On Wednesday at the Greg Norman-designed Ayla Golf Club, the London-based Lumsden made a double bogey six on the tough 18^th hole, but he had done enough good work before that to post a two-under par 70 final round. That took his tally to eight-under par 208 for the tournament, one better than Knipes, who closed with a four-under par 68 for a seven-under par total.

There was a five-way tie for the third place with Sweden’s Ake Nilsson (69) reaching six-under par 210 alongside the English quartet of Jamie Rutherford (65), Mitch Waite (68), Tom Sloman (70) and Benjamin David (70).

England’s David Langley secured himself a start at the Trophee Hassan II on the European Tour by topping the Journey to Jordan at the halfway stage. He shot a two-under par 70 in the final round to finish in tied 35^th place. David Hague, the only other player who could have overtaken Langley this week, was tied 30^th and could not surmount the difference in earning between the two.

However, the star of the day was the 23-year-old Lumsden, who is expected to move to inside the top-1000 of the OWGR with his triumph.

The Northwestern University star, who will start in the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic in May on the PGA Tour for winning the Byron Nelson Award in US collegiate golf last year, was fast off the blocks with birdies on the first, fourth, fifth and sixth holes. He then missed birdie chances on the seventh, eight and ninth holes to make the turn at four-under par and ahead by three shots over Sloman.

His first bogey of the day came from the greenside bunker on the par-3 12^th hole, and he was lucky not to get wet on the par-3 13^th when he hooked his tee shot way off the mark. Lumsden made a crucial par save from 20 feet on the 15^thbefore a clutch birdie from the bunker on the 17^th gave him the necessary cushion going down the 18^th hole with Knipes having already finished on seven-under par.

Curtis Knipes (Photo by Joy Chakravarty)

Lumsden found the fairway bunker on the 18^th, took three shots to get to the green and three-putted for a six on the final hole.

“Don’t ask me about the 18^th, but I am delighted to get the win,” said Lumsden.

“I felt really good about my game the whole day. Got off to a good start and was four-under through six holes. I then made great putts that barely missed on the next two holes. On the ninth, I hit a wonderful drive and had just about 200 yards, but it was at the bottom of a divot and I could not risk the water on the left so had to lay up and the birdie putt lipped out.

“Went through a little bit of a rough patch on the back nine, but I was able to make some good swings after that. I will think back about the 18^th hole and process what I did wrong there, but very happy to get the job done and hopefully, we can carry it on from here.

“There wasn’t one defining or key moment today. The par save on the 15^th was great, but so was the up-and-down for birdie on the 17^th. I just played solid golf throughout.”

The 19-year-old Knipes, who turned professional this year, recorded his best ever finish on the MENA Tour by Arena. The 68 included just one bogey, which came on the fifth hole when he chunked a wedge shot from the middle of the fairway, but that was the only mistake he made.

“I played pretty well today. The conditions were very fair and I did have a number in mind for the final round. I wanted to get to 10-under par, so a 65. That was not to be, but I am very happy with the runner-up finish,” said Knipes, who qualified for the Open Championship last year as an amateur.

“Very happy with the way I have started as a professional. I had four top-10s in five starts and even though I felt I let go a couple of chances to win, I know my time will come. I just have to be patient.”

The post Ryan Lumsden wins his maiden MENA Tour title in Journey to Jordan #2 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Having qualified as an amateur, the English teen’s simmering plans to turn pro were only emboldened after rounds of 72-79 for a +9 total left him in a tie with, among others, Masters champion Adam Scott, a solitary shot shy of Phil Mickelson and a shot better than another former Open winner, Tom Lehman.

“Playing the Open Championship gave me a lot of confidence that I can compete with the best,” Knipes said ahead of the 9th MENA Tour by Arena season a fortnight ago.

Fast-forward to Wednesday at the $75,000 NEWGIZA Open on the outskirts of Cairo and Knipes continued to walk the bold talk. A second-round 68 moved the 19-year-old to -10 at the second event of the new regional development circuit season, a shot clear of countryman Bailey Gill who roared up to solo second with a fine seven-under-par 65.

