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Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan will make his debut in this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links following a breakthrough season highlighted by his maiden DP World Tour title at the Soudal Open.
Reitan produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the season in Belgium, overturning a nine-shot deficit with a closing 62 before winning a playoff to secure his first DP World Tour victory. The triumph made him only the second Norwegian to win on the DP World Tour, following close friend Viktor Hovland, with whom he played in amateur teams, including at the Eisenhower Trophy.
“Well, yeah, it’s been kind of a rollercoaster a little bit,” Reitan said ahead of his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship debut. “I was pretty far down, and it’s good to see that it can happen very quickly once you get things moving a little bit. So, yeah, it’s been a wild ride, but I’m excited for things to come for sure.”
After graduating from the HotelPlanner Tour 12 months ago, Reitan has steadily improved his form all season, which has him in fourth spot on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings and a PGA Tour card locked in already for 2026.
“It’s been a successful year, obviously,” he said. “I want to finish it strong, so I’m trying to prepare as good as I can.”
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Reitan’s relationship with Hovland, Norway’s most successful golfer in recent history, has been an the source of his motivation. The seven-time PGA Tour, two-time DP World Tour and Ryder Cup star was quick to praise Reitan on social media after his maiden DP World Tour win in May. Despite their careers having taken off at different speeds, Reitan says their friendship remains close and has laid out a blueprint for his own success on the PGA Tour stage.
Looking ahead, Reitan will relocate to Florida to prepare for life with dual membership on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, basing himself near Hovland and fellow PGA Tour member Norwegian Kris Ventura. “I’m excited about that for sure, to get a little bit closer to those guys,” he said. “They’ve been distant the last few years, so that’s going to be good.”
“I’m actually going to Florida after these two weeks, to look at some places and stuff, then we’re going to a training camp with some of the Norwegian guys, hoping Viktor is going to make it there as well.”
This week in Abu Dhabi, Reitan will test himself against a strong international field including Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton at Yas Links for the first time, with the DP World Tour season entering its final two events. Reitan has already played Yas Links once this year, back in January, when his career looked a little different, but he describes playing it back then as a “good omen” for things to come.
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