The year 2016 promises to be a landmark one for Henrik Stenson, and not only because he enters the golfing season as the sixth highest-ranked player in the world, or has a place within sight on Team Sweden at the Rio Olympics, or a fourth Ryder Cup appearance to aim for.
Personally, too, there comes a milestone mark on April 5, when Stenson follows Tiger Woods in becoming the latest high-profile golfer to turn 40. It just so happens that the Masters tees off that week as well, when Stenson enters the year’s opening major and resumes his quest to add what many consider the one glaring omission on his CV.
It does not take too much to guess what would make the perfect gift.
“Thanks for reminding me,” Stenson jokes, referring to the big date. “Obviously my birthday is always around the time of the Masters, so taking home a green jacket would be a nice present. Aside from that, anything that my kids have made for me, or something thoughtful from them is usually enough to make me smile and will help me forget that I’m 40 years old.”
Until now, there has been plenty worth remembering. Stenson has 17 professional victories, including four in the Middle East, while in 2013 he became the first to capture the FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai – and in the same season.
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His performance at the 2014 DP World Tour Championship, when he won the European Tour’s finale for the second successive year, seemed to set him up for a major tilt last season, however a tied-19th at the Masters constituted his best result in the calendar’s four main events.
In fact, Stenson went winless for the first year since 2011, finishing runner-up at six events. So, as the Swede opens the 2016 season this week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, how does he reflect on his 2015?
“A lot of people have been asking me this and in all honesty I would still consider the season to be a success due to the consistency of my performances,” he says. “I was knocking on the door all year both in Europe and on the PGA Tour and have to take the positives from that.
“A couple of my runner-up finishes were down to some incredible golf being played by some world-class players, while others were when parts of my game were not 100 per cent and I did extremely well to even be challenging.
“If I keep doing what I’m doing and maybe hole a couple more putts hopefully I’ll be holding a trophy soon ... maybe a falcon-shaped one this week?”
Just like the absence of a major championship, the Falcon Trophy is another blotch on Stenson’s copybook. A former Dubai resident, he has generally struck oil in the desert, collecting every other available trinket: the DP World Tour Championship twice, the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Qatar Masters and the seasonal Race to Dubai crown.
Yet despite the constant commitment to Abu Dhabi – Stenson has been an ever-present since its inception in 2006 – he remains one shy of completing the set. He came closest in 2006 and 2008, finishing second to Chris DiMarco and Martin Kaymer respectively.
But, then again, adding the Falcon Trophy is just the first on a long list of targets this season. Stenson has recovered from a minor operation on his knee last month and, together with finally breaking through at a major, has ringed on the calendar golf’s return to the Olympics in August and Europe’s defence of the Ryder Cup, in the United States, the following month.
No wonder his competitive juices are already flowing.
“2016 is going to be a massive year for golf with both the Olympics and the Ryder Cup and I can’t wait,” Stenson says. “I love the atmosphere at the Ryder Cup and enjoyed getting back into the fold in 2014, having played in 2006 and 2008.
“Before I made the team for Gleneagles I had this feeling that I wasn’t done with the event and really wanted to get the European shirt on once more. I know I’m in a good place to qualify for the team again this year, but there’s still plenty of golf to be played and I’ve still got to prove to everyone that I deserve to be on the team.
“In terms of the Olympics, as a sports fan I grew up watching both the Summer and Winter Olympics so if I am able to compete for Sweden and maybe even pick up a medal, it would be an extremely special moment for me.”
Stenson is seeking one such moment this week, although he understands it will be difficult. Abu Dhabi boasts another strong field, headed by debutant and world No 1 Jordan Spieth, third-ranked Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler, the world No 5.
It means golf’s new wave comes rolling through the National Course, reinforcing the tournament’s growing appeal while also providing Stenson an early look at what he is up against this season.
As one of the game’s more experienced campaigners, he is well placed to pass judgment on the current state of the sport. It can also help keep professional fires burning.
