Like most individual sports, golf benefits from a rivalry at the top. Hogan versus Snead. Palmer versus Nicklaus. Woods versus Mickelson — which is not as lopsided as one might think.

The next great rivalry?

Looks like it will be between Jordan Spieth, the 22-year-old Texan, and Rory McIlroy, the 26-year-old Northern Irishman.

And it will be next played out in Abu Dhabi, at the HSBC Championship, January 21-24.

What have these two done already?

–McIlroy has won 18 PGA or European Tour titles, including four major championships, and was PGA player of the year in 2012 and 2014 (when he was also leading money-winner). He currently is ranked No. 4 in the world.

–Spieth has won six tournaments, including two majors and was leading money-winner as well as PGA player of the year in 2015, when he set a record by winning $22 million. He currently is ranked No. 1 in the world.

Spieth got scads of attention this year by winning the Masters and the U.S. Open, putting him half way to a grand slam, which he missed by a couple of shots — tying for fourth in the British Open, finishing second in the PGA Championship.

Both guys are big off the tee, energize fans and appear to have lots of prime years still ahead of them.

We at The National were a bit excited by the revelation today that Spieth plans to visit Abu Dhabi for the first time … well, and play in the local tournament, one of the 4-5 biggest on the European Tour.

Here is the news story, which notes that Abu Dhabi will have four of the world’s top-four players, by ranking.

And here is a comment piece, which picks up the rivalry and puts it into context, which includes McIlroy missing a chunk of the 2015 season after suffering a ruptured ankle, an injury suffered while messing around with a soccer ball.

The UAE is a significant golf destination during the temperate parts of the year, and we just this week have entered them.

The DP World Finals, in Dubai next week, the Abu Dhabi tournament in January, and the Omega Dubai, in February.