IP Global Masters, the first event of the UAE Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Patrons Cup 2013/14 season took place on 11 February at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa as part of a revamped series of the tournament.
Founded in 1996, the UAEPGA comprises of around 120 fully qualified golf professionals and aims to provide amateur golfers in the region the opportunity to play with professionals and compete with them in a competitive series of matches throughout the season.
At this seasons IP Global Masters, one UAEPGA professional was paired with an amateur partner and the format played was Betterball Strokeplay.
Given the fantastic condition of the Jebel Ali Golf Resort, with firm and fast greens which are always tough to hit, it was going to take some exceptional golf to score low.
Defending Patrons Cup Champion Callum Nicoll and his partner Maurice Boyle ran out comfortable winners largely down to a gross eagle/nett albatross from Boyle on the tough par four 7th hole, which helped them to an impressive team score of seven under par 65.
This left them just three shots ahead of Steven Munro and Acuma’s Neil Stewart and the Tower Links pairing of Anthony Buchanan and Miller Green, with Munro and Stewart claiming 2nd place by virtue of a better 2nd nine holes.
Consolation for Buchanan came in through his individual score of 3-under par 69 making him the leading professional on the day, three shots ahead of JGE pro Mark Bull and five ahead of Nicoll and Munro.
His total score of 100 also gives him the lead in the prestigious UAEPGA Patrons Cup points table, 10 points clear of second place Mark Bull and 25 ahead of Munro in third place, with two events on the calendar still remaining.
ADGC player Kevin Jamieson and IP Global representative Tony Jordan also grabbed prizes at the on-course special events.
DG Golf Clubs David Gray and UAEPGA Patron Acuma Neil Stewart were also present at the event and handed out the prizes to all the winners.
The next event under the UAEPGA Golfers Association PGA Patrons Cup will take place on Tuesday, 25 March at Meydan, Dubai.