After earning amateur honours in three MENA Tour events last season to finish runner-up to Dubai 15-year-old Josh Hill in the season-long Journey to Jordan, Knipes now has pole-position to seal what would be a wire-to-wire his maiden victory in just his second start as a professional.

“Tomorrow is obviously a big day for me. First time leading the MENA Tour and being in the final group of the day. I will just try and approach it as I have done every other day. I can’t control what others are doing. I am just going to go out there and shoot the lowest round that I can.”

It’s would be the stuff dreams, a priceless confidence boost worth far more than the winner’s cheque, not that Knipes would sniff at a cool $13,500. But he isn’t there yet, even if he’s recorded just one bogey in his last 36 holes and is a collective 14-under-par for his last four rounds.

Swede Niclas Weiland and Frenchman Sébastien Gros will start Thursday’s final round just two strokes adrift of Knipes and Weiland has the advantage of knowing what it takes to win on the MENA Tour after capturing the Ras Al Khaimah Open late last year.

Just four back in a gaggle of four players in a share of 6th place is Englishman David Langley who won last week’s season-opening Journey to Jordan #1 Championship. At -5, five off the lead, two-time MENA Tour winner Luke Joy can’t be discounted either.

The post Chasing maiden win in just his second pro start, Curtis Knipes leads into final round of NEWGIZA Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Curtis Knipes’ professional career might be in its infancy but the English teen is clearly in a hurry to get his maiden win in the paid ranks.

The 19-year-old set his stall out early, stating before the start of the 9th MENA Tour by Arena season that winning the season-long Journey to Jordan was his “main goal” as well as to “be consistent throughout the season and make some money.”

Fast-forward a week and Knipes has made good on that promise thus far. After a T-8 finish at the Journey to Jordan #1 championship in Aqaba, his professional debut, he made a blistering start to the new $75,000 NEWGIZA Open in Cairo on Tuesday, a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 earning a two-shot lead over seven players.

Indeed, taking advantage of the relatively benign morning conditions at NEWGIZA Golf Club, Knipes bolted out of the blocks with five birdies in his opening seven holes. He had to wait until the par-5 17th, where he holed a slightly fortuitous downhill, left-to-right breaker from 18-feet, to pick up another shot but it was good enough to earn the handy buffer over Scotsman Scott Henry, Englishmen Joshua McMahon, Tom Sloman, Joe Heraty and Robbie Busher, Frenchman Sébastien Gros and Swede Niclas Weiland.

“Yeah, very happy to get a bogey-free round in obviously,” said Knipes who later relayed frustration in being unable to convert good chances on the 9th, 12th and 14th, the latter when he wedged it tight and saw a short putt burn the lip of the cup.

“The nine pars after the hot start was a little bit frustrating because when you feel like you are on a roll you want to keep the momentum going.”

It’s not that Knipes is grumbling. He’s played his last three rounds in a combined 10-under-par and could have seriously challenged in Aqaba save for an opening 76. Indeed, if he’d been able to wipe four shots off that opening round to the season and sign for an even-par round, he’d have finished solo second at Ayla Golf Club.

But it’s a new week and a new venue for the MENA Tour with Egypt the 12th country to host an event on the regional development circuit as the 9th season heats up.

“The golf course, yeah, it’s a great track, I really like it. I think the layout’s really good and the set-up, it’s in really good condition, the greens are rolling nice,” said Knipes who qualified for last year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush as an amateur.

“Conditions today, obviously this morning it was a lot calmer, there wasn’t too much wind which was nice, obviously give me the opportunity to get off to a good start and take advantage of that. It picked up a little bit towards the back nine, especially the last few holes which were playing quite hard coming back into the wind. Conditions are pretty fair out there [now] but I think we are in for a windy one tomorrow.

Knipes has one of the latter starts in Wednesday’s second round, off the 10th at 11.45am. He’ll be determined to make the most of his great start though after earning amateur honours in three events last season, twice alongside Dubai teen Josh Hill who went on to pip Knipes for the amateur Journey to Jordan OOM title.

