How does the course play?
The course is in very good order. The rough is tough here. If you miss the fairway, it’s a costly business.

You’re known as a very keen golfer, and have a handicap of 4, so what is it that you enjoy most about the game?
Most of it is because of the people – you get to meet people, see people and there’s no side to anybody. It’s also the fact that you’re playing a game where there’s a little bit of mental agility and concentration required. I also enjoy the challenge of not only hitting the little white ball, but also doing it properly. The more experience I get, the more I like it.

How often do you come and play golf in this part of the world?
I don’t get that much of an opportunity to come and play in the Middle East but when
I do, the weather is normally wonderful and I thoroughly enjoy it. There are three tournaments that take place throughout the Middle East and I’ve always been particularly interested in this one in Abu Dhabi since I’ve been closely associated with it since it first started – so I’m really pleased to be able to come back and support it this year.

How did your association with the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship come about?
Through the fact that I know Sheikh Mohammed very well. He’d been talking off and on about staging such a tournament, and then he said, “We’re going to do it.” I came
down the first year it was held but I haven’t been back since, so this is the first time I’ve visited the tournament in a couple of years. Great event.

Golf appears to be a great way of promoting an area like Abu Dhabi, why is that?
It brings a lot of international focus and a lot of television interest, and because television audiences across the world will see it, then they’ll want to come out and sample it. It’s a very good way of what I would describe as passively advertising a country, and Abu Dhabi do it very, very well.