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.

By Kent Gray
The prize money isn’t in the same stratosphere but the MENA Tour’s answer to the DP World Tour Championship has the potential to be life-changing like it proved for $5 million man Jon Rahm at the Race to Dubai decider.

If you dismiss that as hyperbole, consider the journey of Scot Robert MacIntyre who hailed the MENA Tour by Arena after becoming European Tour Rookie-of-the-Year at Jumeriah Golf Estates on Sunday.

The “I can only control what I can control” narrative on the eve of the $100,000 Journey to Jordan Tour Championship certainly sounds very similar to that at Jumeirah Golf Estates this time last week.

RELATED: Knipes looks to get over Hill as amateur Journey to Jordan race goes to wire

While five players went into the European Tour climax with a chance to be crowned European No.1, just three pros – South African pole-sitter MG Keyser, second-placed Aussie Daniel Gaunt and fourth-placed Englishman James Allan –  can finish the season as Journey to Jordan champion.

England’s Matthew Baldwin and Frenchman Robin Roussell, third and sixth in the J2J standings, have opted not to play at Ayla Golf Club this week as they continue to chase European Tour cards on the Challenge Tour.

Keyser won the Troon Series – Dubai Open presented by Turkish Airlines earlier in the season. (Photo Joy Chakravarty).

That leaves Keyser, Gaunt and Allan to battle it out for the $18,000 winner’s cheque., comparative loose change compared to the $3 million Rahm pocketed for winning his second DPWTC title in three years (there was also a $2 million bonus for claiming the Race to Dubai title). But the MENA Tour by Arena trio are chasing something money can’t buy – opportunities at the next level.

The eventual Journey to Jordan champion will earn starts in the European Tour’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Made in Denmark, plus the Diamond Cup, an event co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour.

There are also Desert Classic starts at Emirates Golf Club (Jan. 23-26) for the runner-up, the leading player in the ‘Final Five’ Order of Merit and the top amateur. The overall Journey to Jordan runnerup will also be off to the Asian Tour’s Bank BRI Indonesian Open and the season-ending Indonesian Masters (Dec 12-15), while the bronze medallist can look forward to two Challenge Tour invites.

Keyser, who can make all the Journey to Jordan points permutations irrelevant by finishing solo second, sounded a lot like all the big-name contenders at JGE last week during Monday’s media call.

“It’s the same as any other week. I really can’t predict what others are going to do…I can only control myself,” said Keyser who won Dubai Open at Dubai Hills earlier in the season and leads the way with earnings of $44,361 – $7887 clear of Al Zorah Open champion Gaunt.

“I have had a couple of good weeks on the Asian Tour before coming here and I played well in the practice round. So, just go out there, have fun, and hopefully, at the end of the day, I am still at the top.”

The 54-hole Tour Championship begins Tuesday with Keyser, Gaunt and Allan forming the final group out at 11am Aqaba time (1pm UAE time).

On the eve of the Tour Championship, we asked our Professional Journey To Jordan leader @KeyserMG what would it mean for him to become the MENA Tour No1…@TGP_Dubai @JGEGolf @AylaOasis pic.twitter.com/nfxVKSZ5Cu

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) November 25, 2019

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

MG KEYSER: A win will seal it, but if Gaunt picks up the trophy on Sunday, the Jumeirah Golf Estates ambassador will have to finish solo second. If Gaunt finishes solo second, Keyser will have to be inside tied fourth with one other player.

DANIEL GAUNT: Even if he wins, Gaunt will have to depend on Keyser finishing outside the top-two.

JAMES ALLAN: Will have to win the tournament, and then hope that Keyser is outside 38th position and Gaunt doesn’t win or is tied second with one other player.

The post European and Asian Tour starts MG Keyser’s to lose at MENA Tour decider appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

This time it was out of work European Challenge Tour player Marco Iten making waves, two back-nine eagles helping the Swiss pro come home in just 30 strokes in an opening round of eight-under 64 at Tower Links Golf Club.

