LONDON, Oct 11: Abu Dhabi will become the 36th country to feature on the European Tour when it makes its debut as a venue on next year’s schedule, the tour said on Tuesday.

The inaugural Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, with a prize fund of $2 million, will be played at Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National Course from Jan 19-22.

“Each season on the European Tour brings a keen sense of expectation and anticipation of the challenges which lie ahead and that is never more the case when the year features a new and exciting destination,” the tour’s executive director George O’Grady said in a statement.

“Abu Dhabi is the 36th country the European Tour has visited and the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship will help get the 2006 European Tour international schedule off to a flying start.”

Abu Dhabi City is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which already features well established European Tour events in Dubai and Qatar.—Reuters