Tommy Fleetwood shows up to launch special DP World Tour event
Tommy Fleetwood is a two-time champion at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and he was the winner of the inaugural Dubai Invitational on the DP World Tour. The star golfer and Olympic medalist returned to play a role in a launch event for the HSBC Championship and DP World Tour Championship as well as both Rolex Series events which are forming the inaugural play-offs.
Fleetwood is just one of many notable names who will be in the field for the HSBC Championship. Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Adam Scott, and Robert MacIntyre will join Billy Horschel, who just won the BMW PGA Championship for the second time, in the tournament.
Tom Phillips, Director of Middle East for the Tour, said of Fleetwood and others being involved with the event via the European Tour:
“With many of the sport’s top and most high-profile players already confirmed, the UAE's status as a major global golf destination continues to rise as we eagerly anticipate the first-ever DP World Tour Play-Offs."
He continued:
“We are thrilled to unite two of the region’s biggest sporting events, creating an exciting new element to the season's climax. The fact that these events will take place on consecutive weekends will undoubtedly heighten intrigue and engagement.”
His Excellency Aref Al Awani, the General Secretary for the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said:
“Having last year extended our partnership with the DP World Tour until at least 2028, we are naturally delighted to host an event of this magnitude."
Awani called it a "pivotal moment for golf in the UAE" and said there would be "added interest around the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship" as a result.
DP World Tour Play-Offs market exciting future for golf
Golf continues to grow, and the DP World Tour's brand-new event is evidence of that. A few of the tour's biggest tournaments are being merged together into a playoff of sorts much like the FedEx Cup Playoffs on the PGA Tour. It's a significant change for the tour and marks its evolution in the overall sports scene.
His Excellency Aref Al Awani said that "the eyes of the golfing world will be firmly fixed on the UAE for a ten-day period next month," citing it as proof of the United Arab Emirates' growing reputation for sports on a global scale.
Alwani added:
“We now look forward to consecutive Rolex Series events in the UAE, and what will undoubtedly be a thrilling end to the season.”
Daniel Van Otterdijk, the Group Chief Communications Officer for the tour, said they are "thrilled to support" the first-ever play-offs, which will add "many more memorable moments" to the tour in the coming years.