The 29-year-old from Zurich, playing on a special exemption in an effort to gain some match sharpness ahead of the second stage of European Tour Qualifying School next week, leads the Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena by a shot from Swede Niclas Weiland, Scot Scott Henry and Englishman Joshua Grenville-Wood.

Grenville-Wood continued a day of spectacular shot-making in the northern emirate, holing out from 139 yards on the par-4 15th for an eagle in his 65.

Daniel Gaunt, starting the final regular-season stop second behind MG Keyser in the season-long Journey To Jordan race, made an early move, opening with a five-under-par 67, three shots better than the South African leader who was T-19 overnight.

Josh Hill, who created worldwide headlines last week by becoming the youngest winner of an Official World Golf Ranking event, struggled on the greens and came home in 78 after missing more than half a dozen par putts from inside six-eight feet range. The leading amateur after a opening 69 was Hill’s playing partner and “Penultimate 4” leader Robin Tiger Williams who has made a handy start after his record romp at the Journey to Jordan #2 Championship late last month.

Iten started in bright fashion, hitting it to six feet on the first two par-4 holes. Another gain on the par-5 5th was erased by his only bogey of the day on the eighth and he made the turn at two-under.

On the back nine, Iten eagled the 13th hole when he smashed a three-wood downwind from 290 yards to 20 feet and on the 18th, where he converted a 15-footer. He also had birdies on the 10th and 15th.

“It was a good day. I got off to a fast start and managed to carry that momentum on to the back nine. I was able to hit both the par-5s in two and make my putts,” said Iten, who lost his card on the European Challenge Tour this year.

“It definitely is a great confidence booster ahead of the second stage of the Q School next week. I can do with a few tournament rounds ahead of that and was looking for a place to play and some of my friends told me how good the MENA Tour is. I am thankful for the opportunity and hopefully, we can take the momentum from this round to the next two days.”

After enjoying a superb start of 8-under par 64 and leading the RAK Open by Arena, Switzerland’s Marco Iten says it is a great confidence boost ahead of the 2nd stage of European Tour Q School, and that we can see more of him in 2020 season. pic.twitter.com/JIMNoxmI99

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 28, 2019

Switzerland’s Marco Iten showed no effects of coming from the cold climate of Zurich to the heat of Ras Al Khaimah!
Two eagles on the back nine helped him climb to the top of the leaderboard at 8-under par 64 on day one of the RAK Open by Arena. pic.twitter.com/EIeg1avktN

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 28, 2019

Henry was bogey-free in his 65, while Weiland made one bogey.

“It’s always easier when a guy in the group is making all the putts like Niclas did. We both played well and I think we fed off each other quite nicely,” said the affable Scotsman.

LEADING SCORES (after Round One of Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena):

64 – Marco Iten (SUI)
65 – Niclas Weiland (SWE), Scott Hendry (SCO), Joshua Grenville-Wood (ENG)
67 – Daniel Gaunt (AUS), Benjamin David (ENG), Alessandro Tadini (ITA), Jake Ayers (ENG), Robbie Busher (ENG), Gabriel Axell (SWE)
68 – Erik Jonasson (SWE), Kyson Lloyd (ENG), Alex Belt (ENG), Matthias Weiderman
69 – Craig Ross (SCO), Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams (Am-ENG), Harry Ellis (ENG), Gustaf Kocken (SWE)

Playing in the second group out this morning in Round 1 of the RAK open by Arena, @NiclasWeiland and @ScottHenryGolf fed off each other and posted the marker at seven-under par 65. pic.twitter.com/mfqSN6NpJP

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 28, 2019

The post Swiss pro Iten flying high on two eagles at RAK Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
James Allan has known success on the MENA Tour before but is 18 holes away from a belated 25th birthday present at Yas Links that would trump it all.

The English lefty started the second round of the Abu Dhabi Open by Arena a shot adrift of overnight leader Niclas Weiland but ended Tuesday two strokes in the lead after an equal best of the day 67 to go with his opening 66 on Monday, the day he celebrated his 25th.

Weiland slipped to tied third with an even-par 72 while English journeyman Matt Killen moved into solo second after matching Allan’s 67.

