While most of the attention (and appearance money), at least on this side of the Atlantic will be on Tiger's 2012 debut, the world's top 4 golfers also make their's and here is my report on them, tee times and some notes on things I have noticed you may have missed so far this year.
Luke Donald is aiming to improve his long game ahead of this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship after some advice from arguably the game’s greatest ever player.
World Number One Donald enjoyed a dream year in 2011, winning the Race to Dubai, the US PGA Tour money list, his first World Golf Championship and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
But a first Major Championship still eludes him, so the Englishman has turned to the man with more of those on his CV than anyone else.
“Certainly I do believe the key to winning, for me to try and contend and win Majors, is to continually improve my driving,” said Donald.“I think Majors become trickier around the greens, and they are firmer, smaller greens usually. It's more prevalent to hit it in the fairways at Majors. It's something Jack Nicklaus told me last year - he thinks he was successful because he drove it very well. I think that's the area I would love to continue to improve.
“I certainly made some pretty good improvements last year, but I still have a long way to go.”he said as he prepares to line up alongside Tiger Woods and US Open Champion Rory McIlroy at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
“It’s a great draw,” said Donald. “I’m always excited to be in those kind of marquee groups, and it will be good to play with Tiger again. Obviously it's been a while, and got to play with Rory a few weeks ago in Dubai and looking forward to that pairing. It’s a fantastic group. Last year was a hugely important one for me in terms of dealing with pressure and being able to come out on top when it mattered.”
I had four and a half, five weeks off, since my last event, and put the clubs away for three weeks - didn't touch them and the last couple of weeks, just been working on very similar stuff worked on last year, really trying to get my swing a little bit more solid, especially with the longer clubs and create a bit more consistency with that. The overall goal for me is to continue to improve and get better. The goal every year is to try to win the biggest events, and those are the Majors. Obviously having a year like I did last year, I did everything but win a Major in a way. That would be at the top of my goals, to try and win a Major. But obviously you have to put yourself into contention first.”
Next, let me remind you that the hot favourite has to be Martin Kaymer who has won here in 2010,2011 was second in 2009, and won in 2008 !!
He is paired with Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia and despite his record he believes he is somewhat “under the radar” this week . I think there's less focus on me now,” said the German, when asked about the presence of former World Number One Tiger Woods.“I'm not playing in that group tomorrow, if you want to call it the best group to watch or the most entertaining. I know that people will want see Tiger, the Number One in the world [Luke Donald] and Rory McIlroy so that's a great group to watch. And I think Westwood, Sergio and me, we are a little bit under the radar, which is fine with me. But it always adds a little bit if Tiger Woods is here. You can see when he came on the putting green earlier, there are more people all of a sudden around you, and he has a very special aura''
Rory McIlroy has a great record at Abu Dhabi as well, he finished 11th, 5th, 3rd and 2nd in the event the past four years and would love to see that improvement continue. Remember he is just 22 years old and is the reigning US Open champion and #3 in the world.
Lee Westwood will be delighted to start 2012 as he ended 2011, winning in South Africa and Thailand either side of the Race to Dubai finale. He has a new putting coach who he feels has already made a big difference.
"The most pleasing thing was about four weeks prior to that I started working with Phil Kenyon, my new putting coach," said the world number two."To shoot 62 around Sun City and then 60 and 64 around the course in Thailand you need to start making a few 15-footers, which I've been missing for the previous 17 years! Once they start going in all of a sudden you turn what would be a good round of 65 into a 60 or 62."
Westwood's main aim for the season, of course, is to try to end his wait for a Major."I think it's very difficult to win a Major without making a few (putts) that are surprising or bonuses, so if I can start rolling in a few 25- to 30-footers that's obviously going to make a massive difference.
"The difference with Phil is that my practice is a lot more structured and based around drills to make sure that I do the same thing over and over again'
Tee times / pairings for Abu Dhabi http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012004/teetimes/index.html
Notes
* Abu Dhabi is in the UAE and is 8 hours ahead of EST.
* While Darren Clarke is still smoking heavily, he is on a fitness regime of sorts, hasn't had a drink of alcohol since New Year's and has shed 20 pounds of the weight he piled on after his Open win.
* However don't be alarmed if you haven't seen Colin Montgomerie yet this year, he has put on every pound and more that Darren has lost, and is simply as fat as I have ever seen him. Monty does this every year, he just can't control his diet during the off season, then he has to get on a health kick to lose it all over again..
* watch to see if Thomas Aiken wears his Rhino Revolution hat this week as he continues his charity to help save the Rhino from extinction.
* remember guys like Padraig Harrington, Nicholas Colsaerts, Charl Schwartzel not to forget Branden Grace have all got their season's well underway and are in great form, Grace of course has won the last 2 weeks in a row..
* the weather forecast is for sunny skies all 4 days, 20-23*C and little wind...
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles
(notes from europeantour.com )
No comments:
Post a Comment