The 2018 European PGA Tour has been underway for a month but it goes through the gears this week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, where a number of the world’s top players are in action.
Dustin Johnson, at the top of the world rankings, tied for second place last year and aims to go one better. Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, winner of last year’s Race To Dubai, is back for more while Rory McIlroy plays his first tournament in more than two months. Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Paul Casey are other big names taking part.
This is a tournament that Casey, who only rejoined the European Tour last autumn, won in 2007 and 2009. The Englishman is 20/1 this year with Boylesports and will be keen to make an impact with Ryder Cup points up for grabs.
Casey doesn’t boast the best record in the event that first staged in 2006, however. That honour belongs to Germany’s MARTIN KAYMER, who won it three times between 2008 and 2011. Kaymer tied for fourth place last year so the 30/1 with BetBright has to be worth a second look as he’s clearly very much at home on the flat, narrow fairways of the 7,600-yard UAE course.
Henrik Stenson was only four strokes off the winner in 2017 and can be backed at a general 16/1 but Dustin Johnson does look a worthy favourite. The American superstar is only a best 5/1 but won the Sentry Tournament Of Champions two weeks to confirm that he’s as good as ever.
This is a course that suits big-hitters but care must be taken as there are plenty of water hazards to catch out the over-ambitious and it’s very easy to bounce a ball into the rough from off the tee. Reports suggest the greens will also be faster this year than before. Tommy Fleetwood is a general 20/1 to record back-to-back victories at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, where prize money this year is almost 2.5 million euros. McIlroy and Rose are a general 8/1 but, with each-way betting down to seventh place with some bookmakers, Ross Fisher (55/1 with Betfred) makes more appeal as he’s been thereabouts in Abu Dhabi in the last three years. Thomas Pieters, second in 2016, is another player due a big win on the European Tour and he can be backed at 40/1.
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Current Best Odds
Dustin Johnson 5/1, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose 8/1, Henrik Stenson 18/1, Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood 20/1, Branden Grace 22/1, Tyrrell Hatton 28/1, Martin Kaymer 30/1, Matt Kuchar 33/1, Rafael Cabrero Bello 35/1, Thomas Pieters, Bernd Weisberger and Matthew Fitzpatrick 40/1, Kiradech Aphibarnrat 50/1, Ross Fisher 55/1, Byeong Hun An 66/1, Thorbjorn Olesen 70/1, Haotong Li, Bryson Dechambeau, Joost Luiten, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter 80/1
