Rafa Cabrera Bello is back on ‘home’ soil and raring to go in 2017 after one of the finest seasons of his career last year.
The Spaniard is now a resident in nearby Dubai and having enjoyed a dream-like 2016 in which he competed in the Masters, the Olympics and the Ryder Cup for the first time before posting his highest ever finish of eighth place in the Race to Dubai and he’s relishing a return to action in the UAE at an event that he holds in high esteem.
“I have fond memories in Abu Dhabi,” said Cabrerra Bello who best result in Abu Dhabi was a fourth place finish in 2014. “My favourite moments at the event are walking up the ninth and the walking up at the 18th when you look at the magnificent clubhouse.
“The tournament really kicks off the golf season and it is a very good competitive course, excellent greens, tricky windy conditions so it is a great test and a great field.”
Although a win eluded him last year, the 32 year old was a model of consistency as he went all season without missing a single cut on the European Tour six top 10 finishes including runner up spots in Dubai and Qatar.
“It was an amazing season and one in which I achieved three of my dreams by playing in the Masters, the Olympics and the Ryder Cup,” he said. “I didn’t get the win but I came very close and was also leading until right of the end in my first event of the new season in Hong Kong at the end of the year so I’m looking forward to getting out there again.”
Really great practice this last week over at @jebelaliresort with @DavidLeadbetter Game ready and excited to start the year again! pic.twitter.com/RSLB63FbLE
— Rafa Cabrera Bello (@RCabreraBello) January 15, 2017
After such an action packed year, the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic winner was glad to have some downtime, during which he went surfing with Adam Scott, with the pair being famously filmed eating bugs during the trip! He then enjoyed a family skiing trip in Spain over Christmas.
“Surfing with Adam was an extraordinary experience except for the bug-eating incident that I have was lured into,” he laughed. “To be fair I thought it was going to be worse than it was. The video we did says it all and that was one of the activities that the resort prepared for us. It is a fantastic place, however, and I enjoyed a fantastic company. It was the complete surf trip.
“Christmas was also great. I managed to get some time off. Normally I go skiing with me family all the time, this year I spent more time with my fiancé’s family, we skied together in Southern Spain and I am glad we all came back in one piece!”
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship gets underway at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Thursday.
https://worldwide.golf/feature/column-rafa-cabrera-bello-omega-dubai-desert-classic/
