For the fifth straight year the EGF Ams have captured the Dubai Trophy, this time rallying from a two-point deficit heading into Sunday’s singles at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club to retain the trophy 17-15.

EGF captain Steven Kelbrick stacked his line-up hoping to put early scoreboard pressure on Luke Plumb’s pros and it had the desired effect as they won Sunday 10-6. England schoolboys’ international Josh Hill (Trump Dubai) sparked the comeback, a comprehensive 3&2 victory in the first match out over UAE PGA Matchplay champion Michael Major (Dubai Creek) sealing an unbeaten record for the teen and sending a message of hope through the amateur ranks.

 

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A few swings from today’s #dubaigolftrophy Josh again managed to finish his singles with a win of 3&2. With 3 good shots again and 3 good putts!??? Finished weekend with 3 out of 3 points and a winning team! @robwattsperformance

A post shared by Russell Hill (@golf_osteo_path_dxb) on Oct 4, 2020 at 5:59am PDT

Making the most of home course knowledge, Creek Ams Bayhaan Lakdawala and Max Burrow duly made it a perfect top order start with 2&1 triumphs over Tom Buchanan (Al Ain) and Jackson Bell (JGE) respectively. Louis Gaughan (Pro Sports) battled for a noteworthy half with Welsh schoolboys’ international Toby Bishop (Trump Dubai) but Arjun Gupta made it 4.5 out of a possible five points with victory over Steven Munro, strangely recorded as 3up through 15 but comprehensive nonetheless.

“The strong [EGF] top 5 did a number on us really then we couldn’t quite get the job done through the rest of the field,” said Plumb. “The top 5 gave them loads of confidence.”

Indeed, the UAE Pros had to wait for Dong Lee, at No.6, for their first full singles point after a 2 up victory over Hugo Garcia, a member at Emirates G.C. where Lee works.

There was a block of blue denoting Pro wins lower down the order with Puma Sharma (Pro Sports), David Laing (The Monty) and Malcolm Young securing victories but halves for Williams Xu (Sharjah) and Gordon Munro (Dubai Hills) and a 2&1 win for Barry Pavic (Dubai Hills) at No.16 over UAE vice-captain Michael Bolt (Claude Harmon III) ended any chance for the Pros.

“They seemed to hole more putts and the important putts as well,” Plumb continued. “Yeah, it’s very disappointing but still had a great week. It was a great comeback two years in a row from them but we are getting closer. I can’t fault the guys…everyone gave it their all.”

 

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17-15 victory for the amateurs. That’s 5 in a row for the amateurs

A post shared by DGT (@dubai_golf_trophy) on Oct 4, 2020 at 5:50am PDT

 

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5 in a row.

A post shared by DGT (@dubai_golf_trophy) on Oct 4, 2020 at 6:06am PDT

Kelbrick singled out Hill, Bishop and Pavic, the latter for his performance in the anchor singles match, for special praise.

“Sunday was ‘load the front’, it wasn’t rocket science,” said Kelbrick. “We had faith in the depth of the team.

“It was obvious that they would lead with Mike Major so we put trust in Josh [Hill]. Once that result was in and the Creek boys got going the momentum was set.”

Kelbrick then summed up the weekend for everyone involved.

“We’re very happy with the result and just so happy that Dubai Golf [who manage Dubai Creek and Jumeirah Golf Estates where the matches were held] and Pro Sports honoured their commitment in a dismal year.”

The post UAE PGA captain Luke Plumb on fifth straight Dubai Trophy loss: ‘The EGF top 5 did a number on us’ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Anxious to avoid a fifth straight defeat in the annual Ryder Cup-style matches, the pros will take a two-point, 9-7 advantage into the 16 singles matches at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club after a particularly satisfying afternoon of work on Earth yesterday.

 

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DGT2020

A post shared by DGT (@dubai_golf_trophy) on Oct 3, 2020 at 12:16am PDT

The amateurs established a 5-3 lead after the opening foursomes at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Saturday, highlighted by 2&1 wins for Josh Hill and Toby Bishop and Emirati duo Ahmad Skaik and Khalid Yousuf over Michael Major and Tom Buchanan and Ryan Smith and David Laing respectively.

