TEE TIMES: Abu Dhabi Championship

DP World Tour : Abu Dhabi Championship Tee Times

Here we go, two weeks in the UAE to wrap up the 2024 Race to Dubai.

Rory is the story, he is well ahead in the points and looking to tie the immortal Seve Ballesteros with 6 wins.

If he wins or even places well this week on the Yas Links just outside Abu Dhabi where the top 70 are gathered, nobody will be able to catch up to him next week where the top 50 from this week will qualify for the Tour Championship.

However lots to play for all around and the weather forecast is for much less wind than usual, hot and humid so the greens will be holding. Rory predicts a low scoring shootout. Weather

Canada's Aaron Cockerill has been practicing like most of the guys, for the last two weeks at his home in Dubai and he begins play ranked #47.

8.12am (local)  (11.12pm est)

1st Aaron Cockerill, Dylan Frittelli (RSA), Brandon Stone (RSA)

9.23 (local) (12.13am est)

1st Rory McIlroy (NIR) Thirston Lawrence (RSA), Rasmus Hojgaard (DEN)

* Remember the top 10 guys in points get dual membership on the DP and PGA Tours, a huge albeit controversial  caveat for the DP World Tour rank and file.

DP World Tour veteran scribes see it as the Tour giving away their best players, the players see the money in America, like Matthieu Pavon who had such a sensational run last year on the PGA Tour winning the $20,000,000 Farmers Insurance on Torrey Pines and T3 at Pebble Beach the following week, worth nearly $5,000,000 in prize money and a two year exemption amongst all the baubles that came with it.

Bryan Angus

Abu Dhabi Championship : McIlroy favourite to win record tying 6th Race to Dubai

 The DP World Tour season has reached its final sprint with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship marking the return of the Rolex Series and the start of the DP World Tour Play-Offs. 

New-look DP World Tour Play-Offs

This week sees Phase Three of the DP World Tour season - the DP World Tour Play-Offs - begin as the eyes of the golfing world focus on the United Arab Emirates over the next fortnight. Having been held in January since its inception in 2006, this year the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship moves to a new slot on the DP World Tour schedule as part of a new initative on the Race to Dubai. The top 70 available players have made their way to Abu Dhabi for the first of two new-look season-ending Play-Offs, with the top 50 then advancing to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

Harry Vardon Trophy state of play

With just two events to go in the campaign, Rory McIlroy arrives in the Middle East on course to equal the late, great Seve Ballesteros' record of six Harry Vardon trophies. The reigning Race to Dubai champion opened his 2024 season with a runner-up finish at the Dubai Invitational, before a successful title defense at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. He then enjoyed strong performances at the first three men's Majors of the year, narrowly missing out on victory at the U.S. Open. Back-to-back runner-up finishes at Royal County Down and Wentworth Club then cemented him at the summit of the season-long standings. His nearest challenger is South Africa's Thriston Lawrence, who trails by more than 1,500 Race to Dubai Points and arrives looking to mount a title challenge as he prepares to earn dual membership status with the PGA TOUR. Rasmus Højgaard is next, just under 2,000 points adrift of McIlroy in third after earning his fifth DP World Tour title at the Amgen Irish Open in September. Statistically there are still 37 players in with a chance of winning the Harry Vardon Trophy, but the caveat is that is based on McIlroy finishing last in Abu Dhabi and Dubai next week. 

• Entry List

The return of the Rolex Series

While there have been a raft of new initiatives, the 2024 season has maintained the consistent thread of featuring five Rolex Series events. The time has come for the fourth such prestige event on the schedule, with many of the Tour's finest players teeing it up for a prize fund of $9 million, a share of the 9,000 points at stake on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, and 2,000 Ryder Cup Points on offer. So far this year on the Rolex Series, launched in 2017, McIlroy won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic for a record fourth time, Robert MacIntyre won the Genesis Scottish Open and Billy Horschel denied McIlroy and Lawrence in a play-off to win the BMW PGA Championship. Across those three events, the winning margin has been no more than one shot and another unmissable weekend awaits.

Inside the field

A stellar line-up of talent has assembled in Abu Dhabi, with nine of the top ten and eighteen of the top 20 on the Race to Dubai making the trip for the start of the DP World Tour Play-Offs. As already mentioned, McIlroy leads the field but there are a host of other headline names in action. Fellow Major champions Adam Scott, Shane Lowry and Justin Rose along with Olympic Silver Medalist Tommy Fleetwood provide further star attraction. Among a host of other DP World Tour stars are Min Woo Lee, MacIntyre and the Højgaard twins. Of the 39 players to win a title on the 2024 Race to Dubai, 28 are teeing it up this week. David Micheluzzi of Australia is the only player set to make their Rolex Series debut.

