Villegas expected to join star line-up

Euan Megson

• Last Updated: November 04. 2009 11:04PM UAE / November 4. 2009 7:04PM GMT

Camilo Villegas is the next big-name player set to be confirmed for Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. John Bazemore / AP

The world No 19 Camilo Villegas is the next big-name player set to be confirmed for January’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

He will join the defending champion Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and Geoff Ogilvy on the National Course for the fifth staging of the tournament.

Villegas, who will tee off at the Earth course later this month after qualifying for the Dubai World Championship, is widely viewed as one of global golf’s emerging big-name players, and securing his participation would be a considerable coup for the Abu Dhabi Championship.

The Colombian is represented by IMG – the same company which organises the Abu Dhabi Championship on behalf of the emirate’s Tourism Authority.

IMG’s Greg Sproule, who sits on Abu Dhabi Championship’s organising committee, said: “We always want to have exciting, interesting players and in the weeks ahead we’ll be announcing, as we always do every year, further players that will be coming [in 2010].

“A long-haired, certain person from a certain continent [Villegas], would be a great addition, but stay tuned.

“One of the things we’ve always said about the championship is that it’s not just one, or two, or three big players – it’s a variety of top 20 players. That’s the pedigree of the event.

“When people start to put the pieces together in the next few weeks, they’ll see there are some great names and personalities that will make it really exciting for people to come watch the championship again.

With dozens of the world’s best players teeing off in Dubai in less than a fortnight, Sproule said Abu Dhabi officials would not extend overtures to target players during the European Tour’s curtain-call.

“I think the Dubai World Championship is a great event,” he said.

“It’s great for the European Tour, Dubai and the country. It’s their week in the spotlight and our approach would never be to go there and talk up Abu Dhabi.

“The people in the know, know that – we are now into our fifth year, we’re established on the Tour,” added Sproule.

One man definitely not lining up on Greg Norman’s Earth course is American hot-shot Anthony Kim. Despite being ranked No 39 in the Race to Dubai standings, Kim has decided not to play, citing over-travel and burn-out fears.

“I’m not going,” he said yesterday. “I need the week off and want to be prepared for [the PGA] season [next year]. The PGA Tour is my home tour and it’s my priority.

“I was all over the place this year and I didn’t do a good job of scheduling.”

Kim confirmed he will continue playing European Tour events in 2010.

“I’m going to sign up for European Tour membership,” Kim said.

“There’s a different vibe, and it’s good to experience it. I just need to do a better job with my schedule.”

Michelle Wie was last night confirmed as a competitor in the Dubai Ladies Masters in December.

Wie, 20, is one of the most high-profile players in the ladies’ game.

“We are really delighted to have Michelle in the field,” said Mohammed Juma Buamaim, vice-chairman and chief executive of golf in Dubai – organisers of the tournament.

“She is charismatic, she is skilful and her presence will certainly provide a big boost to the tournament. She may be just 20, but it appears that she has been around for a long time and has done wonders to raise the profile of women’s golf.”

emegson@thenational.ae