Hill and Bishop were impressively six-under in seeing off Major and Buchanan.

 

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A few from today’s #dubaigolftrophy @j.hill_golf and @welsh_golfer shot six under to win their foursomes 2&1! It was a great match, well done lads! @robwattsperformance

A post shared by Russell Hill (@golf_osteo_path_dxb) on Oct 3, 2020 at 12:05am PDT

But the pros mounted an impressive comeback in the afternoon fourballs, winning six of the eight matches. Hill and Bishop kept their unbeaten record intact for the amateurs with a 2&1 win over Buchanan and Samuel McLaren while Arjun Gupta and Dave Guinee kept the amateurs in the contest with an important 3&2 win over Steven Munro and Malcolm Young.

Check out the putt Hill drained to seal a second win with Bishop.

 

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Good day at the office, the 4 ball second match today was a grid but Josh carried a boogie free day on till the end! Most important lesson was proving that golf still can be won with only three GOOD shots and 65 average shots in a round! @jmgolfcoach thanks had to borrow that! #dubaigolftrophy

A post shared by Russell Hill (@golf_osteo_path_dxb) on Oct 3, 2020 at 8:34am PDT

Boom.

There were big 5&4 wins for the Michaels, Major and Bolt, over Max Barrow and Bayhaan Lakdawala, and for Jackson Bell and captain Luke Plumb over Barry Pavic and Gordon Munro. Louis Gaughan and Jordan Gallagher were also impressive 4&3 winners over Skaik and Yousuf.

And so onto Sunday’s singles where there are some intriguing matchups with Hill pitted against newly minted UAE PGA Matchplay champion Major in the first match out at 11.30am. EGF captain Steven Kelbrick, who will face Gallagher, has stacked his order hoping for a fast start to ratchet up the pressure on the Plumb’s pros.

A fascinating Sunday awaits at The Creek.

 

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All to play for tomorrow with the UAE PGA Professionals leading the way 9-7 from the EGF amateurs. Morning foursomes 3-5 afternoon fourballs 6-2 so a come back from the pros. #dubaicreek #jumeirahgolfestates #dubaigolftrophy #dubaigolf #uaepga #egf

A post shared by UAE PGA (@uaepga) on Oct 3, 2020 at 8:03am PDT

The post UAE PGA pros fightback for 9-7 lead heading into Sunday’s Dubai Trophy singles appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

After being on European duty last summer, COVID-confined Josh Hill, Toby Bishop and Arjun Gupta are back to bolster Steven Kelbrick’s EGF line-up who are seeking a fifth straight win in the 54-hole event set for Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on Oct. 3-4.

Hill, fresh from a run to the round of 16 at The 125th Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale, and Gupta are two of Kelbrick’s four picks, joining Sharjah’s William Xu and Emirati international Khalid Yousuf. Bishop qualified through the truncated EGF Order of Merit season which was won by Dan Byrne. The Els Club Dubai youngster adds yet more firepower to the amateur side which was revealed on Thursday to Golf Digest Middle East, along with Plumb’s 16-strong team.

RELATED: Amhad Skaik set for Dubai Trophy history

Plumb has handed captain’s picks to Al Ain’s Tom Buchanan and unattached former Arabian Ranches head pro Malcolm Young, another experienced Dubai Trophy campaigner who forced his way in with a top-five finish at last week’s UAE PGA Championship.

JA The Resort-attached Plumb is confident he has the team to halt a run of four straight losses but also concedes Kelbrick’s team deserve to go in favourites.

“The Amateurs have a really strong side. Golf in the region has some fantastic talent,” Plumb said. “The big three are all playing, Josh, Toby and Arjun, and they are mixed in with lots of experience so they are formidable opposition. I think we are underdogs but certainly have a great chance and there is no pressure on us.”

It’s not that the Pros are lacking talent or form. Plumb just wrapped up the UAE PGA Order of Merit title, Michael Major (Dubai Creek) edged Dong Lee (Emirates G.C.) 3&2 to capture the Henrik Stenson Eyewear UAE PGA Matchplay Championship while UAE national Ahmed Al Musharrekh (EGF) carded rounds of 75-69 at The Creek for a +1 aggregate to become the first Emirati to capture the UAE PGA Championship earlier this week.