Allan has twice been crowned the MENA Tour’s now Journey to Jordan amateur Order of Merit champion – in 2014 and 2015 – but has not won a professional title on a recognised tour. He’s hoping to change all that on Wednesday.

“Tomorrow, I want to do the same things I did on the first two days,” the Chelmsford pro said.

“I am actually enjoying myself on this golf course. I just want to go out there and give my best and let’s see where that takes us.”

England’s @jamesallangolf takes us through the five-under par 67 that eventually earned him a two-shot lead going into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Open by Arena.

He also describes his eagle on the par-5 seventh hole and the tough closing stretch because of the headwind. pic.twitter.com/eLe2cl9VVh

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 8, 2019

Taking advantage of the far more benign conditions following the first round’s 40-50 kmph winds, Allan sent bogey-free on Tuesday in a round highlighted by a driver, seven-iron, one putt eagle on the par-5 7th.

“I started solid and that eagle on the 7th gave me a jumpstart. I had a few chances on the back nine but could not make any of them. The last four holes were playing really tough today, into the wind, so I was quite pleased with that effort,” said Allan who is 11-under-par heading into the final round.

A former Abu Dhabi resident who worked at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Killen, has returned to the MENA Tour after playing the regional Pro-Am circuit in 2016 and 2017. Like Allan, the 30-year-old Asian Development Tour player he is also chasing his first recognised tour win.

Matt Killen at Yas Links on Tuesday. Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour

“A win would mean a lot to me. I have worked very hard on my game in the last couple of years. Hopefully, I can get it done tomorrow, but I don’t want to think about it just yet,” Killen said.

“Considering that I shot a 68 yesterday in those difficult conditions, a 67 today would not sound that good, but I will take two solid rounds like that any day. I just made one bogey yesterday and one today and managed to keep myself out of trouble for the most part, and when I did get into trouble, I scrambled well. “

On the amateur leaderboard, Dubai-based 15-year-old Josh Hill (72) continued to be on top despite finishing his second round with three successive bogeys. He was on three-under-par 141, with Jack Floydd (73) and Ben Davies (72) trailing him by two shots at 143.

The cut was applied at three-over-par 147 and 51 professionals made it to the final round. Among those with Wednesday off is Australian Daniel Gaunt, a fact that won’t have gone unnoticed by South African MG Keyser. Keyser,  tied  5th, five shots adrift of Allan, looks set to extend his lead atop the Journey to Jordan pro-OOM, especially as second-placed Gaunt won’t add to his points tally this week..

Amateur Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams, who won the Journey To Jordan-2 last week by eight shots, was at even-par 144 after a round of 71.  

The post Former amateur prodigy Allan eyes maiden MENA Tour victory appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Williams’ runaway victory at the $100,000 Journey to Jordan-2 Championship on Wednesday was indeed Tiger-esque. Not only did the Peterborough player close out his final round 66 at Ayla Golf Club with five successive birdies to become just the third amateur to win on the regional Pro-Am circuit, he equalled the tour record for the biggest winning margin in a 54-hole event, set by Matthew Baldwin in the season-opening Journey to Jordan-1 event.

With rounds of 68-66-66, the Junior Ryder Cup rep gapped another English amateur, Jack Floydd, by eight shots to become the 20th player to win wire-to-wire and the 25th to win with three sub 70 scores. It was the first amateur one-two in MENA Tour history while Williams’ -16 aggregate of 200 was just three strokes outside the tour’s 54-hole record score – 197 established by MG Keyser at the Dubai Open in early March.

Just remember that name!

T.I.G.E.R.

Amateur Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams is our Journey To Jordan-2 champion. pic.twitter.com/F5MzeD3N9K

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 2, 2019

For the record, Keyser finished tied third at Ayla with Australian professional Daniel Gaunt. Keyser leapfrogged from third to the top of the season-long Journey to Jordan standings with the $15, 061 he and Gaunt each banked. The South African now has $39,531 in season earnings heading into the $75,000 Abu Dhabi Open by Arena starting Monday (Oct. 7-9), $5,235 ahead of now second-placed Gaunt.

