Geoff Ogilvy has targeted a debut win in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship fresh from storming to victory in the US PGA Tour’s season opening SBS Championship in Hawaii.
The imposing 6ft 2in Australian, who clinched the SBS Championship for the second year running, held off a late charge from Rory Sabbatini with a final-round, 6-under-par 67, to finish at 22 under par.
And after jumping five places in the Official World Golf Ranking to ninth, Ogilvy will be one to watch in The European Tour tournament in the UAE capital, on Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s sublime National Course from January 21-24.
“Winning in Hawaii was the very best way to start the year and I will be hoping to keep the run going in Abu Dhabi. I am really looking forward to my first visit as I’ve heard such great things about the tournament from the guys on Tour. I can’t wait to get there. I don’t feel I’ll be at a disadvantage not having played there before as I’ll have the momentum from this victory,” said Ogilvy.
“Maybe I’ll try and sort out a practice round with Paul [Casey] and try a pick up a tip or two on how to play the course from him as he obviously knows his way around pretty well.
“It was also great to see Paul back out on Tour last week looking fit and striking it well and ready to put up a strong defence of his title. I am really looking forward to the week.”
Two-time Abu Dhabi winner and current World Number Eight, Casey, who spent the majority of last season out with a recurring rib injury, showed he has the mettle to become the first golfer in history to secure back-to-back wins at the Championship. The dynamic Englishman put in a good showing in Hawaii, his first tournament of 2010, to shoot a 15-under-par total to finish tied 10th.
Faisal Al Sheikh, Head – Major Events Division, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which is behind the Championship, said: “It is great for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship to see some of its key players hitting form just at the right time. With our most competitive field to date, we are expecting some fantastic action over the four days.”
Ogilvy and Casey are among a strong Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010 field, which includes Lee Westwood, the World Number Four, Sweden’s World Number Seven, Henrik Stenson; Northern Ireland’s young-gun and World Number Ten, Rory McIlory; Spanish sensation and World Number 13, Sergio Garcia; Germany’s World Number 14, Martin Kaymer; as well as Colombian Camilo Villegas; and rising US star, Anthony Kim..
All four days of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010 will be covered live on high definition TV, reaching a cumulative global audience of over 400 million.
