Abu Dhabi Golf Championship betting guide

Abu Dhabi Golf Championship betting guide   TOURNAMENT HISTORY   This will be the fifth renewal of the Abu Dhabi Championship; an event which has risen in stature with every year. This line-up is one of the very strongest we'll see on the European Tour throughout 2010 and is emblematic of the shift in power towards the Middle East. All four previous winners were top-class, or about to become so. Paul Casey has won twice, along with Chris DiMarco and Martin Kaymer in what was the German's breakthrough title. Each year, the places have been packed with world-class names. Of the 25 players to have registered a top-five finish, only six started the event at 100/1 or bigger.   COURSE AND STATS   Scoring has, so far, tended to be very low. The fairways are wide open, offering a significant advantage to the longer hitters. With birdie opportunities in abundance, the key is high-class approach play, which explains the predictable leaderboards. The key stats have been greens in regulation, driving distance and par five performance.   However, there are changes afoot. This year's rough is significantly more penal, and various minor alterations have been made to toughen holes up. The greens are expected to be firmer and faster than ever. All of this should still help the best players, but it might not be so easy for the bombers. Those high-class players driving it long and straight could fare best.