Worth and Holt take UAE International Pairs crown at Al Zorah
Graeme Worth and Darwin Holt came out on top in the second qualifier of the 2023 UAE International Pairs Qualifying Series organised and presented by Icon Sports at Al Zorah Golf Club in Ajman at the weekend. The pair won the better-ball stableford event with 45 points on countback from Deepak Nicholas and Pankaj Gautam, and claimed spots in the Golf Digest Middle East Oktoberfest event next month at The Els Club, Dubai, where the Best Gross and Division A winners will then go on to play in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am.
There are 12 qualifying events remaining International Pairs Qualifying Series, held at the leading golf clubs around the UAE during the 2023-2024 season.
The top three pairs at each qualifier progress to the UAE National Finals at Abu Dhabi Golf Club held over the National Course next March. The winning pair at the Finals goes on to represent the UAE at the World Final in November 2024 at Royal Obidos Spa & Golf Resort and Bom Sucsso Resort in Portugal.

A Downham double at JGE
Jumeirah Golf Estates hosted the monthly Jumeirah Pairs on its Fire Course. Lady Captain Evelyn Downham and partner Carl Downham claimed the pairs greensomes showdown, where each player tees off and the best shot is selected, from that point the pair plays alternate shots until the hole is completed.
The winning score was a net 67 by Evelyn and Carl, ahead of Simon Brind and Andrew Parsons (69). Cavit Yiliz and Umar Farooq (70) were third.

Jayasinghe tops Oman Amateur Series
Ruwan Jayasinghe became the first winner of the Oman Amateur Series, thanks to a three-round 225 at Ghala Golf Club, two ahead of local pair Badar Al Amri and Ahmed Al Wahaibi. American Tim Lang took the Net Division crown on seven-under.

Malshers top the lot in Al Ain
Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club continued their early season action with the After Summer Open, and Henry and Emma Malsher took top honours in the better-ball strokeplay format. The husband-and-wife team’s five-under net 65 was good enough for a comfortable three-stroke victory. Johan Potgieter and Johan Schoonraad were second, ahead of Carel Nolte and Konstantin Varga.

Scrambling for a Curry crown
The latest installment of the Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Thursday Curry Club saw 36 golfers take to the Earth Course for a pairs nine-hole scramble, with Alex Whayman and David Bainbridge winning with a score of net 30, edging out JGE membership services executive Kian Higgins and Paul McGee on countback.

The post The Gulf Club: All the golf news from around the UAE and beyond appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Marta masters The Ladies
Jumeirah Golf Estates are up and rolling into the new golf season, and the latest edition of The Ladies took place over the Earth course earlier this week. The 18-hole individual stableford event was claimed by Marta Balaguer with 33 points, thanks to five net birdies and a scorching back-nine run. Joo Yun Lee (30 points) had to settle for second place, but a countback meant she finished ahead of Sylvie Martin.

Jumeirah Golf Estates

Sethi cools the Fire Course
Jumeirah Golf Estates held the September OMA Emirates Medalford, with a strong field of 91 lining up on the Fire Course. It was Vidur Sethi who to the September bragging rights with his net 66 meaning a two-shot win. The Gents Division A was won by Francisco Zini with a net 68 ahead of Alan McNamara on countback. The Gents Division B winner was Ravi Khanna with a net 69. Roma Khanna claimed the Ladies Division.

Al Ain Equestrian Golf and Shooting Club

Al Ain Par 3 Series returns
Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club welcomed the new season with the return of the nine-hole Al Ain Par 3 Series as Virginia Macedo topped the Ladies Division on Net 23, one ahead of Hannah Rudling and Nina Dordevic. The Mens champ was Jaco Oostheuizen (25), as Jackson Rapsey had to settle for second spot.

Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club

Thomson wins in Sharjah
Former Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club captain Rory Thomson claimed his home clubs Monthly Stableford with 38 points, one ahead of George Liu. Sami Butt took the best Gross score on 34.

Tower Links

Andy Nisbet RAKs up the points
There was also a Monthly Stableford at Ras Al Khaimah’s Tower Links, with Andy Nisbet prevailing on 36 points, racking up five more than second-placed Craig Mainey in second spot, after he scored 31 Stableford points over the desert and parkland layout.