England’s Curtis Knipes, who made headlines by qualifying for @TheOpen at @royalportrush last year, shot a six-under par 66 in the first round and is leading the NEWGIZA Open in Cairo, Egypt, by two shots.

He spoke about his bogey-free round and the golf course…@NEWGIZAegypt pic.twitter.com/XnpRnuANRW

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 11, 2020

Englishman David Langley, fresh from winning the season-opening Journey to Jordan #1 Championship last week, signed for a two-under 70 that could have been better save for a double-bogey seven on the 14th. Defending professional Journey to Jordan champion MG Keyser also had a 70 in his opening round of the season.

Former European Tour winners Romain Wattel and Richard Finch carded scores of 72 and one-over 73 respectively while the UAE’s only professional, Ahmed Al Musharrekh, fought back well from being two-over after six holes to finish on one-under-par 71.

Shergo Al Kurdi mixed six bogeys with two birdies in a 74 that left the Jordanian T-68 in the 85-strong field and with huge ground to make up if he is to figure anywhere near as prominently as his T-2 finish in Aqaba last week where he become the first player from the GCC to earn Official World Golf Ranking and Olympic qualifying points. The English-domiciled teen at least has the consolation of a share of the amateur lead in Egypt alongside Saudi Arabia’s Ali Alsakha.

The post Rookie English pro Curtis Knipes fires 66 for first round lead in Egypt appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
DUBAI, UAE – With Josh Hill studying for his GCSE exams and MG Keyser taking a well-earned rest from his ever hectic schedule, the new MENA Tour by Arena season will open in Aqaba on Monday minus last year’s standard-bearers.

The $75,000 Journey to Jordan 1 Championship will also be without its defending champion, Matthew Baldwin, with the Englishman playing the European Challenge Tour’s new Cape Town Open.

It gives the 87-strong field a grand chance to steal a march on three of last season’s main headliners at Ayla Golf Club this week.

The professionals will need to make the most of it with 2019 Journey to Jordan Order-of-Merit (OOM) champion Keyser set to return at next week’s NEWGIZA Open, the regional circuit’s newest venue on the outskirts of Cairo. The South African has committed to play the remaining nine events following Egypt and will do so buoyed by a T-66 finish and €6031 payday at last month’s brutal OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

RELATED: MG Keyser happy to continue winging his golf career

Hill, 16 next month, is also a tentative starter in Cairo. If the reigning amateur OOM champion doesn’t open his season there, he will definitely play at the Ghala Open from Feb. 17-19 and will undoubtedly be better for his appearances in last month’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Desert Classic.

RELATED: Prodigy Power – The driver swing that helped Josh Hill wow the golf world

Australian Daniel Gaunt, second in last season’s professional standings, and Tour Championship winner Harry Konig are among the big pro names in Aqaba. Like Keyser, both earned starts in the Desert Classic but failed to make the weekend on a testing Majlis layout, Gaunt signing for scores of 78-72 and Englishman Konig a pair of 80s.

https://t.co/XpMvDvTUrG @gofundme

— Daniel Gaunt (@Gauntgolf) January 30, 2020

Fresh from celebrating his 25th birthday on Sunday, Konig is raring for the new season, buoyed by his Desert Classic debut despite missing the cut.

“It was the best moment of my life, without a shadow of doubt,” he said.

“I would have liked to score much better…I am disappointed, but I am not going to worry about that too much. I prepared really well for that week and I felt comfortable the whole week, but it was a very tough set-up.

“The good thing is that because of the Desert Classic, I have spent a lot of time over the Christmas and New Year practicing. I think it is only going to help me play better this season.”

Konig has pedigree on Ayla too after winning the Tour Championship there last November to book his place in the Desert Classic.

“It is very special to come back to this place. The win last year was life-changing for me. I have been in Aqaba for the past four days and played nine holes every day, and I have tried to recreate all the pivotal moments from last year, like the pin location on the 18th hole on Sunday and trying to hit shots there,” said Konig.

“My expectations have definitely changed after last year. It’s more knowing in your own head that you can get over the line. I am now going to play to win, rather than just being there.”