In what was a memorable week for the amateurs, Curtis Knipes finished T-5, albeit 10 strokes adrift of Williams. Frustratingly for Knipes who has played six events, he has surrendered his lead atop the amateur Journey to Jordan standings to Williams who earned 18,000 points – it would have been a cheque for $18,000 if he were a professional – for his victory. Floydd is second on 15,802 points with Knipes down to third on 11,522.

Dubai-based English teen Josh Hill, who missed the cut at Ayla, is fourth but a distant 13,988 points adrift of Williams. Arjun Gupta was the best of the “Three Musketeers” – Hill, Gupta and Toby Bishop – in Ayla, finishing T-31 on four-over-par alongside Jordanian amateur Shergo Al Kurdi. Bishop also missed the 36-hole cut.

But the story of the week was clearly Williams who is set to soar from his current position of 100th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). His previous best was 75th. The teen is also set to enter the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for the first time.

Currently without any @OWGRltd points, @IAmRobinTiger wins three precious points for his @theMENATour triumph. He should be checking in around the 1,250th place when the new rankings are released next Monday.#HigerBetterFasterStronger pic.twitter.com/jnYUC5EQZU

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 2, 2019

The post Amateur Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams wins (by a record-equalling eight strokes) in dream MENA Tour debut appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Robin ‘Tiger’ Williams is poised to become just the third amateur winner in the MENA Tour’s colourful eight-season history on Wednesday. Even more impressively, he’s on track to achieve the rare feat in his debut appearance on the regional Pro-Am circuit.

The 18-year-old Englishman extended his first-round lead at the Journey to Jordan-2 tournament Tuesday from one stroke to five with an impressive, six-under-par 66 around Ayla Golf Club.

If the Peterborough-based England age-group rep can hold his nerve in Wednesday’s final round – and there is nothing thus far to suggest he won’t –  he’ll become the circuit’s 20th wire-to-wire winner and join Dubai’s Rayhan Thomas and Dutchman Pierre Junior Verlaar as amateur champions. Thomas created history as the first amateur winner when he captured his home Dubai Creek Open in 2016 while Junior Verlaar won the Royal Golf Mohammedia Open in Morocco the following season.

Check out this short interview with Williams, whose middle name is Tiger, after he added the 66 to his opening 68 to move to 134 for the championship, 10 under par.

He is making his first start on @theMENATour and he leads by five shots going into the final round.

This is what the talented @IAmRobinTiger had to say after his second-round 66… pic.twitter.com/ItauF83bDk

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 1, 2019

Daniel Gaunt, the Australian who won the Troon Series- Al Zorah Open in February, is Williams’ closest pursuer on 139 after rounds of 70-69. Four players, including South African MG Keyser, the highest placed pro in the Order of Merit (OOM) in the field this week at No. 3, and amateur OOM pace-setter Curtis Knipes (England), share third place on 140.

Zane Scotland (143), the MENA Tour’s most successful player with 10 titles, inched into the top 10 with a second-round 71 while the Jack Floydd (ENG) in solo seventh on 141 made it three amateurs on the first page of the leaderboard.

[divider] [/divider]

2019 Journey to Jordan-2 – Top 10 after the second round

[divider] [/divider]

The post Williams poised to follow in footsteps of Rayhan Thomas, Pierre Junior Verlaar as amateur champ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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.

The winner of the third of the MENA Tour’s 10 events earns an invite to the Andalucia – Costa del Sol Match Play (May 17-20) and Marsh has pole position after firing a five-under par 67 in Tuesday’s second round to move to 11-under 133.

Playing just his second MENA Tour event after losing his Challenge Tour card last season, Marsh won’t have it easy punching his ticket to the match play event in Spain however, not with compatriot Max Smith (69) and last week’s Al Zorah Open champion Daniel Gaunt (68) lurking just two back.

“I really don’t remember when was the last time I was leading going into the final round. Must be during my amateur days. But I know I just have to play good golf and take it one shot at a time,” said Marsh who won the 2014 English Amateur a and counts the 2017 Dawson and Sanderson Classic on the EuroPro Tour as his pro highlight thus far.

