Al Mouj Golf Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Al Mouj Golf doubles up on GEO Certification

Harry Grimshaw — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:53:15 +0000

Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, Oman has achieved GEO Certification for the second time.

Included in their haven for wildlife and sustainability, they have recently installed the use of tee markers as bird identifiers, with 18 birds selected from 173 spotted at the course over the last 10 years.

The signature 18^th hole has the Pheasant Tailed Jacana which has only been sighted in Muscat once in the past 30 years, and that was at Al Mouj Golf back in June 2017. The tee markers help engage golfers with the wonderful wildlife around the course.

Al Mouj Golf has a long-term commitment to driving sports tourism and to preserving nature and it is one of only 20 clubs worldwide to be certified by both Audubon International and Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) for environmental excellence.

Al Mouj Golf expands its International Certifications for Environmental Excellence

The club has five freshwater ponds which is a habitat for their 173 different bird species, and its partnership with Haya Water allows for the collection and composting of grass, plants and tree cuttings. In addition, treated wastewater is used for irrigation and the club retains and rejuvenates the natural Khor as part of its picturesque environment.

Al Mouj Golf has previously hosted professional tournaments with the European Challenge Tour’s National Bank of Oman Golf Classic from 2013 to 2014 and the NBO Golf Classic Grand Final from 2015 to 2017. They then upgraded to the NBO Oman Open on the DP World Tour in 2018 and the Oman Open in 2019 and 2020. Most recently they hosted the Asian Tour’s International Series in 2023.

Image: Supplied

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The Gulf Club: News from around the UAE and beyond

Matt Smith — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 11:26:12 +0000

Golf In Oman Instagram

Special company at Al Mouj
Dr Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Rumhi, the former Omani Minister of Oil and Gas, attended the GoLadies programme at Al Mouj Golf Club. The concept aims to encourage women to participate in golf activities, following the Oman Golf Association becoming a signatory of the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter.

Jumeirah Golf Estates

JGE gets in Open mood
Jumeirah Golf Estates held its Open Championship Scramble for members and guests over the weekend — a pairs scramble event that saw 74 golfers take part. Annabel Ayres and Bradley Webb came out on top with a net -14 under par, ahead of Connor McGlave and Gerry Donaldson in second.

Royal Golf Club

Royal Golf Club gets facelift
The Royal Golf Club in Bahrain has started work on its course enhancement programme — working alongside golf course construction experts Green Dynasty. European Golf Design architect Robin Hiseman will oversee the enhancements.

The Els Club

Quartet triumph at Els Club
The Els Club held the team Cha Cha Cha Golf competition, with teams of four going head to head in a stableford format. Kris Worne, Daniel Andrews, Ian Overton and Marc Spitzer were the winning quartet with a score of 84 points, three ahead of the team of Matthew Chen, Tim Haas, Guy Dawson and Murray Leslie.

Jumeirah Golf Estates

Green and Warham take top spot
The weekly Jumeirah Golf Estates Curry Club took place over the front nine of the Earth course, with 32 golfers battling it out in a pairs scramble. Richard Green and David Warham prevailed on eight-under, ahead of Mark Schofield and Simon Pearson on five-under.

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Oman Golf Trophy grand finale concludes at Al Mouj Golf

Golf Digest Middle East — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 06:27:35 +0000

The grand finale of the Oman Golf Trophy concluded at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, with Barbara Morati claiming the women’s title with 29 points and Enrico Bardazzi clinching the men’s title with 32.

Morati qualified for the final by winning at Circolo Golf Villa d’Este in Italy, which was played on October 22. Bardazzi qualified by winning at Circolo Golf Rapallo, alos in Italy, in November 2022.

RELATED: Oman and Al Mouj a must-see

The Italian leg of the Oman Golf Trophy was played on seven of the most prestigious courses in Italy between September and November, culminating in this week’s finale in Muscat, with 14 of the Italian leg qualifying winners competing head-to-head for the title. The tournament reached its conclusion after an action-packed week for the players who were treated to a tourism and investment awareness programme to complement their golf interests while in Oman.

Al Mouj Golf, which played host to some of the best golfers in the world recently in the International Series Oman event, proved a tough test for Oman’s guests from Italy. On March 5, Al Mouj Golf welcomed a friendly practice round which included Omani businesspeople and club members, as well as Omani sports icons.

