Dubai is a home away from home for New Scottish Golf ambassador Carly Booth. The popular social media influencer will be chasing her 3rd LET title at the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic after winning her home Scottish and Swiss Opens in 2012. 

Last season was a tough year, on and off the golf course. But securing my card and just starting to get myself in a better place, surrounding myself with good people and making sure I’m surrounded by the right team, this was all part of it. I took a month off golf for the first time ever this December. I think the break did me good and got me raring to go once 2019 hit.

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I’ve had two top-5s so far this season and it’s been good to get them early on. I’m working on a new swing at the moment with my new coach so going through the motions but really seeing the improvement. I want to continue making top 5s and hopefully get a win or two this year. That‘s the goal.

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I’m really looking forward to the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic and the new experience, playing some golf after dark. I think it’s different, a little harder I’d say. I love the Pro-Am format too, it always makes it fun and more enjoyable for the sponsors to be more involved and give them an experience to play with us.

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I’ve played night golf a couple of times before. It’s fun. Under lights your depth perception is different and makes it tougher to see the grain on the greens. So it will be little more challenging I think.

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I’m really pleased to be involved with Scottish Golf (as a newly appointed ambassador), trying to encourage and influence young kids to play. I know how amazing this game is and I want everyone to get a chance to experience it, especially from a young age so we can have more aspiring professional golfers on the tours from Scotland.

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I thought the Jordan mixed open was awesome. Great to have the three tours (LET, Challenge and Staysure Seniors) come together. I think it was set up equally fair and I feel amongst all the players we had a lot of positive feedback. I hope to see more events like this in the future.

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I think we have a great tour. A strong tour and I think we all encourage each other as well to show everyone that the LET is a great tour to be a part of. Promoting the game as much as possible through social channels is what most of us try to do. It’s the only way we are going to bring things back up to standard.

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Social media is a great way to show and communicate with the world. It’s the way forward. People like to see what their idols get up too and get an insight of their daily life, and you can be as private or as public as you wish. I think it’s very important these days not just for sports but news, businesses, anything that you want to get out there and promote.

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I was at the Masters, the best one I’ve watched hands down. It was so close between so many players, which made the final nine holes so exciting. But I could not have been happier to see Tiger win.

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By Kent Gray
Cheyenne Woods will chase her second Ladies European Tour (LET) title at the new-look Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic early next month.

The 28-year-old niece of new Masters champion Tiger Woods has been confirmed for the 54-hole, Pro-Am event which will be played, partially at least, under the new LED floodlights on the Faldo course at Emirates Golf Club from May 1-3.

It will be Woods’ third tilt at the Dallah trophy after she finished tied 20th at the then Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in 2014 and shared 10th place in 2016 with rounds of 68-73-72.

The world No. 285, who placed 15th at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at Saadiyat Beach in January, is one of the Moonlight Classic’s highest-profile signings. She joins current LET money leader Marianne Skarpnord (Norway), 2017 Solheim Cuppers Emily Kristine Pedersen (Denmark) and Florentyna Parker (England), former money list winners Beth Allen (USA) and Becky Brewerton (Wales) and LET life-member Trish Johnson. The 53-year-old from Bristol is an 18-time winner on tour.

World No. 133 Caroline Hedwall, who has won eight LET titles heading into this week’s €450,000 Lalla Meryem Cup in Rabat, Morocco, is the highest rated player in the official Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings headed for the $285,000 Moonlight Classic in Dubai.

We’ve got a star studded line up for the Moonlight Classic ??

Join us for FREE from 1-3 May to see some of the finest @letgolf players take part in the world’s FIRST day-night tournament!!

You do not want to miss this ?‍#ODMC pic.twitter.com/dhFyb2YBLL

— OMEGA Golf Dubai (@OMEGAGolfDubai) April 16, 2019

Woods has won two professionals titles, the most notable coming at the 2014 Australian Ladies Masters on Queensland’s Golf Coast. She played four LET events last season with her 8th placing at the Vic Open one of her four top 10s from 38 starts on the world’s second largest ladies circuit. She has recorded two top 10s on the LPGA Tour.

“We are delighted to welcome Cheyenne back to Dubai for the new Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic,” said out-going Tournament Director David Spencer. “She is an extremely talented golfer and is always a crowd favourite. To have Cheyenne playing alongside the strong field of confirmed amateurs and professionals will make this year’s tournament extra special and we wish her the best of luck.”

