• Paul Casey will be looking for his first successful defence of a European Tour title at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and also hoping to extend his record of consecutive winning years on The European Tour to four, dating back to the 2005 season. Should the Englishman triumph for a second time, he would become the 28th different player to win the same event two years in row in European Tour history.
• The field contains 79 players who have won on The European Tour International Schedule, with a total of 265 European Tour titles between them.
• The Abu Dhabi Golf Club has been extended this season by 67 yards from 7,433 yards to 7,500 yards. This makes this course the fourth longest in European Tour history to measure 7,500 yards or more. They are: Royal Johannesburg and Kensingston (East Course) (2007 and 2008 Joburg Open – 7,590 yards); Medinah CC (2006 US PGA Championship – 7,561 yards) and Whistling Straits (2004 US PGA Championship – 7,514 yards).
