The 2021 European Tour gets underway this week with English stalwart Lee Westwood defending his title in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, starting Thursday at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Westwood began 2020 with the 25th European Tour victory in Abu Dhabi and ended it in the United Arab Emirates as well, winning the season-ending Race To Dubai in December with a runner-finish in the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. That was the 47-year-old’s third success in the tour’s Order of Merit race, with the last coming in 2009 and the first in 2000.
“I’ve always played pretty well in this part of the world,” said Westwood, who will be making his 10th appearance in the tournament. “And, you know, my two best results for the last year were Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the very beginning to the very end of the year. So I’ll be hoping for that again this year.”
The US$8 million Abu Dhabi event features a star-studded field which also includes three-time winner Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Shane Lowry, Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett and European Ryder Cup captain Pádraig Harrington.
Malaysian No 1 Gavin Green also opens his 2021 campaign in Abu Dhabi. Green finished last season at a career-high 52nd place on the Race To Dubai despite a late season wrist injury.