There will also be much interest in the performance of 24-year-old former world amateur No.1 Leona Maguire and the Irishwoman’s twin Lisa who was born 15 minutes earlier than Leona. Other names include Englishwoman Meghan MacLaren and Sophie Lamb, Scot Carly Booth and Spaniard Emma Cabrera Bello, the sister of Dubai-domiciled European Ryder Cupper Rafa Cabrera Bello.

Carly will be with us on the 1st May … will you? ?@CarlyBooth92 #ODMC pic.twitter.com/8edo5zkCl7

— OMEGA Golf Dubai (@OMEGAGolfDubai) April 17, 2019

American Angel Yin, who won the last Omega Dubai Ladies Classic on the Majlis course at Emirates G.C. in December 2017, will not return to defend her title.

The post Woods Dubai-bound as Moonlight Classic field finalised appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Bjorn will tee it up at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club on Jan. 29 alongside Dubai-based Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello, Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick (both members of the beaten 2016 team at Hazeltine) and reigning British Masters champion Paul Dunne (Ireland). Cabera Bello, Fitzpatrick and Dunne helped Bjorn’s Europeans rally to a 14-10 win over Asia in the EurAsia Cup in Kuala Lumpur earlier today in a positive precursor to the Ryder Cup.

Also confirmed for the 18-hole Gary Player Invitational are the Black Knight himself, D+D Real Czech Masters champion Haydn Porteous, Made in Denmark winner Julian Suri, 2016 South African Open winner Brandon Stone, Portugal Masters champion Lucas Bjerregaard and Jordan Smith, winner of the Porsche European Open.

Cabrera Bello’s sister Emma will also play alongside fellow Ladies European Tour players Olivia Cowan, Carly Booth and Henni Goya. Joining the pros will also be the UAE’s top amateur, Rayhan Thomas, and entertainers Brian McFadden and Keith Duffy (pictured above).

The Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs as the charity set to benefit from the day of “#golfandgiving”

“We are thrilled to be coming back to Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club to kick off 2018 with what will be a field of some of the super new golfing talent in the world,” said Player.

“As illustrated by our field of champions, including the UAE’s very own Rayhan Thomas, the game continues to evolve and strengthen in the UAE which is truly fantastic to see. This, combined with raising money for those in need will make for a fantastic event for all.”

Held in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, under the Patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the 2018 Gary Player Invitational at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is the only Middle Eastern stop in the global series. The series has helped The Player Foundation raise more than $64 million for charities worldwide and plays a key role in helping the foundation work towards its goal of raising $100 million by 2025.

“While the event itself is both engaging and entertaining, it is made all the more worthwhile knowing that funds raised will stay in Abu Dhabi and support the Zayed Higher Organization in all the great work that they do for the community,” said Player.

Supporters include Etihad Airways, TDIC, the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi (host of the post tournament gala dinner), SAP and Rolex. New sponsors confirmed for 2018 include Abu Dhabi Ports and Al Masaood Automobiles.

 Visit garyplayerinvitational.com and follow @GPInvitational on Twitter and Instagram  – #GOLFandGIVING.

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By Kent Gray
Sir Nick Faldo pauses momentarily as he reflects on the 21st anniversary of his globe-trotting junior development series.

“It’s been quite a good journey, yeah,” the 60-year-old golfing knight turned commentary box royal says with a hearty dollop of English understatement.

The Faldo Junior Series has indeed come a long way – 40 events in 30 countries annually to be exact – since the six-time major champion created the non-profit organisation in 1996 to give back to a sport that has given him so much. Among the talented youngsters identified and nurtured along the way have been major champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng, plus tour winners Nick Dougherty, Oliver Fisher, Marc Warren, John Parry, Rashid Khan, Melissa Reid, Florentyna Parker and Carly Booth.

You can bet a handful of the 57 names on this week’s 21st Faldo Series European Grand Final leaderboard will emerge from Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club as future stars too after benefitting from the unique combination of tough tournament examinations and lashings of expert advice.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy poses with Nick Faldo after winning the U-17 division of the 2006 Faldo Junior Series at The Celtic Manor Resort on October 6, 2006.

From his home in Orlando, Faldo himself has come along way this week to host in Abu Dhabi. He’s brought sports psychologist Kjell Enhager with him, a man Faldo admits he could have done with during his playing days when he feared his mental fortitude might be exposed if he didn’t hide behind that famously aloof “blinkers on from the first tee to the 18th green” exterior.

“Kjell did a great presentation talking about the mind, how to visualise, how to make decisions, how to practice better, how to get yourself in the right mental state,” said Faldo. “It was a real good eye opener for them, they’re getting some good stuff from us.”

The learning, it seems, is a two-way thing.