“It’s been a great experience to be a part of the Oman Golf Trophy, and have the chance to play such a fantastic golf course,” said Morati. “The location is wonderful — on the coastline and next to the mountains. The people in Oman have been amazing. I am very honoured to be here and to experience all the destination has to offer.”

Bardazzi added: “What a golf course. It was a great challenge and the people of Oman have been so welcoming. Hopefully this can be the start of a great partnership between Italy and Oman and encourage others to come and experience the beauty of the Sultanate that we have witnessed this week.”

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LOOK: Who won what at the Asian Tour International Series Oman

Matt Smith — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 12:45:34 +0000

The inaugural Asian Tour International Series Oman will be remembered for a host of reasons, chiefly the crazy winds that battered Al Mouj Golf in Muscat and Takumi Kanaya’s nerves of steel for his first victory outside of Japan.

But the 2023 opener also raised the curtain on the expanded and enhanced International Series, offering players a combined $2 milion in prize money.

Take a look at which player took home what for a blustery four days of work.

Takumi Kanaya $360,000.00
Berry Henson $173,000.00
Sadom Kaewkanjana $173,000.00
Steve Lewton $100,000.00
Joaquin Niemann $74,300.00
Sergio Garcia $74,300.00
Andy Ogletree $46,750.00
Ryosuke Kinoshita $46,750.00
Matt Jones $46,750.00
Ryo Hisatsune $46,750.00
Bio Kim $33,700.00
Mito Pereira $33,700.00
Miguel Tabuena $28,350.00
Kazuki Higa $28,350.00
Jarin Todd $28,350.00
Jason Kokrak $28,350.00
Hideto Tanihara $22,628.57
Bjorn Hellgren $22,628.57
Yoseop Seo $22,628.57
Scott Vincent $22,628.57
Jazz Janewattananond $22,628.57
Yonggu Shin $22,628.57
Jinichiro Kozuma $22,628.57
Settee Prakongvech $18,500.00
Pavit Tangkamolprasert $18,500.00
Miguel Carballo $18,500.00
Kevin Yuan $18,500.00
Eugenio Chacarra $18,500.00
Lee Chieh-po $18,500.00
S.S.P Chawrasia $15,433.33
Nicholas Fung $15,433.33
Gunn Charoenkul $15,433.33
Travis Smyth $15,433.33
Rashid Khan $15,433.33
Branden Grace $15,433.33
Zhengkai Bai $12,828.57
Jack Thompson $12,828.57
Graeme McDowell $12,828.57
Wade Ormsby $12,828.57
Chase Koepka $12,828.57
Sangmoon Bae $12,828.57
Zach Murray $12,828.57
Ben Campbell $10,055.56
Shiv Kapur $10,055.56
Jyoti Randhawa $10,055.56
Yuki Inamori $10,055.56
Trevor Simsby $10,055.56
Chan Shih-chang $10,055.56
James Piot $10,055.56
Hennie Du Plessis $10,055.56
Carlos Ortiz $10,055.56
Suradit Yongcharoenchai $7,533.33
Siddikur Rahman $7,533.33
Sanghyun Park $7,533.33
Gaganjeet Bhullar $7,533.33
Kieran Vincent $7,533.33
Mikumu Horikawa $7,533.33
Matt Killen $6,700.00
Prom Meesawat $6,700.00
Andrew Dodt $6,300.00
Wocheng Ye $6,300.00
Itthipat Buranatanyarat $5,900.00
Tomoharu Otsuki $5,900.00
Phachara Khongwatmai $5,300.00
Todd Sinnott $5,300.00
Chikkarangappa S $5,300.00
Kyongjun Moon $4,800.00
Terry Pilkadaris $4,400.00
Prayad Marksaeng $4,400.00
Faisal Salhab $4,400.00
Sihwan Kim $4,000.00
Chonlatit Chuenboonngam $3,700.00
Seungtaek Lee $3,700.00
Minkyu Kim $3,400.00
Scott Hend $3,200.00
Honey Baisoya $3,000.00
Yikeun Chang $2,800.00

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Asian Tour adds Al Mouj Golf to 2023 calendar as International Series Oman is confirmed for February

Matt Smith — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 11:03:25 +0000

By Golf DigestME.com
The Asian Tour has announced the addition of Al Mouj Golf in Oman to its 2023 International Series calendar. The tournament will be held in Muscat from February 9-12 and boast prize money of $2 million.

The Tour also revealed that 10 International Series events will be held next season, each with prize money of at least $2 million — helping to build on the momentum gained this season, where seven International Series competitions were held.

