RORY & TIGER MOVE TO HSBC’S ABU DHABI BEAT

Golfing giants get traditional with Emirati Ayala Dance

He’s been in Abu Dhabi for less than 24 hours, but Tiger Woods – one of the headline attractions at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which starts on Thursday 26 January 2012 – wowed onlookers at Abu Dhabi Golf Club as he shook off the trans-Atlantic cobwebs and ‘moved’ to the UAE capital’s traditional beat.

Abu Dhabi debutant, Woods, hot contender in what is the strongest field ever assembled at a Middle East tournament, was joined by world numbers two and three, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy, for an impromptu celebration of traditional Emirati ayala (celebration) dancing on his first National Course appearance.

“It’s my first time in Abu Dhabi and although as golfers we are used to travelling all over the world, we don’t usually get welcomes like this” said Woods, a 14-time Major winner. It’s always fantastic to experience new cultures and traditions and I really got into the ayala beat; I’m not sure the canes would be too good on the putting greens this week though.”

The ayala dance celebration officially ushered in the seventh annual Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which will see triple and defending champion, Martin Kaymer, lock horns with Woods, Westwood and McIlroy, as well as world number one, Luke Donald, in the hunt for the Falcon trophy. Reigning Major champions, Charl Schwartzel (US Masters) and Darren Clarke (The Open), Australian hot-shot, Jason Day, Korea’s top ranked player, KJ Choi, Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington are also in the star studded line-up.