Sana Tufail’s parents should order a new trophy cabinet. The present one must be brimming over after the 17-year-old added yet another impressive title to her collection.
Sana shot the best round of her life – a brilliant bogey-free effort of seven-under par 64 – in the final round of the two-day Faldo Series Middle East Championship to not only win the Girls’ Under-21 title, but also beat the array of international amateur boys.
At the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club (AESGC), Sana’s tally of six-under par 136 was two shots better than Boys Under-21 champion, Zi Hao Su of China.
The win qualifies her for the 18th Faldo Series Grand Final in October in Greenbrier, where Nick Faldo will join the participants from all over the globe.
Sana, who has learnt all her golf in Abu Dhabi, said: “I am really happy to win something as big as the Faldo Series. And to win it with a score of seven-under par 64 was like the cherry on the cake.
“I am now really looking forward to The Greenbrier where I will be able to play against some of the best young players in the world.
“Honestly, I would have been just happy winning the Girls’ Under-21 title, but to be able to beat the boys as well and win the overall trophy is just fantastic.”
Sana had started the tournament with a one-over par round of 72, and felt frustrated on leaving behind several shots on the course because of her putting.
A short putting session with Keith Wood (Faldo’s coach) helped and the British Al Khubairat School student was unstoppable on the final day.
She birdied each of the four par-5s on the golf course, made her turn at three-under par, and then added four more birdies on the back nine.
“I thought I should have shot at least a three-under par on the opening day. I approached Keith Wood that evening and we worked on a few things. I made some very slight changes technically and mentally, and everything started going in.
"My short-range putting felt really good and I must say I left a couple of birdies out there,” Sana added. “I was much more relaxed. I was letting things happen rather than trying to make them happen.”
For the overall title, Sana pipped overnight leaders Zi Hao and Pierre Verlaar (Boys’ Under-16) to the title.
The Chinese and Dutch players had started with rounds of 67, and while Zi Hao could only return an even-par 71 in the second round, Verlaar shot 70.
Both players won their age category to qualify for the season ending Grand Final where they will be joined at The Greenbrier for the World Amateur Golf Ranking event by Scotland’s Alison Muirhead (Girls’ Under 16) and Simon Moerk (Boys Under-18) of Denmark.
