Rory McIlroy – Jordan Spieth Will Face Off at Abu Dhabi
The 2016 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship will bring the year’s first meeting of the Titans – Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
While Jordan Spieth rolled though the fall and winter with a few breaks, Rory McIlroy has been invisible since the end of the race to Dubai. McIlroy tees it up next at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship which begins January 21st in the United Arab Emirates.
McIlroy is ready for the challengers.
“It’s a goal of mine for next season — to try to reclaim that position ( No.1) as fastl as I can,” McIlroy told the BBC. “I feel like now until 40 is my time to collect some hardware and make my stamp on the game.”
Others have different reasons for playing but are not less competitive.
“I am looking forward to coming to Abu Dhabi, especially after Rickie told me about what a fantastic event it is,” Spieth told the European Tour. “I love to travel and see the world and I am excited to not only play in the event but also checking out Abu Dhabi for the first time.”
The tournament hosts are enthusiastic about the three twenty-somethings participating in the event.
“These three young guns are bringing an enormous wave of new excitement to the game, – they all have the star X-factor,” said His Excellency Aref Al Awani, ADSC’s General Secretary. “Jordan has already demonstrated his desire to ignite a love of golf and sport among youth – that’s something which really resonates well with us here in Abu Dhabi.”
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McIlroy’s return is a welcome one for his fans on several continents.
“I’m looking forward to playing a full European Tour schedule next year with no hiccups,” McIlroy said after winning the Race to Dubai. “The only thing that’s been holding me back over the past few weeks was my putting. My ball-striking’s right where I want it to be. So I think I’m right there. I just want to get as strong and as healthy as possible going into next year, and just keep on top of the things that I’m doing well and keep trying to chip away at the things I want to do a little bit better.”
McIlroy admitted he has some goals for 2016, and that he accomplished some of the ones he had set for 2015. However, he gave few specifics.
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“I always put down a couple of goals that are not golf related, just things in my life that I would like to do better, as a person,” he explained saying that he was able to accomplish some of those. “Obviously I wanted to win majors. I wanted to improve in certain areas of my game, and didn’t quite do that, but these things happen. You have to set yourself these lofty goals to try and get better.”
He was able to win the Race to Dubai which was one of his goals for 2015.
For 2016, goals he will discuss are getting physically back to 100 percent.
“I want to try and get healthy and get stronger again, get my body back, because I haven’t been able to do as much in the gym as I would have liked over the past few months,” he added. He said that would be his focus in the off season. “I don’t have to worry about being sore, going and playing a round of golf. So I really want to concentrate on that.”
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One reason for needing to be strong is that the Olympics have compressed the regular golf schedule and changed the timing for major championships. That leaves fewer weeks of rest between them.
Fowler and Henrik Stenson are also looking forward to Abu Dhabi and hope to challenge Spieth and McIlroy for the title.
“The past two years have been pivotal in my career,” said Fowler who is making his second appearance at Abu Dhabi. “I’m looking forward to starting with a tough test against some of the big names in Abu Dhabi, which I hope will set me up nicely for the season ahead.”
“Abu Dhabi is very close to my heart,” Stenson told the European Tour. “I’m one of only 14 players to have competed every year in Abu Dhabi since the first event in 2006, and I’ve always enjoyed starting my season there.”
He has finished second twice and said he would love to win the tournament.
Next: Jordan Spieth - No Let-Up in 2016
After Abu Dhabi, McIlroy defends at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.