 

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Congratulations to @major_michael for winning the 2020 @henrikstensoneyewear UAE PGA Matchplay Championship ???? Mike fired some timely back nine birdies to edge out runner up @dongkyonlee by 3&2. @gaughanlouis pipped @davidlaingpga to finish in overall 3rd Place. A big thank you to our sponsor Henrik Stenson Eyewear & @trumpgolfdubai for the hospitality today. #uaepga #henrikstensoneyewear #matchplay

A post shared by UAE PGA (@uaepga) on Sep 15, 2020 at 5:30am PDT

 

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Congratulations to Ahmed Al Musharrekh on winning the UAE PGA Championship. Ahmed fired a -2, 69 round a testing Dubai Creek for a total of 75/69 +1. This is the largest golf competition for a UAE National to ever win and a fantastic achievement for Ahmed ??? Runner up by only a single shot was @jacksonbell01 JGE with 68/77 +2 and in solo third @graydavid_1 with 72/74 +3. X3 tied 4th on +4 @malc_younggolf @phil_waine @urs_perfectman. A fantastic 2 days @jumeirah.golf @dubaicreekgolf and thanks to all their teams for the hospitality. #dubaigolf #dubaicreek #jumeirahgolfestates #uaepga #uae #winner #champion

A post shared by UAE PGA (@uaepga) on Sep 22, 2020 at 4:24am PDT

“I think the team is extremely strong this year, maybe one of the best I’ve played in with no weak links and lots of people playing well so we go in with a good chance,” Plumb said. “We will be creative with the pairings to try and give us the best chance. I think it’ll just come down to who plays well on the two days. If we play to the level we can, then we have a great chance this year.”

Kelbrick is equally confident, insisting he hadn’t looked at the UAE PGA team.

“We can only control ourselves,” the Trump Dubai member said before recalling his dream performance at the 2019 Senior Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.

“It’s the same as Senior Open. We are here now, let’s embrace it and believe that we can win. Five in a row is possible but the key is attitude. We’ve got to enjoy the experience and allow it to lift our performance. That’s the goal.”

The post Big names return as EGF Amateurs chase Dubai Trophy five-peat appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Welcome to the first edition of The Sand Trap, where we scour the worldwide inter-web for the Middle East’s best golf news before expertly splashing it out with absolutely no (okay, sometimes a little) spin. Call it old school polishing (reporting) of today’s social media overload, a light-hearted take on everything that is great about golf in the game’s hottest destination.

We’re unapologetically Middle East centric – our colleagues at Golf Digest H.Q. in New York will continue to update you on the best global goings on via ‘The Grind’ and the ‘Dew Sweeper’ – so if it has even a tenuous link to the game here, we’ll be all over it.

If you win a title and your club does the needful online, check in here – you might just feature (remember to smile and share!) alongside the region’s more high profile players. Don’t be shy to share that viral worthy post either. A trick shot or a laughter educing whiff from one of your golfing pals perhaps? Simply tag us @GolfDigestME and we’ll do the rest. Who knows, you really could go global with the assistance of Golf Digest.

With that, enjoy this, your first escape from with the Sand Trap, which we coincidently launch just as the year’s final major is about to take the starter’s orders in St. Louis. Enjoy.

THIS WEEK IN THE INCREDIBLE RISE AND RISE OF JUNIOR PHENOM JOSH HILL

Before we head to Bellerive Country Club for the 100th staging of the U.S. PGA Championship, divert your attention, Dear Sand Trappers, to Royal Dornoch where they’ve apparently been golfing since 1616. That’s 402 years ago according the abacus at Media One Towers, or 388 years since Josh Hill was born right here in Dubai. The drawn out connection here is that Hill is set to tee it up at Dornoch on Tuesday as England opens the defence of its Boys Home Internationals title. And that’s as stunning as the fabled Scottish highlands links land hosting the matchplay event where each team faces the other over three days in five morning foursomes and 10 afternoon singles matches each day.

