Since 2019, the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has been one of the most prestigious events of the season following its promotion to the Rolex Series.
The match is set to attract even more attention than usual in 2024, with the match set to be the first of two end-of-season play-offs before the traditional DP World Tour Championship at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
However, while the DP World Tour now concludes its season with a doubleheader in the United Arab Emirates, the venue for its first play-off event owes much to a course nearly 5,000 miles away in the Middle East.
In 2022, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has announced that it will be leaving its regular home at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club for Yas Links on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
The course was designed by Kyle Phillips, the designer of the modern Scottish classic course Kingsbarns. Yas Links, which opened a decade later, drew much inspiration from the rugged beauty of earlier masterpieces and other famous British and Irish links courses.
Featuring undulating fairways, strategically placed bunkers, challenging green complexes and stunning sea views, Yas Links combines traditional and contemporary design.
The three closed holes are particularly special. Par 4 par 16th There is water on the left side, a huge bunker on the right side of the fairway, and bunkers around the green.
Par 3 Hole 17th Arguably the best of them all, and it takes place all over the water from tee to green. Finally, 18th It is a par 5 with water on the left side of the fairway.
Hole 17 features water diverted from the tee to the green
(Image source: Getty Images)
If this all sounds as if Phillips has somehow accomplished the incredible task of creating a truly Scottish-style links experience against the backdrop of the Arabian Gulf, that's because he has done just that, making the course unique to the region. It is very unique and a must-experience course.
Fortunately, the general public can. If you book a tee time through the Viya Golf official website, green fees range from approximately AUD 880 (approximately US$217) to AUD 1,100 (approximately US$300) depending on the time of year.
Yas link location