Also playing for the $13,500 winners cheque at Ayla is England’s Curtis Knipes who recently turned pro after being one of the most consistent amateurs on tour last year. It capped a big year in which the 19-year-old also qualified for the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

Curtis Knipes

“I’m very excited about this new chapter in my life,” said Knipes. “Obviously, made this decision to turn pro a couple of months ago. I was edging towards it last year, but given the opportunities I have, not only on the MENA Tour but other Tours as well, I think this is the right time.

“I would have been fairly up there on the MENA Tour Order of Merit if I were a pro last year, and then playing the Open Championship gave me a lot of confidence that I can compete with the best.

“It would be nice to win the Journey to Jordan this year and get one of those spots at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. That’s the main goal, but I also want to be consistent throughout the season and make some money.”

While Swedish amateur Filip Lundell, who won a playoff to win medallist honours at the MENA Tour’s ‘Q-School B’ last week, isn’t playing the season opener proper, stage A winner Miguel Jimenez Jr, the son of European Tour legend Miguel Angel Jimenez, will be another name to watch.

Among the five amateurs set to tee it up in the 54-hole event are Hill’s best pals Arjun Gupta and Toby Bishop who were third and fourth in the amateur OOM last season. Jordanian amateur Shergo Al Kurdi has been given the honour of hitting the first shot of the 9th MENA Tour season at 7.30am on Monday.

We caught up with the Dubai-based amateurs Toby Bishop and Arjun Gupta as they start their 2020 MENA Tour season at Ayla Golf Club.

They spoke on learnings from the 2019 season, their hopes from 2020, and the motivation from their best friend Josh Hill’s amazing debut year… pic.twitter.com/nltD4GQLYn

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 2, 2020

The post With big names missing, Konig and co. keen to make a fast start to the new MENA Tour season appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 15-year-old Dubai-based England Boys’ representative will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the season on Thursday at deceptively picturesque Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba.

With a three-under second round 69, Hill emerged from a three-way tie atop the leaderboard following his opening 66 to lead alone by a stroke through 36-holes from a trio of English professionals, Harry Konig (65), Jamie Rutherford (67) and Joshua Grenville-Wood (70), and Swede Gabriel Axell (70).

For context, all four professionals are looking for their first win on the MENA Tour.

Hill now has a shot at becoming the first amateur with two MENA Tour by Arena wins after famously capturing the Al Ain Open to become the youngest player, at 15 years, six months and 27 days old, to win an Official World Golf Ranking-sanctioned event last month.

Hill believes his win in Al Ain Open, even though he started the final day three shots behind the leader, will help him as he dons the role of a front-runner.

“It will be a different challenge and I think what would definitely help is if I get off to a good start like I did in Al Ain,” said Hill. “But that win proved to me that I have what it takes to win a tournament at this level and that would be a good, positive thought in my mind.”

Hill holds a six-stroke lead over Claude Harmon 3 Performance Golf Academy pal Arjun Gupta on the amateur leaderboard after Gupta ascended five places up to T-16 with a solid second round 70. Perhaps more importantly, Hill leads countryman and current amateur Journey to Jordan order of merit leader Curtis Knipes by a mammoth 18-strokes after Knipes slipped to 58th position after an 80 on Wednesday. Knipes’ round included a catastrophic 12 on the par-5 9th and was followed by a double bogey on the next hole. Given their respective positions at opposite ends of the leaderboard, Hill is now projected to win the overall amateur title and earn a start in January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

South Africa’s MG Keyser, the professional Journey to Jordan leader, was at four-under 140 after a 71. However, with his nearest challengers, Australia’s Daniel Gaunt (73) and England’s James Allan (72), not making any significant inroads, Keyser looks on course to win the season title and starts in the  Desert Classic and Made in Denmark.

Hill got off to a hot start and was four-under through seven and managed to make enough birdies to offset a bumpy back nine.

“I was doing everything so well for the first seven holes and then made a stupid bogey on the ninth,’ said Hill, who made seven birdies and ended with a bogey on 18th.

