Changed days indeed for Rory McIlroy, who not so long ago had to sneak inside the fairway ropes to steal a closer look at Tiger Woods. On Thursday the Northern Irishman will have the best seat in the house when the defining golfer of a generation begins his 2012 season. The pair played a practice round together here on Tuesday and, along with Luke Donald, will spend the first two rounds of the Abu Dhabi Championship in each other’s company.
“Not exactly low profile,” was McIlroy’s assessment of the tournament draw.
Not exactly, although the world No3 wasn’t complaining. “There’s not many tournaments where you get really excited about a Thursday or a Friday, but this is one of these times. It will definitely get the juices flowing,” he said.
Hopefully, the same will be said about galleries.
Professional golf might have gravitated towards the Middle East in recent years but that is more a reflection of corporate pursuit of oil dollars than of local taste. Golf as a spectator sport remains a margin pastime in Abu Dhabi, although Woods’ presence this week is expected to bump up ticket sales.
Full story: Rory McIlroy set to test Tiger Woods in Abu Dhabi Championship
