I always enjoy starting the season in the Middle East so it was great to kick 2021 off in the UAE with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship followed by the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.
We’re so fortunate to be able to still play professional golf during these times, so hats off to everyone involved in running two great events.
I arrived in the UAE ten days prior to the start of the season and I hadn’t practiced much as I wanted to spent a lot of the off-season with my friends and family because I knew 2021 would be a very busy year with a full European Tour schedule. However, I did put a lot of hard work in at the gym while I was back home and I feel like I’m in the best shape of my career, which is hopefully going to benefit me while I’m on the road for several weeks.
It’s also going to help me drive the ball further and get more speed back in my game which is a big motivation for me as I really enjoy that element of the sport, so I just need to keep putting the work in and transfer that to the course.
Thanks @OMEGAGolfDubai and @EuropeanTour for an amazing week at @EmiratesGC! This is definitely one of my favorites of all year 😍🏙⛳️ Great test of golf and pretty solid performance, already looking forward to next year 💥🚀!! #ODDC #Dubai #Golf #VamosAA pic.twitter.com/Lty2dQDivs
— Adri Arnaus (@AdriArnaus) February 1, 2021
Despite not playing as much in the off-season, I managed to get some really good practice under my belt at JA, The Resort. I really enjoy playing the 9-hole course as it’s quiet and reminds me a lot of my local course from back home in Spain. I also took advantage of the world-class facilities at Jumeirah Golf Estates before making my way to Emirates Golf Club to prepare for the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.
When I was a kid I always dreamt of playing that tournament. It’s such an iconic event with a fantastic list of winners and picturesque views of the Dubai skyline, so to have now played in the event for the last three years is really a dream come true.
It was also cool seeing Topgolf there this year and taking part in a fun challenge with Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick. They are really good players and I look up to them, and to be able to share that experience with them and see first-hand their competitive side was a lot of fun – and to get the win made it even better. You could say that this my first title of the season – ‘Topgolf European Tour Champion’! I think Topgolf is a wonderful addition to the Dubai social golf scene, I heard that 50% of the people who visit are non-golfers, which is great for golf and for the city as well.
It was nice to finish inside the top ten again in Dubai and I’m looking to use that as a springboard for success throughout the year. I know what I want to achieve but, at the same time, I break it down into mini goals. If I keep improving around the greens, on the greens, my driving, etc then I know I will have a lot of opportunities to improve my ranking from last year on the Race to Dubai and hopefully get into the Olympics. If things go well and I perform in the Majors then why not go for the Ryder Cup team as well..?