“Struggled a bit after that but delighted to finish at three-under on a tough day. I made a three-putt bogey on the 12th hole, but apart from that, I putted really well today and that really saved the day.”

Konig said he was ‘plodding’ along and making some good up-and-downs until he decided to get aggressive on the back nine. The move paid rich dividends as he finished with five birdies in his last six holes for the low round of the day.

“I missed making a birdie on the par-5 17th hole, where I missed a putt from five feet. That was slightly disappointing, but I did make a birdie on the 18th which was playing very tough in this wind. I think it is the first time I have made a birdie on that hole,” said Konig.

The 27-year-old Rutherford came to Jordan having missed getting into the final stage of the European Tour Qualifying School by just one shot.

“I did not putt well at all that day in Spain and it was very disappointing. I went back home and mostly did putting for two weeks before coming here. In a sense, it is good that I had this tournament to play and an opportunity to bounce right back,” said Rutherford.

Axell, who lost in a play-off at the Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena, will try and make amends in Thursday’s final round.

“It’s never good to finish with a bogey, but it wasn’t easy out there. However, I am playing some good golf and there is no reason why I should not finish one better than what I did at Ras Al Khaimah,” said Axell, who made three birdies in a row before making the turn.

Grenville-Wood, who finished second in Bahrain earlier this year, said: “It was a grind out there, especially on the back nine. I am pretty pleased with the way I kept it going and kept hitting steady shots. I made a pretty good par on the 18th. So, one shot back, I will take it.”

The post Amateur Josh Hill on cusp of more MENA Tour history, Dubai Desert Classic start appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

While professional Joshua Grenville-Wood was booming 405-yard drives and “flicking” 170-yard wedge shots and Miguel Angel Jimenez’s son made a hole-in-one, it was the Dubai amateur who stole the headlines again in Aqaba

By Kent Gray
MENA Tour pin-up boy Josh Hill is at it again.

The 15-year-old took advantage of unusually benign conditions early on Tuesday then showed his class as a strange wind whipped across Ayla Golf Club to grab a share of the first-round lead at the $100,000 Journey To Jordan Tour Championship.

Professionals Joshua Grenville-Wood (England) and Gabriel Axell (Sweden) later matched Hills opening 66 but it was the Trump International Golf Club Dubai amateur’s six-under circuit that inevitably grabbed the early headlines.

Hill, who became the youngest winner of an OWGR-sanctioned event and the MENA Tour by Arena’s fourth amateur champion when he captured the Al Ain Open by Arena last month, was in the second group out and enjoyed the abnormality calm conditions for his opening four holes.

RELATED: Meet the MENA Tour’s new Boy Wonder

He was still only one under through four after birdieing the par-5 1st and gave it back with a three-putt bogey on the par-3 6th. But the England Boys’ representative then kicked into gear with five birdies in his next eight holes before another gain on 17 to set the early clubhouse target.

The breeze picked up by the time Hill reached the 5th tee but it helped the unfamiliar wind direction made three of Ayla G.C.s four par-5s play downwind.

“I was lucky with the wind for the first four holes and then it picked up. It was strong and from a different direction. But I played pretty solid and kept hitting some very good iron shots,” said Hill who has been nominated for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

“Most of my birdies were from inside 10 feet. Just that three-putt on 6th was the only bad part of a good day.”

RELATED: Prodigy Power – The Driver swing that helped Josh Hill wow the golfing world

Hill outscored playing partners Curtis Knipes (73) and Jack Floydd (75) by seven and nine shots respectively, a huge boost in his bid to overtake Knipes atop the amateur Journey to Jordan standings and grab the rich reward of a start in January’s OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

Arjun Gupta, who trains alongside Hill on the Claude Harmon 3 Performance Golf Academy range at The Els Club Dubai, held second place in the amateur leaderboard after a one-under 71 for a share of 21st place.

