Yas Links, host venue for last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, has once again impressed the world’s best golfers, who have unanimously praised the flawless course conditions at the UAE venue.
As part of the season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship welcomed the top 70 available players from the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex at the conclusion of the ‘Back 9.’ The top 50 players will now advance to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, which begins on Thursday.
Four-time Major champion and Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy, who finished tied third in the event, was full of praise for the course’s condition and strategic layout, commenting: “The condition of the golf course is absolutely incredible. It doesn’t feel like there’s a blade of grass out of place. The fairways are so tight, even for me. I’m worried about duffing a wedge shot. But fairways are incredible, tees, greens. The condition of the golf course is amazing.”
Former Open champion Shane Lowry echoed those sentiments, saying, “It’s a great venue. The weather is obviously pretty hot here this week, different in January, but the course is in as good a condition as I’ve seen a golf course.”
Thorbjorn Olesen, who finished tied third, highlighted the quality of the greens, noting: “The putter was definitely on fire the whole day, and you know, with the conditions of the greens, if you putted really well, you can make a lot of putts.”
Robert MacIntyre emphasised the perfection of the setup, adding: “The conditions of the course are perfect, and it’s literally trying to give yourself 18 chances at birdie, and if you do that, you’ll get a couple really close. I don’t think it could be better condition-wise.”
Yas Links has recently retained its #1 position in the Golf World Top 100 MENA Ranking. This prestigious achievement underscores the dedication of the teams involved and reflects Viya Golf’s continuous investment in maintaining and elevating its world-class facilities.
Viya Golf – a subsiduary of Dubai Golf – operates Yas Links, Yas Acres Golf & Country Club, and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi. Dubai Golf also operates Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates, and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club in Dubai, in addition to Topgolf Dubai.