The post The Gulf Club: All the latest golf news from around the UAE appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

While a second successive 64 saw Englishman Harry Ellis extend his overnight lead from one stroke to two over Swede Jesper Alm, it is the performance of Issa Abou El Ela that has caught much of the attention at the Al Ain Open by Arena.

The 24-year-old Egyptian marked his opening round 66 with a hole-in-one on Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club’s par-3 15th on Monday and went a shot lower on Tuesday to move to -9, just three strokes adrift of Ellis heading into today’s final round.

Abou El Ela found himself amid a four-way tie for the third-place alongside Sweden’s Gustav Kocken (65) and amateurs Josh Hill (66) and Curtis Knipes (64)  and in with a chance of emulating Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams who captured the autumn swing’s opening event, the Journey to Jordan #2 Championship, in his maiden MENA Tour start earlier this month.

His debut on the regional Pro-Am circuit perhaps shouldn’t come as such a great surprise given Abou El Ela’s pedigree mind you.  The Madinaty Golf Club member from Cairo is the son of Amr Abou El Ela, winner of seven Pan Arab Championships and one of the most respected names in Middle East & North African golf.

With his father watching, Abou El Ela played steady golf with six birdies and a solitary bogey.

“I played just one bad hole and I made a bogey there (on the 9th). Otherwise, it was a slightly boring round with lots of fairways and greens. I am really enjoying my first start on the MENA Tour and I am excited I have a chance tomorrow. I just want to stay positive,” he said.

After two 64s, Englishman Harry Ellis has the chance to become the MENA Tour’s 21st wire-to-wire winner on Wednesday. (Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour)

Kicking on from his T-2 placing in Abu Dhabi a fortnight ago, Ellis again went bogey-free to move to 12-under par 128 with his two 64s. Unlike the first round where he managed a solitary birdie on the back nine, the Southampton 24-year-old made three on either half of the pa 70 layout on Tuesday.

“It was important for me to get off to a good start and carry on that momentum from yesterday, and I managed to get an early birdie on the 10th, which was playing very long and into the wind,” said Ellis, who received a message from former world No1 Justin Rose on Twitter after the round.

Brilliant first two days @HarryEllisGolf enjoy the final round tomorrow. #TeamHampshire @theMENATour https://t.co/Q9nxx2K0Yf

— Justin ROSE (@JustinRose99) October 22, 2019

Our tweet on @HarryEllisGolf leading the Al Ain Open by Arena at @aesgc was liked by @JustinRose99, who has the same management company @excelsm.

So, we asked Harry about the relationship he shares with the former world No1 and how Rose has motivated him to become better. pic.twitter.com/6pu4rLExn5

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 22, 2019

“I just went back yesterday and reflected the way I played the back nine and did a much better job of it today. I still left a few out there, but it was a bogey-free round. I think this may be the first time I have been bogey-free for 36 holes, so very happy with that accomplishment.”

Two straight days of 64 and two consecutive bogey-free rounds!@HarryEllisGolf leads the Al Ain Open by Arena and is delighted with the way he is playing his golf. pic.twitter.com/2R3c7vI6L8

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 22, 2019

Like Ellis,  Alm is also searching for a maiden title on a recognised tour. The Swede insisted he hadn’t played as well on Tuesday as he had for his matching 65 on Monday but a final-hole eagle lifted his spirits.

“I am hitting my driver great, and I hope to take advantage of that. On the par-5 18th, I just heeled it a bit, but the drive still went 330 yards and I hit a 4-iron to about 20 feet and made the putt,” said the 27-year-old who grew up at the same golf club in Sweden as his idol Henrik Stenson.

“It was a solid round, but yesterday was better. I hit my irons really well but did not make as many putts. I like the golf course, so I am really looking forward to tomorrow.”

How cool is this dude? An unabashed fan of @henrikstenson, he does not mind taking a jibe at his idol!! Well done Jesper Alm! https://t.co/oJvg89qGv7

— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyofGolf) October 22, 2019

Meanwhile, Dubai-based Hill clearly has some buttering up to do at home!

