Pieters primed for a push

Belgian eyeing another Rolex Series crown in the UAE

Thomas Pieters marked his biggest victory just over a year ago when he claimed the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as the event set up home in its new residence at Yas Links. While it is early days at the 2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Belgian has maneuvered himself into a comfortable position to go for a second Rolex Series event on the DP World Tour in a 12-month span.

After adverse weather and a late start, Pieters took a one-stroke lead into Friday morning with three holes of his first round still to play, with Tommy Fleetwood and Daniel Gavins among his closest chasers.

Reflecting on a first day in overcast conditions on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, Pieters said: “I think it played fair. Obviously, they guarded against some of the conditions, and they moved a few tees forward on holes like 12, where you normally are hitting long irons, and you’re hitting short wedges. If you found fairways and had ball-in-hand, it was definitely playable.

“It was tough to judge because the wind was switching the whole day, but I will try to do the same thing when I am out in the morning. I’m finishing 7, 8, 9 — these are tough holes. If I can finish with three pars, I’ll have a very nice opening round.”

Gavins, who won the 2021 ISPS Handa World Invitational for his biggest win to date, added: “I feel pretty good. I struggled quite a lot off the tee which is a bit frustrating, but my kind of putting kind of held me. I holed quite a lot of nice putts to keep me going. Disappointed with the tee shots but I’ll sort that.”

With the recent announcement of Hero MotoCorp expanding its golf portfolio with the sponsorship of the Dubai Desert Classic, Chairman and CEO Dr Pawan Munjal took time out to explain how the company’s connection with the sport all began, while offering some insights into the future

Hero’s association with golf is now well established, including events in India and the one with Tiger Woods in the Bahamas. How did it all begin and what was the inspiration?

Hero MotoCorp has had a long and cherished association with golf.

It all started back in 1995 when we sponsored a hole-in-one in an international tournament in India. That was the beginning of a relationship that has gone from strength to strength over the years.

Our association with golf is truly global, as we have been partners of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour), the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour in the past. We have been the title sponsors for