As false starts go the launch of the DP World Tour would have to be right up there with the most disappointing in recent memory, all involved would have hoped for so much better than what ensued at the Joburg Open in late November. The dastardly Omicron variant laid waste to the end of year South African swing, causing chaos for all involved, all apart from Thriston Lawrence who ran out the worthy thirty-six hole champion.
I was honoured to be in the first group off with local star Dean Burmister and the recent winner of the Challenge Tour Markus Helligkilde, but sadly after one round, like many of the British contingent teeing it up in the season opener, I felt I had no option but to withdraw on Friday morning in a rush to beat the red listing of South Africa by the UK government.
The Great Escape
What ensued will be forever known on tour as the great escape, with players and staff trying to find all manner of ways home before hotel quarantine became the only option. I made my escape via Ethiopia and then Turkey, not that my golf clubs made the same trip, they stayed on in Addis Ababa for an extended two week break it seems.
On landing it became clear that heading home was not an option, as my family would have had to isolate with me, so I stayed in my first Airbnb, in my home town of all places. Still I can count myself lucky I guess. Many involved in the Tour over the last eighteen months have had far greater hardships in terms of time spent alone. What a strange new world it is that we all inhabit.
Off and running
Hopefully 2022 will start off better than last year ended. With our fingers crossed the DP World Tour will get off and running for real once again in the Middle East. What a huge role this golf loving part of the world now plays in the success of our Tour, with no fewer than five events once again to be played in the perfect weather of the Gulf region.
Al Hamra is all about business instead of a holiday in 2022
A new comer to the scene next year will be the Ras al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital on the wonderful Al Hamra GC, an event that I hope will be my first of the new year. Having spent a few days on holiday there a few years ago I am looking forward to the new challenge. Talking of new challenges it will be interesting to see how the best players in the world fair on the Middle East’s most scenic golf course, which is of course Yas Links, where the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will take place for the first time, at the first Rolex Series event of the year.
Time for a change
After a decade or so at the National Golf Club, the move a few miles away to the turquoise blue shore lines of the Kyle Phillips designed links, will hopefully bring a little pizzazz to proceedings. For sure the television pictures will look sensational, hopefully the wind will blow and a true links challenge will be presented to the stars of world golf. Ferrari will certainly be happy, with their theme park in constant view and who knows the winner might well just think of investing a portion of his winnings on a prancing horse adorned two seater.
Return to Doha
Qatar are hosting their Championship once again and we move back to Doha Golf Club, where we always receive a most warm welcome. With relaid greens and surrounds I’m sure this championship test will be as strong as ever. Taking over from Education City GC Doha where it has been staged for the last two years, Qatar now has two championship courses to shout about. Thats a 100% hit rate as far as I know, being the only two courses in the country.
No Oman
It is a shame we will not be visiting Oman to play at Al Mouj Golf this year. Renowned on Tour as one of the best tests of golf but hopefully we will be back there in years to come, in fact it reminds me of Yas Links in many ways and I truly hold it up as one of the best in the Gulf region.
Dubai plays a huge role in world golf
With everything that has happened, it will be fitting to get the DP World Tour off and running in the style everyone would wish for. When the Tour first visited Dubai for the Desert Classic some thirty or so years ago it would have taken a wise person to visualise what a huge role the region now plays in world golf, but it really does go to show what having a forward thinking vision can do for a country. There is no doubt this wonderful game has weaved its way into the fabric of a large part of society in the area, not only professionally but as a way of life for so many people to play socially. In fact bearing in mind the vast array of nationalities that now live and work in the region I would hazard a guess it may now be home to the most cosmopolitan golfing population in the world, which just about sums up the UAE as a whole, which is something to be very proud of. n