The venue

Designed by Kyle Phillips and opened in 2010, Yas Links has been described by its creator as the first true links golf course in the Middle East. The par 72 layout, measuring 7,425 yards, staged the tournament for the third time in 2022 and lies across the road from the Yas Marina Circuit. Eight of the holes run along the coastline, providing wonderful views of the Arabian Gulf. While the course is regarded as being generous off the tee, Tournament Director Miguel Vidaor says players will have to be wary of being too aggressive with the rough longer than for the past two editions. "It’s quite wide for the tee shots but if you go in some of those areas in the rough then it is much more punishing than it has ever been," Vidaor said. Other characteristics of Yas Links are the size of the greens, making putting an extra challenge if your approach play is slightly off, and the variety in length of holes, with the closing four holes often proving a particular challenge as they invariably play into a breeze. "They are going to be a great test for these guys," added Vidaor.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

European Challenge Tour finale for DP World Tour cards....live scoreboard

 DP World Challenge Tour : Rolex Challenge Tour Finale' 

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A, after producing a sensational ten under par round of -9 62 record on moving day. 

The Dane fired ten birdies without a blemish to reach 22 under par for the week at Club de Golf Alcanada and lead by one from overnight leader Angel Ayora from Spain.

The 25-year-old earned automatic promotion to the DP World Tour in September after securing three wins on the 2024 Road to Mallorca, and he is now looking to earn his fourth victory of the campaign and become just the second Danish winner of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final after Marcus Helligkilde in 2021.

Neergaard-Petersen started the day five shots off the lead, but got off to the perfect start, closing the gap to Ayora at the top by carding three birdies in his opening five holes.

While Ayora could only make the turn in level par, Neergaard-Petersen added a fourth gain of the day at the ninth to reduce the deficit to one as he headed to the back nine.

Neergaard-Petersen then climbed into the outright lead for the first time in Mallorca with birdies at the tenth and 11th, before making three in a row from the 13th, and a closing birdie on 18 to make sure of his place at the top.

The 25-year-old is projected to climb to the top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings and would become the fourth player from Denmark to be crowned Challenge Tour Number One after Helligkilde (2021), Joachim B Hansen (2018) and Thomas Bjørn (1995).

“I played great today and felt a lot better than yesterday,” he said. “I got the putter rolling, especially on the back nine, and it was fun to be out there.

“The whole point of me being here this week is to finish at the top of the Rankings, and I knew I was going to have to go low to catch up with Angel because he is playing great.

“I kept it really simple today and made sure to take advantage of the easy holes and the par fives. I made some great putts and hit a lot of wedges pretty close. I’m pleased with my game today and it was great to make ten birdies.

“Angel is playing great and he looking to get that Number One spot too. It’s going to be exciting for everyone tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to it.”

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Aaron Cockerill joins Hojgaard twins and DP World Tour elite in Abu Dhabi playoff

 DP World : Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Entry List

Højgaard twins Rasmus and Nicolai earned their places in the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs after qualifying for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, taking place at Yas Links from November 7-10.

The Danish pair join the world class field set to compete in Abu Dhabi in the fourth Rolex Series event of the season, which is the first tournament in the new-look season-ending Play-Offs. The top 70 available players from the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex will compete next week in Abu Dhabi, with the top 50 then advancing to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

Also teeing it up at Yas Links will be four-time Major winner and defending Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy, fellow Major Champions Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Adam Scott and Olympic Silver Medalist Tommy Fleetwood among a host of DP World Tour stars including Canadian Aaron Cockerill who is enjoying his best season, this his 5th, placing 47th in the  Race to Dubai standings having risen as high as 9th after a T4 in January at the Dubai Desert Classic which was won by McIlroy.

" It was fun, that's where you want to be in that situation, he said of the big money atmosphere, there are great crowds, it was a great tournament with such a cool vibe. Playing some of those holes looking at the massive skyline in the background, it doesn't even look real"  Cockerill and his wife Chelsea and daughter Addison are enjoying life in their new home in Dubai as he prepares for the season finale.

Rasmus Hojgaard, winner of last year's DP World Tour Championship, returns to the UAE next week to take part in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links. Getty Images

Rasmus is currently in third position on the Race to Dubai Rankings, thanks to an impressive 2024 campaign which also saw him win his fifth DP World Tour title at the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down in September.

He is just under 2,000 points behind McIlroy in the season-long standings, but a strong performance at Yas Links would give him an outside chance of claiming the Race to Dubai if he were to emulate his twin brother’s success from last year and win the DP World Tour Championship.

It will be his fourth appearance in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, with his best result to date coming on his last outing in 2022 when he finished in a share of 20th place.

Nicolai earned his place in the field in Abu Dhabi after finishing in a share of ninth at last week’s Genesis Championship. Following on from successive top-20 results at the FedEx Open de France and Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, the 2023 Ryder Cup star, moved up to 67th on the Rankings to claim a place as he hopes to ascend further still and defend his DP World Tour Championship crown.