“When we started [in 1996] you didn’t really appreciate all the differences but when you take European kids to say Asia and they get thrown in the deep end and suddenly they have to learn to play golf with an eight hour time change, different grass and you’re going to get sunburnt even when the sun doesn’t even come out, it’s a great learning experience.”

Faldo has been imparting his wisdom too, playing nine practice holes Sunday with some of the starry-eyed youngsters before holding a clinic for AESGC members on Monday morning as the talented teens from Europe, Asia and the UAE [Reema Al Heloo and Rashed Al Emadi] set off on their 54-hole odyssey.

A separate clinic for the players was planned for Monday afternoon and typical of his playing days, Faldo has come prepared, as much as his busy television commitments allow anyway.

“I always come in with some kind of theme to try and give the kids a bit of insight into what and how top sportsmen think, act and react, and how they can test themselves,” Faldo said

Asked for this weeks theme, the serial swing tinkerer of old emerges and makes for a fascinating listen.

“It’s funny I’ve been practicing and I always talk about my ‘four swing”, I mean I had one backswing and four different follow throughs to hit different shots,” says Faldo, clearly just warming up.

“When you play less you go right to what has to happen, the absolute musts, so if you’re trying to hit the ball high, what do you have to do to make it happen, how do you release the club? If you want to hit it low, if you want to hit a fade, hit a draw…and I’ve been doing that myself from the same stance basically, and then you learn to make minute differences and how to feel the differences and then what happens when you make the differences.

“You know, if you make some kind of difference in your swing, where does the golf ball go and if it goes consistently in a certain direction, can you use that as a positive, in a way to use it on the golf course?”

Just as he’s making a huge difference to the careers of all those involved at Al Ain this week, so too is Faldo playing the mutual appreciation game.

“It’s great, a great spot,” the CBS analyst says of AESGC . “Obviously this time of year its perfect. To try and go as late as possible in the season as we do, I mean you struggle in central Europe, it’s too cold. We’ve been to Loch Lomond where it’s blowing 40 miles an hour and it’s 40°f  (5°c), it snowed in the Greenbrier and well, they’ve got a treat here. They’re in nice breezy conditions in the low 80s (27°c), it’s going to be a good test for them.”

Faldo holds court at Monday’s AESGC members’ clinic.

The first day scoring showed many are up to the test with England’s Charlie Salter and Australian Daniel Gale leading the way with four under 66s. In all, 11 players bettered par.

With the backing of the R&A, World Amateur Golf Ranking points and trips to next year’s Asia Grand Final – Faldo will invite three boys and two girls to the event at his Faldo Design course in Vietnam, Laguna Lang Co, in March – on the line, there is still much to play for.

Regardless of the scoring this week, the chance to glean tips of the trade from Europe’s most majored golfer is a priceless opportunity. The journey – for both Faldo and his juniors – continues.

The post Faldo in Al Ain, and his element, nurturing the next generation appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

South African Lee-Anne Pace somehow achieved just that with a second successive 66 at Saadiyat Beach to hold onto her overnight lead at the halfway stage of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open.

The 36-year-old is -12 through 36-holes of the Ladies European Tour event, a shot clear of reigning LET Rookie-of-the-Year Aditi Ashok after the Indian teen matched Pace’s 66.

Lee-Ann Pace

Luna Sobron soared 73 places up the leaderboard with a 62 that eclipsed the old course record by two shots and shares third at -9 with Swede Camilla Lennarth (65) and Cheyenne Woods who holed out with a seven iron from 161 yards on the 6th en-route to a 66. It wasn’t the only pure shot the American hit in the second round either:

Who said long bunker shots were tough?! @Cheyenne_Woods giving a masterclass @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/DNtaouXHZ3

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 2, 2017

Related: Luna Sobron rockets into contention at FBMLO with course record 62

“It feels great,” Pace said of remaining atop the leaderboard.

“I remembered the course better today but I struck the ball really nicely too. I hit the shots I wanted to hit and I hit it really close to the pin and made the putts.

“Tomorrow I’d like to start the way I did today, and be a bit patient, as patience helps you to do a lot. I had some chances which I didn’t take but in the end I’m pretty satisfied.”

Luna Sobron en-route to her course record 62.

Ashok is ominously poised.

“I feel I’m hitting the ball well enough, though I missed a couple of drives left. But apart from that I struck the ball pretty well. My putting has been pretty good too, so I’m happy,” said the 19-year-old from Bengaluru.

“I’m still bogey free and everyone is mentioning it. I’m just focusing on hitting the fairways and letting the birdies happen.”

Georgia Hall shot an impressive 67 to finish at -8 in joint fifth place with fellow Englishwoman Florentyna Parker, Celine Herbin (France) and Swede Linda Wessberg.