Grenville-Wood ht one drive 405 yards!
Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour

Grenville-Wood, meanwhile, took full advantage of the par-5s playing downwind, hitting massive tee shots and flicking wedges in for two eagles – on the 9th and 13th – on a bogey-free day. And Axell, who lost in a play-off at the recent Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena, continued his good form in a round that featured a hole-out with his second shot from 90 yards for an eagle on the par-4 15th hole, mixed with five birdies and a solitary bogey.

Sweden’s Henric Sturehed, the 2017 Tour Championship winner, and the Yas Links Abu Dhabi-attached Englishman Luke Joy, a two-time MENA Tour winner, were tied for the fourth place at 67.

Grenville-Wood, who is hoping to better his second-place finish in Bahrain earlier this year, said: “It felt like a completely new golf course in that wind but what it also did was make the par-5s a lot easier. I hit a wedge second shot from 170 yards on the ninth, and then my drive went 405 yards on the 13th.”

Gabriel Axell. (Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour)

Axell is clearly making the most of his decision to travel to Aqaba a week in advance to escape the freezing temperatures back home in Sweden and get some practice with some sun on his back. 

“I am really surprised that I have managed to play well despite the break after the Ras Al Khaimah Open. I went back to Sweden and it was like -4 and -5 degrees. So, I came here early with a couple of my Swedish mates and practiced for a week. That seems to have definitely helped,” said Axell.

South Africa’s MG Keyser, the Journey to Jordan professional leader, started with a three-under 69 to be in tied seventh place. His closest rival, Australia’s Daniel Gaunt, opened with an even-par 72.

Miguel Angel Jimenez Junior, son of the legendary Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, made a hole-in-one – his first in competitive play – when he aced the par-3 2nd from 194 yards with a 6-iron. The Senior Jimenez has a penchant of making aces and holds the European Tour record with 11.

The post Josh Hill, still just 15, nabs share of early Journey To Jordan Tour Championship lead appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Understandably lost in the global hullabaloo created by Josh Hill’s sensational Al Ain Open victory is the fact that Curtis Knipes has gone virtually the entire MENA Tour season atop the amateur order of merit standings.

The 18-year-old Englishman, who notably qualified for this year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush during the MENA Tour’s mid-season break, will look to seal the deal at Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba this week.

RELATED: Meet Josh Hill, the MENA Tour’s new boy wonder

While just three players are still in the running for the professional Journey to Jordan title, even Hill’s pal Arjun Gupta, down in fifth place, has an outside shot to win the amateur title at the $100,000 Journey To Jordan Tour Championship.

But it looks set to be a ding-dong battle between Knipes and Hill who eclipsed  Ryo Ishikawa as the youngest winner of an Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) event – at 15 years, six months and 27 days old – in Al Ain.

The win earned the MENA Tour precious global recognition and Hill a place among the 10 finalists for the 2019  BBC Young Sports Personality of Year award. All the while, Knipes has got on with preparing himself for the final 54-holes of the season in Jordan. There’s a lot riding on it too; the leading Journey to Jordan amateur earns a priceless European Tour start in January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

“It would be nice to win the Journey To Jordan and play the Omega Dubai Desert Classic,” said Knipes who leads the way with 21,662 points, 1957 clear of Hill.

“I felt that the Open Championship at Royal Portrush [where he missed the cut after qualifying], was a bit of a wasted opportunity, so it would be nice to test myself again. You never know what can happen if I play well there.

“Having said that, I am just trying to compete against the pros as I have done in every other tournament this year. Try and focus on the winning score and see how well I can play.”

Knipes, Hill and fellow English contender Jack Floydd are in the second group off the 1st tee at Ayla on Tuesday at 7.40am Aqaba time (9.40am UAE time).

This is how it stands in the Journey to Jordan as we head into the season-ending Tour Championship.

And to find out how some of the leading players can win the MENA Tour by @TGP_Dubai No1 crown, here are the various permutations and combinations…https://t.co/Np7Rdt1Wqv pic.twitter.com/YrHMowz9k0

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) November 25, 2019

WHAT THEY NEED TO DO…
Here are the various permutations for the amateurs at Ayla Golf Club:

CURTIS KNIPES: Will become the Journey To Jordan amateur champion if Hill is not inside the top-seven and Floydd inside the top-four.