SCHOOL’S OUT!!
There is a bit of trouble brewing in the Hill household!
Josh Hill shot a 66 and is T-3 going into the final round of Al Ain Open by Arena at @aesgc.
The 15-year-old is supposed to be catching up with his school work, but he is planning to defy his parents’ orders! pic.twitter.com/lsfaAyftJN

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 22, 2019

The post Like father, like son as Egyptian Issa Abou El Ela gives himself a shot at a debut MENA Tour triumph appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Co-leader Harry Ellis described his bogey-free 64 as “nothing special really” while teen Josh Hill, just a shot back after the opening round of the Al Ain Open by Arena, summed up his effort as a “pretty boring round”. Such is the standard on the MENA Tour nowadays.

An eagle on the drivable par-4 4th hole propelled Ellis to his six-under score at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club, a score later matched by Germany’s Constantin Schwierz who mixed seven birdies and a solitary bogey in his 64.

RELATED: Zane Scotland – Mr MENA Tour record-maker turned player creator

Hill and his ‘Three Musketeers’ pal Arjun Gupta were among a group of six a shot adrift, joined by newly minted Abu Dhabi Open champion James Allan, English compatriot Jacob Oakley, American Ben Schlottman and Sweden’s Jesper Alm.

Like Allan, Ellis carried on where he left off at Abu Dhabi a fortnight ago where he finished joint runner-up with countryman Robbie Busher and Swede Niclas Weiland.

The Wentworth Club member turned five-under with the help of the early eagle. His only disappointment, perhaps prompting the “nothing special” comment is that he couldn’t kick on to an even lower score on the par-70 layout.

“The 4th hole really gave a kick start to my round. I hit a three-wood to about eight feet and made the putt. I then picked up three more birdies to go out in 30, but did not give myself too many chances on the back nine,” Ellis said.

“I added one more birdie and did not drop any shots. So, just looking now to take this momentum into tomorrow’s round. Today was solid, but nothing special really. I have been playing well these last few weeks, and when you start shooting in the 60s, it becomes a bit of a habit. I hope it can continue.”

Thank you @theMENATour @HarryEllisGolf for this. You are quite correct we are unique. Fortunate to be working at this wonderful facility @aesgc #alain #golf #equestrian #rugby #cricket #shooting #somethingforeveryone https://t.co/iflaQCWeuW

— Tom Buchanan (@tompro66) October 22, 2019

Schwierz started from the 10th tee and was three-under-par through the turn. A bogey on the second hole was his only hiccup of the day, but he finished strongly with four birdies in five holes from the 4th to the 8th.

Hill, who finished tied sixth in Abu Dhabi, is the reigning Men’s Open champion at Al Ain ESGC and he once again showed his liking for the course with a 65.

“It was a pretty boring round, especially on the back nine. I made a birdie on the par-5 10th, and then played the next seven holes to par. I just kept hitting good shots and two-putted and nothing really happened before a birdie on the 18th,” said the youngest member of England Golf’s U-18 squad.

Issa Abou El Ela, making his first start on the MENA Tour, was one of seven players tied for ninth place at 66 heading into the second round. The Egyptian’s round included an aced on the par-3 15th hole with a pitching wedge from 144 yards.

It was a first hole-in-one in any competition for the 24-year-old and 23rd in the history of the Tour and second of 2019 season following Scot Daniel Kay’s perfect shot in the opening round of the Troon Series – Royal Golf Bahrain Open.

How cool is this?!!

Egypt’s Issa About El Ela (from Madinaty GC) makes his first hole-in-one playing his first ever MENA Tour event!

Issa aced the par-3 15th at @aesgc with a pitching wedge from 144 yards.

He also shot a 66.#HarderBetterFasterStronger pic.twitter.com/3TVSw9E8uj

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 21, 2019

Reigning professional Journey to Jordan leader, South Africa’s MG Keyser, opened with a 67.

The second round started at 7am UAE time.

The post Dubai teens Josh Hill and Arjun Gupta just a shot back after low scoring start to Al Ain Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.