The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is the fifth tournament on the European Tour, but in many respects it’s the first of the new season. The tournament was elevated to one of the Tour’s eight pinnacle Rolex Series events with an increased purse attracting some of the biggest names in the sport. It also has three times as many Race to Dubai points at stake than last week’s South African Open. Major champion Brooks Koepka makes his season debut after a medical procedure put him on the shelf for a few months. The American sits behind two-time titlist Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Cantlay on the odds list at online sportsbooks. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of betting odds and to place your wager.
Odds to Win Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at BookMaker.eu
Tommy Fleetwood +857
Patrick Cantlay +857
Brooks Koepka +1057
Louis Oosthuizen +1264
Shane Lowry +1264
Matthew Fitzpatrick +1879
Bryson Dechambeau +2186
Thomas Pieters +2497
Branden Grace +2913
Viktor Hovland +2913
Robert MacIntyre +3418
Sergio Garcia +3753
Martin Kaymer +3753
Danny Willett +3964
Bernd Wiesberger +3964
Joost Luiten +4048
Rafa Cabrera Bello +4250
Matthias Schwab +4350
Mike Lorenzo-Vera +4547
Erik Van Rooyen +4820
Ian Poulter +4970
Paul Waring +5029
Thomas Detry +5350
Marcus Kinhult +5362
Matt Wallace +5850
Jason Scrivener +6243
Pablo Larrazabal +6350
Tom Lewis +6850
Victor Perez +7050
Adri Arnaus +8350
Haotong Li +8850
George Coetzee +9550
Lee Westwood +9550
Andy Sullivan +9550
Ryan Fox +9550
Charl Schwartzel +10000
Kurt Kitayama +10550
Wade Ormsby +10550
Jordan Smith +10550
Andrew Johnston +10550
Odds Analysis
Brooks Koepka +1057
There are a bunch of quality golfers to pick from in this stacked field. Koepka is one player that stands out and for obvious reasons. No. 1 in the OWGR, Koepka was last seen withdrawing from the CJ Cup last October and then having repair work done on his knee. He’s a gamble at such short odds, but according to his agent BK is ready to go and treating this week like a Major. That’s good to know since Koepka has enjoyed plenty of success on the biggest stage. And he’s familiar with the layout after collecting a T9 last season with four sub-par scores. I’m hesitant, though, and will look for better value picks as Brooks gets back in the swing of things.
Branden Grace +2913
We chronicled the exploits of Grace last week saying his play on home soil could be the determining factor. Guess what, it was. And Grace won the South African open by three swings after a final round 62. He’s been playing fabulous golf recently after struggles last season dropped him down the world rankings. It looks as though he’s found his game, and he’s played well here in the past, which should bolster his confidence level.
Louis Oosthuizen +1264
Another golfer playing well with success at Abu Dhabi, Oosthuizen is looking to get back to the winner’s circle after missing out at his own national Open last week. The Big O had a second-place finish to fellow countryman Grace and was also knocking on the door at the Australian Open prior to that. Those two runner-up showings were sandwiched around a splendid effort at the Presidents Cup. Returning to Abu Dhabi last year for the first time since 2011, Oosthuizen earned a top-5 with three rounds of 68 or lower.
Bernd Wiesberger +3964
I think Wiesberger has something to prove after his brilliant last season that had him at the top of the Race to Dubai points until the final tournament. There, Wiesberger was overtaken by Jon Rahm, but it didn’t diminish his season, which included three Tour titles. He’s done well here in the past going 5 for 5 since 2015 with a fourth, sixth and T15.
Martin Kaymer +3753
A former world No. 1, Abu Dhabi helped Kaymer elevate to that status. He became the first player to win this event in consecutive years and won three times in a four-year span between 2008 and 2011. While he hasn’t won since then, Kaymer has put up decent finishes with a pair of top-5s and another 16th since 2014. He’s made a mild comeback since losing his Tour card and this could be the venue that breaks a five-year title drought. The payout is good if that happens.
Course: Abu Dhabi Golf Club – 7,583-yards, par-72
Abu Dhabi GC is the only host the tournament has known since being established in 2006. The course has a sparkling reputation for being one of the best manicured on the Tour, but it also has an abundance of hazards that can make for an exciting finish. There are seven lakes that surround the layout and water comes into play on over half the holes. The fairways are forgiving, but deceivingly narrow and the rough is thick, which can make for interesting shots. Overall the course plays to a variety of styles with none more important than the others. Sacrificing distance for accuracy isn’t an option given the length, but it is important to avoid the hazards and the thick stuff. The past five winners scored -16 or better, a sign that the best players still have an edge over the layout.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel
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