ABU DHABI // Peter German, the tournament director of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, promised that the fourth running of the popular tournament in January will be even better than the previous three. Players, spectators and media will all benefit from the improved facilities at the National course, German maintained at yesterday's official launch of the 2009 championship.
"The competing professionals will notice that there is a new practice ground, a new chipping area and a new practice putting green," said German, who added that the third tee had been put back 20 metres to increase the difficulty of an already tough course which was successfully inspected by the European Tour officials two weeks ago. Greater spectator interest in the $US2million (Dh 7,346m) tournament has led to improved parking facilities and a tented village which now overlooks the course, while the increasing number of media personnel will be catered for with a new press centre closer to the first fairway.
wjohnson@thenational.ae