“On the back of two outstanding weeks at International Series events in Morocco and Egypt, and this week’s season-ending BNI Indonesian Masters, also part of the International Series, the Asian Tour is excited to announce we will return to the Middle East early on in the new season for the International Series Oman,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

“The 2022 campaign was a highly successful one for us and it is great to see the profile of the Asian Tour being raised. Next year promises more of the same with this news further enhancing this, even before we have announced our 2023 schedule — one that promises to be the biggest and best in the history of the Tour.

“We are extremely grateful to the Oman Golf Association for being the conduit in helping to launch this pioneering new event in such an important golfing region; and, of course, we thank Al Mouj Golf for their commitment and support in this process. We have every confidence that the event will be a resounding success.”

With one season drawing to a conclusion — which has also seen International Series events played in Thailand, England, Singapore, and Korea — attention is quickly starting to turn to 2023.

“With the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Oman Golf Association is delighted to welcome the Asian Tour to the Sultanate of Oman in 2023,” said Mundhir Al Barwani, Chairman, Oman Golf Association.

“We are excited to be the first Asian Tour International Series event in the Middle East and to be able to share the beauty of the Sultanate with the players and officials, as well as a wider audience through television.

“Al Mouj Golf is a Tour-proven golf course and coupled with the proximity to the airport and the official hotel, we are certain that the players will have an enjoyable and memorable week with us. We commend the work that the Asian Tour have done in developing their international schedule and also in strengthening the Asian Development Tour, which will certainly have a positive impact on the growth of the elite amateur game within the region. We look forward to working closely with the key stakeholders and sponsors to deliver this event and to once again use the game of golf to showcase the investment and tourism opportunities that exist within Oman.”

The International Series was launched this year, through a partnership between the Tour and LIV Golf, with the aim of invigorating the game of golf in Asia, the Middle East and beyond.

“LIV Golf is proud to help establish new global events through the International Series that enhance player pathways to the world’s top competition,” said LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman.

“Al Mouj Golf is sure to present a challenging and rewarding experience for the Asian Tour’s very best while showcasing one of the most unique venues in this region of the world. This is a tremendous addition to the global golf calendar as the International Series gets bigger and better in 2023.”

The challenging 18-hole championship golf course at Al Mouj Golf is the first links-style golf course to be created in Oman and was designed by two-time major champion Greg Norman, flanked by the Indian Ocean with the Hajjar mountain range in the background.

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Muscat and Al Mouj Golf a must-see for golfers looking for a change of scene

Matt Smith — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 06:15:15 +0000

Golfers in the uae are, admittedly, spoilt for choice when it comes to courses to choose from right here in the emirates, with more than 20 to choose from — from Abu Dhabi to Ajman and all stops in between and beyond.

However, most will admit it is always a memorable treat to head abroad to play a foreign course for the first time. This can be a lengthy and expensive undertaking, if a keen golfer is looking east to Asia, or west to mainland Europe or the United States.

But for those on a tighter schedule (and budget), there is a real treat you may not know about only a short hop away in Oman.

A 50-minute budget flight will take you from Dubai to Muscat International Airport, which is quite literally on the doorstep of one of the Middle East’s best golf clubs — Al Mouj Golf.

Sutton Motorsport Images

Set amid the glamorous new Wave complex on the outskirts of the city, Al Mouj is a wonder to behold set in what almost feels like a wildlife park — a walk around the course is worth it alone to admire the natural lakes and reserves and the flora and fauna that comes with that. Al Mouj has more than 170 bird species throughout the year, from flamingos to eagles, that call this green oasis home, adding to an unforgettable experience on an iconic course.

Al Mouj, Oman’s first links-style course was conceptualised by former world No. 1-turned-course-designer Greg Norman when he visited the area in 2006. The club opened its doors in 2012 alongside the Wave resort’s hotels, residences, marina and luxury retail outlets.

The club incorporates an award-winning 18-hole championship course and a flood-lit nine-hole track — both designed by Norman.

The Championship Course is a treat from the first hole to the last and — as Head Golf Professional Marcus Casey says: “Every hole could be a signature hole on another course. All 18 are a perfect challenge, there are no fillers here” — it is difficult to pick a standout among this collection on the Indian Ocean coastline.

