Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Preview, betting tips
After last week’s Hero Cup, it’s a big fixture on the DP World Tour, with the first Rolex Series event of 2023.
Yas Links is the venue for this week, which is a pretty spectacular setting for golf. It hosted the tour for the first time last year, where Thomas Pieters lifted the trophy.
It will also be home to a field that features plenty of those who played their golf on the LIV Golf circuit last year. Poulter, Westwood and Stenson are among those who'll be teeing it up, in what is a pretty strong field in the UAE.
This is the first Rolex Series event of the year, meaning it comes with the added incentive of extra Ryder Cup points, Race to Dubai points and of course, a bigger prize fund.
Last week's Hero Cup, where Continental Europe were victorious, whetted the appetite for the upcoming Ryder Cup, and captain Luke Donald will be playing this week, so would-be team members will be looking to impress.
The event has been a fixture on the calendar since 2006 and was first sponsored by HSBC in 2011.
Here's what you need to know.
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship details
Course: Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Course stats: 7,425 yards, par 72
Defending champion: Thomas Pieters
Purse: $11,000,000
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship betting tips
Here's who the bookies expect to do well this week.
Tyrrell Hatton 12/1
Shane Lowry 14/1
Tommy Fleetwood 14/1
Alex Noren 20/1
Min Woo Lee 25/1
Thomas Pieters 25/1
Robert MacIntyre 33/1
Seamus Power 33/1
Jordan Smith 33/1
Patrick Reed 33/1
The bunkered Bet
Jordan Smith
Last year, the leader board at Yas Links was dominated by those who drive their ball well, and Jordan Smith was one of those, finishing in a tie for 12th. The Englishman is one of the best ball strikers out there and will be in good spirits after a solid week at the Hero Cup, where he was one of GB&I's better performers.
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) December 8, 2022
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship how to watch
Here's how viewers in the UK can tune in.
Thursday: Sky Sports Golf, 03:30; Sky Sports Main Event 07:00
Friday: Sky Sports Golf, 03:30; Sky Sports Main Event 07:00
Saturday: Sky Sports Golf, 05:00; Sky Sports Main Event 07:00