.@georgiahall96 so close to a hole-in-one on the par-3 6th hole @FBMLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/M9Uw23ds6k

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) November 2, 2017

It was a tough day for Marianne Skarpnord as Norway’s rising star dropped to -2  while fan favourite Carly Booth shot another 72 to finish even and miss the cut – made at -1 – by one shot.

Defending champ Beth Allen also has an unwanted weekend off after adding a disappointing 76 to her opening 73 to finisb +5.  Her tweet afterwards summed up the America’s feelings:

What a world class event here at @SaadiyatBeachGC for @FBMLadiesOpen. Gutted to have put up such a terrible defense. #nextyear

— Beth Allen (@BethAllenGolf) November 2, 2017

Full scores here

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With a swing speed three miles faster than the average PGA Tour player (116mph compared to 113mph) and an eye-popping competition best hit of 402 yards, long drive champion Troy Mullins is sure to be a huge drawcard in more ways than one at the Ladies European Tour’s (LET) $500,000 season-ender from Dec. 6-9.

At least that’s what Tournament Director David Spencer is banking on after granting the Californian her 72-hole pro event debut at Emirates Golf Club.

Spencer took plenty of heat for handing Paige Spiranac her pro debut at the then Dubai Ladies Masters in 2015 and repeating the sponsors’ invite visit last season. He unashamedly admits the social media audience that accompanies Spiranac everywhere was a key driver behind the decision, to the point where the American is returning to the emirate as official starter for the men at January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Related: On the tee…Paige Spiranac

The key driver behind Mullins’ invite is the one the 5ft 8in American wields, and rather impressively so as this tweet highlights:

She did it!

Troy Mullins is the #MileHighShowdown Women’s Champion! #WorldLongDrive pic.twitter.com/TfM5OpFt7Y

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 26, 2017

Nicknamed the Trojan Goddess, Mullins only took up the game after attending Ivy League Cornell University when a hamstring injury curtailed her promising heptathlon career. Now she has genuine LPGA Tour ambitions.

Mullins won the 2017 Mile High Showdown, a World Long Drive event, in July with a 374 yard drive in the final and has a swing so sweet it has some of the game’s most critical analysts swooning, including Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee.

Spencer is excited about what Mullins, who speaks four languages including Chinese, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL), brings to the tournament. She will hold a clinic for spectators after play in the second round on Friday, Dec. 7.

“Troy caught our eye…we’ll we only started following long drive golf because she was on the Golf Channel and was being touted as having a perfect swing,” said Spencer.

“She’ll certainly be the longest player in the field but she’s also an accomplished golfer. We’ll she just how accomplished she is when she comes up against a professional field.”

Key Omega Dubai Ladies Classic signings (from top left clockwise): I.K. Kim, Susana Benavides, Klara Spilkova and Troy Mullins.

As well as unveiling Kim and Mullins, a new name to bring the LET event “into the ‘classic’ family”, and a “sister” trophy to match the Dallah (Arabic coffee pot) handed to Desert Classic men’s champion, Spencer also revealed 16 other name players.

They include Kim’s fellow LPGA players Suzanne Pettersen, Brittany Lincicome, Olafia Kristinsdottir, Mel Reid and reigning Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open champion Beth Allen.

Aditi Ashok, who sealed LET Rookie-of-the-Year honours with a share of third place at Emirates G.C. last December, also returns along with Rafa Cabrera Bello’s sister Emma, Dame Laura Davies, Amy Boulden, Carly Booth, Felicity Johnson, Olivia Cowan and Moroccan trailblazer Maha Haddioui.

New names include Kristinsdottir and Susana Benavides while Czech Olympian Klára Spilková returns.

Benavides is the only Bolivian-born golfer to ever play in an LPGA event and like Spiranac, will bring a strong social media audience with her to Dubai.

Being away from social media made me wanna come back ??er… #poorgreens #highheels #shooting #lpgadresscode #not

A post shared by Susana Benavides (@mumita_b) on Aug 29, 2017 at 6:41pm PDT

Spilková became the first Czech player to win a Ladies European Tour event with a one stroke victory over Pettersen at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco in April.

Photo courtesy LET
Klara Spilkova

Kristinsdottir brought forward double jaw surgery, a procedure that reportedly involved the addition of titanium plates to her nose and screws to her jaw, to correct an underbite just before becoming the first Icelander to play on the LPGA Tour. She is currently 82nd in the CME Rankings with one top-10 in her rookie year, a fourth placing at the Indy Women in Tech Championship Presented by Guggenheim.

