Teenage golfer Sana Tufail continued her incredible winning streak by triumphing at the Els Club Ladies Amateur Open over the weekend.
Sana, 15, from Yas Links Golf Club, won the tournament for the second time in three years after shooting a superb 73 on the Ernie Els-designed course in Dubai on Saturday. It was Sana’s seventh successive Ladies Open title win this season, and she will clinch the 2012 EGF Ladies Order of Merit title with a top-10 finish at any of the three remaining tournaments on the calendar.
The British player was two-over at the turn, but produced two excellent birdies on the 13th and 16th to finish the back nine on one under. Julia Alhamaoud was runner-up for the second week in succession to Sana with a 76, followed by another youngster, Kavita Sehmi, who shot a 78.
Sana, however, was the star of the show once again, and her achievements follow on from what has been a memorable few months, after she became the youngest player to compete in the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters last December.
“Despite my lead in the table, I always love playing at the Emirates Golf Club and would play there regardless of my position in the table. After all it is the home of two major events on the European professional tour, the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters and the Omega Dubai Classic; it would be madness to miss playing at such a venue” said Sana.
Her father, Harris, was equally proud of Sana’s achievements, and outlined the road to success for his daughter to Sport360°. “She’s quite passionate about the game, and has been playing since about the age of four. She plays abroad quite a bit too. We relocate to the UK in the summer and she’s played in the British Ladies Amateur Open in the past. This year she’ll try to qualify for the British Ladies Open.”
Harris also said that turning professional was very much an option. “If the opportunity came about, and she was good enough, it’s possible. She’s played one professional tournament already (the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters).”
Despite beating girls her own age, Sana sets her goals higher than the field she’s competing against. “She doesn’t just look at the field, she imagines she’s playing against Annika Sörenstam or Laura Davies or one of the top female players, and considers what they’d be shooting as well,” explained Harris.
Sana plays further tournaments at The Montgomerie and the Emirates Golf Club in the coming weeks, with her quest to top the EGF Ladies Order of Merit surely a formality.
