“It’s overwhelming right now, but it’s been something that I have been building towards for a while now. I am extremely proud of the boys not only for the way they played, but also how they conducted themselves on and off the golf course,” said the Canadian, who was playing his fourth tournament.
“We put together a really strong team. We had a couple of dark horses like Stephen Loftus and Chris Rahm about whom I guess the Professionals did not know much.
“We always had the belief that we could win this. And I am elated for the boys that we have finally managed to do so. They have put in so much hard work for this. I went to the ETPI a couple of times earlier this week to get my game in shape, and I could always see a couple of our guys practicing there. The commitment from them was huge.”
Meanwhile, it wasn’t the send-off professionals’ skipper Matthew Naylor was looking for. The Englishman is leaving Dubai after nine years here but not only was he on the losing side, Naylor was also unable to play any roleSunday following doctor’s advice to rest.
On Saturday, playing the afternoon fourballs, Naylor had collapsed on the 14th tee with a suspected case of heat stroke.
Naylor said: “Believe me, we wanted to win this badly. Yes, them winning is a reflection on the pros, and we are proud to have played a part in their development. But it is more a reflection on their hard work, it’s down to the players at the end of the day.
“I wasn’t surprised that they won, but I was surprised by the margin. I thought it would be close, but we got outplayed and the Amateurs deserve their victory. I was very impressed with their performance.
“It would have been a great way to finish my time in Dubai lose or win. But I’m proud of my team for the way they fought.”
