the National."