Iran Threat To European Tour Middle East Swing
The European Tour's Middle East swing is set to get underway next week in Abu Dhabi with Dubai and Saudi Arabia the following two weeks
The European Tour's Middle East swing is set to get underway next week in Abu Dhabi with Dubai and Saudi Arabia the following two weeks
Iran Threat To European Tour Middle East Swing
The European Tour's Middle East swing is scheduled to get underway next week but could be in jeopardy over safety fears amid US-Iran tensions.
General Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US strike in Baghdad last week and Iran launched missile attacks on two US air bases in Iraq earlier today.
Authorities are calling for caution when travelling to the middle east.
"The incident has led to increased tensions in the region," it reads on the gov.uk website regarding travel to both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
"There is a possibility of an increased threat against Western interests and the security situation could worsen with little warning. You should remain vigilant and keep up to date with the latest developments."
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The UAE hosts both the Rolex Series Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship next week before the Dubai Desert Classic the week after.
Following on from the UAE, Saudi Arabia will host the second playing of the Saudi International, featuring Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and many other high profile names.
World No.1 Brooks Koepka is also playing in Abu Dhabi, with defending champion Shane Lowry, 2017 and 2018 champion Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Cantlay also teeing it up.
Related: Mcilroy on turning down Saudi International appearance fee: "I just don't want to go"
There has been no withdrawals by any players yet from any of these events and no official statements from the European Tour on whether the events will or won't go ahead.
2019 Dubai Desert Classic winning Bryson DeChambeau, who is playing in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has said, however, that he is "really not sure" if he'll make the trip as "no American is safe," he said in a Twitch gaming stream.
“The safety of our players, staff and stakeholders and everyone involved in each and every one of our tournaments around the world is our top priority," the European Tour told Golf Digest.
"The European Tour constantly monitors what is happening in all of our host countries, taking any safety advice from the relevant agencies where appropriate, and we will continue to do so for all of our tournaments around the world."
Related: Inaugural Saudi Arabia Ladies European Tour event confirmed
The Tour recently had to postpone the Hong Kong Open a week before it was due to take place, so there is still every possibility that the Middle East swing could be affected.
“The decision has been taken due to the ongoing level of social unrest in Hong Kong,” European Tour’s chief executive Keith Pelley said in November.
“As the safety of our players, staff, stakeholders and everyone involved in each and every one of our tournaments around the world is our top priority, we feel this is the correct, but unfortunate, course of action.”
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Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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