Reigning Race to Dubai Champion Lee Westwood begins 2021 with the defence of his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title this week, and the 47-year-old feels as ready as ever for the challenge ahead in the opening Rolex Series event of the season. The Englishman kicked off his historic 2020 campaign with the second Rolex Series victory of his career, courtesy of a two-stroke triumph over Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Victor Perez at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. That win helped propel Westwood to history, kick-starting a remarkable season which culminated in him becoming the oldest player to be crowned European Tour Number One, at the conclusion of the Race to Dubai almost exactly one month ago. Unsurprisingly, the ten-time Ryder Cup player is brimming with confidence on his return to the Middle East. The man Westwood dethroned last year, winner of the 2019 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Shane Lowry, is also returning with high hopes. The reigning Open Champion is targeting a return to his best form as the European Points List re-starts in the race for qualification to Padraig Harrington's 2021 European Ryder Cup team. Player Quotes: Lee Westwood: "It’s always good coming back to a tournament and a venue where you’ve won before. You have that little bit of confidence. I played the back nine today. I was walking up on to that 18th green and the last time I was there was when I was winning the tournament last year. It’s always a confidence booster when you come back to somewhere where you’ve won, you’re familiar with and feel like you can score well. Other than the win last year, I’ve had some good performances here. It’s a golf course that sets up well for me. "I feel good. I came out early to the Middle East to do some pre-season. Can’t do anything at home at the moment because the golf courses are closed, and the weather is no good. "My game feels in good shape, I don’t feel like I’ve had much of an off-season. The year finished so late last year and we’ve started early this year. I feel in good shape and driving the ball well and putting feels good. I was saying to Helen this morning that I’ve done everything, I’m getting bored and I wish it was Thursday." Shane Lowry: “I think if I get another win on the board and head to America in September and win the Ryder Cup that’s my goal for the year, to focus on myself and try and get another win on the board soon enough and then hopefully go to Whistling Straits in September and bring back the Ryder Cup to Europe. Obviously I want to make the team but I also want to go out there and win as well, stamp my name on that part of golf. “Obviously I’ve had some success here in the past, in 2019. I didn’t play here for quite a few years so it was nice to come back that year and then win in my first trip back for a while. I like the tournament and I like the place but I haven’t played a tournament in definitely eight weeks, maybe more.

Tyrrell Hatton became just the second player to claim four Rolex Series titles after a flawless performance in the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship helped him overturn the overnight lead of his playing partner Rory McIlroy and clinch a four-stroke victory. The Englishman has now won two of the last three Rolex Series events, having lifted the BMW PGA Championship title last October, and his latest victory is timely with the European Points List restarting this week in the race to qualify for Padraig Harrington's European Ryder Cup side. Hatton’s was another nerveless final round display as the 29-year-old cruised to three birdies on the front nine, while McIlroy dropped shots at the par three fourth and par five eighth holes, to lose any momentum created by the early birdies at the second and third. Victory rarely looked in doubt for Hatton as he played assured and calculated golf down the stretch, three birdies on the way home wrapping up a flawless six under final round 66, an 18 under total and a sixth European Tour win. He now joins Jon Rahm as the only other player to lift four Rolex Series titles, and becomes the first Race to Dubai leader of the 2021 campaign. Australia's Jason Scrivener claimed the best result of his career on the European Tour, a final round 66 earning him runner-up spot, while McIlroy claimed his eighth top three finish in 11 appearances at Abu Dhabi Golf Club after the Northern Irishman signed for a level par 72. Player quotes Tyrrell Hatton: "I'm thrilled to be honest. Even knocking the putt in on 18, it doesn't seem like I've won the tournament. Obviously it's amazing. I've always loved starting my season here in Abu Dhabi, and to now add my name on that trophy with so many great champions before me is a huge honour. I think the big moment for me today was the putt on ten. Maybe that was going eight feet past and just hit the hole. That's huge. "Then my tee shot on 11, that's pitched on the side of the bunker and it's come out. It could have - we've seen plugged lies in the lip this week, so that was another bit of good fortune. So I think that was a big turning point of the day for me. "It's massive. I mean, Ryder Cup points started again. That's a huge goal for me this year to make that team. I'm absolutely delighted that I've managed to pick up a load of points this week, and now I'll enjoy tonight and then my attention will turn to next week." Jason Scrivener: "I was in my own little world. My caddie and I just kind of kept plodding away. Wasn't a good start, made a few soft bogeys, and then just kind of stuck with it and yeah, 29 on the back, which was pretty nice. Dave Alred's (coach) been a game changer for me. Really taught me -- we sat down probably two months before Christmas at the end of my season last year, and he's really helped me a lot and pushed me that bit extra to work harder."