The first round tee times have been published and I am drawn to play in a threeball at 8.30am on Thursday with last week’s winner on the DP World Tour, the Italian Open champion, Robert MacIntyre of Scotland and the tall Pole Adrian Meronk, who represents The Els Club, Dubai, in the Cazoo Open de France.
It is ironic that I have travelled so far around the world and I end up playing with someone who represents a golf club five minutes from our family home in Dubai Sports City.
It just shows what a small world we live in, but also the influence and importance that Dubai has globally, especially in the golf space.
Inspiring presence
Adrian is 10 years younger than me, but has impressed us all this season as he stands eighth in the current DP World Tour Rankings. I will watch him closely within the ropes and report back on how he plays in my Daily Diary this week.
We are in one of the marquee groups for TV, which is nice as defending champion this week. Let’s hope it inspires all of us.
Today was the Pro-Am Day and I teed off at 10.40am. I am also involved in the prize presentation later as well as having just completed a Q&A session with my amateur partners for my sponsors Aviv Dubai Clinics that also involved some media engagement with Canal+, the top French broadcaster with a loyalty to golf.
Today, I have played as well as worked hard in the gym with my trainer David. I now feel ready for the serious tournament work ahead.
Keeping it together
Just a note to thank my wife Rachel for being with me all this week. A golfer’s wife’s life looks so glamorous — but at times us golf pros are perhaps not the easiest to be around during the highs and lows of our golfing careers. The wives are the glue that keeps us all together and on track.
Rachel has been by my side all the time and I thank her for her support. She even popped round the corner from our accommodation this week to the local supermarket during Pro-Am day to get some essentials and goodies for me.
Back to the golf, looking at the weather forecast on Thursday, it all looks set to be fair with plenty of sun and a modest breeze, ideal for golf, and later in the week some light rain, but my immediate focus is all about round one.
Wish me luck and speak soon when I will report back to you all after day one.
— Nicolas Colsaerts, 39-year-old, is a Dubai Golden Visa Awardee. He is a three-time tournament winner on the DP World, a member of Team Europe in The 2012 Ryder Team in Medinah and is an Ambassador for Aviv Clinics, Dubai.
