The Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates – home of the annual DP World Tour Championship – played host to another ‘World’ event, as the regional finals for the UAE and GCC World Corporate Golf Challenge qualifiers were played there.
The quality of the prize – both winning teams to be flown complimentary by Qantas to the World Final which takes place at the Otaivos Dunes Golf Club in Cascais Portugal in July – demanded a real test of golf.
For the UAE, the pairing of John Gower and Roman Kawczak qualified for the all-expenses-paid trip with an excellent score of 64 combined Stableford points.
The World Final in July will see the first GCC team to qualify, with David Minchin (8) and Chris Darnely (14) set to make history in Portugal.
The GCC winning score of 59 was the same as those for runners-up and third place in the UAE Final, with Gareth Mordey and Aqeel Hemraj, who won on a countback from Miki Mirza and Sammy Eldin.
Shot of the day was reserved for Mirza, whose second to the Par-5 14th gave him a putt for an eagle 3 and won him the ‘Movenpick Nearest to the Pin in 3 Shots’ prize.
A 2-series BMW for a hole-in-one on the 17th, sponsored by AGMC, went unclaimed. But Roger Duthie of Emirates won a weekend’s test drive in a BMW X4.
Title sponsor Visa and tournament promoter OnCourse Golf used the Regional Finals as the perfect opportunity to launch Visa Golf Access – a fantastic initiative for Visa premium card holders, full details of which will soon be available on the Visa website.
After presenting the prizes, Visa’s head of Programme Benefits PJ Hill announced that Visa would be continuing to sponsor the UAE and GCC World Corporate Golf Challenge in 2016 as part of a three-tier programme that makes Visa one of the biggest sponsors of amateur and corporate golf in the region.
Stage set for UAE final of International Pairs
The Daman Investments International Pairs UAE Final takes place at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club this Friday, May 29 with 19 teams vying for a place in the International Pairs World Final.
With the champion pair getting a chance to represent the UAE at the World Final, to be played at the fabulous Hotel Denia Marriott La Sella Golf Resort & Spa on Spain’s Costa Blanca from October 27-30, the competition is bound to be fierce.
Since its inception 17 years ago, more than 500,000 amateur golfers from all over the world have enjoyed competing in this exciting, friendly and hugely prestigious event.
National winners are invited to compete in the three-day International Pairs World Final programme, a 36-hole, two-day competition, which is being played in Spain for the first time in the tournament’s history.
The International Pairs remains the largest amateur golf club and club members’ tournament of its kind in the world and continues to create World Club Champions, a title currently held by England.
Mark Kelly and Luke Eustace, who represented Selby Golf Club and England in 2014, won the title over the closing holes from South Africa and Spain.
Now in its fifth year in the UAE, every golfer in the country has the opportunity to compete in the Club Qualifiers which began at Yas Links on October 18 last year, ending just a couple of weeks ago at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.
Steve Rutter, COO of tournament promoters OnCourse Golf, said: “We are looking forward to a great day, and I can assure all the finalists that the World Final is something to really go for as last year’s UAE champions Neil and Yvette Heywood will confirm.”
Title sponsors Daman Investments recently announced their continued support for 2015-16, and Rutter added: “We couldn’t wish for a more supportive title sponsor. Daman Investments has raised the profile of the UAE International Pairs.”
Lobo’s late surge secures ADGC Matchplay crown
Brazilian teen Tiago Lobo left it late to clinch the Abu Dhabi Golf Club men’s matchplay title.
The 17-year-old scratch handicapper never led the final and found himself two down with two to play against American Chris Rossmeisl.
But a steady par to three-handicapper Rossmeisl’s sandy bogey on 17 and a driver, fivewood, two-putt birdie on 18 forced the sudden death.
Both players split Abu Dhabi’s first fairway to start overtime before Rossmeisl left his 100-yard approach 25 feet shy of the pin and missed his putt.
Lobo, meantime, hit a crisp wedge to 15 feet and nailed a slippery downhill birdie putt.
The Al Khubairat School year 12 student also went on to shoot 73-73 and win the Emirates Golf Federation’s Junior Order of Merit Championship by eight shots at The Els Club Dubai over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Australian 12-handicapper Corey Spring toppled John Garrett 3&1 in the Abu Dhabi GC men’s individual handicap matchplay final despite having to give his English opponent three shots.
The club’s foursomes matchplay title was a one-sided affair with Lina Tyson and Young Souk Choi beating Ali Fassa and Garrett 7-up.
Duffy and Fearn are tailor-made for success
The OMA Emirates Creek pairs, only being played for the third time at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, once again showed why it has become so popular in such a short time.
A full field of members teed up for several prizes being offered by new event partners – Ascots & Chapels and Jaermann & Stubi.
Played in the Pairs Betterball format, the scoring was good with the top three teams all breaking the 40-point barrier.
In first place with 45 points were Kate Duffy and partner Edward Fearn, who won two bespoke tailored blazers worth a combined Dh5,000, courtesy Ascots and Chapels.
The Indian pairing and last month’s champions – Ishwar Jodha and Dhruv Chopra – scored 43 points, but had to be satisfied with the second place.
With an impressive total of 42, Mohammed Al Musharrekh and Hassan Dahabiyeh were third.
