Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship 2016: First Round Leader picks

Dan Geraghty
20 January 2016

Tyrell Hatton: Horses for courses?

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Dan Geraghty selects three players from the morning starters at this weeks European Tour event in Abu Dhabi...

"(DeChambeau) is an amateur in name only, he's now left college and to all intents and purposes he's a touring professional dedicated to golf."

Thursday's weather forecast suggests another perfect morning in the Abu Dhabi desert. The forecast wind is extremely minimal in the morning before it's expected to pick up to 10kts in the afternoon. The morning starters look to have a clear edge this week with perfect conditions and fresh greens so I'm putting a line through half the field in my quest for first round leader selections.

With a morning tee time and a triple figure price, my each way selection Bryson DeChambeau is a must for the staking plan; the American is an amateur in name only, he's now left college and to all intents and purposes he's a touring professional dedicated to golf; he's far better than his price suggests.

Tyrell Hatton's form here is eyecatching; the talented Englishman has played here twice and made the top 10 both times and if this tweet is anything to go by, he's enjoying his time in the UAE once more.

First shot with the new @Titleist @TitleistEurope SM6 vokey wedge, 117 yards...going straight in the bag pic.twitter.com/6ddhlN4khk
? Tyrrell Hatton (@thatton91) January 19, 2016

Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth is the question that's been bamboozling punters up and down the land this week. I'm firmly siding with Spieth, who has somehow come back this year looking like his game is in even better shape than last year. The young American looks to have found extra distance from the tee and his putter is still behaving as it was. McIlroy's excellent record here is well documented but the fact is he's winless in eight starts. I expect to see both superstars near the top after day one, back Spieth to lead the way.

1 point E/W on each

Follow me on twitter: @dangeraghty10

2016 First Round Leader P&L: -16pts