Abu Dhabi Golf Club to get upgrade

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which owns the championship, the largest annual sporting event in the UAE capital, has charged its tourism asset development arm, Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), with enhancing the club's entrance, including major approach landscaping, improved directional signage, and further course improvements to challenge the world' s best golfers.

'The aim is to continually refresh the championship experience for all involved,' explained Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA and Managing Director, TDIC. 'This year's inaugural championship attracted a very enthusiastic spectator base which we hope to retain and build on for January 2007. To do that, and in order to enhance the experience, we must continue to invest in necessary asset improvements.'

The club upgrade will be accompanied by a series of course revisions aimed at increasing the degree of difficulty for a field of some 120 European Tour players.

'The revisions will extend the course to nearly 7,400 yards and will involve adding championship tees on several holes and lengthening others, creating new bunkers to frame fairways and greens and to ensure we can create fair, but challenging pin positions,' said Ahmed Hussein, Chairman, Championship Committee.

'The improvements are already underway with the work being carried out with as little disruption as possible to Abu Dhabi Golf Club members and guests who play the course for the 51 non-tournament weeks of the year.'

The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship will run from January 18-21 and has a US $2 million prize fund.

Chris DiMarco, who ranks among the USA's top ten golfers, has confirmed he will return to defend his inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship title. Sergio Garcia, who came third this year and is now ranked eighth in the world, has announced his intention to contest the title as has Ryder Cup star Colin Montgomerie who will be looking to improve on his eighth place ranking at the inaugural championship. Meanwhile, South Africa's Retief Goosen, now sixth in the Official World Golf Rankings, has declared his intention to contend.

Chris DiMarco won the inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship - his first European Tour event outside the Majors and World Golf Championship - with a sensational performance in which he carded a final round of 67 for a 20 under par total of 268 and a one shot victory over the gallant Swede Henrik Stenson, this year's winner of the BMW International Open.

The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2007 will begin with the Al-Masaood Pro-Am and Awards Gala when sponsors and their guests have the chance to play and socialise with some of the world's best professionals.

The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2007 has attracted a high profile sponsorship line up including: Etihad Airways and Aldar as Diamond Sponsors; Standard Chartered Bank as a Platinum Sponsor; Nissan, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Omega and Xerox as Gold Sponsors. Gulf News and Middle East Golfer are Official Newspaper and Official Magazine respectively.