“I am just going to have the same game plan, same routine, same warm-up tomorrow, and let’s see where that takes us.”

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(With Nick Marsh after Rd 2)@NickMarshgolf tells us how he shot a 67 and took a two-shot lead going into the final day.

And gets video-bombed by Antoine Schwartz in the process!#HarderBetterFasterStronger#JourneyToJordan pic.twitter.com/vpnKLHhkOx

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 26, 2019

Surrey-based Australian Gaunt, playing just his third competitive event since quitting golf for almost one-and-a-half years, shapes as a real threat to Marsh.

“I am playing well. Almost bogey-free again today except for a three-putt on the 8th, and if I can keep doing the same thing, we might be in with a shot tomorrow,” said Gaunt of his 68 on Tuesday. “My attitude to golf has changed. I am not thinking about technique or things like that when I am playing. I am at a stage where I don’t think about the result. I am just trying to have fun.”

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(With Daniel Gaunt after Rd 2)

Now 20-under par for his last 92 holes on the MENA Tour, @Gauntgolf reveals how he is reaping the rewards for changing his attitude towards golf.#HarderBetterFasterStronger#JourneyToJordan pic.twitter.com/9SReXSWz13

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 26, 2019

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(With Max Smith after Rd 2)@MaxSmith91 has shown great consistency over the first two days at @ghalagolfclub. He speaks on what he has done right and how he’d approach the final round.#HarderBetterFasterStronger#JourneyToJordan pic.twitter.com/WP2Q12ek7g

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 26, 2019

After a Tuesday best 65, Scotland’s Craig Ross is four back of Marsh alongside another Scot, Jack McDonald (70), Frenchman Robin Roussel (68), Canadian Oliver Tubb (69) and England’s Todd Clements (70).

There will be just as much interest in the final round amateur battle within the battle at Ghala after Dubai-based 14-year-old Josh Hill shot a brilliant five-under par 67 on Tuesday to open up a one-stroke lead over England’s Curtis Knipes (70), the current amateur OOM leader. Saudi Arabia’s Saud Al Sharif and England’s Jack Floydd were in third place after identical rounds of 73 and 68 over the first days.

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(With Josh Hill after Rd 2)

Everybody loves Josh!

And that includes the bee that just wanted to plant a cheeky kiss as he discusses where today’s 67 stands in his short MENA Tour career.#HarderBetterFasterStronger#JourneyToJordan pic.twitter.com/4JwxsjbXqI

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 26, 2019

The cut fell at two-over 146 with 54 professionals and nine amateurs making it to the final round of the 54-holer.

Ghala Golf Club Open – LEADING SCORES (After round 2, par-72)
133 – Nick Marsh (ENG) 66-67
135 – Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 67-68, Max Smith (ENG) 66-69
137 – Craig Ross (SCO) 72-65, Robin Roussel (FRA) 69-68, Oliver Tubb (CAN) 68-69, Todd Clements (ENG) 67-70, Jack McDonald (SCO) 67-70
138 – Josh Hill (ENG-Am) 71-67, Oliver Jacobsson (SWE) 70-68, Leonhard Asti (AUT) 69-69, Richard Bland (ENG) 66-72
139 – Pierre Junior Verlaar (NED) 71-68, Curtis Knipes (ENG-Am) 69-70
140 – MG Keyser (RSA) 72-68, Robert Dinwiddie (ENG) 71-69, Antoine Schwartz (FRA) 68-72
141 – Saud Al Sharif (KSA-Am) 73-68, Jack Floydd (ENG-Am) 73-68, Jamie Rutherford (ENG) 71-70
142 – Maarten Bosch (NED) 73-69, Taylor Carter (ENG) 71-71, Gabriel Axell (SWE) 70-72, Jake Ayres (ENG) 71-71143 – Lindsay Renolds (CAN) 75-68, Oscar Henningsson (SWE) 74-69, Andrew Burmester (RSA) 73-70, Jose Rolz (GUA) 72-71, Sam Hobday (ENG) 72-71, Jesper Alm (SWE) 70-73, Victor Riu (FRA) 70-73, Gary Stal (FRA) 70-73, Haiko Dana (GER) 69-74, Henric Sturehed (SWE) 68-75, Daniel Owen (ENG) 68-75

The post Marsh chases quick Challenge Tour return while all amateur eyes on Dubai teen Hill as Ghala Open goes to the wire appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

A virus that has lingered since early January has made the 25-year-old German’s start to the new MENA Tour season a misery as he missed the cut in both Jordan and Ajman with respective 12 over totals. 

