Mohammed Syed Ahmed (Abu Dhabi)
Belgian Thomas Peters flew the “winged falcon” after winning the 17th edition of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the first round of the Rolex Series for 2022, within the DB World Tour, the first time he won in Abu Dhabi, to collect 1.333 million $, the value of the prize allocated to the hero out of the prize pool of $ 8 million.
Peters, the 69th seed, won the overall standings on the last day of the tournament, which was held for the first time at Yas Links Stadium on the island.
The coronation ceremony was attended by His Excellency Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the Golf Federation, His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi, Aref Al Awani, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and Abdel Fattah Sharaf, CEO of HSBC Bank Middle East in the UAE.
Peters grabbed the lead by 10 under par, ahead of Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello, who won the runner-up by 9 under par. In one of the surprises of the tournament, Indian Chubanker Sharma, ranked 281, came third, France’s Victor Dobison fourth, and Norway’s Victor Holland fifth.
Scotsman Scott Jameson, who grabbed the lead in the first three days, stumbled on the final day by scoring 5 strokes above par, to finish the tournament in 10th place with 6 under par, while England’s Terrell Hatton finished the competition in sixth place with a total of 7 strokes under par. the average.
Thomas Peters expressed his happiness at winning the championship title for the first time in the 8 times he was at the event in Abu Dhabi, considering his achievement of the first Rolex Series title as the important event in his career.
He also expressed his admiration for the Yas Links Stadium, despite its difficulty, which greatly contributed to the intense competition for the championship, noting that the last day witnessed strong competition and that he benefited greatly from Jameson’s stumble.
For his part, His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, stressed that the Abu Dhabi Championship represents the launch of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in launching its annual presence in organizing major sporting events, and said: “Thanks to the wise visions of the wise leadership, Abu Dhabi has become a global sports platform and a destination for champions and athletes. The elite, world stars and stakeholders in the international sports movement, in light of the model plans adopted by the wise Abu Dhabi government and the great attention it has given to the development of the sports sector, which is one of the most important sectors supporting social cohesion.
He added: The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship represents a distinguished model in enhancing communication with the people of the world, praising the great successes achieved by the tournament, with the participation of 132 players who represent the elite golf stars in the world.
His Excellency congratulated the Belgian star Thomas Peters for winning the championship title, praising the distinguished role of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the exceptional efforts made by all the stakeholders involved in organizing the event and providing the highest safety standards in order to preserve the health of all.
Aref Hamad Al Awani, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, congratulated the Belgian star Thomas Peters, who won the title after a fierce competition that took place in the global event over a period of 4 days.
He added: The tournament represents a distinguished start to the agenda of international sporting events hosted by the capital Abu Dhabi, which confirms Abu Dhabi’s leading position in the global sports scene, extending his thanks and appreciation to all sponsors, event partners and all parties, which contributed to the success of the tournament and enhancing the prestigious rank of Abu Dhabi, which has become the best sports destination. In light of what it possesses and its great potentials that lead to the achievement of adding and dazzling imprints to all international sporting events.
He said: We are proud of the wide global resonance and the impressive organization that accompanied the 17th edition, despite all the challenges, but the sincere national efforts and great cooperation of all the competent authorities contributed to providing all the elements of safety, preventive measures and precautionary measures, which secured the championship and the safety of all participants.
.