Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) has announced the line-up for the Abu Dhabi Invitational as this year’s edition embraces a new format.
A team of professional golfers — captained by three-time Ryder Cup player and former captain Paul McGinley — will take on a celebrity All-Stars team from the world of sport and entertainment, led by former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.
The tournament, which will be held at Yas Links on Sunday January 29, will see 20 professionals and 20 celebrities each paired with a VIP guest as the teams compete against each other in a Ryder Cup four-ball format.
All competitors will play from the back tees with the professionals playing off a plus-5 handicap.
Among the stars lining up for Schmeichel’s team are former footballers Ruud Gullit, Dwight Yorke and Roberto di Matteo, cricket’s James Anderson, Brian Lara and Jacques Kallis and rugby union world cup-winners Mike Tindall and David Campese.
Singer Ronan Keating is also appearing for the All-Stars.
McGinley’s team includes Ryder Cup players Thomas Pieters and Matthew Fitzpatrick as well as Ahmed Al Musharrekh, the first Emirati golfer to turn professional, and Ladies European Tour players Amy Boulden and Kelsey MacDonald.
Places will also be allocated by invitations from ADSC and from the European Tour to players missing the cut at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters this weekend.
“I am honoured to be captaining the golfers’ team at this year’s Abu Dhabi Invitational,” McGinley said. “I have enjoyed playing Yas Links on many occasions and look forward to being out there again for what promises to be another wonderful occasion. I hope we can raise a lot of money for charity over the weekend as well as having a huge amount of fun.”
Schmeichel said: “With the line-up we have, I know we can give the Pros a serious challenge. It is a prestigious event at a wonderful course and I’m looking forward to it enormously. I know we will have a lot of fun and raise important funds for charity, too.”
This year’s event will comprise an Amateur Championship on Saturday, January 28, with the invited celebrities and sponsor and stakeholder guests, before the main Invitational the following day.
ADSC is also using the occasion to launch a new umbrella marketing initiative called “Sport in Abu Dhabi”. This campaign will showcase and promote the emirate’s central role in the world’s sporting landscape.
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England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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