As such, Leitmannstetter understandably enters the third of the MENA Tour’s 10 events with subdued expectations although he does have pedigree at this week’s venue having finished runner-up to England’s Lee Corfield in 2015 and champion in 2016, the last time the $75,000 Ghala Golf Club Open was played.

He certainly won’t mind if his happy memories at the Oman oasis ends up giving him a shot at the US$13,500 winner’s cheque and the champion’s invite to the European Challenge Tour’s Andalucia– Costa del Sol Match Play (May 17-20).

“I love this golf course and I feel very comfortable here. I don’t know why, but the golf course seems to suit my eyes,” the Munich-born, Dubai-based Leitmannstetter said.

“It is a golf course where you have to be very smart with your golf. The wind can be a huge factor and the greens are very tricky. It is also a tight course. You need to know where to hit your shots, and more importantly, where to miss them.”

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(With Aaron Leitmannstetter before the Ghala Golf Club Open)
He is the ‘defending champion’ here, having won when the Tour visited Muscat last in 2016 and runner-up in 2015.
Find out how he is feeling ahead of this week’s tournament…#HBFS #JourneyToJordan pic.twitter.com/BvLH6TE9l3

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 24, 2019

Thankfully Leitmannstetter is starting to feel brighter after struggling through the season-opening Journey to Jordan with rounds of 75-81 before scores of 76-80 at the Troon Series- Al Zorah Open.

“It all started at the beginning of the year and I picked up some virus that just kept lingering on,” said Leitmannstetter who is off at 9:30am in his opening round on Monday with Englishman Robbie Busher and Swede Oliver Jacobsson.

“I played the last two weeks on the MENA Tour but I was never 100 percent. There were days when I could play, and there were days when I just could not because of high fever and pain in the limbs.

“I decided to just sleep for two days after the tournament at Al Zorah Golf Club in Ajman. I must say I am feeling a lot better. I don’t have high expectations this week, and that could be a good thing.

“I changed my clubs to Wilson earlier this year and haven’t been able to put a lot of time in the range with them because of my illness. However, I can feel that my game is getting back in the groove.”

A noted name among the 114 starters this week is the former Abu Dhabi HSBC Champion Gary Stal. Dubai amateur Rayhan Thomas and Journey to Jordan-1 winner Matthew Baldwin are notable absentees but newly crowned Al Zorah Open champion Daniel Gaunt will tee it up at 11.20am in the company of Spain’s Leo Lilja and South African Teagan Moore.

There are 10 amateurs in the field including current order of merit leader Curtis Knipes (T-10 in Jordan and T-13 in Ajman) and Dubai-based 14-year-olds Josh Hill, Toby Bishop and Arjun Gupta. Hill has been the most successful of the “Three Musketeers” thus far, finishing T-32 at Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba and T-39 at Al Zorah last week. 

This is how @theMENATour makes a difference. The latest @WAGRank is out and our leading amateurs from the Journey To Jordan-1 have all made a big move. pic.twitter.com/cVUb672KZm

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 24, 2019

The post Beware Aaron Leitmannstetter at this week’s MENA Tour stop in Oman? appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 40-year-old Surrey-based Australian somehow conjured successive birdies to emerge from a dramatic three-way playoff with Englishman Benjamin David and South African MG Keyser to win the Troon Series-Al Zorah Open on Wednesday, including his title-clinching bomb on the second playoff hole:

Troon Series – Al Zorah Open Play-off : What an awesome comeback to professional golf for Australia’s @Gauntgolf!! This is how he won the playoff.@Troon @troonint pic.twitter.com/GGJnaiYKlJ

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 20, 2019

Gaunt’s maiden MENA Tour victory came in just his second event back after he put his floundering career on ice in mid-2017 and his win in an Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) event since he captured the second of his two Challenge Tour victories at the Telenet Trophy in May 2013.

