By Kent Gray
Given the enormity of the occasion and all the associated media hullabaloo, no one was too concerned by Othman Almulla’s scoring at the Saudi International earlier this month.

Even the 32-year-old was able to cut himself some slack after rounds of 80 and 81 left him sandwiched between a pair of amateur compatriots, Saud Al Sharif and Abdulrahman Al Mansour, at the foot of the leaderboard.

“The Saudi International went way beyond expectations for me,” said the pioneering Saudi professional who made his paid ranks bow in the kingdom’s equally historic European Tour debut at Royal Greens Golf & County Club, playing the opening 36-holes in the company of Ernie Els.

“Obviously the scoring didn’t reflect the level where I want to be but it was one week where the scoring wasn’t as important for me. It was all about inspiring people and putting smiles on kids faces. It’s such an honourable thing to inspire the future generation to do something and if I have a little part to play then I’m happy to do it.”

With that said, Almulla is determined to do more than be a trailblazer when he tees it up in his second European Tour event inside a month after being granted a special invite to the $1.75 million Oman Open starting today in Muscat.

Meet Othman, Saudi Arabia’s first pro golfer.#SaudiIntlGolf pic.twitter.com/apziGl7tOg

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 2, 2019

“It still feels like I’m living a dream when competing in such prestigious tournaments but I want to do something to make myself and my country proud,” said Almulla who will join the likes of defending champion Joost Luiten, former Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn and Oman’s No.1 amateur and good friend Azaan Al Rumhy at the spectacular Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj Golf.

“If I can give myself a chance to make the cut that will be a surreal week for me. If I play the golf that I can play I know I’m good enough to be out there.

“I’m not here just to make up the numbers; I want to be competing with these guys week in week out so hopefully I can put myself in a position to do that.”

As well as being an inspiration to youngsters in Saudi, Almulla, was delighted at the thought of being a role model for junior golfers across the Middle East as he took part in a clinic with the Oman Junior Team before the Oman Open.

“I can’t tell you how heartwarming it is to see kids looking up to you as a role model for golf in the region. The kids at the clinic were really happy to see me. They will watch some of the best players in the world compete this week but for them to also keep an eye out for me and Azaan is a great thing and something that I didn’t have when growing up.”

Almulla, who has been grouped with Dane Kristoffer Reitan and Englishman Scott Gregory for his opening round on Thursday (13.10 Muscat time), is certainly indebted to his Omani pal who helped secure his start this week.

“Azaan is one of my closest and dearest friends so I spoke with him about participating in the tournament and from that conversation the Oman Golf Committee sent me an invitation which was nice,” said Almulla.  “I think it’s important for the GCC countries to support each other in golf and give the guys opportunities to play in these events.”

Luiten will begin the defence of his title off the 1st tee at 12 noon with American David Lipsky and Englishman Chris Wood.

The post Othman Almulla, Saudi’s pioneering pro, keen to show he has the game to threaten the cut mark in Muscat appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
With Frenchman Alexander Levy the highest ranked player in the field at No. 62 in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), the new NBO Oman Open offers fading stars and lesser lights the chance to shine.

Paul Waring and Matthew Southgate duly obliged Thursday, the Englishmen grabbing a share of the lead in the $1.75 million European Tour event with seven under 65s.

Both went bogey free around the majestic Al Mouj Golf layout but Southgate’s card was illuminated by an ace on island green 5th. The seven iron dunk from 165 yards was the 29-year-old’s second hole-in-one inside a month after he binned a nine iron on the par-3 7th at Emirates Golf Club during last month’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic; it was also the second ace on the historic day in Muscat after German Marcel Siem holed out from 162 yards on the 13th moments earlier. In a bizarre coincidence, the caddies of both players are twin brothers – Gary and Guy Tilson. 

Southgate and Waring lead by a shot from Dutchman Daan Huizing who hit the first shot of the championship and just 65 further strokes to cash in on a special invite having played four of the five Challenge Tour events previously held at Al Mouj, including a T-10 at last November’s NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.

Ryder Cupper Andy Sullivan and fellow Englishman Callum Shinkwin were a shot further back after 67s while Matteo Manassero’s name was a welcome sight among a group of six players on 68.

Waring, the world No. 251, will be relived with his fast start after a challenging beginning to 2018 which has seen the 33-year-old miss three successive cuts en-route to Muscat after opening the wrap-around season with a T-41 effort in Hong Kong before Christmas.

