America’s Anthony Kim is hoping the forthcoming Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010 - played over the National Course at the prestigious Abu Dhabi Golf Club - will be his first European Tour win.
A regular on the US PGA Tour since turning professional in 2006, the Los Angeles born 24 year old joined The European Tour in 2009 and with dual membership plans to play selected events on both Tours.
Last year his schedule only allowed him to play twice on this side of the Atlantic, the Open Championship at Turnberry and the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain, where he finished runner-up to Ross Fisher. The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship – from January 21-24 - will be Kim’s first European Tour event of the year and marks his Middle East debut.
“I’ve not had the chance to play in the Middle East yet, so this will be an interesting experience. I have heard a lot of good things about Abu Dhabi, and it seemed like the right place to start my year,” said Kim, who ranks 16th in driving distance on the US PGA Tour.
“I want to start winning tournaments regularly and that for me is priority number one. I’ve been working hard on my fitness and technique and I have already started to see major gains, and this is something I want to carry over to Abu Dhabi and beyond.”
However, with four of the world’s top ten players already entered, including European Number One, Lee Westwood, dynamic Swede, Henrik Stenson, two-time Abu Dhabi winner, Paul Casey and Northern Ireland’s young-gun, Rory McIlroy, Kim will have it all to play for.
“There is no doubt that the field is a tough one, there are some fantastic players competing in Abu Dhabi and competition will be fierce,” he added. “However, I’m feeling really positive and I’m in a good frame of mind, so we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Kim, whose AK belt buckle has become his on-course signature, tied second on his professional debut in 2006, and followed up his success in 2007 with four top ten finishes, with one of his most memorable performances coming in the US Open, where he shot a final round 67 – the lowest of the day.
The following year, Kim notched up two US PGA Tour victories in the Wachovia Championship, where he scored the lowest round in the tournament’s history, and in the AT&T National, making him the first American under 25 to win twice in one year on the US PGA Tour since Tiger Woods in 2000.
He then went on to play a critical part in the United States' Ryder Cup victory in late 2008, before making his European Tour debut in early 2009.
Abu Dhabi Golf Championship organiser, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), said Kim’s decision to make his Middle East and season debut in the UAE capital, speaks volumes about the tournament’s international credentials.
“We now have three of the world’s top 25 making their Abu Dhabi debuts this year, all of whom have come from the US PGA Tour, which signals the emirate’s growing popularity and awareness internationally. Kim’s addition to an already impressive cache of top players brings an enhanced component to this event, and I’m sure he will attract a strong following from the large American community based here,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, Head – Major Events Division, ADTA.
In addition to the four world top 10 players, other big names in contention for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship include Sergio Garcia (12), Geoff Ogilvy (14) and Camilo Villegas (24).
All four days of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship will be covered live on TV in high definition, reaching a global audience of over 400 million.
The 2010 Championship formally begins on Wednesday, January 20th with the Al-Masaood Pro-Am and Awards Gala when sponsors and their guests will play and socialise with some of the world’s best professionals.
Tickets for the Championship are AED 125 for a daily pass and AED 400 for a four-day pass. Preferential rates of AED 100 and AED 300 respectively apply to EGF members. Children under 18 will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Car parking will be free during the Championship.
Tickets are available at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, online atwww.timeouttickets.comandwww.itptickets.com, and through the ITP toll free hotline 800 4669, or for international clients, +971 4 210 8943.
