Abu Dhabi title defence feels really good, says Stal

Abu Dhabi: Gary Stal is relaxed and excited about defending his title at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, despite the “very strange” sensation of being catapulted into the limelight.

The unheralded Frenchman was a surprise winner at Abu Dhabi Golf Club last year, capitalising on a remarkable capitulation from the three-time champion Martin Kaymer.

The German blew a 10-shot lead in the fourth and final round, allowing Stal to overhaul him and secure his first and only European Tour title with a bogey-free 65.

On Tuesday, Stal admitted that seeing his face adorn the tournament billboards alongside golfing luminaries Jordan Spieth, the world number one, and Rory McIlroy, was a disorientating experience.

However, the 23-year-old is unfazed by the prospect of competing with the illustrious duo at the event between Thursday and Saturday.

“I feel really good,” said the word number 136, speaking through a translator. “I love the course. It’s going to be the first time that I defend a title, so that’s going to be quite exciting.”

Following Stal’s Abu Dhabi heroics, he secured a creditable joint fourth-place finish at the Dubai Desert Classic last February.

After that, however, Stal failed to make a major impact at other tournaments.

“It’s kind of a common phenomenon that, when you win, you deal with things that you’re not used to,” he explained. “I continued to practice and work hard, and I just have to accept that it will come back again.

“But for that period of time, it was something new and I had to deal with it. I feel now that I’m ready for the next step again.”

Stal has paid particular attention to his short game during the off season in his bid for an improved 2016.

“I worked a lot on chipping and that part of the game. I didn’t change my swing at all. I just continued to practice what I knew and I feel that with the work that I’ve put in, I’m prepared for this season.”

Reflecting on his stunning success last year, Stal says his final round remains one of his best.

“I could have done maybe a couple of putts more. I could have done a little bit better. But I didn’t miss a green and I had a lot of putts that did drop, so yeah, I feel that was probably one of the better ones.”

But does he feel Kaymer’s collapse overshadowed his triumph?

“I feel that had I won the tournament on the 18th because whoever was leading did a triple bogey on the last hole, yeah, then I would have been lucky. But I knew that I was already leading on the 14th hole, and I resisted the pressure.

“I feel that I deserved the victory, on top of the fact that I shot 65. It was unfortunate, obviously, that Martin lost the lead by so many shots. But I feel good about my victory.”