Balmaseda clinches MENA Tour title with eagle in playoff

Sport360 staff 23:09 21/09/2016
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  • Balmaseda with the trophy.

    The 44-year-old Spaniard produced a spectacular approach to hit the green in two at the par-5, 18th and holed the 18-foot putt, beating England’s Luke Joy, who had eagled the same hole in regulation to force a playoff at six-under.

    Both players birdied the first two extra holes to extend play, but the Spaniard, who closed with a 70, atoned for his bogey-bogey finish in regulation with a solid putt in a nerve-racking finish.

    Joy, a two-time Tour winner, had lost another play-off a couple of weeks ago to amateur Rayhan Thomas at the Dubai Creek Open.

    Thomas continued his brilliant run as he carded a 71 after making the turn at two-over to finish in a tie for third at five-under. Max Williams of England, Antonio Costa of Chile and the Swedish duo of Fredrik Lindblom and Per Barth also joined him on that score.

    “I am absolutely delighted. It feels special to win one for the family as I am one of the MENA Golf Tour’s ambassadors,” said Balmaseda after receiving the trophy from Khalid Zarouni, president of Dubai Sports City.

    Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the Tour, and Chris Brown, general manager, The Els Club Dubai, were also present.

    “I try to be relaxed in play-offs and that attitude paid off. Of the seven play-offs that I have been involved in my professional career, I have won six. So, the confidence was there,” added Balmaseda, who has two runner-up finishes on the MENA Tour. “Luke is a great player and I needed to focus hard.”

    England’s Joy, who closed with a 71, felt he had his chances but didn’t play great on the front nine, which he covered in two-over par.

    “It was nice to finish with an eagle and force a play-off. I think it’s time I start winning the trophies again. I am knocking on the door and hope it will open soon,” said Joy.

    In one of the major highlights of the final round, England’s Joshua White showed impressive powers of recovery after a dreadful start to his final round.

    The 2014 MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit champion responded to an early triple bogey on the par-5 fifth with three straight birdies before making the turn at one-over.

    Six birdies and an eagle highlighted his sublime back-nine that he completed in six-under 30 en route to a closing 67 that propelled him to tied eighth on four-under par.

    “It was kind of a roller coaster round,” said White, who holds the record for the lowest 18-hole score on the Tour, a nine-under 62 he shot at the 2014 event in Al Ain.

    India’s Thomas took the leading amateur honours while the Moroccan duo of Faycal Serghini and Ahmed Marjan shared the leading MENA Division professional award after they finished on one-under-par for the tournament.

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