By Nick Totten, europeantour.com
In Abu Dhabi
Ahead of the tenth instalment of this event, one that has kicked off our annual desert pilgrimage for the past decade, europeantour.com takes a look at the key figures that have helped make this one of the biggest tournaments on The Race to Dubai.
Since becoming part of The European Tour International Schedule in 2006, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship has played host to some of the most impressive names in the game, and has subsequently amassed a star-studded roll of honour in its 648-hole history.
Included in that are a number of familiar names that have cropped up time and again at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, with one in particular finding his way to the top of the board more than most.
Horses for courses
Since making his desert debut eight years ago, former World Number One and two-time Major Champion Martin Kaymer has teed it up every year with what can only be described as a considerable amount of success.
Three wins and a runner up finish in four consecutive seasons from 2008 saw him develop a reputation as an Abu Dhabi specialist, and a further top ten result two seasons ago cemented that position, regardless of a couple of weekends off during that spell.
That all adds up to an impressive stroke average of 68.89 from his 28 rounds played, a feat almost matched by a certain Northern Irishman.
In seven starts of his own in this particular UAE event, Rory McIlroy has also posted five top ten results, the only difference being that he has so far not been able to take top spot – instead, recording runner-up finishes in three of the last four years.
Proof, therefore, that the cream invariably rises to the top in Abu Dhabi, a fact in further evidence when looking at the scoring statistics from the past nine years.
Tale of the tape
When analysing the patterns of scoring over the years at this event, there are two very distinct periods in which to look, either side of a slight tweak of the layout in the build-up to the 2012 event that saw the fairways narrowed, the rough grown in and the addition of some new fairway bunkers.
In the years prior to those changes, the Abu Dhabi Golf Club was somewhat of a birdie retreat, an oasis of low scoring in which the winning score averaged as much as 18 strokes under par, with a tournament record 24 under set by Kaymer en route to his third victory in 2011.
The following three instalments were more attritional, however, with the victorious mark coming at a leaner average of just 14 better than par.
Great rounds are still possible though, regardless of the alterations to the layout, with scores as low as 63 managed by Phil Mickelson and Danny Willett in the past three seasons – a result that was a mere stroke outside Henrik Stenson’s course record set at the inaugural event in 2006.
For those teeing it up this week it is also worth noting when to attack, and those times in which to play it safe, with the par fives key to any low round. In fact, in the past five years, the 18th has more often than not been the easiest hole, with the second and tenth also yielding plenty of birdies, while the par four fifth, ninth and 14th have tested the best in the world year in, year out.
The path to victory
After some careful statistical analysis it is also clear to see the attributes that must be sharp if a player is to succeed at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, with a high percentage of Greens in Regulation key to good play, as is an assured touch with the putter.
No great mystery there, with a victorious average of 78.6 per cent of the targets found in the right number in the previous nine years, and a high of 86.1 recorded by Kaymer as he claimed the third title in his desert hat-trick.
With the putter the German is no slouch either, recording the lowest Putts per GIR in 2010 at 1.601, although his accuracy into the greens did lead him to have the highest Putts per Round of any winner with 29.3 averaged in 2008, alongside Casey a year prior.
Last year, however, Larrazábal bucked the overall trend, hitting a mere 68.1 per cent of the putting surfaces in the required number, a fact he recovered from with the lowest victorious Putts per Round total, recording 26.8 in 2014.
Life starts at 30
Our final key to success in Abu Dhabi – experience.
In the previous nine seasons only four people have won this title in their 20s, namely Kaymer on all three occasions in which he has triumphed, and Casey en route to the first of two victories, all of which adds up to a winning average of 30.22 years of age.
Equally so, no one has ever won this event having reached 40, meaning the 30-somethings have a distinct advantage this week and should be kept a close eye on as a result.
