By Will Pearson, europeantour.com
in Abu Dhabi
Pablo Larrazábal will launch his defence of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship alongside the last two US Open Champions in Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer when play gets under way in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
Spaniard Larrazábal, who claimed a one-shot victory over a stellar field at Abu Dhabi Golf Club 12 months ago, will begin his bid for a fourth European Tour title from the first tee at 1155 and in the company of a pair of players with some previous hot form at the desert-encircled Peter Harradine-designed layout.
In his only other appearance in the Abu Dhabi event – this year celebrating its tenth anniversary since launching back in 2006 – Englishman Rose finished runner-up to Jamie Donaldson in 2013, while Germany’s Kaymer has three Falcon Trophies to his name after topping the pack in 2008, 2010 and 2011.
Elsewhere, World Number One Rory McIlroy makes his first start in The 2015 Race to Dubai at 0740 from the tenth tee and the Northern Irishman will content the first two rounds with Abu Dhabi ambassador and four-time European Tour winner Matteo Manassero plus American Rickie Fowler, who this week makes his Middle Eastern debut.
Former European Number One Henrik Stenson takes to the links alongside Ryder Cup team-mate and former winner Donaldson from 0730 on Thursday in a three-ball completed by South African golfing legend Ernie Els, while 2012 champion Robert Rock tees it up with American Chris DiMarco, who won the inaugural Abu Dhabi event back in 2006, and England’s Ross Fisher.
Leading the embryonic 2015 Race to Dubai following a lucrative triumph at the Nedbank Golf Challenge and a tied fourth place at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, England’s Danny Willett gets his bid for desert delight started from the tenth tee at 0750 with Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen and South African Branden Grace, who took his tally of European Tour titles to five with victory at Leopard Creek in December.
After narrowly missing out on a first win at his National Open last week at Glendower, South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel starts at 1145 with charismatic Frenchman Victor Dubuisson and the ever-popular Miguel Angel Jiménez, while the most recent first-time winner after his heroics in Johannesburg, England’s Andy Sullivan, gets straight back on the horse from 1205 with compatriot Tommy Fleetwood and Frenchman Alex Levy.
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