{
  "id": 11122043,
  "title": "Ex-Ryder Cup star Chris Wood: Missing UAE events because of Iran conflict was ‘not even on my radar’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/ex-ryder-cup-star-chris-wood-missing-uae-events-because-of-iran",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-01T06:08:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/2026/10/01/ex-ryder-cup-star-chris-wood-missing-uae-events-because-of-iran-conflict-was-not-even-on-my-radar/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Ryder Cup competitor Chris Wood has explained that he chose not to attend tournaments in the UAE due to the conflict in the region, as it was never a consideration in his mind. The Abu Dhabi Challenge at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club is the first tournament since the war began in February. The Al Ain event was initially cancelled but then rescheduled for this week. While Ajman's tournament was cancelled entirely, Al Ain's rescheduled event aims to demonstrate normalcy to the world. Rory McIlroy has also confirmed his participation in the season-ending DP World Tour events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Wood expressed his comfort with his decision to travel, acknowledging the tour's commitment to player safety and travel arrangements. The Mena Tour has played a significant role in Wood's career revival, providing him with much-needed opportunities to regain confidence and compete at a higher level. He emphasized that winning at any level is valuable, and his time in the region has been immensely beneficial.",
  "summary": "Chris Wood said the idea of not attending tournaments in the UAE because of the conflict in the region did not even figure in his thinking. Professional golf has returned to the region this week with the Abu Dhabi Challenge at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club. The HotelPlanner Tour event marks the resumption of competition for the first time since the Iran war started at the end of…",
  "key_points": [
    "Chris Wood skipped UAE events due to conflict unawareness.",
    "Al Ain tournament rescheduled after initial cancellation.",
    "Wood comfortable with decision, valuing every win."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Chris Wood's decision to skip UAE events due to regional conflict reflects his prioritization of personal safety, which the tour's assurances helped alleviate, allowing him to focus on his career revival.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}