Teeing off in 2006 and quickly becoming established as a favourite event for players and spectators alike, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship is recognised as one of the biggest events on the European Tour, regularly attracting some of golf’s most famous names.

Since its inception by The Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (ADTCA), it has been staged at the sublime Abu Dhabi Golf Club as part of the Tour’s Gulf Swing.

The Championship’s ongoing success is laying the foundations for Abu Dhabi’s emergence as an international golfing destination. Playing to a cumulative global television audience of 400 million, the championship is inextricably linked with the building of Abu Dhabi’s tourism profile as an international destination of distinction, and is integral in putting the emirate firmly on the international sporting map.

The Championship consistently attracts a world-class field of the game’s top international stars, including winners Chris DiMarco, Paul Casey, Martin Kaymer and Robert Rock. Even Tour legend Gary Player has joined the Abu Dhabi field. In 2012 the Championship field included the world's top four players, six of the world's top ten, three current holders of Major titles and 14-time Major winner, Tiger Woods, making his Abu Dhabi debut. The tremendous depth of field saw the Championship named by the Official Golf Rankings as the strongest ever field at a Middle East tournament.

In 2011, as part of a five-year partnership with HSBC, the world’s local bank, the event’s prize fund raised to US $2.7 million – an increase of US $500,000 – making it the richest purse of the Gulf Swing. The partnership ushered in a new era for the championship and golf in Abu Dhabi, and the ADTCA is committed to hosting the event’s most impressive playing field. The authority also plans to mount its most expansive spectator offering of improved facilities and attractions.

In 2012 the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship recorded its highest ever attendance figures, with more than 82,000 fans streaming through National Course gates over the event's four days.

Abu Dhabi Golf Club is a world-class sporting facility and demonstrates the UAE capital’s ability to build top-tier venues for renowned international events. With enhanced spectator platforms to promote true ‘up-close viewing’, a substantially expanded championship village with even more attractions, restaurants, cafes and competitions, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship is one of the most fan-friendly competitions on the map.

Welshman Jamie Donaldson overhauled Justin Rose's two-stroke lead to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship by one shot. On an enthralling final day at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Donaldson had five birdies and did not drop a shot until the final hole, to finish on 14 under. That allowed Rose a chance to force a play-off but his birdie putt lipped out of the cup and a 71 was one too many. Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen had also missed a putt to take the event into a play-off and he shared second. Donaldson, 37, waited 11 years and 255 events to record his first European Tour victory last season at the Irish Open.

THE FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP – 2006

Playing in his first European Tour event outside the Majors and World Golf Championships, Chris DiMarco claimed the €275,411 (£188,162) first prize after a thrilling final day’s play at the immaculately presented Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

DiMarco carded a final round 67 for a 20 under par total of 268 and a one shot victory over the gallant Henrik Stenson, who pushed the American all the way to the final green. The Swede began the day with a one shot lead but his closing 69 saw him finish one shot behind the American with a 19 under par total of 269.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia completed a star-studded top table at the prize giving ceremony when he took third place with a closing 66 for an 18 under par total of 270, but the day, and the plaudits belonged to DiMarco and his wife Amy, who acted as his caddie for the week, a fact which made the win all the sweeter for the US Ryder Cup player.

CASEY STEPS UP – 2007

Paul Casey launched 2007 with a renewed determination to capture The European Tour Order of Merit crown which eluded him so narrowly in 2006. And on the evidence of an eighth Tour victory – and a hard fought one at that – in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Casey’s near miss has whetted his appetite to go one better this season.

For much of a tense day in the Gulf sunshine, Casey was locked in combat with his main rival for the Harry Vardon Trophy last year, Padraig Harrington. But while the Irishman who claimed the title as European Number One at Valderrama slipped up over the back nine, Casey ventured forward with an intensity and focus which burned off all opposition.

The Englishman, who was voted European Tour Golfer of the Year for his 2006 exploits, claimed his eighth European Tour title with a closing round of 65 for a 17 under par total of 271, and even a three putt at the 18th for the second day in a row was not enough to halt the Casey juggernaut in full flight.

Casey finished one shot ahead of Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez and Swede Peter Hanson with Harrington in a share of fifth behind defending champion Chris DiMarco after a last hole bogey.

ROOKIE COMES OF AGE – 2008

He went close in Wales and Sweden during the 2007 season but Martin Kaymer finally realised the joy of becoming a European Tour champion when he won his maiden title in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

The 23 year old German – winner of The Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year on The European Tour last season – led from the first day and indeed began the last round with a six shot lead. He finally closed out the title and the €225,421 (£170,135) winners’ cheque with a final round 74 for a 15 under par total of 273.

