Lee Corfield wiped off a two-shot deficit in windy conditions to win the Ghala Open for his fourth victory on the MENA Golf Tour on Wednesday.
Playing in the day’s second last group, Corfield closed with a bogey-free three-under 69 to finish at eight under, two clear of Germany’s Aaron Leitmannstetter with England’s Stuart Archibald settling for third on five under.
“It was probably the best round I played this year. Going bogey-free in such windy and tricky conditions shows I played some good golf out there,” said Corfield after receiving the winner’s trophy from Ziyad Al Zubai, a board member of Ghala Golf Club, and Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.
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“I got a bit lucky on the ninth when I managed to save a par from beneath a palm tree. Overall, it was a pretty solid round.
“The standard of golf on the MENA Golf Tour is getting better and better every year. There is more strength in depth,” added the Englishman, who thanked his coaches Justin Parsons and Clauding Foong from the Butch Harmon School of Golf at The Els Club Dubai for all their hard work they have done on his game.
Germany’s Leitmannstetter matched the day’s best score of a 68, which contained six birdies and two bogeys, to move up the leaderboard as Clarke Lutton, the overnight leader, carded a final round five-over 77 to slip to tied-eighth.
“I started off well, but a miscued approach on the seventh ruined my confidence,” said Lutton, who broke through for his maiden win on the MENA Golf Tour at The Els Club earlier this month.
“I just struggled to string together the round thereafter.”
Rounds of 69, 70, 72 at @GhalaGolfClub on @MENAGolfTour for -5 total and 3rd place! Another solid week and creeping up the OOM!
— Stuart Archibald (@stuartarchibald) October 28, 2015
India’s Rayhan Thomas returned a two-under 70 to win the Leading Amateur award at one-over, one ahead of England’s James Allan, the current Order of Merit leader in the division.
The Moroccan duo of Faycal Serghini and Mehdi Saissi shared the honours in the MENA Division with an identical score of three over as Ayoub Lguirati and Karim El Hali were declared joint winners in the region’s amateur division.
The MENA Golf Tour travels to Ras Al Khaimah next week for the ninth and penultimate event of the season, starting on Monday. Former Open champion Darren Clarke will be in the field.