Paul Waring

The 2005 English amateur champion played last season on a medical exemption after wrist and shoulder problems but also enjoyed a career-best campaign, finishing 60th on the Race to Dubai rankings and saw light despite the unwanted weekends off.

“I’d missed three cuts on the spin but I didn’t feel like I’d played badly to miss them. I didn’t feel too far away,” Waring told EuropeanTour.com after a round that included a hat-trick of birdies from the 14th (he started at 10) and birdies on all four par 5s.

“It was definitely a bit of a glide. I played some of the best golf I’ve played for a little while. I actually missed a few chances, which sounds ridiculous. I did hole a nice one on one from 30 or 40 feet which is nice to keep the momentum going. I’m really happy with that.”

Southgate’s early form hasn’t been much better than Waring’s. Ranked 163rd in the latest OWGR, he missed the cut at the SA Open and in Abu Dhabi before T-57 and T-62 finishes in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.   

It was a good day for this guy ?

Shoots 65
Makes a hole-in-one
Takes the first round lead pic.twitter.com/rIK3woah9R

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 15, 2018

The Southend-on-Sea professional provided one of the stories of 2015, coming through all three stages of Q-School to regain his card after surgery for testicular cancer just months earlier. More recently Southgate has been in the news for cruelly incurring a four stroke penalty at the DAP Championship during last September’s Web.com finals, a freak incident that ultimately cost him a PGA Tour card.

Putting on the 15th at Canterbury Golf Club in Ohio, his ball was struck by a leaf that blew across the green, nudging the ball off line ever so slightly.

Southgate finished the hole, but made a huge error in the process as he should have placed his ball back to its original location and replayed the shot without penalty. Instead, by continuing the hole, he was handed a four-stroke penalty – two for playing from the wrong spot and two more for signing an incorrect card.

Here’s the incident:

Golf is hard … especially when you’re playing for a @PGATOUR card. pic.twitter.com/SoyWo6X01q

— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) September 24, 2017

Sullivan, T-6 in Dubai and T-17 in Malaysia, is trending nicely as he looks to September’s Ryder Cup in Paris. The 31-year-old concedes complacency crept in after he slipped to 62nd place in last year’s Race to Dubai standings following back-to-back top 20 finishes in 2015 and 2016.

He achieved just two top-10s in 2017 but is determined to get back to the top after the high of qualifying for the 2016 Ryder Cup in Hazeltine.

“I think it was just a bit of complacency,” he told EuropeanTour.com. “I got to the Ryder Cup pretty early and achieved everything in really quick time and you just don’t realise how hard you have to work to maintain these things. I’d be guilty of that and of not quite performing how I wanted to.

“Since DP World we’ve put the hard work in and it’s nice to see it coming back to where it was so early. I didn’t expect it to happen quite so quickly.

“Once you’ve played one Ryder Cup you don’t want to miss another one, it’s so special. My first one was in America and obviously we got humped but the whole experience is so awesome, being a part of that team, you just don’t want to miss another one.

“One of my goals is to try and force my way into that team. I know it’s going to be difficult and I’ve left myself a lot to do but that’s where I want to be again.”

Levy, for the record, signed for a one-under 71 Thursday, as did Andrew “Beef” Johnston.  Shubhankar Sharma, the 21-year-old Indian who leads the 2018 Race to Dubai after wins at the Joburg Open and Maybank Championship in the past two months, finished with a 73 despite a near tap-in eagle on the par-5 12th.

It was a tough day for the local hopes. Al Mouj teaching professional Steven Troup (SCO) is tied for 128th overnight after a 77 while Oman national team amateur Azaan Al Rumhy carded an 80. Bahrain amateur Nasser Yaqoob was on +13 after an 85.

The post Southgate, with an ace, and Waring lead in Muscat after 65s appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Steven Troup has taken a merciless ribbing from his pals for weeks but hopes plenty of sly practice will allow him the last laugh when his scarcely believable European Tour dream becomes reality at 7.15am on Thursday morning.

The Scottish club pro and Oman national team coach will battle entirely understandable nerves when he tees it up in the NBO Oman Open on a special invite along with the country’s leading amateur Azaan Al Rumhy.

“I’m excited to tee it up on this big stage but also a little apprehensive,” admitted the Al Mouj teaching pro who has been grouped with European Tour winner Sam Brazel and Frenchman Adrien Saddier for the opening two rounds of the $1.75 million event.

