Zinzan Brooke, the former New Zealand All Blacks rugby player, chips one handed during the pro-am last week prior to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. David Cannon / Getty Images / January 20, 2016
Zinzan Brooke, the former New Zealand All Blacks rugby player, chips one handed during the pro-am last week prior to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. David Cannon / Getty Images / January 20, 201Show more

All Black Zinzan Brooke a South Africa fan – at Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship



ABU DHABI // South Africa might have an ancient and sworn rivalry with New Zealand on the rugby field, but two of the country’s golfers have had an All Black great supporting them at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship this week.

Zinzan Brooke, the former New Zealand No 8, is in the capital this week providing rugby tuition as a guest of Middle East Touch.

The trip from his home in the UK has allowed him to indulge one of his other sporting passions, too.

Brooke plays off a handicap of eight, and he won the week’s Pro-Am on the eve of the championship in a group with Branden Grace, the world No 16 from South Africa.

He is clearly on form. “What capped it off was I went over to the chipping range in the village, and I got a hole-in-one,” Brooke said, early on Day 3.

“When I arrived first thing this morning, there was no one around so I asked the guys if I could have a go, and they said yes. The first shot I had went straight in, so that was a good start to the day.”

His Pro-Am success won him a new golf bag, and a new pal. He also has a pre-existing friendship with Ernie Els, Grace’s compatriot and Brooke’s neighbour at Berkshire in

England.

Els missed the cut after shooting 5-over for the opening two rounds at the National Course, but Grace has been his usual consistent self, in contention at 4 under when the halfway cut came.

“What a great guy,” Brooke said of Grace. “I was pleased for him on the first day, he got to

6 under, although he dropped [in Round 2].

“You just need one strong day, to have the confidence. This game is all in the head and all about confidence.”

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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
 

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Name: Steppi

Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic

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Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

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Tips for avoiding trouble online
  • Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

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Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

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Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5


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