JOSH HILL: Will have to finish inside the top-7 and then wait for Knipe’s result. If he is seventh, Knipes will have to be outside a tie for 39th place and Floydd outside the top-four.

JACK FLOYDD: Will have to finish inside the top-four to have any chance.

ARJUN GUPTA: Only a win will make it count for Gupta. If he wins, Knipes will have to finish outside the 37th place and Hill outside solo seventh.

The post Knipes looks to get over Hill as amateur Journey to Jordan race goes to wire appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Josh Hill can’t wait to let his golf clubs do the talking again.

The Dubai teen’s life has been a whirlwind of media appointments since his historic Al Ain Open triumph last Wednesday when he eclipsed Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa as the youngest winner of an Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) event. He finally returned to his natural habitat for a practice round at Tower Links yesterday ahead of the $75,000 Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena and it was clearly a relief after the hectic week that was.

RELATED: Hill creates world history as MENA Tour’s fourth – and youngest – amateur champion

“It just feels great to be back on a golf course. It feels like I am back home,” said Hill on the eve of the MENA Tour’s final regular-season stop.

“The last few days have been pretty crazy. I have been asked for interviews quite a few times. But I guess you have got to do them, keep level-headed and keep playing golf. I just can’t wait to get back there tomorrow.

“I did not think much of it until BBC and Sky Sports started showing it and then I thought ‘Wow, it was a pretty big achievement’. It was all over social media, so it must have been good.”

Social media has been abuzz with Hill’s achievement, the latest virtual doff of the cap coming from Japan’s ‘Bashful Prince’ himself during the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship in his homeland. Ishikawa previously held the record at 15 years and eight months before Hill fired a -17 total to win at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club aged 15 years, six months and 27 days.

RELATED: Sir Nick Faldo, Danny Willett lead tributes to new world record holder Hill

‘Oh wow! Congratulations!!’

Japan’s ‘Bashful Prince’ reacts to Josh Hill breaking his world record of the youngest player to win a @owgr_ltd event at Al Ain Open by Arena.

Video courtesy: @Swinging_Swamy from the Zozo Championship in Japan. pic.twitter.com/Yl2l7UyU3B

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 27, 2019

In a mouth-watering trio, Hill has been paired with the Journey To Jordan amateur Order of Merit leader Curtis Knipes and the another Englishman, Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams, who won the Journey To Jordan #2 a few weeks ago at Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba, Jordan.

Hill with countryman and fellow amateur MENA Tour winner Robin ‘Tiger’Williams. Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour.

“I am really looking forward to this week. I have got a great group tomorrow in Robin and Curtis. What happened in Al Ain is now in the past. I am just looking forward to staying humble, playing some good golf and enjoying myself this week,” he added.

At the end of the Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena, the ‘Penultimate Four’ incentive – a spot at the Panasonic India Open and the Thailand Open on the Asian Tour next month – will be decided. Amateur Williams leads the standings going into the week but it will be a close battle with South African professional MG Keyser, Australian journeyman Daniel Gaunt, Hill and Knipes all in the hunt.

The 54-hole tournament at Tower Links starts Monday, with the first tee time scheduled for 6.50am UAE time. The cut will be applied for the top 48 pros and ties after the second round.

‘PENULTIMATE FOUR’ STANDING (Top Five, after Al Ain Open by Arena)
1.            Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams (Am, ENG) 18,918
2.            MG Keyser (SA) 17,424
3.            Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 16,039
4.            Josh Hill (Am, ENG) 15,700                                         
5.            Curtis Knipes (Am, ENG) 15,250           

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By Kent Gray
Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams will take a one-stroke lead into the penultimate round of the Journey to Jordan-2 event after headlining a day for the amateurs as the MENA Tour season resumed after a six-month summer hiatus on Monday.

The South African-born, Peterborough-based England age-group representative fired a 68 at Ayla Golf Club in his first MENA Tour round. The four-under circuit of the Aqaba layout saw the 18-year-old edge a group of five players on 69 for the overnight lead, including Order-of-Merit (OOM) contender Daniel Gaunt (Australia) and fellow English amateur Jack Floydd.

