Lee Corfield stays patient to win MENA Tour Championship in Al Ain

Joy Chakravarty 13:07 05/11/2014
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  • Back-to-back: Lee Corfield retains the MENA Tour Championship

    Lee Corfield held his nerve coming down the home stretch to defend his title at the MENA Tour Championship at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club yesterday.

    One shot in front at the start of the day, the Englishman closed with a 66 to reach 14-under par, three shots ahead of compatriot Joshua White with four players, headed by Scotland’s Tom Buchanan, sharing third place on 10-under.

    White’s runner-up finish was good enough to claim the coveted title of 2014 MENA Golf Tour Champion with $28,471 (Dh105,564) in earnings as he upstaged fellow Englishmen Luke Joy ($27,066, Dh99,412) and Zane Scotland ($25,604, Dh94,042).

    After receiving the winner’s trophy and a cheque for $13,500 from Shaikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, president of the Arab Golf Federation, the 32-year-old Corfield said: “I stayed focused on my game although I knew Tom (Buchanan) was closing in.

    "In the end, it feels nice to get the job done. I think patience was the key.

    “With so many players bunched at the top, I knew it was going to be close, but I concentrated on one shot at a time, as if each was the first shot of the day.

    "Also, I was a bit lucky with the putter and holed some nice putts at the right time.”

    Buchanan had his chance to surpass the overnight leader, but three bogeys in the final four holes denied the head pro at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club a shot at the championship.

    “I started off pretty well, but the finish was quite disappointing. Maybe I tightened up a bit,” said the Scotsman who made the turn at five-under.

    “If someone had offered me a 67 before the round, I would have gladly taken it. Overall, I am quite proud of myself the way I played.”

    England’s White said he was over the moon after winning the Order of Merit title.

    “I didn’t set any goals coming to this tournament, but I am quite pleased with the way things turned out for me,” said White.

    “Lee played a great game under pressure and deserved to win.

    "I am more than happy with my runner-up finish. I am really looking forward to playing in the 2015 Omega Dubai Desert Classic now,”

    Morocco’s Ahmed Marjane closed with a 69 to move to six-under, winning the MENA Division for professionals ahead of compatriots Faycal Serghini and Amine Joudar while Mehdi Saissi held sway in the region’s amateur category after a final 66 saw him reach four-under for the tournament.

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