It might be some time before the world returns to normal, but at least the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will be able to hint at a revival of the good old days this week.
For the first time since 2018, Rory McIlroy will be back in the field in the capital, for a tournament which was once inked in as his season curtain raiser.
The Northern Irishman has not featured on the European Tour for over a year, or anywhere at all since The Masters finally took place in November.
“It's good to be back,” McIlroy, the world No 6, said.
“I started my season in Abu Dhabi for 11 straight years, 2008 to 2018 and it's worked well for me. I've played well here. I enjoy playing in the desert, this style of golf.
“Obviously last year was a different year. I really didn't travel back over this part of the world and play at all.
“It's still obviously not where we want it to be, but I think we know a little bit more about what's going on.
"[That is] in terms of how the virus is and how it affects you or how it doesn't affect you in many cases, and feel a little more comfortable traveling. It's great to be out here and playing.”
McIlroy will play in the showpiece three-match on Thursday, going off from the National Course’s 10th tee at 7.30am along with world No 3 Justin Thomas and the European Tour No 1 Lee Westwood.
Four of McIlroy’s 28 tournament titles have come in the UAE, including his first as professional – the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic.
He has yet to claim the title in the capital, though, despite regularly contending near the summit of the leaderboard.
“I saw something the other day, of the 13 times I've played a first tournament of a season in my pro career, I've had 11 top fives,” McIlroy said.
“The fact that there is no win in there is a little surprising, I guess.
"I come out at the start of the year and I don't think you're as fully sharp as you would want to be but at least the optimism is there and the enthusiasm is there.
“There’s not any scar tissue built up from previous tournaments that year. I feel like every year is a fresh start and I like that feeling.
“I have played well the first tournament back and hopefully I can do the same again this week.”
McIlroy’s most recent appearance on the European Tour was at the 2019 DP World Tour Championship.
It meant he missed seeing Westwood, his playing partner on day one in Abu Dhabi, being crowned as the Order of Merit winner for the third time at the same event last month.
At 47, the Englishman became the oldest winner of the Race to Dubai. McIlroy is 31 himself now, and he says he feels as though the years are marching on.
“It’s funny,” McIlroy said. “I came here to Abu Dhabi as an 18-year-old.
"In 2008, I would have been an 18-year-old, the first time I played here was my first year on the European Tour, and I honestly really couldn't see myself at that point playing past 40.
“And then I'm 31 now and I'm like, jeez, that doesn't seem like that far away.
“I still feel like I have a good 15 years left in me. If I'm competitive and can still play, I can see myself doing what the likes of Lee and Tiger [Woods] and Phil [Mickelson] have done over the past couple of years.”
The presence of a star-studded field including the likes of McIlroy, Thomas, Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood will jar with the absence of the vast galleries that have flocked to the tournament in recent years.
Fleetwood, who won back-to-back titles in Abu Dhabi in 2017 and 2018, said the altered atmosphere at Tour events is still taking some getting used to.
“I think sports where there are not spectators, it does play a role and makes it a bit different,” said Fleetwood, who starts his opening round at 12.05pm alongside Shane Lowry and Justin Rose.
“You don't want to make excuses if there is crowds or not, really. It's down to you to play golf.
“But I think, sport without crowds is very different and the sooner we can get them back, the better.”
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
TO%20CATCH%20A%20KILLER
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDamian%20Szifron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shailene%20Woodley%2C%20Ben%20Mendelsohn%2C%20Ralph%20Ineson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
FA Cup fifth round
Chelsea v Manchester United, Monday, 11.30pm (UAE), BeIN Sports
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
