ABU DHABI: Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth completed his early-season Asia swing with Wednesday’s announcement that he will play the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in January.

Abu Dhabi again will have a top-heavy field at the start of the year with Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Henrik Stenson among the top-ranked players Jan. 21-24 to kick off the European Tour’s swing through the Middle East.

Spieth previously announced he would play the Singapore Open the week after Abu Dhabi.

Fowler played Abu Dhabi for the first time last year and tied for 66th after opening with a 67.

“I am looking forward to coming to Abu Dhabi, especially after Rickie told me about what a fantastic event it is,” Spieth said. “I love to travel and see the world, and I am excited to not only play in the event but also checking out Abu Dhabi for the first time.”

Spieth, Fowler and Jason Day are expected to play the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Jan. 7-10. Spieth and Fowler then will cross 14 time zones to compete in Abu Dhabi.

McIlroy has been runner-up at Abu Dhabi four of the last five years.


HSBC extends title sponsorship of Abu Dhabi European Tour opener

Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and HSBC have announced that the annual, award-winning Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship will stay ‘Championship red’ for another five years, as one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations confirmed its title sponsorship. The season-opening European Tour event carries a prize purse of $2.7 million — the richest on the European Tour’s ‘Desert Swing’.

Announced last week at the HSBC Golf Business Forum in Shanghai with a handshake between Aref Al Awani, ADSC’s General Secretary, and Giles Morgan, HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship and Events, the agreement will see HSBC continue to support the Championship until 2020. The extended Abu Dhabi partnership further bolsters HSBC’s global golf sponsorship portfolio having also renewed their commitment to the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions Shanghai and the HSBC Women’s Champions Singapore following the news earlier this summer that the bank will continue as Patron of The Open Championship.

Commenting on the partnership, Al Awani said: “Today is another milestone for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. This agreement is a clear demonstration of HSBC’s commitment to a long-standing partnership and its belief in our Championship. With our title sponsor’s continued support and activation expertise, we will build upon the momentum the partnership has already delivered in attracting a dream field of players and an ever-increasing spectator turnout. HSBC’s involvement in this showcase event, which gets Abu Dhabi’s sporting calendar off to a tremendous start each January, has been nothing short of inspiring. From bringing in sporting legends, to mounting interactive sporting entertainment zones for all the family and helping to attract spectator crowds running into hundreds of thousands since our affiliation began, our partner has demonstrated its commitment to sport and the local community.”

Al Awani added that as the four-day Championship enters its second decade, golfing fans and spectators can continue to expect benchmark offerings when the 2016 Championship tees off at the iconic Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Jan. 21.

“Year-on-year the fan experience has reached new heights – this gives us a challenge of having to continuously lift the benchmark, but it’s a challenge we accept and will live up to with HSBC’s help,” he said.

Morgan said: “Since the start of our partnership in 2011 the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship has gained the reputation as the jewel in the crown of Middle Eastern golf. We believe today’s announcement represents a major statement of our intent and continued commitment to grow the game of golf in an important emerging market for our business.”