by Dakota Diaz
Newly Expanded 2022 Rolex Series Returns To UAE For Season Opener G
eneva, Switzerland – The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship from 20-23 January heralds an exciting era for the expanded Rolex Series and the new-look DP World Tour. In 2022, the Tour will be truly global, featuring a minimum of 45 tournaments in 25 countries, including new events in Belgium, Japan, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Rolex Series celebrates the highest calibre of golf and international spirit of the game, qualities that resonate strongly with Rolex and its own quest for perpetual excellence. Launched in 2017 to mark the 20th anniversary of Rolex’s partnership with the DP World Tour – previously known as The European Tour – the series comprises five of the premier tournaments on the schedule, namely: the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, the Genesis Scottish Open, the BMW PGA Championship and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. A record US$10 million prize fund will be on offer at this year’s DP World Tour Championship, making the season finale – also the
16 Golf Vacations • February 2022
culmination to the Rolex Series – the first Tour event outside of the Majors and the two World Golf Championships (WGC) tournaments to feature an eight-figure prize fund. Over the course of more than half a century, Rolex has become intimately linked with the game at all levels, united in a commitment to continuous improvement and unwavering precision. It all began with a pioneering 1967 agreement when golfing legend Arnold Palmer was joined by his great friends and rivals Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player (The Big Three) to become the brand’s first Testimonees in the sport. Underlining its support for golf in Europe, in 1997 Rolex became the Official Timekeeper of The European Tour, a partnership it now maintains through its alliance with the DP World Tour. BACK-TO-BACK ROLEX SERIES EVENTS Lapped by the waters of the Arabian Gulf, the stunning Yas Links course will host the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship for the first time in the tournament’s history. The 17th edition will be the first of backto-back events in the UAE, with many of the world’s elite golfers then
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