You'd think it's bonkers to try and build a course in the middle of Abu Dhabi’s desert, but Kyle Phillips pulled off the impossible. What's truly remarkable about this par-72, 7,425-yard Yas Links is that this audacious dream was materialized without the usual extravagance that accompanies regal ambition.

This course is wide open; water is lurking near nine holes offering views of the Arabian Gulf, and the native areas are armed with cacti, shrubs, and grasses. The paspalum-covered fairways are generous, but there are bunkers. Big, deep, and strategically placed to catch your stray shots. Greens are easy to find but have a few difficult pin positions, ranking 1st in putting and 4th in scrambling difficulty last year.

The pièce de résistance, though, is the 18th hole. A 646-yard par-5 with water guarding the entire left side. The one guy you can bet to try to own this hole would be Rory McIlroy — watch him smash a 353-yard drive OVER the ocean.

McIlroy is also looking to snag his 7th Harry Vardon Trophy. With his signature length off the tee and solid putting (6th in SG: Putting on PGA Tour), he's got a good shot. Marco Penge is also a strong contender, being the only pro to win 3 DP World Tour titles this season. Plus, he's hungry to take down Rory as the Race to Dubai champion.

Keep an eye on Tyrrell Hatton & Tommy Fleetwood as well. In his last four Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship starts, the LIV Golfer never finished outside the top seven. Meanwhile, Fleetwood has been on a roll lately. Last year, the Englishman netted a T6 at Yas Links. So, expect high-octane drama and neck-to-neck battle this week.

Backtracking: Just a few days back, Gary Player said he was “disgusted” by Ryder Cup fan behavior and said the event “is in shambles.” After some more tongue-lashing, Player used the phrase “abolish it.” Fans raised the pitchforks — how can he! Not the one to back away, the nine-time major winner decided to respond.

In his defense — not without usual Gary Player-esque braggadocio — the Black Knight claimed his words were… misconstrued. His lengthy rant, which you can read here, might spell another trouble.

Or, if you are already weary of talkathon, watch him compete against Rory McIlroy in a push-up test for a change.

If only he were as careful with his words as he was with his physical health. Meanwhile…

PIF’s Entry: Just last year, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) — LIV Golf’s financial backer — was in the news for blocking an imminent partnership between the Ladies European Tour (LET) and LPGA. The threat was clear: PIF would yank its $11 million Aramco sponsorship from the LET and abandon seven events.

Cut to a year, and we have the PIF teaming up with the LPGA itself. Golf Saudi will sponsor a Las Vegas event at Shadow Creek next spring. The Aramco Championship will feature 120 players. Guess the money they will offer (Hint: it’s one of the largest outside the majors).

Expect the LPGA to do some necessary PR stunts to shield itself from criticism. But it’s also good to remember that Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, and Charley Hull have played in Saudi Arabia before. Perhaps, this was the LPGA’s only option to avoid becoming the rat’s nest that men’s golf has become.

A dodgy grip can send your drives off the track and your iron shots way short. Even Scottie Scheffler's been there, admitting he’s terrible at gripping. Scheffler found a unique solution, as you can see here. What about you? Well, follow these three steps:

While that gives you the idea about the ideal pressure to put on your club, your grip might be facing a different problem altogether. Are you making any of these three mistakes while holding your club?

Skill Up Further: Three Common Grip Mistakes Killing Your Game

Let's be honest. We might be used to words like shank and sandbagger or divot and duff. For non-golfers, mixing them up is totally expected. And that's exactly what happened ahead of the ANNIKA Pro-Am, where WNBA star Caitlin Clark will tee off with fellow teammates, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, as her caddies.

Cunningham was excited. Too excited perhaps. A little goof-up with the most popular (and overused) golf term, and Caitlin Clark seized the moment to give her friend a ribbing. Can you spot the hilarious error here?

In Sophie’s defense, there was a time when even Clark also forgot that word existed. Last year, Clark’s tee shot (it was a shank) almost injured a fan. Yes, there was no ‘Fore’ then, as you can watch in this clip from a spectator.