David Law makes it eight Scots in Abu Dhabi event

David Law has joined his three fellow Scottish Challenge Tour graduates from last year in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship this week. Picture: Getty Images

The set was completed after Aberdonian David Law arrived in the UAE late on Saturday night to discover that he had joined Grant Forrest, Liam Johnston and Bob MacIntyre in securing a spot in the $7 million Rolex Series event.

“It’s brilliant,” admitted Law, who won the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge at Macdonald Spey Valley in Aviemore last June en route to securing a seat at the top table in European golf for the first time.

“I actually decided to travel at fourth reserve as I’m playing a qualifier for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic next week, so worst case scenario I’d get a week’s practice done.

“My plane was pushing back and I had just moved to first and then I landed in Dubai to see I was in. I have heard great things about the course and the tournament, so I am looking forward to it.”

Law’s addition bolsters the Scottish contingent to eight, with Stephen Gallacher, David Drysdale, Scott Jamieson and Richie Ramsay also in the field at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, where the line up is being headed by American duo Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson.

Meanwhile, European captain Catriona Matthew has expressed her delight after watching Charley Hull start the countdown to September’s Solheim Cup at Gleneagles on a winning note.

The 22-year-old English player led from wire-to-wire in claiming the opening event of the new LET season, the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at Saadiyat Beach in Abu Dhabi.

It was Hull’s first success on the circuit in nearly five years and was a step towards securing a spot on Matthew’s team for the biennial clash against the Americans in September, having already played in the last three encounters.

“It’s obviously nice to get the year started with a win and get momentum into the year,” Matthew, who partnered Hull in her first Solheim Cup match in Colorado in 2013, told The Scotsman.

The victory, which was worth just over £34,00 leaves Hull sitting third in the Solheim Cup points table behind Dutchwoman Anne Van Dam and another English player, Georgia Hall.

Van Dam, a two-time winner on the LET in Spain last year, recovered from being four-over at the turn in her opening round in Abu Dhabi to finish joint-third. “I wasn’t aware of Anne having a bad start but, in fairness, it was very windy,” added Matthew.