ABU DHABI // The first time it happened, it was viewed as an amusing accident.
On the second day, it seemed more like serial choreography. Either way, it was downright confusing for some at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
Inside and outside the ropes.
For the second round in succession, the rising European Tour players Thorbjorn Olesen and Tommy Fleetwood played in the same threesome and looked more like members of the same college golf team, coordinated in matching attire nearly from head to toe, down to their white leather belts.
Both have similar physical stature, too. If that sounds a tad confusing, imagine how Paul McGinley, the third member of the trio and the reigning European Ryder Cup captain, felt.
“Paul couldn’t get it right,” Fleetwood said, laughing. “He’d say, ‘Nice shot, Tommy.’ No, that was Thorbjorn.”
Both players are on the Nike staff, and it is not unusual for manufacturers to send clothes to players to be worn in a certain sequence. Nobody could have envisioned that the two would be grouped, of course. They wore matching blue outfits Friday after looking like clones in peach in the opening round.
“We’re scripted,” Fleetwood said of the attire. “We’re in harmony.”
Fleetwood found a way to distinguish himself from Olesen, a 24-year-old Dane who finished second at Abu Dhabi Golf Club last year. The Englishman, 22, shot a seven-under 65 and leaped into the top 10.
“It was nice to have a bit of a laugh out there and get the captain confused,” Fleetwood said.
McGinley admitted to getting his wires crossed.
“Two days in a row in the same clothes,” he said, rolling his eyes.
Said Fleetwood, laughing: “I still don’t think he knows who’s who.”
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Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
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In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
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Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
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Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
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