The Abu Dhabi Championship marks the start of a two-week conclusion to the DP World Tour season, and we have a three-ball double for Thursday's opening round.
Golf betting tips: Abu Dhabi round one
2pts Fleetwood and Skov Olesen to win their three-balls at 100/30 (bet365)
TOMMY FLEETWOOD isn't far off favouritism for the Abu Dhabi Championship, an event he's won twice before, and a strong start looks likely when he tees off at 06:28 GMT on Thursday morning.
Now based in Dubai, this is close to a home game for Fleetwood, whose bid for a hat-trick of Abu Dhabi titles fell just short when he lost a play-off to Aaron Rai 12 months ago.
That extended a fine record in the Middle East which includes victory at Dubai Creek, a similar golf course, and he really ought to have too many guns for Martin Couvra and Yuto Katsuragawa here.
The latter performed a minor miracle to salvage his status by winning in Korea and then scored again on home soil last weekend, but he has limited Middle East experience, no real Middle East form, and debuts at this golf course. He could easily be jaded, too, after such a draining fortnight.
Couvra was an excellent second behind him in Korea but didn't threaten here after a slow start last year and this is plainly a big step up in class.
An hour later, JACOB SKOV OLESEN looks like he might be ready to seal his progress to the PGA Tour and can account for Andy Sullivan and Jayden Schaper.
Whereas Olesen's run of nine top-20s in 10 has come at an ideal time, both Sullivan and Schaper are clinging onto their hopes of earning one of 10 cards available via the Race to Dubai.
Schaper showed more in India but that course is a dream fit and his iron play remains off-colour, while Sullivan's form reads WD-MC-WD. He turns 40 next year and may see this as his final shot at PGA Tour membership, but injury and a loss of form makes it a massive ask with two events to go.
Sullivan does like playing in this part of the world but the timing of this is not good and since the DP World Tour resumed in August, Olesen has outscored him six times in seven first rounds.
Olesen was a solid 23rd on debut last year and has come a heck of a long way since, so at a suitable course he can perhaps leapfrog Schaper in those season-long standings.
Posted at 16:55 GMT on 03/11/25
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