Top of the bill Rory can be Fan Dhabi dozi

A SIGN OF THE TIMES Rory was a smash hit with fans in his last outing in India

- DENIS KIRWAN

THIS week's Abu Dhabi Championship on the spectacular Yas Links is the first leg of the DP World Tour playoffs.

The top 70 available players in the Race to Dubai standings will tee it up with the top 50 in the standings heading for the following week's season finale at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

A quality field in Abu Dhabi is headed by Rory Mcilroy, who will be joined by two-time former champion, Tommy Fleetwood (inset), and by most of Luke Donald's European Ryder Cup team.