‘The Golf Scientist’ tames Abu Dhabi field with unique style

Rory McIlroy insisted he was not concerned about laying down a marker to world number one Jordan Spieth, but his golf was doing that for him in the early stages of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. It feels like you’re right into the thick of things at the start. This week, as the tour gets its Middle East run underway, the new CEO pulled out a new policy on slow play and then followed up by allowing players to wear shorts during practice rounds and pro-ams.

The new rules, introduced by European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley, are different to those of the PGA Tour, with the aim of shaving 15 minutes off the duration of a round to help the sport become “more appealing and engaging to fans”.

Will it be McIlroy or Spieth who will be dressed for success this week? McIlroy is well aware of that.

Spieth won the Masters and US Open and finished fourth in the Open at St Andrews, missing out on a play-off by a single shot as he looked to win the third leg of an unprecedented calendar grand slam.

Spieth made light of the race, laughing and saying, “Well, he’s one very good player that I could have taken out of the field”. I have to beat another 142 guys.

“All I’ve dreamed of from a little kid is winning majors”.

“Pace of play on the European Tour is measured by whether a group keeps to the starting interval between groups, rather than if they are on the same hole, as it is in America, ” said European Tour rules official John Paramor.

Henrik Stenson is a shot further back with Braden Grace and four-time Major champion Rory McIlroy both well in the hunt at six under. We very rarely get this pairing and very rarely will going forward. Though the “penalty” for two such breaches would cost the game’s highest earner (and, of course, anyone else in violation) pocket change of some $2,800, Spieth was confused by the action. And McIlroy’s scoring average over this spell is 69.3 with Spieth coming in with 69.4. Spieth, meanwhile, showed no sign of easing up on the gas following his momentous 2015 by romping to an eight-shot win in Hawaii the other week.

“I think I’ll be remembered for my major championships”, the 26-year-old, who will compete for Ireland at Rio 2016, said.

You would think the same of DeChambeau, but this disciple of Ben Hogan can not be judged so straightforwardly. He could hardly credit being within two of McIlroy, who regularly out-drove him by 40 yards and more.

“So look at Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson; this is still our generation, Tiger, Phil, Rory, these guys that have done more in the game of golf than I have and I want to strive to get to what they have done. You want to win tournaments and you want to achieve things, but it’s about how to go about that on your off weeks”. Paramor spoke to Spieth as he walked from the 9th tee.