Wednesday 19 January 2022

Abu Dhabi Championship 2022 - Yas Links, Yas Island UAE

 The DP Tour finally gets going in 2022 following the aborted South African Open in December. The SA Open did however proceed as a Sunshine Tour only event which Daniel Van Tonder duly won. So, with just the Joburg Open,which saw many UK&I players withdraw after day-1 due to the OMICRON outbreak in the books, the Abu Dhabi Championship is met with great enthusiasm and excitement this week boosted with the 2021 Race to Dubai Champion and current Open Champion, Collin Morikawa headlining. Rory McIlroy & Victor Hovland also tee it up and Adam Scott makes a surprise appearance too.

Given this is the first event for the vast majority of the field, it is hard to overlook those that have played in Hawaii recently and brushed off any dust and that points towards the market leaders. However, this event is renowned for producing some shock storylines over the years but as the tournament moves from Abu Dhabi GC to Yas Links, perhaps that "voodoo" will be lifted. With 8 places on offer, I'm chancing some value plays in the hope that one or two can hit the placings. I do expect the three market leaders to contest this and if they shouldn't prevail there is always Shane Lowry, Tyrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and the aforementioned Adam Scott in behind to take up the mantle!

I'm going to give another chances to some recent selections this week and in my research I noted two players that I actually backed for this tournament last year who I'm keen to chance again. Thorbjorn Olesen will tee it up having put all his personal problems behind him in the courts last December and he may just relish a renewed approach at the beginning of a season where he looks to establish himself once again as a top player on this tour. Whilst he did withdraw just before the off twelve months ago, I'm happy to take the same view that a coastal course with some wind will be to his liking and can't pass on the 100/1 - 8 places on offer.

I sided with Thomas Pieters here and at the Saudi International last year to no avail although he posted a TOP10 in Riyadh. He subsequently went on to post 11 TOP20s in his 19 starts thereafter, winning the Portugal Masters last November in the process. Fatherhood appears to be suiting the Belgian well and the hope here is that he can kick start another successful season from the get-go here @ 40/1 - 8 places


Minwoo Lee, I put up for the BMW international last June and I'm ready to side with him here again, just @35/1 - 8 places. He won 2 starts after the BMW and arrives in top form this week having posted a T-4th last week in Australia on the back of a 16th at the DP World Tour Championship in December, 4th in Dubai, 8th in Portugal and a runners up placing behind Matty Fitzpatrick at Valderrama. That's phenomenal form and that price is just about fair for another bold showing this week given he's dusted off the Christmas downtime with a solid performance last week.

I can't leave Guido Migliozzi out here at a links track. Bolstered by excellent Middle East form as well, the Italian reached dizzy heights last June when challenging at the US Open when finishing 4th and he too should be well suited to Yas Links. He's probably the best value for me in the field this week and that he plays alongside Min Woo Lee & Robert MacIntyre for the first two days can be seen as positive as this group looks to be a strong one and I'm hoping they can feed off each other. 125/1 - 8 places is far too big....I'd have taken 66s anyway.


Finally, Alexander Bjork was kind to me last year and I' very happy to see 80/1 - 8 places for a player that pushed Collin Morikawa in Dubai last December when on @ 100s. Laurie Canter, Nino Bertasio & Marcus Armitage caught my eye for this as too did Victor Perez, Maverick Antcliff & Francesco Laporta. In the end I finalized on Francesco Laporta to complete my staking plan and reluctantly omitted Canter at 50s, as deemed too short.


Selections

1 pt e/w T. Olesen @ 100/1 - 8 places
1 pt e/w G. Migliozzi @ 125/1 - 8 places
1.5 pts e/w T. Pieters @ 40/1 - 8 places
1.5 pts e/w M. Lee @ 35/1 - 8 places
1 pt e/w A. Bjork @ 80/1 - 8 places
0.5 pts e/w F. Laporta @ 125/1 - 8 places

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