In the end the winning margin was four shots from the experienced duo of Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood of England who closed with respective rounds of 71 and 70 for an 11 under par total of 277, the victory seeing Kaymer move up to fifth on The European Tour Order of Merit.

It also saw the talented young man move into the top 35 on the Official World Golf Ranking and also take the record as the youngest German winner in European Tour history, his victory coming at age 23 years and 24 days, 14 days younger than Bernhard Langer was when he won the 1980 Dunlop Masters.

ABU DHABI SPURS CASEY’S RETURN TO FORM – 2009

Paul Casey survived a late scare to secure his second Abu Dhabi Golf Championship by a single shot from Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer.

The 31 year old Englishman led by six shots at the turn but his form with the putter deserted him on the back nine and the South African’s brilliant 64 left Casey needing to par the last two holes.

Defending champion Kaymer eagled the last for a round of 67 – which would have seen him into a play-off had recently married Casey not held his nerve to two putt from 12 feet on the 18th green, eventually posting a two under par 70 for a tournament total 21 under 267 – the lowest winning score in the history of the event.

Coasting to victory, or so it seemed, when he led by six with only eight holes to play, Casey then bogeyed three of the next four.

However, The Ryder Cup star, whose last win came in the same event at the start of 2007, parred the closing stretch for a 70 and took the €245,122 first prize.

KAYMER MAKES IT TWO IN THRILLER – 2010

After winning his maiden title in Abu Dhabi in 2008 with a nervous four shot wire-to-wire victory, Martin Kaymer of German needed every ounce of experience gained from adding three wins since to edge out Ian Poulter by a single stroke.

Overnight leader Kaymer, who also finished second last year, birdied the final hole at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to card a bogey free final round six under par 66.

Poulter produced a valiant effort to play his part in a thrilling duel as The Ryder Cup ace matched Kaymer’s final round, but it was not enough to erase the one shot overnight deficit as he untimely paid the price for a wayward final hole tee shot.

Martin Kaymer gets the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship trophy for keeps after third triumph in 2011

Martin Kaymer displaced Tiger Woods as the World Number Two after winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship for the third time in four years by a thumping eight shot margin over Rory McIlroy.

With Woods overhauled, top man Lee Westwood needs to be on his guard with Kaymer seemingly on the march towards the World Number One spot.

The German needed only a top-seven finish to depose Woods, but won at a canter from a field which included the other three current Major champions, and also Westwood, who ended up 64th, out-scored by a massive 26 strokes.

The last time a pair of Europeans filled the top two positions in the Official World Golf Ranking was Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer 18 years ago - and Woods will start his season at Torrey Pines in California this week down in third spot for the first time since October 2004.

ROBERT ROCKS ABU DHABI!

Robert Rock held off 14-time Major winner Tiger Woods and US Open Champion Rory McIlroy to claim a sensational victory at the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

With the theme tune to the "Rocky" films being sung by fans - many of them having witnessed England's cricket collapse the day before - the 34 year old came up with a true knock-out performance.

Only 117th in the Official World Golf Ranking at the start of the week, Rock said after his one stroke triumph over McIlroy: "I really can't believe I have done that today." 

"I was just very happy to be playing with Tiger. That's a special honour in itself."

While he shot a two under par 70 to finish 13 under, Woods scrambled his way to a 72 and instead of recording a second successive victory on the comeback trail had to settle for a share of third place with Graeme McDowell and Thomas Björn.

WELSH WIZARD CONJURES UP MAGIC IN ABU DHABI.

Welshman Jamie Donaldson overhauled Justin Rose's two-stroke lead to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship by one shot.

On an enthralling final day at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Donaldson had five birdies and did not drop a shot until the final hole, to finish on 14 under.

That allowed Rose a chance to force a play-off but his birdie putt lipped out of the cup and a 71 was one too many.

Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen had also missed a putt to take the event into a play-off and he shared second.

Donaldson, 37, waited 11 years and 255 events to record his first European Tour victory last season at the Irish Open.

Having already qualified for the Masters at Augusta in April by breaking into the top 50 by the turn of the year, he required only 14 more events to add his second title with an impressive display in the Middle East, defying a series of contenders, most noticeably world number five Rose.

"It was nerve wracking," he admitted having watched the final pair miss opportunities to take the tournament to extra holes. "I thought one of them would hole if not both. I'm just very happy to be holding the trophy."