Abu Dhabi: The UAE’s fashionistas will be in full swing this Friday as the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship’s ‘Ladies’ Day’ returns for what organisers say will be an absolutely fabulous day of fun and prizes, including a trip of a lifetime to New York, courtesy of Championship partners Etihad Airways and The St. Regis Saadiyat Island.
To be in with a chance for the New York trip, female championship-goers, who will enter the host Abu Dhabi Golf Club (ADGC) free on Friday, must dress up to the nines and vie for the title of 2016 ‘Best Dressed Lady’. On Saturday, ADGC’s National course fairways will be lined with red, as the ‘Dress in Red Day’ returns, giving free entry for those wearing anything red.
Meanwhile, top English lady professional golfer Melissa Reid, last year’s Ladies’ European Tour (LET) Order of Merit runner-up, will host a special Ladies’ Day clinic at ADGC’s sister Saadiyat Beach Golf Club with tips and advice to those looking to improve their game.
Ladies’ Day golf clinic places are limited to 30 people and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to female members of Golf in Abu Dhabi clubs. Members should contact their club managers for further details.
In terms of the event, while the superstar cast, which includes four of the world’s top six players, including world number one Jordan Spieth, battle it out on the challenging Par 3 course, and the ladies strut their stuff, there’s more off-course activity lined up for spectators.
This year the Championship Village’s hugely popular HSBC Fan Zone will be complemented by the HSBC Beach Club. Village-goers can test their golfing skills with HSBC sporting ambassadors, including British tennis ace Tim Henman and the US golfer and 2014 HSBC Women’s Champion Paula Creamer, on hand to give expert tips.
Golfing superstars will also drop by the Village to surprise over the weekend to surprise fans.
“The spectators are as much a part of the Championship as the world-class field,” said Ahmad Al Qubaisi, Director of Marketing and Communication at Abu Dhabi Sports Council, which owns the Championship. “This year the field is perhaps the strongest ever in the Championship’s 11-year-history and, together with HSBC and our other partners, we’ve boosted the spectator programme to match.
“Women’s golf is growing in popularity and we want to inspire ladies of all ages and nationalities to enjoy the game. Yet the weekend isn’t confined to one group – it’s truly for everyone with a wide-range of world-class facilities and activities making it all-inclusive.”
HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship and Events, Giles Morgan, added: “Whether you’re a seasoned golf aficionado or it’s your first visit to a golf tournament, we want you to have as much fun off the course as on it and that’s why we’ve got everything from golf coaching to Michelin-starred cuisine lined up this year in a festival of family-friendly entertainment. Ladies’ Day has become one of many highlights of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship experience, it really is an event not to be missed.”
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship runs from January 21-24 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and is presented by ADSC. Tickets and tailored packages are available via the event’s official website www.abudhabigolfchampionship.com at Dhs50 for a daily pass and Dhs150 for a four-day pass. Guests staying at any Abu Dhabi hotel over the Championship period enter free.