Photo courtesy LPGA Tour Olafia Kristinsdottir

I.K. Kim, the highest ranked player in the field at No.8 in the latest Rolex Ranking, banished the haunting memory of missing a 14-inch putt to win the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship when he won the Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns

Related: In-Kyung Kim gets her major redemption with two-shot Women’s British Open victory

Englishwoman Sophie Lamb, who closed with a 69 at Kingsbarns to win low amateur honours, will is also a confirmed Majlis starter along with the 29-year-old South Korean.

The post Troy Mullins set to rip it past major champion I.K. Kim and co. in rebranded Omega Dubai Ladies “Classic” appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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The stage is set for brilliance with golf’s young stars Melissa Reid, Carly Booth, Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Aditi Ashok confirming their place in next month’s inaugural Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open (FBMLO), alongside two of the game’s legends, Laura Davies and Trish Johnson.

Carly Booth has been a regular visitor to Abu Dhabi, and played in the Gary Player Invitational at Saadiyat Beach GC earlier this year

One hundred and twenty six players will compete in Abu Dhabi’s first women’s professional golf tournament from 2-5 November for the US$550,000 prize purse and a chance to climb the 2016 Order of Merit rankings. The Ladies European Tour (LET) tournament, held in Abu Dhabi for the first time, is set to inspire the emirate’s female golfers along the way.

The LET’s 2015 season runner-up Melissa Reid will be chasing victory at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, alongside fan favourite Carly Booth, who has two LET wins under her belt. Together, Booth and Reid are strong advocates of golf in the region, regularly choosing the emirate’s world-class golf facilities to hone their skills.

“The perception of playing golf as a woman has certainly changed over recent years,” said Booth. “I’m hoping events like the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open will draw greater attention to the game, especially amongst Emirati women. I’ve trained in Abu Dhabi many times and needless to say the facilities, as well as the climate, make for golfing paradise.”

Reid, who last January contested the Gary Player Invitational on Saadiyat Island said she’s looking forward to her return to the ocean-fronting course.

“I’d love to win in Abu Dhabi and at a golf course as special as this one. I’ve been looking forward to this week ever since playing in this year’s Gary Player Invitational at the same venue. I’ll be up against some extremely talented players, so winning this milestone event would be really special,” she said.

Aditi Ashok is 18 years old and at the head of a new wave of female Indian golfers

The FMBLO will also welcome India’s Aditi Ashok, who, at just 17, became the youngest lady winner of LET’s Lalla Aicha Tour School last year. As the only Indian golfer to have played the Asian Youth Games (2013), Youth Olympic Games (2014), Asian Games (2014) and Olympic Games (2016), Aditi is now 18 years old and looking to make her mark on the LET in Abu Dhabi.

The trio will also face competition from Europe’s up-and-coming stars including the likes of Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen, 21, who completed her first LET Rookie season in 2015 with six top-ten finishes in 16 tournaments before claiming her first professional victory at this year’s Tipsport Golf Masters in the Czech Republic. Spain’s 20-year-old rookie Nuria Iturrios, who came fourth at Lalla Aicha Tour School, will also be looking to build on the strong start that she made to her professional career following her first win at Morocco’s 2016 Lalla Meryem Cup. The other young guns to watch will include 18-year-old Angel Yin from the United States, who has already posted two top-10 finishes from eight starts in her rookie season and Isabelle Boineau of France, who recently claimed her first title at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.

Adding more edge to the competition, World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Dame Laura Davies will also grace the greens in Abu Dhabi. Since turning pro in 1985, Davies has accumulated 80 international titles including four major championships and her experience is bound to inspire the UAE’s future stars.

English legend Laura Davies has won over 80 titles, including four major championships over the course of a glittering career

Davies will be joined by fellow Englishwoman Trish Johnson, who became the oldest winner on the LET at the tender age of 48, with her 22^nd career win at the 2014 Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.

It was Gwladys Nocera that Johnson beat in Scotland and the seasoned Frenchwoman will be looking for her 15^th LET title in Abu Dhabi.

Commenting on the headline field, His Excellency Aref Al Awani, General Secretary at Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), which is backing the event, said: “The inaugural Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open is a combination of firsts, supreme golfing facilities and community-inspired activations, and an event that welcomes a glittering collection of leading female golfers and world-class sporting action.

“The combination of young up-and-coming athletes and legends of the game is bound to make the four-day event an historic one that will drive the sport amongst women in the region.”

The FBMLO has been organised by the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA), in co-operation with ADSC. The event is free to attend.

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More information is available from www.fbmladiesopen.com, on Instagram and Twitter (@fbmladiesopen), and on Facebook.

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