Nathan Kimsey backs DP World Tour safety assurances for Abu Dhabi

Nathan Kimsey has expressed confidence in the DP World Tour's handling of player safety in Abu Dhabi, saying its updates and contingency planning have reassured him about travelling to the region. Speaking to BBC Sport, the English golfer said he was prepared to rely on the tour and the relevant organisations to assess whether players could compete safely.

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His comments follow concerns raised in September by fellow Briton Matt Fitzpatrick about visiting the Middle East during the continuing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. According to the BBC, Fitzpatrick is not on the entry list for the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship. Whether he will compete at the season-ending event in Dubai the following week remains uncertain; the report did not establish why he is absent from the Abu Dhabi field.

Kimsey said he had discussed the situation with the tour over the past couple of months and had been kept informed about its preparations. He also said people he knows who live and work in the region had offered reassuring accounts. He expected the tour to notify players promptly if the situation changed.

The 33-year-old has gained a place in Abu Dhabi despite standing 72nd in the Race to Dubai rankings. The event normally offers eligibility to the leading 70 players, but several golfers within that group will not take part, allowing Kimsey into the field. Abu Dhabi is the penultimate tournament of the season.

Kimsey, who was born in Lincolnshire and represents Stoneham Golf Club in Southampton, has made 19 cuts in 28 tournaments this year. His season includes five top-10 finishes and £448,000 in prize money, the BBC reported. He also made his US Open debut at Shinnecock Hills, where Wyndham Clark won the title.

Reflecting on those results, Kimsey described securing his playing rights for next year as a positive outcome. A sufficiently strong finish in Abu Dhabi could also move him into the top 50 and earn a place at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. That qualification remains dependent on his results.