Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
Eugenio Chacarra will play alongside childhood idol Rory McIlroy for the first time on Thursday as the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship gets under way at Yas Links.
Chacarra moved to the top of the DP World Race to Dubai standings last month following his victory in India, securing his third title of the season. He sits ahead of Patrick Reed and McIlroy.
The tournament marks the opening event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs, a double-header with the season finale in Dubai next week. Speaking ahead of the tournament, Chacarra shared his enthusiasm for the penultimate round in the UAE where McIlroy is a crowd favourite and the man in form, too.
“I’m excited, I dream of playing with the best players in the world and I get a chance to play with Rory for the first time,” he said. “I’ve been watching him play since I was little. He’s one of my idols. So super excited for the opportunity.
“I’m excited to have the pressure on to go out there and show that I can compete with them [Reed and McIlroy] like I’ve been doing all year. Just have some fun. They are both major champions. I know if I play my game, I can compete against them and I’m excited for that opportunity.”
Chacarra praised the layout of the course. “I just saw the front nine, and like last year, the course is in spectacular condition,” he said.
“It’s probably the best conditions we’ve played all year. It’s a fantastic course and the greens are fast. It depends on how much the wind is going to blow, but obviously there’s not been a lot of wind, at least today. There’s probably going to be a lot of birdies. On the greens, it rolls fantastic, so you can make a lot of putts.”
Another person to appreciate the Abu Dhabi course as a first-timer is Jon Rahm. The Spaniard is making his debut appearance in the capital, marking his return to the DP World Tour following his departure from the LIV circuit.
Assessing the venue after initial practice rounds, Rahm shared positive feedback. “The one thing everybody has told me coming to this golf course is that it's always in great shape and there's a lot of movement to the greens. Overall, it's very positive.
“It's a good golf course, and there's going to be some unusual visuals in the greens and shots just because of how much undulation there is but overall it's good.”
Sitting 51st in the rankings, Rahm is focused on securing his place for Dubai’s DP World Tour Championship while maintaining an open perspective on his playing schedule. “Worst-case scenario, I get to play on a wonderful tour for a whole year,” Rahm said of his prospects.
The Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship runs from November 5 – 8 at Yas Links Abu Dhabi, featuring the top 70 available players on the Race to Dubai Rankings competing for 50 spots in next week's championship.
