Kepka "Abu Dhabi Deployment"... "Return of the World No.1"

European Tour Kicks Off 2020 Season at HSBC Championship, Lauri Defends Title, Wang Jeonghun Represents Korea

World No. 1 Brooks Koepka returns after three months at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] World No.1 Brooks Koepka (USA) is making a comeback.

The battleground is the European Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (total prize money $7 million), opening on the afternoon of the 16th (Korean time) at Abu Dhabi Golf Club (par 72, 7,583 yards) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It has been three months since the PGA Tour The CJ Cup held in Korea last October. Koepka withdrew after playing the second round of The CJ Cup, following a missed cut at the Shriner's Children's Open, which he entered immediately after knee surgery.

Above all, Koepka's physical condition is crucial. Last season, he swept up three wins, including successfully defending his title at the PGA Championship for the first time in 12 years. He is particularly strong in majors, having won back-to-back U.S. Opens in 2017 and 2018. Of his seven career wins, four are majors, earning him the nickname "Major Hunter." Last year, he showed exceptional charisma by finishing in the top 5 in all four majors, including runner-up at the Masters and U.S. Open, and tied for 4th at The Open.

It is somewhat regrettable that he lost the "Player of the Year" award to FedEx Cup (PO) champion Rory McIlroy at the end of the year. A heated "No. 1 battle" awaits from the beginning of the year. For now, regaining his competitive shot rhythm is urgent. Koepka will again compete on the European Tour at the Saudi International on the 30th. Although the total prize money is only $3.5 million, it is a stage that attracts world stars with huge appearance fees. His first PGA Tour event is set for next month’s Genesis Invitational on the 13th.

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is the first event of the "Rolex Series." Since 2017, the European Tour has bundled eight prestigious matches with history and tradition to compete against the PGA Tour, significantly increasing the total prize money to $7 million. The series includes the Irish Open in May, the Scottish Open in July, the BMW PGA Championship in September, the Italian Open in October, and three final events in November: the Turkish Airlines Open, the Nedbank Challenge, and the DP World Tour Championship.

This is why world stars such as world No. 6 Patrick Cantlay and No. 16 Bryson DeChambeau (both USA) are joining in large numbers. Europe is led by defending champion Shane Lowry (Ireland), who recalls the thrilling memory of sinking the winning birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5) last year. Tommy Fleetwood (England), the two-time consecutive winner in 2017 and 2018, is another contender. Korea is represented by Wang Jeong-hoon (25).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.