Ever flip on the Golf Channel and catch a few minutes of the European Tour at some absurd hour, only to wonder who in their right mind could possibly be watching? Well, the answer is me… And quite possibly you… Seeing as how you're the type of person who spends their time reading a blog about golf!

It is quite possible that the European Tour's Abu Dhabi Championship, being held this week in the United Arab Emirates, has a better field that the PGA Tour's Sony Open in Hawaii. From top-to-bottom, I would have to concede that there is much more depth at the Sony Open, but there are only two of the top ten players in the world rankings in attendance in Hawaii (#6 Geoff Ogilvy & #10 Ernie Els).

Meanwhile, back in the U.A.E., Sergio Garcia (#2 in the Official World Golf Rankings) makes his 2009 debut, as does the reigning OPEN & PGA Champion, 2008 Player of the Year, Padraig Harrington (#3 O.W.G.R.). 2008 Masters champ, Trevor Immelman will also be teeing it up in the desert, as will this year's United States Men's Amateur Champion, Danny Lee (competing as an amateur, under a sponsor's exemption). Basically, anyone who won a significant tournament in 2008 is either hurt (Vijay, Tiger) or playing in Europe this week!

Defending champion Martin Kaymer is joined by the usual cast of Euro Tour regulars: Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson, Colin Montgomerie, Rory McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Paul Lawrie ('99 OPEN Champion), Soren Hansen, Niclas Fasth, and Miguel Angel Jimenez, among others.

Aaron Baddeley and Robert Allenby of the US tour are also in the field, and throughout the year, we will be seeing many more stars from the US playing in Europe. The reason so many PGA Tour stars also signed up for their Euro tour cards is that they trying to cash in on the $10,000,000 Race to Dubai (formerly the Order of Merit - aka the money list). The Race to Dubai culminates back in the United Arab Emirates with the Dubai World Championship in November. The top 60 players will vie for the $10 million in prize money that is up for grabs in the event itself, with an ADDITIONAL $10 MIL being split among the top 15 finishers on the money list. With so much at stake, the eventual winner of the tournament may very well be looking at a shot down the stretch that will be worth $3.66 million.