As if 2020 wasn't already a year to remember professionally for Collin Morikawa, the US PGA Championship winner is aiming to round it off by becoming European No 1.
Somewhat strangely, he could collect that honour come the close of his first regular European Tour event.
With one stop on the calendar to go, Morikawa enters this week’s DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE) third in the Race to Dubai. Thus, victory at the season finale – his UAE debut – would seal not one, but two premier prizes come Sunday.
Not bad for a 23-year-old American, albeit one whose precocious talent has returned three professional wins, and taken him in August to a first major title and to No 4 in the world rankings (he’s now seventh).
Even given all that, adding the Order of Merit crown would surely rank as another remarkable feat for the young gun with the gleaming game.
“I've been looking forward to this trip and, though I didn't really make my decision for a while, it was on my radar,” Morikawa said via videoconference on Wednesday, a day out from the first round at JGE. “Obviously I've put myself in a really good position to close out 2020 on a great note. To be here and make this my first start on the European Tour means a lot.”
California-born and based out of Las Vegas, Morikawa only took up an affiliate membership of the European Tour in February, while he has visited the Old Continent just the two times: both in amateur competition.
“I've talked about bringing my game around to the entire world, and what better way to show it, the DP World Tour Championship?” Morikawa said. “All the best players are here throughout 2020 and everyone is here to win.
His two best-placed rivals for twin trophies this week are Patrick Reed, the Race leader, and Tommy Fleetwood, the 2017 champion who sits second.
“There's a lot in between now and Sunday that has to happen, but winning the Race to Dubai would mean a lot because I want my game to travel,” Morikawa said. “I want to be a world player, be able to bring my game anywhere, adapt to the different places I come to. And this is just the first step of doing that.”
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Jon Rahm wins 2019 DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai
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In more good news for UAE golf fans, the Omega Dubai Desert Classic forms another plot on that path. Morikawa, who finished tied-44th at last month’s Masters, has decided to contest next month’s event, not too far away from his current locale, at Emirates Golf Club.
“I signed up for [European Tour] membership for next year already because I want to play out here,” he said. “There's a bunch of guys I've never met. I've seen them on TV and think they’re wonderful players, and there's a couple guys that I've seen longer than I have on the PGA Tour.
"I've grown up playing with Sam Horsfield and Sean Crocker my entire life, so it's good to see a couple guys play really well, make it out here. We all got here through some different way.
"I'm very thankful for the path that I've taken so far, but this week means a lot. It's a big week. I came here after some good rest after the Masters and really prepped, fresh mind and looking forward to the week.”
Land the season-long title, and Morikawa would create another slice of history: he’d become the first American to be Europe’s No 1.
“It would mean a lot, but I don't think that would mean the most,” he said. “I think winning the Race to Dubai would mean a lot for my career, for myself.”
More on animal trafficking
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
World Test Championship table
1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
3 Australia 69.2 per cent
4 England 64.1 per cent
5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent
6 West Indies 33.3 per cent
7 South Africa 30 per cent
8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Company profile
Company name: Nestrom
Started: 2017
Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi
Based: Jordan
Sector: Technology
Initial investment: Close to $100,000
Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Hamilton’s 2017
Australia - 2nd; China - 1st; Bahrain - 2nd; Russia - 4th; Spain - 1st; Monaco - 7th; Canada - 1st; Azerbaijan - 5th; Austria - 4th; Britain - 1st; Hungary - 4th; Belgium - 1st; Italy - 1st; Singapore - 1st; Malaysia - 2nd; Japan - 1st; United States - 1st; Mexico - 9th
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
