McIlroy hopes to shine in Abu Dhabi
Young Irish golfer eyes victory in fifth edition of Abu Dhabi Golf Championship
Abu Dhabi: Irish young gun and world number 10, Rory McIlroy, is hoping to give the 126-strong field a run for its money at January's 5th Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
McIlroy — who finished second in the inaugural Race To Dubai, has always been at ease in Abu Dhabi having finished 11th in 2008 and 5th in 2009.
And the 20-year-old golfing sensation, who shot to fame with a superb opening three-under-par 68 in the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, the only bogey-free round of the day, is hoping to make it third time lucky in the UAE capital tournament, running January 21 to 24 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club's Par-72 National Course.
Confidence
"This will be my third outing in Abu Dhabi and I am well aware how important a decent showing here can be. Earlier this year, I shot a number of good rounds on The National Course which gave me the confidence to clinch my maiden European Tour victory in Dubai two weeks later," said the star from Holywood, Northern Ireland.
"The field in Abu Dhabi is always strong, but I've proved that I can hold my own against the best. I've improved each year at this event and I know I've got what it takes on the day. It would be a great start to my season if I can come away with a result in Abu Dhabi."
McIlroy — who finished tied third in the 2009 US PGA Championship — will have his work cut out for him in next year's Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the first major stop on the 2010 European Tour, with a host of the world's top golfers already confirmed.
"The addition of Rory McIlroy to the Championship line-up is great news for the event and brings a fresh dimension to the tournament," said Faisal Al Shaikh, Head, Major Events Division, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which organises the event.
"McIlroy is a young golfer with an extremely bright future ahead of him and we know he'll attract a huge following from Irish residents throughout the Gulf who are passionate about their country and the game."
All four days of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship will be covered live on high definition TV, reaching a cumulative global audience of over 400 million. The 2010 Championship formally begins on January 20 with the Al Masaood Pro-Am and Awards Gala.
