Jake Shepherd prevails in Dubai Creek Open over Rayhan Thomas

Sport360 staff 07:01 17/09/2015
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  • Leaving it late: Jake Shepherd (3rd L) receives his Dubai Creek Open trophy.

    Jake Shepherd, winner of the inaugural MENA Tour Order of Merit title in 2011, denied local hero Rayhan Thomas and won a dramatic play-off to win the Dubai Creek Open, the first event of the ‘Gulf Swing’ of the MENA Golf Tour.

    The Englishman, who started the final round three shots off the pace, closed with a four-under par 67 to reach nine-under par in regulation, the same as his playing partner, 15-year-old amateur Thomas.

    Austria’s Florian Praegant, playing in the final group, three-putted the last hole to make it a three-way play-off.

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    All three parred the first two extra holes, before Shepherd rolled in the decisive birdie from six yards at the next to clinch a hard-fought victory, his second on the tour since winning the 2011 MENA Tour Championship in 2011.

    Thomas failed to make his up-and-down on the third hole after sending what looked like a perfect 5-iron second shot over the green and failed to recover from there.

    “I am just so happy to win after a long time,” said the 25-year-old Shepherd after receiving the winner’s trophy and a cheque for $9,000 (Dh33,030) from Saeed Hareb, secretary-general of the Dubai Sports Council.

    Praegant looked all set to win in regulation, but failed to save his par on the last despite hitting the green in regulation.

    Thomas, on the other hand, hit the pin with a 6-iron second shot on the difficult par-4 closing hole, before making his birdie putt from four feet to join Shepherd and Praegant on nine-under par.

    So close: Praegant.

    “For some reason, I was too aggressive with my second putt,” said the 31-year-old Praegant.

    “Anyway, whatever has to happen, happens. I really enjoyed playing my first tournament on the tour.”

    It was Shepherd who provided the major twist to the script. “I felt I was in contention by the turn, but when I bogeyed the 10th, it kind of relaxed me as I felt no pressure after that.

    “Suddenly, things started falling in place as I made three birdies in a row from the 12th which, in the end, was good enough to get into play-off.”

    In the MENA Division, Morocco’s Mustapha El Maouas carded a two-under 69 despite taking a triple bogey from the water on the closing hole to finish at two-over, which was good enough to win the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award, one shot ahead of compatriot Amine Joudar and four clear of Faycal Serghini.

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