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One of the DP World Tour’s top events has been ‘diminished’ by a major change, according to one pro.

Despite boasting a rising prize fund, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship isn’t as good as it once was.

So says Eddie Pepperell, who called it ‘strange’ after changing venue and moving in the circuit’s calendar.

Speaking on the Chipping Forecast podcast, he said: “Strange championship, the way that’s evolved.

“I only played Yas Links last year. And obviously the Abu Dhabi Championship used to be at the start of the year, a week before Dubai.

“It had a great field, or a very good field, played at Abu Dhabi National Golf Club I think, which is a tremendous golf course.

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“And then it went to Yas. Look, I like Yas Links as a golf course, but it just never had much atmosphere at all.

“And as a championship, it felt massively diminished, which, given the prize fund went from $2 million a few years ago to $7 or $9 million, it’s weird to be there and witness that.”

Pepperell, 33, will miss the play-off double header in the Middle East after enduring a difficult season on the Wentworth-based tour.

The two-time winner lost his card last month after finishing at number 120 on the Race to Dubai standings.

His last appearance in the DP World Tour Championship was in 2021, but Pepperell competed in this week’s event in 2022, when it was previously staged in January.

Ahead of this season, the Tour revamped its seasonal finish by moving the event to November.

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The top 50 on the season-long rankings after this week’s event will qualify for the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next week.

Meanwhile, Pepperell said he would support field size changes to the DP World Tour, should it reciprocate the PGA Tour.

It comes after the proposed changes from the American circuit have been widely criticised.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think they’re bad changes,” he admitted.

“If the DP World Tour were to propose something similar, in terms of field sizes, I think I would support it. Even though at this point, it wouldn’t benefit me.

“But again, these are five years too late, a paranoid, solid leader five years ago would have seen this coming and made changes ahead of time to try and get ahead of this LIV train.”