Matteo Manassero and Tom Lewis hoping to make it big at Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship 2012
European Tour’s newly adopted destination, the glistening sky line of Abu Dhabi, will again be bustling with top ranking players in the world when the coveted Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship will return to the carefully manicured Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National
Course, scheduled from January 26-29.
Two of the youngest contenders on the European Tour, Italian Matteo Manassero and Englishman Tom Lewis, will be hoping to pull in the coveted title at the start of the season and both players have the profile to romp all the way to stardom. Manassero 18
and Lewis 20 have played brilliantly on the tour the whole year and will be few of the star appearances on the event. Manassero is already the Golf Ambassador for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA).
“Our commitment to bringing the world’s best players to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship every year is only matched by our steadfast support of grassroots golf, both locally and internationally, so it is fantastic to see protégés from the Junior Golf
Championship, like Tom, returning to contest the main event,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager, ADTA.
Lewis who turned professional this year, after a record breaking low of 65 to share the lead in the third major of the year, the Open Championship, making him the only player grabbing the lead playing as a low amateur. Lewis, although had a chance to turn
professional after his stunning performance, but delayed his plans in order to participate in the Walker Cup where he led the Great Britain and Ireland to a strong victory over the Americans. He finished for a joint 30th in the Open Championship.
The Englishman later clinched his first European Tour title at the Portugal Masters in October this year, defeating the veteran Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain.
“As for Matteo, who works so hard promoting Abu Dhabi internationally as a world-class golf destination, he can be assured of a hero’s welcome on his return to the National.” said Al Sheikh.
Manassero, on the other hand, also had a blistering season on the tour this year, where he remained in contention in most of the high profile events. He won the Maybank Malaysian Open defeating the Frenchman Gregory Bourdy by one stroke, to claim his second
European Tour title.
The young guns will be facing the formidable undisputed king of Abu Dhabi, the German Martin Kaymer, who has won the title for a staggering three times since 2008. Kaymer has an amazing record at the National Course and has managed to clinch the titles with
jaw-dropping leads. He is also in his top form for the moment after winning the WGC-HSBC Champions last month. He also played stunning golf at this year’s President’s Cup in Australia.
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