Sutton Motorsport Images

With the Hajjar mountains flanking the opposite side of the sea, Al Mouj has nine holes either side of the clubhouse along a two-kilometre stretch. While the lengthy course has no shortage of challenges — water (lakes and sea) is in play on eight holes, while every hole bar the fifth is heavily protected by deep bunkers and rough — in true links style, the wind whipping off the sea in the afternoon makes things even tougher.

While distance is one factor, strategic placement is of more importance as the approach shots can take on a whole new degree of difficulty if you are out of shape off the tee.

Al Mouj has played host to the DP World Tour’s Oman Open since 2018, with past winners including Joost Luiten, Kurt Kitayama and Sami Valimaki.

While each hole offers its own unique challenges, if pushed, the standouts are the short fifth, which demands a carry over water to reach the green 150 yards away, the gorgeous 11th which carries straight downhill to the coastline and the Indian Ocean, and the iconic par-4 18th, where players must play across the Indian Ocean itself to safely reach the fairway from the black tees.

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Where to stay

Kempinski Hotel Muscat
Located five minutes from Al Mouj Golf in the modern community of the same name, sits the luxurious Kempinski Hotel Muscat beach resort. The hotel features 310 rooms and suites, and can also accommodate corporate meetings and events. You will not go hungry with 11 restaurants and bars onsite offering a global range of culinary treats. There are two main swimming pools, plus a kids pool and club, tennis courts, various outdoor and water sport activities, a spa and even an in-house bowling alley.
kempinski.com/en/muscat/kempinski-hotel-muscat/

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Other things to do

Photo by Matt Smith

Visit Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Back in 1992, the then Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said al Said, decreed the nation must have a Grand Mosque, and construction began at the end of 1994 and took six years and seven months to complete. The wait was worth it as what is now the major landmark of Muscat and dominates the skyline is a 420,000 sq m beautiful building that blends history and culture with a hint of modern architecture that can accommodate up to 20,000 worshippers at one time. Open to visitors, appropriate dress required.
sultanqaboosgrandmosque.com

Tour the Old Quarter
At the eastern tip of modern Muscat, away from the shimmering glass and Royal Opera House lies the Old Quarter. A short journey on new roads carved through the mountain takes you back in time to narrow bustling street, mountaintop 16th-century forts and 500-year-old city walls, and the must-see warren of the massive, ancient Mutrah Souk.

Go snorkelling
Al Mouj Marina offers all kinds of see trip, from dolphin spotting to fishing and overnight island camps. But top of the list has to be a day trip to go snorkelling. A 35-minute boat trip to the Daymaniat Islands with Captain Fahad’s Daymaniat Shells boat tours company will take you to two spots for hour-long snorkelling experiences, where the sealife sights include turtles, rays, moray eels, clown fish — even blacktip sharks and a variety of marine creatures and corals.
daymaniat-shells.com

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A WEEK IN IRELAND SERIES
DAY 1: The K Club
DAY 2: Lahinch
DAY 3: Dromoland Castle
DAY 4: Mount Juliet Estate
DAY 5: Druids Heath

BE AT 1 SERIES
Tame ‘Sea View’, stroke index 1 at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
Tame the 15th, stroke index 1, at The Els Club Dubai
Tame the 5th, stroke index 1, at Tower Links Golf Club
Tame the 15th, stroke index 1, at Yas Links Abu Dhabi
Tame the 7th, stroke index 1, at Dubai Hills Golf Club
Tame the 12th, stroke index 1, at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club
Tame the 13th, stroke index 1, at Al Zorah Golf Club
Tame the 10th, stroke index 1, at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club
Tame the 5th, stroke index 1, at Abu Dhabi Golf Club
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Get the November 2022 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here!

Matt Smith — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 07:47:22 +0000

By Matt Smith
Catch the latest issue of Golf Digest Middle East, as Chiara Noja and the cream of women’s golf get set for the Aramco Team Series finale in Jeddah, and Dubai prepares for the DP World Tour Championship, with world No. 1 Rory McIlroy coming to town. Also, find out about a stay & play holiday on your doorstep in Muscat, while Shergo Al Kurdi and Claude Harmon III give you an insight into the first season of LIV Golf. Catch up with Alex Riggs and Lea Pouillard as they have some vital tips on how to improve your game, while Matt Fitzpatrick reveals some tricks of the trade.