His name is Robin Williams.

Everyone calls him ‘Tiger’.

But can he be England’s next @JustinRose99?

South Africa-born England amateur @IAmRobinTiger leading Journey To Jordan 2 in Aqaba after a -4 first round!#HarderBetterFastefStronger pic.twitter.com/uR36BQiDGU

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 1, 2019

Amateur OOM leader Curtis Knipes shares seventh-place on 71 alongside Miguel Jimenez Jnr, the son of the European Tour legend, and Dubai-based South African MG Keyser who needs a top-five finish to leapfrog from third in the ‘Journey to Jordan’ OOM race to first.

Jordanian Shergo Al Kurdi had the honour of hitting the tournament’s opening tee shot and 71 strokes later had signed for a 72 and a share of 11th to continue the red-letter day for the amateurs.

Arjun Gupta was the best of the Dubai-based amateurs with a 75, three shots better than Josh Hill (78) while Toby Bishop carded a 79.

Williams, currently rated 100 in the official World Amateur Golf Ranking, has been as low as 76. The Peterborough Milton Golf Club member, who was born in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, shares the same middle as Tiger Woods but was not named after the late comedian Robin Williams as he is frequently asked.

In September 2017, at age 16 and one week, Williams emulated Rory McIlroy by making his debut in a professional event at the same age and tournament, the British Masters, as the Northern Irishman. He played in last year’s Junior Ryder Cup. 

The post Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams’ is off to a flyer in his MENA Tour debut as amateurs shine in Jordan appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Jordanian amateur Shergo Al Kurdi has been given the honour of getting the MENA Tour’s Journey to Jordan back on track at his home Ayla Golf Club.

After the circuit’s six-month summer hiatus, Al Kurdi hit the opening shot in the Journey to Jordan 2 event in Aqaba earlier today.

And the second half of the @theMENATour 2019 season is underway!
Quite aptly, the Jordan Open champion @SHERGOKURDI kickstarts the proceedings with this tee shot on the first at @AylaOasis today!#JourneyToJordan pic.twitter.com/8XY3Kjaa8f

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) September 30, 2019

The $100,000 tournament launches the MENA Tour’s five-event Autumn Swing which culminates with the Tour Championship, also at Ayla, from Nov. 24-28. In between time Yas Links, Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club and Tower Links will host the Abu Dhabi Open (Oct. 6-9), Al Ain Open (Oct. 19-23) and Ras Al Khaimah Open (Oct. 26-30) respectively.

With current Journey to Jordan Order-of-Merit (OOM) leader Matthew Baldwin focused on the European Challenge Tour as well as the Englishman’s nearest challenger, Frenchman Robin Roussel, this week’s event presents a big opportunity for MG Keyser.

The Dubai-based South African is third in the OOM, just $3350 adrift of Baldwin, so can assume pole-position with a top-five finish come Thursday’s final round. Fourth-placed Daniel Gaunt (Australia) and fifth-placed Nick Marsh (England) will also be hoping to take advantage of the absence of Baldwin and Roussel. There will also be interest in Luke Joy’s performance after the Yas Links-attached pro’s recent EuroPro Tour win.

 

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First time to @aylagolfclub in Jordan ?? Really looking forward to being back playing on the @themenatour #Golf #MenaTour #ViewGoals ??‍

A post shared by Nick Marsh (@marsh_nick94) on Sep 29, 2019 at 6:31am PDT

Amateur OOM leader Curtis Knipes was due off at 8.20am in his opening round. His nearest challenger, Dubai-based England boys’ rep Josh Hill, was to set out 70 mins later while there will also be interest in the opening round performances of Hill’s pals Toby Bishop and Arjun Gupta.

Hill and Bishop recently celebrated international call-ups.

Massive congratulations to our amateur members Josh Hill and Toby Bishop.

Josh selected for England Boys’ squad for 2019-20.

Toby gets into the Wales High Performance Squad.

And oh! They are both just 15!! pic.twitter.com/elcjlniT57

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) September 25, 2019

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