Casey to defend Abu Dhabi Golf Championship title

Casey, who is only the fifth golfer in Ryder Cup history to score a hole-in-one, is aiming to create history by making it back-to-back wins at the 2008 event, which will be contested from January 17-20 at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Speaking of his determination to lift the coveted gold and silver 'Falcon' trophy two years in a row, 30-year-old Casey said: "The win at Abu Dhabi earlier this year was an important milestone for me and the perfect way to start the year. Next year's event will help me kick-start my 2008 season and I can't think of a better place to do it. The reception I received last year was incredible and I look forward to trying to defend my title and hope the fans will bring me as much luck as they did last time."

The Englishman added he is hoping to recreate the excitement of this year's championship, which was won in thrilling fashion with five players contesting for the title on the final day.

Describing the final round 65 as his "finest ever", Casey shot a combined score of 271, 17 under on the par 72 Championship course. Spain's Ryder Cup Star Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sweden's Peter Hanson tied second place with one shot off the pace. American Chris DiMarco, winner of the inaugural Championship was fourth, with Irishman Padraig Harrington, winner of this year's Open Championship at Carnoustie, finishing tied fifth with South Africa's Retief Goosen and Frenchman Jean-François Lucquin.

The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2008, fully sanctioned by The European Tour and the UAE Golf Association with a $2m prize fund, is planned to showcase an intriguing, star-studded international player line-up. In addition, plans are afoot for further golf course layout enhancements and improved club facilities.

The 2008 Championship is set to build on the success of the previous two events. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which owns the tournament, says the Championship has continued to live up to its aim of placing the capital on the global golfing map.

"The success of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and the global awareness it has built for the emirate spearheaded our global sporting initiatives campaign which we believe will firmly position the UAE capital as a world-class leisure and major events destination," said His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADTA Chairman.

"We welcome the return of Paul Casey who turned in such a strong performance in January this year and rapidly became a crowd favourite. I fondly remember the warm response he was given when the trophy was presented. I wish him the very best of luck next January but he will face some tough competition."

All four days of the Championship are covered live reaching a global TV audience of over 140 million in key markets around the world.

"The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship remains the emirate's largest sporting event and while it is central to our aim of achieving international recognition, it is also very much a community event and one which we believe the people of the UAE, and the Gulf, will continue to support enthusiastically," said Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA.

The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2008 will begin on Wednesday, January 16 with the Al-Masaood Pro-Am and Awards Gala when sponsors and their guests will have the chance to play and socialise with some of the world's best professionals.

The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2008 has attracted a high profile sponsorship line up including: Etihad Airways and Aldar as Diamond Sponsors; Etisalat, Standard Chartered Bank and Emirates Palace as a Platinum Sponsors; Nissan, Airbus, Rolls Royce, Omega and Xerox as Gold Sponsors, Gulf News as Official Newspaper, Radio 2 as Official Radio Station, Middle East Golfer as Official Magazine and Cutter & Buck as official merchandise.