“A few guys were joking about me playing in this European Tour event for quite some time but I always played it down and laughed it off until I actually got officially invited three weeks ago – then I started practicing a lot harder.”

Troup at least has home course knowledge – and a best score of 67 on the Greg Norman-designed track – to take to the first tee. Regardless of what happens, the Oman Golf Committee member is buzzing for the biggest sports event in the Sultanate’s history.

“Hosting a European Tour event here is absolutely massive – not just the golf club, but for Oman itself,” said Troup. “It will put this country on the world stage because this is the biggest event to be hosted out here.”

Azaan, who was crowned Oman’s top player when he won the NBO Omani Amateur Final during last year’s NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, has dreamed about the opportunity to compete in his home country against a field which includes a host past Ryder Cup players and Major champions.

“I’ve always looked forward to playing in a European Tour event after going to Dubai many times over the years to watch the stars,” says Al Rumhy. “I’ve played on smaller Tour events like when the Challenge Tour was here in November but nothing as big as this. It’s a fantastic opportunity for me so I’m privileged and honoured to represent Oman amongst this strong field.”

Azaan, last off Thursday at 1.15pm, has made it his mission to beat Bahrain amateur and good friend Nasser Yaqoob and cheekily also has Troup in his crosshairs.

“Steven is a great man. I started working with him just over a year ago and I believe he’s the best coach we have in the country,” said Al Rumhy. “He’s a good player especially his putting. My target is to beat him this weekend but regardless of the result, we will both have fun during this incredible opportunity.“

UPDATED (Thursday 12 noon, Feb.15): Troup opened with a five-over par 77 while Al Rumhy was six-over through 14 holes of his first round.

The post Scottish club pro and Omani amateur ready for European Tour dream appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Shergo Kurdi is a huge Adam Scott fan, utterly beguiled by the Australian’s graceful swing. We suspect the Jordanian teen might be just as taken by Darren Clarke by week’s end in Aqaba.

In another grouping masterstroke by the MENA Tour, the 13-year-old will play the first two rounds of Jordan’s inaugural 54-hole Ayla Golf Championship in the inspiring company of the 2011 Open champion on Thursday and Friday.

England-domiciled Kurdi hopes to represent Jordan at the 2020 Tokyo and/or 2024 Paris Olympics and knows a front row seat watching the battled-hardened European Tour and Ryder Cup star ply his trade can only help make that dream reality one day.

“It will be some experience to savour,“ said Kurdi. ”I am sure I will be able to take a lot of positives from the week that will stand me in good stead for the future.”

Kurdi has already served notice of his burgeoning talent, winning the U-15 Pan-Arab Junior Championship and the Surrey county title before making the cut in last week’s Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open following rounds of 75-74-77 at Yas Links (the top 50 players plus ties – professionals and amateurs – make the 36 hole cut at MENA Tour events although there must be a minimum of 10 amateurs).

After first hitting balls at the age of two with his father, Moussa, Kurdi Jnr has reportedly won 113 junior tournaments, mostly in England where he pursues his golfing career.

“These are still early days, but the aim for him is to represent Jordan in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympics and then, hopefully, the Summer Olympic Games in 2020, or maybe 2024,” said Moussa.

Kurdi is supported by the Jordanian Golf Federation and attached to Ayla Golf Club, a new stop on the Pro-Am developmental circuit. He also has the impetus of the MENA Tour’s “Project 300” behind him. The initiative aims to deliver at least one regional player to the Olympics by 2020. Players hoping to qualify for Tokyo must get within 300 in the world rankings, thus the moniker.

The Jordanian will be joined by some of the best amateur talent in the region on the Greg Norman designed- Ayla G.C., including Khalid Yousuf and Ahmed Skaik (both UAE), Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla and Oman’s Azaan Al Rumhy. The Arab players will all be hoping to match up to the standard set by English 21-year-old Todd Clements this season. The reigning English Amateur champion is a runaway leader of the amateur order of merit after runner-up finishes at the Dubai Creek Open and at Yas Links last week.

Whoever gets up to claim amateur honours will have played well, Clarke says.

“The course is just magnificent, one of the best I have played in recent years. It will present a fair test to the players this week,” Clarke said.

Related: Darren Clarke headlines strong field for Jordan as OOM race heats up

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