“I just don’t have the words to explain what I am feeling right now,” the father-of-four said after winning $13,500 by overcoming a difficult start to his final round at Al Zorah G.C. with two bogeys in his opening three holes to sign for a 73 and get into the playoff at -9 with David (69) Keyser (71).

Daniel Gaunt

“I have not played much the last 12-18 months and if you had said I’d win in my second proper event coming back, I would have snapped your hands off.

“The conditions were tough. The wind was brutal and the pins were tucked. I did not have my best stuff, but I am proud of the way I battled. And then to make two birdies when I needed to make them in the play-off, that was amazing.”

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(After Rd3 of Troon Series – Al Zorah Open)

He really is a tough Aussie. In fact, they call him ‘Dundee’ after Crocodile Dundee! But the Al Zorah Open was so special, even @Gauntgolf got emotional.#HBFS #JourneyToJordan @Troon @troonint pic.twitter.com/Y7sG6TuEhd

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 20, 2019

Gaunt gave up professional golf after getting frustrated with his poor form and the resulting financial strain on his family. He joined the maintenance team at his home club, the Burhill Golf Club in Walton-on-Thames, and did not play any tournament throughout 2018.

“It’s been a long couple of years. I have absolutely worked my backside off to get to this place. I am so happy, but I also want this to be the stepping stone to take me further.”

Keyser parred the first playoff hole (Al Zorah’ par-5 4th) to be eliminated. On the par-3 next, Guant guided a four-iron to 20 feet and made his putt as David parred to settle for a share of second place with Keyser.

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(After Rd3 of Troon Series – Al Zorah Open)@bendavid429 came agonizingly close to what would have been the biggest win of his career. He finally finished second, but the Englishman was over the moon with his result.#HBFS #JourneyToJordan @Troon @troonint pic.twitter.com/uLd4VWWylo

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 20, 2019

India’s Dubai-based Rayhan Thomas (73) finished as the leading amateur at four-under par 212, which was good for tied ninth place overall. England’s Curtis Knipes (72), the amateur winner at Journey To Jordan-1, the inaugural event of the 2019 season, was next best at two-under par.

Thomas finished with a birdie but dropped shots on the par-3 15th and the 16th holes denied him a sub-par score and a place inside the top-five.

“The conditions were very tough, but my game was also mediocre,” said Thomas, the second highest ranked Asian player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking at No. 16.

“I am happy to be the leading amateur, but I obviously wanted to win the tournament. I know I could have contended for the title this week. It would have been nice to start the season with a win in your third tournament of the year.”

The MENA Tour move to Oman and the $75,000 Ghala Golf Club Open starting on Monday, Feb. 25.

Leading amateur Rayhan Thomas.

TROON SERIES- AL ZORAH OPEN – FINAL SCORES (par-72)
207 – *Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 68-66-73, MG Keyser (RSA) 70-66-71, Benjamin David (ENG) 69-69-69. *Gaunt won on the second playoff hole.
209 – Craig Ross (SCO) 68-66-75, Seve Benson (ENG) 69-68-72
210 – Robert Dinwiddie (ENG) 71-70-69, Max Smith (ENG) 68-71-71, Todd Clements (ENG) 71-65-74
212 – Rayhan Thomas (IND-Am) 69-70-73, Conor O’Neil (SCO) 72-70-70,
213 – Henric Sturehed (SWE) 73-71-69, Dominic Foos (GER) 69-71-73
214 – Curtis Knipes (ENG-Am) 72-70-72, Antoine Schwartz (FRA) 70-70-74, Tom Shadbolt (ENG) 70-69-75, Jack McDonald (SCO) 70-67-77
215 – Constantin Schwierz (GER) 71-71-73, Daniel Hendry (SCO) 71-70-74, Jack Doherty (SCO) 72-68-75, Lionel Weber (FRA) 68-71-76
216 – Jacob Oakley (ENG) 73-72-71, Joshua White (ENG) 72-68-76

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