Robert Karlsson, Europe’s Number One player in 2008, is the latest big name to sign up for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010, as he looks to recapture the winning form that made him a firm European Tour favourite.
The imposing 6ft 5in World Number 28 missed much of last season with an eye injury but the powerful 40 year old is keen to recover his form at the UAE capital’s showcase, from January 21-24.
“Last year was tough and I didn’t get to play nearly as much as I hoped to. I did have a strong end to the season and I want to keep building on that momentum in Abu Dhabi to start 2010 with a really positive showing. I’ve spent a lot of time during the break working on elements of my game, so hopefully it will pay off,” he said.
Karlsson, who was part of the 2006 and 2008 Ryder Cup Team’s, is Sweden’s most prolific European Tour champion, having notched up seven titles in his two-decade long professional career.
Despite setbacks in 2009, Karlsson ended up finishing joint second in November’s OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup with Swedish partner Henrik Stenson, the current World Number Eight, having just lost out to Italy by a single stroke. Karlsson, who finished tied 11th last year, is looking forward to playing alongside Stenson again in Abu Dhabi.
He said: “The field for this year’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is really impressive. There are going to be some great players out there on The National Course all vying for top honours. It will be excellent to meet up with a lot of the guys again and I’m looking forward to getting out there and giving them a run for their money.”
Karlsson is among an impressive 126-strong Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010 field, which includes top English duo, Lee Westwood, the World Number Four, and two-time Abu Dhabi Champion and World Number Eight, Paul Casey – returning to defend his championship title and aiming to lift the coveted ‘Falcon’ trophy for the third time. They’ll face tough competition from Australian World Number Nine, Geoff Ogilvy; Northern Ireland’s young-gun and World Number Ten, Rory McIlory and Spanish sensation and World Number 13.
Faisal Al Sheikh, Head – Major Events Division for Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA),said: “This year’s depth of field is one of the strongest which should pull in bigger crowds and expand the international coverage of the Championship which is the key rationale behind the event.”
