Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Betting Tips, TV Times
Published:
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: How to watch and who to back
The European Tour heads to the Middle East this week for the first Rolex Series event of 2020 at Abu Dhabi GC, host of the 15th edition of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
World No.1 Brooks Koepka makes his first start since pulling out of the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges with a knee injury back in October, and is joined by fellow world top 10 players Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Cantlay.
Also in the field is defending champion Shane Lowry, who went on to win the Open Championship following his one-stroke victory here last year, marking his first title on the European Tour since the 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
But who should you back this week? Read on below for our picks, and find out how to watch
• Date: 16- 19 Jan
• Course: Abu Dhabi GC | Par 72 | 7,600 yards
• Prize Fund: $7,000,000
• Race to Dubai Points: 7,000
• Defending Champion: Shane Lowry
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: TV Times
• Tuesday 14th Jan (Hero Challenge): Live, Sky Sports Main Event (14:30), Sky Sports Golf (14:30)
• Wednesday 15th Jan (One the range): Live, Sky Sports Golf (11:00)
• Thursday 16th Jan: Sky Sports Golf (03:30), Sky Sports Main Event (05:00), Sky Sports Golf (11:00)
• Friday 17th Jan: Sky Sports Golf (07:00)
• Saturday 18th Jan: Sky Sports Golf (08:00)
• Sunday 19th Jan: Sky Sports Golf (07:00)
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Betting Tips
Tommy Fleetwood: 9/1
Making his first start since a runner-up finish at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai at the end of November, which came after his victory at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Was T42 here last year, but has a good history in Abu Dhabi in the form of back-to-back victories in 2017 and 2018.
Patrick Cantlay: 10/1
Begun his year with a 4th place finish at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, having played three other events since the Tour Championship (T40-2-T17). Making his first start in Abu Dhabi.
Brooks Koepka: 10/1
The World No.1 hasn’t played since a recurring knee injury at the CJ Cup forced him to sit out the remainder of 2019, so he’s a bit of a gamble this week. That being said, he was T9 here last year – hist first start in Abu Dhabi since 2014.
Louis Oosthuizen: 14/1
On a strong run of form that includes back-to-back runner-up finishes at the South African Open and Australian PGA Championship – two of four top 10s in his last five starts. He finished 4th here in 2019, and has a best finish of T2 in 2009.
Shane Lowry: 18/1
The defending champion made his first start since a T12 at the DP World Tour at last week’s Hong Kong Open, and finished runner-up to Wade Orsmby. Last year, he opened with a stunning 62 on his way to a wire-to-wire victory, which marked his first start in Abu Dhabi since a MC in 2014.
Matthew Fitzpatrick: 18/1
Fitzpatrick had an incredibly strong run to end his 2019 European Tour season, with a runner-up finish at the Italian Open and three more top 10s at the WGC HSBC Champions, Nedbank Golf Challenge and DP World Tour Championship. Skipped this event last year, but was T3 in 2018. Making his first start of the new season.
Branden Grace: 25/1
Branden Grace heads to Abu Dhabi in superb form, having finished T3 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship before claiming his ninth European Tour title in South Africa last week. He also hasn’t finished worse than T27 (’19) in his last five starts here, which includes a T5 in 2015.
Thomas Pieters: 30/1
Pieters made his first start of the new season at the start of December, finishing T12 in the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open after a successful second half of 2019 which included a victory at the D+D Real Czech Masters and a T6 at the season finale in Dubai. A history of performing well here, which includes three top 10s in his last five starts, in addition to last year’s T16.
Matthias Schwab: 40/1
Like many others, Schwab is making his first start of the season and will be hoping to continue the form that saw him post top 5s in Italy, Shanghai and Turkey and a T20 at the DP World Tour Championship. Finished T22 here last year.
Thomas Detry: 50/1
Three tournaments under his belt since the DP World Tour Championship, finishing T4 at the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open, T4 at the Thailand Masters and T28 last week in South Africa. Still knocking on the door as he aims to win his first European Tour title, and has a best here in two starts of T9 in 2018.
