World Number One Dustin Johnson is keen to go one better on his return to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA.
The American – whose compatriot Matt Kuchar is also in the field having taken up Affiliate Membership of the European Tour - pushed Tommy Fleetwood close at Abu Dhabi Golf Club 12 months ago before finishing in a share of second.
The 33 year old again arrives in the Middle East in fine form, having won the US PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions, and now hopes to make it back-to-back wins at the start of 2018.
“I definitely got off to a really good start,” Johnson said of his win in Hawaii. “Played very well the first week and I had a week off and now I'm here in Abu Dhabi, which is a place where I enjoyed coming last year.
“I was excited to come back and looking forward to this week. Felt like the golf course, it's in good shape and the game's in pretty good form, too. Hopefully I can play as well as I did in Hawaii.
“When it comes Sunday, I just want to be in a position where I have a chance to win. If I do all the right things for the next few days, then I definitely will have a chance when it comes Sunday.”
I'll be joining the Tour as an Affiliate Member and exblockquoted to take advantage of playing these events - Matt Kuchar
Kuchar is competing in Abu Dhabi for the first time and admits the opportunity to see different parts of the world was a factor in taking up affiliate membership.
“This is my first week to the Middle East, a place I've always seen on TV, always kind of admired and wanted to see for myself,” he said.
“My wife and I love travelling, love seeing new places, and this is one that certainly was on my list. It's an amazing place, just on our first day and a half, we've had a wonderful experience. We're heading to the Louvre this afternoon, so looking forward to taking in some of the sites and being a tourist for a little bit. It's been a great start.
“It's always neat to pick up different things that you just don't get from TV, to actually put your hands on things and to see a different culture and see a different place and be hands on, I've been such a fan of. Golf has fortunately taken me to a lot of amazing places and we've loved taking advantage of that, certainly on a global scale.
“It's been a bit of a passion of mine to explore and to see the world, and the beauty about it is golf has allowed me to do a lot of that, and now to play the European Tour as an Affiliate Member now, I'll be joining the Tour as an Affiliate Member and excited to take advantage of playing these events.”