All this and much more in the November 2022 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

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A Wave of celebrations as Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, Oman, gears up for its 10th anniversary

Matt Smith — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 04:22:21 +0000

By Matt Smith
It doesn’t feel like it, but Al Mouj Golf in Muscat is already 10 years old. Oman’s first links-style course was conceptualised by former world No. 1-turned-course-designer Greg Norman when he visited the area in 2006. The club opened its doors in 2012 along a two-kilometre stretch of coastline on the Indian Ocean, at the heart of glamorous Wave resort’s hotels, residences, marina and luxury retail outlets.

The club incorporates an award-winning 18-hole championship course and a flood-lit nine-hole track — both designed by ‘The Shark’ — and Al Mouj has quickly established itself as one of the best golf courses in not only Oman but the Middle East over the past decade.

Along with the coastal views, the backdrop isn’t too bad either as the Hajjar mountain loom large over a course that has made great use of the natural dunes to shape the terrain into a firm favourite of many top golfers.

With 10 years under their belt, the management at Al Mouj are marking the occasion with a number of celebrations alongside a members ‘Anniversary Trophy’ competition, and an Individual Stableford tournament on October 22, which is open to all.

A WEEK IN IRELAND SERIES
DAY 1: The K Club
DAY 2: Lahinch
DAY 3: Dromoland Castle
DAY 4: Mount Juliet Estate
DAY 5: Druids Heath

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The Middle East’s 18 favourite holes
The Middle East’s best par 3s
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The post A Wave of celebrations as Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, Oman, gears up for its 10th anniversary appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Get the September 2022 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here!

Matt Smith — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 06:08:34 +0000

By Matt Smith
With the cooler weather on the wayin the UAE, it is time to get back out on the course — and Tony Finau is on hand to help you get back in the swing in the latest edition of Golf Digest Middle East. Also, discover what makes Ireland the go-to golfing destination as we visit five of the top clubs on the Emerald Isle. Find out Anne van Dam’s New York plan for the Aramco Team Series, and catch up with the UAE team ahead of their hectic autumn/winter schedule. We also speak to Tuscany Willams about her female-only social media platform Women Who Golf.

All this and much more in the September 2022 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

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That’s (almost) a wrap! A dozen reasons why the 2021 Desert Swing was (and still is) a doozy

Kent Gray — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 07:55:45 +0000

Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

By Kent Gray

Tyrrell’s a treat
Given his giddy run of form over the past 16 months – victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship triumph was his fourth in 20 starts – has Tyrrell Hatton surpassed Tommy Fleetwood as Europe’s chief major champion in waiting? Perhaps. The Englishman unquestionably crept above Rory McIlroy to fifth in the OWGR. The only European above him? Jon Rahm, also the owner of four Rolex Series gold stars. You’ve got to love the ball-striking, the icy-calmness closing out events and the honest self-assessments, both during rounds and afterwards.

“Definitely pinching myself. It’s just very surreal to be that high in the world rankings. I don’t look at myself or — I don’t know how to sort of word it. I guess I’m very — yeah, I’m struggling to find the words how to put it across but I’ll just say it is very cool to be where I am at the moment.”

“Hi, I’m Tyrrell…and I’m an angry golfer”
“If you’re feeling glum, pop up a thumb”. The European Tour’s social media team always seem on point but how about the timing of having eventual champion Tyrrell Hatton front their latest ditty, #AngryGolfers? “I’m not quite sure why they chose me,” Hatton drolly told on-course commentator Tim Barter a round after previewing the soon-to-be-released viral video with a double thumbs up to mock a rare wayward drive on the National layout. Classic stuff and a fun new go-to to help us all defuse potential on course meltdowns.

Getty Images

What’s the story, Rory?
Rory McIlroy, welcomed back to the UAE capital for the first time since 2018, complied one of those uniquely Rory rounds on Thursday in Abu Dhabi that makes golf look easy. But almost inevitably after the 64 – “a lovely way to start the year” – and two further mostly stress-free rounds to snare the 54-hole lead, the Northern Irishman found a way to let the title slip. Again. A fourth third placing to go with four bridesmaid finishes means the Falcon remains almost as elusive as a certain green jacket for Rors. Here’s hoping he’ll be back next January.

Getty Images

What next for Abu Dhabi?
Speaking of the 17th Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, anyone else excited to see what the Desert Swing opener will be like co-sanctioned by the mighty PGA Tour? Yup, us too. Nothing’s official yet but it seems Abu Dhabi, the Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship and DP World Tour Championship at JGE will get the full U.S. treatment in 2022. McIlroy might find it even tougher to snare the fabled Falcon.