“The next generation of young guys coming through is extremely exciting for golf,” Stenson says. “In terms of how it impacts me, obviously with better players coming through it makes it harder to win on the PGA Tour, but it’s tough to win anyway, so I can’t let that get me down.
“It makes me want to work even harder on my game. What guys like me have going for us is that we have experience on our side from playing under pressure on more occasions to competing over certain courses that are difficult for you to get accustomed to.”
Maybe Spieth should take heed, as he prepares to make his Abu Dhabi bow. The 22-year-old American appears to be in fine shape, anyway, continuing a breakout 2015 that included two majors and the FedEx Cup crown with last week’s rampant victory at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. Abu Dhabi awaits.
“Having someone like Jordan come underlines the stature of this event as one of the best of the European Tour season and gives me another world-class player to have to try and beat to the title,” Stenson says.
“We all know he is probably the best putter in the world and I saw that first-hand over the first two rounds at Augusta last year.
“What he achieved in 2015 can be used for inspiration to any golfer on tour. It just makes us all work harder and focus that little bit more to try and beat him.”
Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship event information
What: 2016 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship
When: January 18-24
Where: National Course, Abu Dhabi Golf Club
Who: 122-strong field, including four of the world's top 6
Tickets: Free entry on Monday and Tuesday (practice days) and Wednesday (Pro-Am). Tickets and packages available from midday Monday at www.abudhabigolfchampionship.com at Dh50 for daily pass, Dh150 for four-day pass. Guests staying at any Abu Dhabi hotel over the championship period enter free.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The bio
Academics: Phd in strategic management in University of Wales
Number one caps: His best-seller caps are in shades of grey, blue, black and yellow
Reading: Is immersed in books on colours to understand more about the usage of different shades
Sport: Started playing polo two years ago. Helps him relax, plus he enjoys the speed and focus
Cars: Loves exotic cars and currently drives a Bentley Bentayga
Holiday: Favourite travel destinations are London and St Tropez
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
China and the UAE agree comprehensive strategic partnership
China and the UAE forged even closer links between the two countries during the landmark state visit after finalising a ten-point agreement on a range of issues, from international affairs to the economy and trade and renewable energy.
1. Politics: The two countries agreed to support each other on issues of security and to work together on regional and international challenges. The nations also confirmed that the number of high-level state visits between China and the UAE will increase.
2. Economy: The UAE offers its full support to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which will combine a land 'economic belt" and a "maritime silk road" that will link China with the Arabian Gulf as well as Southeast, South and Central China, North Africa and, eventually, Europe.
3. Business and innovation: The two nations are committed to exploring new partnerships in sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, energy, the aviation and transport industries and have vowed to build economic co-operation through the UAE-China Business Committee.
4. Education, science and technology: The Partnership Programme between Arab countries in Science and Technology will encourage young Emirati scientists to conduct research in China, while the nations will work together on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, renewable energy and space projects.
5. Renewable energy and water: The two countries will partner to develop renewable energy schemes and work to reduce climate change. The nations have also reiterated their support for the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency.
6. Oil and gas: The UAE and China will work in partnership in the crude oil trade and the exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources.
7. Military and law enforcement and security fields: Joint training will take place between the Chinese and UAE armed forces, while the two nations will step up efforts to combat terrorism and organised crime.
8. Culture and humanitarian issues: Joint cultural projects will be developed and partnerships will be cultivated on the preservation of heritage, contemporary art and tourism.
9. Movement between countries: China and the UAE made clear their intent to encourage travel between the countries through a wide-ranging visa waiver agreement.
10. Implementing the strategic partnership: The Intergovernmental Co-operation Committee, established last year, will be used to ensure the objectives of the partnership are implemented.
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Sunday's fixtures
- Bournemouth v Southampton, 5.30pm
- Manchester City v West Ham United, 8pm
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
