There will be thrilling golf action on the agenda this weekend, as the European Tour takes centre stage. The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will attract some of the biggest names in the sport, and that will make for an unpredictable event. But, which player could come out on top in the United Arab Emirates?
European Tour: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship History
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has been one of the standout events on the European Tour since being promoted to one of the events that make up the Rolex Series. The popularity of this event has been rising with every passing year, with the prize fund for the event currently standing at $7 million. This prize fund has increased with every year, as there was $3 million up for grabs back in 2018. The event takes place at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, and that has been the case since being established in 2006. Martin Kaymer currently holds the record for aggregate score and to par, as he scored 264 in his 2011 win in this European Tour event.
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has been dominated by European players since its introduction, with only two of the winners being from the United States. The most recent American winner of the event was Rickie Fowler, who scored 272 in his 2016 win. Since then, the winners have all been from England or Ireland. Tommy Fleetwood has won on two occasions, with his 2018 success being just the second time that a champion has successfully defended their title. Shane Lowry won the event in 2019, while Lee Westwood won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship last year. Westwood scored 269 in his win last year, which saw him finish two strokes ahead of Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Victor Perez.
European Tour: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Picks & Prediction
The current BetXChange favourite for the event is Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman is yet to win this event, but has come close on numerous occasions throughout his career. McIlroy has finished second on four previous occasions, with all of those runner-up places coming between 2011 and 2015. There is no denying that the star will be up there throughout the event, but there could be better value elsewhere in the market.
Fleetwood is also among the favourites in the BetXChange market, and will be a decent chance. He has saved some of his best golf for this event, and is only one of three players to have won this event on more than one occasion. He finished as runner-up last year, and last won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2018. No player has won this event more than Kaymer, and he is considered as a 33.00 chance with BetXChange. There will certainly be a feeling that there is each-way value in that selection. Shane Lowry also has a decent chance, and he will be looking to emulate the success of Westwood and Kaymer to win two Abu Dhabi HSBC Championships. However, there is a feeling that this could be McIlroy’s year.