Getty Images

2021 Lev-ity
How good was Alexander Levy’s reaction to his ace (a 9 iron from 177 yards) on the 15th in the third round in Abu Dhabi? It was peak 2020 (rolling into 2021) as the Frenchman looked around for affirmation from the galleries to be greeted by near silence. Damn you COVID. As Levy rolls on into 2021 behind the wheel of a new BMW X850i, here’s hoping there will be even fewer gallery restrictions next year.

Getty Images

Casey can
If Abu Dhabi champion Tyrrell Hatton is Europe’s new chief major champion in waiting, then countryman Paul Casey is firmly back in the conversation as the best player without a big, with all due respect to Lee Westwood. Casey’s effortless power and a smiling jaunt to the Dallah Trophy ensured the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic has another worthy name on its stellar roll call of champions and leaves us to wonder how he hasn’t landed a major. Yet.

“I think a lot of good stuff [is still to come], honestly I feel like I’ve regained my youth. I mean that sincerely and, yeah, I’m so happy.”

Getty Images

Majlis makeover
You had to feel for the hard-working team at Emirates Golf Club as patchy pictures of the Majlis’ normally pristine greens were beamed around the globe during the Desert Classic. The great news is it won’t be long until those images are a distant memory with the course to close May 2 for a complete rebuild of the putting surfaces to USGA specifications. The greens had come to the end of their lifespan – roughly 20-25 years in the harsh desert environment – but will be rolling smoothly once more when the course is reopened in late September.

Getty Images

No.1 for a very good reason
How good is Dustin Johnson, even when he’s not at his best. The most impressive aspect of the world No.1’s second Saudi International win in three years was his unflappable response to a catalogue of miss reads on the tricky Royal Greens putting surfaces. The only time the reigning Masters champion did get angry – if you could call a light slap on his own thigh after bogeying the 16th in the final round “angry” – Johnson responded by very nearly driving the next. A par 4. Job done.

“I’ve been playing some really good golf the last six months. Hopefully, I’m going to continue to play this kind of golf. I’m seeing a lot of the same things each and every week, and that’s what I do… I’ve got a great team around me that helps me kind of stay in that form so that I can perform at the highest level each and every week.”

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The dirty D word
With distance almost a dirty word in golf nowadays, Bryson DeChambeau finds himself the game’s new anti-hero, with all due respect to Patrick Reed. Thankfully, Saudi was another reminder that ridiculous length off the tee doesn’t guaranteed fairways in reg, much less trophies (Dustin Johnson’s victory notwithstanding). In the clamber to dial back the ball, we should remember that and the fact the next-gen love seeing athletes hit bombs. Are we trying to lure newcomers to the sport or tell them that improved athleticism isn’t really wanted? Remember too that Kevin Na contended. As DeChambeau (T-18) said himself, a distance advantage will always be a distance advantage no matter how long the course is or how far the ball flies. But that doesn’t mean the big boofers will always win. This is golf after all. The only guarantee is that you’ll never beat this maddeningly brilliant game.

The course Jack is building
The Kingdom might be home to the youngest of the Desert Swing events but boy, aren’t Golf Saudi in a hurry to make up for lost time. Even before one of this year’s strongest fields (it was only early Feb.) teed it up at Royal Greens, the governing body announced Jack Nicklaus has put his name to a new private course in the Qiddiya megaproject 40 minutes south-west of the capital Riyadh. And that Saudi Aramco was backing a four-event, $4 million series of Ladies European Tour events in New York, London, Singapore and KAEC. Talk about Kingdom come. It’s going to be fascinating to see what the golf landscape looks like in a decade’s time.

Enough already COVID
Just when we all thought the horrors of 2020 were behind us… Here’s hoping the cancelled Oman Open can be rescheduled for later in the year because Greg Norman’s Al Mouj Golf design in Muscat is one of the courses that give Middle East golf tourism a great name.

Getty Images

Qatar Quality?
Anyone else surprised a year has passed since the European Tour put its 2020 season on ice following Jorge Campillo’s victory at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters? Yeah, it feels much longer than that to us too. With the coronavirus-enforced demise of the Oman Open a timely reminder to take nothing for granted, the return to Education City is our last chance to enjoy some top-level desert golf before the long haul to the Race to Dubai decider at JGE in late November. The quality of the field in Doha, now that a potential two-tourney Middle East detour has become a one event hit and run mission, will be telling. Whatever happens, at least it looks like we’ll all play on after Qatar. What a year – and a Desert Swing – it has been.

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