Back in 2016, Bryson DeChambeau arrived in Dubai for the first time as a 22-year-old amateur, with irons all the same length, and an elaborate shtick about being a golfing scientist. Scepticism, it is fair to say, was plentiful.
Three years on, the American returns to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic as the highest-ranked player in the field. He is No 5 in the world. He has won five times on the PGA Tour in the time since – four of which have come within the past nine months. Clearly, there is a method to his madness.
“For me, it’s more about understanding the game at a whole other level that’s never really been done before,” DeChambeau said on the eve of the 2019 Classic. “What I want to achieve is different insight into all the different variables that go through you having to adjust properly to the course at hand.
“Like this week, it’s the greens.”
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On his first trip to the UAE, DeChambeau finished in a share for 18th. Not bad for an amateur, you might think. A similar finish this time round would not, though, represent success for a player who is eager for a first win beyond the United States.
The key to succeeding, he says, is on the greens at the Majlis.
“It’s taken us a little bit,” he said. “That's the reason why I struggled with putting when I came here three years. But now I think I have a better understanding of why that happened.
“It's trying to understand the variables more and more. That's really my goal of what I want to do each and every week.”
And, he says, he has worked out a formula for success on the greens at the Emirates Golf Club. “Yes, I have, and I'm not going to say,” he said. “That's part of the secret sauce.”
Since the start of this year, DeChambeau has had scope to push the boundaries even further. Changes in golf’s rule book mean players are searching for new, efficient ways to help shoot low scores. For those applying science to fine the extra one per cent, it is an intriguing time.
“I'm always trying to gain a little bit of an edge in the rules,” DeChambeau said. “I'm not trying to go beyond the rules by any means, but just trying to go to the extent of it like everyone should be. If you're trying to be the best, why not?”
Most obviously, players can now putt with the flag still in the hole, should they so wish. Most remain doubtful.
In Abu Dhabi last week, for example, the popular method was to continue to take the flag out on all but the long-range putts.
“I think from long range, I will use the pin in because I think it's nice, it gives you a little bit better view of the hole,” Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Classic champion, said.
“When it comes down to things inside 30, 35 feet for me, it’s going to be pin out every single time.”
DeChambeau, though, takes a different view. “Pin in, is an easy one,” DeChambeau said. “It's statistically proven to be a benefit in 99 per cent of situations.
“The only times where I'll pull it out is where if the shadow is right in my line because the flag is moving or there's too much wind and you can hear the flag, pull it back, not a big deal.
“But anything outside 10 feet I'm going to leave it in. If I accidentally hit it three feet instead of two feet past the flag, it will stay in the cup. It has a better potential of staying in the cup than with it out.”
WEST ASIA RUGBY 2017/18 SEASON ROLL OF HONOUR
Western Clubs Champions League
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
WHAT%20START-UPS%20IS%20VISA%20SEEKING%3F
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EXPATS
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Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
FIGHT CARD
Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)
Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)
Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)
Formula%204%20Italian%20Championship%202023%20calendar
%3Cp%3EApril%2021-23%3A%20Imola%3Cbr%3EMay%205-7%3A%20Misano%3Cbr%3EMay%2026-28%3A%20SPA-Francorchamps%3Cbr%3EJune%2023-25%3A%20Monza%3Cbr%3EJuly%2021-23%3A%20Paul%20Ricard%3Cbr%3ESept%2029-Oct%201%3A%20Mugello%3Cbr%3EOct%2013-15%3A%20Vallelunga%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
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Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
