Eduardo Molinari
Ahead of the fourth Rolex Series event of the season, three-time DP World Tour champion and European Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari pinpointed the key holes at Yas Links and the players to watch out for as he dug into the data.
Rory McIlroy most recently finished tied for 12th at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links
Review: Victor Perez's 2023 wins
Victor Perez won his first Rolex Series title last year with a well-rounded performance, coupled with outstanding putting from Yas Links.
He gained about +0.8 strokes gained from the tee per round, +1.1 strokes gained in approach games, and +1.6 strokes gained on the greens.
The only part of his game that didn't fare well that week was the wedges, as he lost about -0.7 strokes per round.
He got off to a slow start on day one, losing balls everywhere on the course except his putt, but then he played three great rounds of golf and caught a bunker shot on the 71st hole little bird.
His closers were especially good in the 175- to 225-yard range, adding 0.7 targets per round.
Thanks to a very aggressive mentality, his putts were excellent from 14 to 23 feet, making only 14 percent of his putts in that range compared to 30 percent on the field.
Fortinet threats and vulnerabilities to be wary of
Hole 6
The par-4 sixth hole, measuring 468 yards, has proven to be the toughest hole since the tournament moved to Yas Links in 2022.
The average score is usually around 4.23, so par here is a good score.
In the first two tournaments, only 11% were birdies, and 29% were bogeys, which was even worse.
Most of the holes at Yas Links have wide fairways, but this is easily one of the hardest to find as only 51% of players hit it. The penalty for missing the fairway is also very high, as players who miss the fairway on their tee shot score an average of 0.5 strokes higher per round.
Hole 7
This is the easiest hole on the course, with a score average of 4.529, but it provides a lot of excitement as about half of the players will make birdie or better.
The second shot is key on this hole as the entrance to the green is quite narrow and can be difficult to get up and down if you are on the short side, especially from the right side of the green.
Hole 18
This final par 5 is one of the few over par 5s this year.
When the wind blows from the northwest, it is particularly difficult to play despite the wide fairway (nearly 80 yards wide with only a small bunker in the middle).
Since 2022, just 25% have been birdies and 21% have been bogeys or worse.
When the wind picks up, players face a tricky decision off the tee: going left of the bunker is a risky strategy, but they can get home in two shots, while going right means less risk, But they have to hit good short irons to make birdies.
Players to watch
This is a course for long drivers and good putters.
The fairways are the widest of the year, so you can only separate yourself by hitting the ball farther from the tee than the field, and then make a lot of putts.
The greens are also very large, so when the wind blows, the number of lag putts is higher than the tour average.
Here, I've picked out some players who statistically have a good chance of performing well this week.
Star
Rory McIlroy Clearly another one of the most popular. He loves playing in the Middle East and is the best player in that area. He can make the most of his tee shots around Yas Links and if he has a good week on the greens he will be a competitive force for anyone with a winning hope.
Adam Scott Been in great shape since the summer. He's an excellent batsman and in recent years has become one of the best putters in the world. Yas Links should suit him well and like most Australians he is used to chipping the ball into tight areas and onto fast greens.
Rasmus Hoygaard A PGA Tour card and dual membership are all but confirmed for next season. He will compete in the final two races of the Rolex Series hoping to get the first card. Yas Links would be a good fit for him as he's a very good putter in 2024 and he's a long hitter who can take advantage of wide fairways.
outsider
Francisco Laporta He has played some outstanding golf in recent weeks, finishing tied for sixth twice in his last three starts after a slow spring and summer. He is an excellent ball-handler and enjoys playing in windy conditions. Yas Links should be a good fit for him. If he has a good week, he could qualify for the DP World Tour Championship.
Sam Bairstow Is a long hitter with excellent putting skills. Another great fit for Yas Links is that he enjoys playing in the Middle East, as evidenced by his results at the start of the year.
Thorbjorn Olsen Two consecutive top ten finishes in France and Spain. He comes back from the PGA Tour looking like a man on a mission to regain his dual membership. He once again fits the narrative of a long hitter and a great putter, so this could be a big week for the Dane.
