Tickets to the tournament are free of charge.
Golf fans have been told to expect a bigger and even better Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship when it tees off on Yas Island on 20 January 2021.
The tournament is swapping the iconic falcon clubhouse of Abu Dhabi Golf Club for the stunning vistas of Yas Links Abu Dhabi, a move which Head of Middle East of the DP World Tour, Tom Phillips, believes will help the tournament reach news fans.
“We’re expecting it to be big; even bigger than normal;” Phillips says while looking on at the course which is readying itself with temporary new stands to cater for fans who will be allowed general admission free of charge.
“I think now with the move to Yas Links [Abu Dhabi] and Yas Island, you’re going to attract a broader crowd. We’re going to have an amazing village with entertainment, F&B, stuff to really cater for all of the family and you’re not only going to get that at that golf tournament; Yas Island has that in abundance with all its family attractions.”
The move to Yas Island for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship sees the event join other major sporting occasions on the island including the UFC’s fight island, Formula Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the ongoing FINA World Swimming Championship (25m).
The relocation is not only expected to benefit the game of golf in the UAE but also be another occasion where Abu Dhabi, in particular Yas Island, can showcase what it has to offer, both tourists and sporting organisations, something which Phillips says was an important consideration when finding a new 18 holes for the competition.
“We are really working closely with Miral, HSBC and Abu Dhabi Sports Council to really make this tournament part of a big promotion to put Abu Dhabi on the world map,” reveals Phillips. “We have talked about the people who are coming here but there will be millions of people tuning in from around the world so they are going to see a part of Abu Dhabi they have never seen before and that’s going to help put Abu Dhabi on the global map as well.”
So what about the course itself?
Of course, those who have had the pleasure of a round of 18 at the stunning course will talk of beautiful views that surround a picturesque course but players can expect to find a new host of challenges at Yas Links Abu Dhabi to differ from the previous lodgings, with the water and the breeze coming in from the Arabian Gulf expected to play their parts over the course of the four days.
For fans, a golf village will be erected where there will be multiple interactive displays, family-friendly games and food and beverage outlets with which to mark their scorecard when they decide to take a break from the action.
Four-time major winner Rory McIllroy and DP World Tour Collin Morikawa have been already announced to take their place and Phillips promises fans that there will be more big names revealed in the coming weeks.
“This is the first Rolex Series event of the year and the players love coming here. The reaction [to the move] from the players has been really good.
“To have Rory and Collin already signed up [is a great endorsement] and there will be strong line-up to be announced [in the coming weeks].”
You can get your tickets to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship online at Ticketmaster UAE.
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