Player Profile - The upcoming season

With the New Year upon us, the focus in world golf is shifting from the glories of the 2011 season to the year that lies ahead. With Luke Donald at the helm of the game both in Europe and the United States at the start of the 2012 season – a position that he most certainly won’t take for granted – fans are eagerly awaiting the season’s kick-off event next week in Hawaii.

Ardent Luke Donald fans may be disappointed to learn that the world number one will be skipping the Tournament of Champions next week as he takes a much-needed break to prepare for the coming season. However, the Tournament will offer a glimpse of Donald’s potential competitors in 2012 as some of the world’s finest golfer’s tee off in the US PGA Tour’s season opener at Kapalua.

Other players contending the Tournament of Champions include the Americans Bubba Watson, Mark Wilson, Nick Watney, Steve Stricker and Webb Simpson. The season opener offers champions from the 2011 season the opportunity to flex their golfing muscles for a first prize of $ 1.12 Million – a great incentive for the cream of last year’s season to shine and kick of the new year with a victory.

The European Tour will start with several co-sanctioned tournaments in South Africa and the Middle East, taking advantage of the summer weather in the Southern Hemisphere while Europe experiences its most intense winter months. Notable events taking place this month in the co-sanctioned leg of the Tour including the Volvo Golf Championships to be held at Fancourt in the town of George, South Africa and the Abu Dhabi Championship, to be held at the end of the month.

Golf fans will be spoilt for choice as the 2012 season kicks off this week. With the number of talented players jostling for victory on both sides of the Atlantic, this exciting season may be the greatest one yet.

Golfweather Editorial