Olazabal added in Abu Dhabi

Jose Maria Olazabal is one of three players to be added to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after the field for the tournament was increased.

The line-up has been adjusted from 126 to 129 players, meaning the European Ryder Cup captain will now compete in the competition, having previously being listed as second reserve.

The 45-year-old Spaniard will now be on the course alongside Europe’s top four golfers in Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer.

Tiger Woods is also set to feature this week after receiving one of the seven sponsor’s invitation places alongside Henrik Stenson, Jason Day, KJ Choi, Kiang Wen-Chong, England’s Challenge Tour winner Tommy Fleetwood and locally-based Englishman Stuart Fee, who won a qualifying event last month.

Late Decision

Stenson is set to make a late decision on whether he will compete following knee surgery late last year and England’s Sam Little is currently on standby for the tournament should he pull out.

Olazbal, who thought he would have needed to win at Fancourt rather than finish sixth if he was to compete, is joined by German Alex Cejka and Swede Niclas Fasth.

The field size for the tournament initially began at 120 for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Championship but went up in 2009 and has now seen a further increase to accommodate more players.