“One of my goals for this year was to defend my DP World Tour Championship title, so I’m hoping for a big week at Yas Links to move further up the Rankings and make that Top 50."

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

DP World Tour final rankings.. Aaron Cockerill 47th..Playoff scenario..

 DP World Tour : Rankings

The regular season on the DP World Tour is over and the top 114 have earned their 2025 playing cards. For the rankings click on my link above.

Rory McIlroy won the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai title for a fifth time in 2023

McIlroy, Lawrence, Hojgaard R, Horschel, Fleetwood, Manassero, Nørgaard, Svensson, MacIntyre and Hoshino are the top 10 with Adam Scott just behind at #11.  

PLAYOFF

Now the top 70 advance to Abu Dhabi on the Yas Links course to play for a place in the top 50 who will play the Tour Championship finale on the Earth Course in Dubai.

Despite missing the cut, Aaron Cockerill dropped just one place to #47 after what has been his best season so he automatically qualifies for Abu Dhabi beginning  next week November 7th.

He will then need a good week to maintain that top 50 spot to qualify for the Tour Championship.

Bryan Angus

An beats Kim in Korea....Final results..

DP World Tour : Genesis Korean Championship...Results

Byeong Hun An defeated fellow South Korean Tom Kim in a play-off to secure his second DP World Tour title at the Genesis Championship.

Birdies were dropping in from the start by the contenders as six players held the lead in some capacity at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club on Sunday.

The carousel at the top of leaderboard was in full flow until Kim jumped one shot clear heading down the last when An lipped out for bogey at the penultimate hole.

Both landed their approach to eight feet for birdie putts, with An applying the pressure by draining his effort to move back alongside Kim at 17 under.

Kim needed to sink his to claim the one-shot victory, but he lipped out and the two home favourites were forced into a play-off.

Both played risky second shots when replaying the par-five last, but Kim was left in a precarious position which resulted in him shooting into the main stand with his third and carding a bogey. 

An had two putts for the title on home soil and only needed one to seal his first victory on the DP World Tour since lifting the 2015 BMW PGA Championship, nine years and 156 days ago.

"It's great, I've had a great season obviously, it's been too long (to win) on the main Tour," An said.

"All I tried to do is show some great golf in front of the home fans, it's been a while since I've played in front of them.

"It feels amazing, it's a bit of a shame that Tom had a bit of mess there, but it's been a great tournament for me, I've really enjoyed it.

"There has been a lot of fans out there supporting me and Tom and I feel like we had a great battle today. I just got a little bit lucky to be a winner out there today I think.

"It's a sweet ending for this year, it's been a great year. This feels amazing, I'm going enjoy it for a while then I've got to get back on it."

European tour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Top Koreans Kim, An lead into Sunday...Genesis Championship.. full results/leaderboard

 DP World Tour : Genesis Championship Leaderboard

Byeong Hun An was forced to endure an attritional Moving Day to join fellow South Korean Tom Kim at the summit of the Genesis Championship.

The home favourite had birdied the most holes during the first two rounds and looked set to accelerate from the chasing pack when he picked up a shot at the first on a glorious Saturday at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.

However, the World Number 36 only picked up two more shots, alongside two bogeys, in his one under 71 to sit alongside Kim at 12 under par.

The pair are one shot ahead of Frenchman Antoine Rozner, who carded a seven under 65 to initially set the clubhouse target, Portugal's Ricardo Gouveia and Italian Francesco Laporta in Incheon.

"I struggled a little bit today," An said. "The last two rounds have been almost perfect. I didn't have many birdie chances out there and when I did, I would just miss it by a little bit.

"It was one of those days. It's golf. It's been great the last few days, it happens and hopefully better tomorrow."

"I don't think it can get any better. I said at the start of the week that I would love to play with Tom in the final group on Sunday and hopefully one of us can come out on top"

Tom Kim : "Obviously I've made a few mistakes this week, but those little things are coming together to back up those mistakes.

"What happened on 15, you can't control it, you know, one bad swing. You are really unlucky, hit the cart path and it's out of bounds. I had no idea!

"I told myself going up to that next tee that I'm making sure I'm birdieing a few holes coming in."

Rozner rolled in eight birdies and a bogey to catapult himself into contention, with Laporta recording a roller coaster round of seven gains, three dropped shots and a double bogey.

Gouveia, who started the week in 154th place, moved up to provisional 107th in the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex after carding a -3 69 to boost his chances of earning his playing rights for next season at -11

Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Japan's Rikuya Hoshino and Spaniard Alejandro Del Rey are at -10

South African Brandon Stone, New Zealand's Daniel Hillier and first round leader Ivan Cantero are one shot further back at -9

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)