Hill’s selection to the U-18 England team – remember he’s 14! – continues a meteoric rise. It wasn’t that long ago he was posing with Ryder Cuppers Andy Sullivan and Rory McIlroy as a wide-eyed 12-year-old having just played the DP World Tour Championship Pro-Am at JGE, coinsidently where he trains.

That was late 2016. Fast-forward to early 2018 and Hill marked himself as the hottest prospect in UAE golf since the emergence of Rayhan Thomas, courtesy of eight wins in a magical three month stretch to April. It will be fascinating to see how Hill fares in the pressure-filled matches against Scotland, Wales and Ireland as England aim for a title three-peat. Whatever happens at Dornach, Dubai looks to have unearthed a genuine gem. Best wishes to Josh and kudos to his supportive parents Russell and Jo and Butch Harmon School of Golf Dubai instructor Joe Marshall. All can be justifiably proud of the unexpected international call-up.

JP ON THE ROAD (AGAIN) TO THE 100th PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Talking of the BHSG Dubai, the stock of the Els Club Dubai-based academy’s Director of Instruction, Justin Parsons, continues to rise. ‘JP’ has been criss-crossing the globe recently working with former major champions Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen who are now firmly ensconced in a stable that also includes Peter Uihlein, Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera and the aforementioned Rayhan Thomas. The Northern Irishman was in Akron last week and departed for the PGA Championship thoroughly encouraged by Schwartzel’s storming finish to the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, a 63 at Firestone Country Club propelling the former Masters champion up to a share of 31st with, among others, Tiger Woods.

Great to watch @charlschwartzel get it going today- 63 to finish the week strong. Firestone is a great venue and will be missed, glad I saw the last one. On to the @pgachampionship

A post shared by Justin Parsons (@jparsonsgolf) on Aug 5, 2018 at 1:07pm PDT

Here’s more of JP’s recent handiwork (scroll through the Insta post to see Oosty and Schwartzel in practice at Firestone).

Great to be in Akron for the WGC!!

A post shared by Justin Parsons (@jparsonsgolf) on Jul 31, 2018 at 6:12pm PDT

Parsons was headed to Bellerive (Schwartzel, Oosthuizen, Uihlein and Lorenzo-Vera are all in the field) overnight via a road trip with International Sport Management (think Chubby Chandler’s company) player manager Louis Martin in an RV.  (FYI, Oosthuizen and Uihlein are ISM clients).

So the NFL Hall of Fame is here, flights are full. This legend and I are taking a road trip from Akron-St Louis in an RV. Story to follow- seems like a good idea ????? @ Firestone Country… https://t.co/PtJyDK0xQT

— Justin Parsons (@JParsonsGolf) August 5, 2018

It’s a pretty epic sounding trip – all 900km of it – and we do hope JP shares some footage as promised. What we can guarantee, cough, cough, splutter, splutter, is that it’s not the final destination for the UAE’s best known coach. Again, watch this space.

Related: Woods, Rory and WGC-Bridgestone champion Thomas paired for PGA

TALKING OF GLOBE-TROTTING UAE PROS

With the mercury at sizzling point and the UAE’s driving ranges relatively empty as a result, it’s an ideal time for the UAE’s hard working PGA teaching professionals to grab some well-deserved R&R. And some, like Trump International Dubai head pro Sven Nielsen, are doing it better than most as these epic pictures from Scotland highlands illustrate.

Some breathtaking views at @carnegielinks with the guys yesterday!! Great to play in 20 degrees again. #summergolf #golf #golfer #greatgolfcourse #views #unreal

A post shared by Sven Nielsen (@svennielsenpga) on Aug 3, 2018 at 11:17am PDT

The Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle is a private club “offering limited tee times to non-residents”. As a former pro at Trump Turnberry, we’re guessing Nielsen didn’t have too much trouble getting on. He certainly had little trouble playing his Tiger-esque stinger:

Little 2-iron stinger here!!! ???? Amazing day at @carnegielinks with @msweenie_golf @rob.satterley.golf and @calsatterley what a phenomenal golf course and experience!! Thanks for having us!!! #golf #golfer #golflesson #golfcoach #greatcourse #greatgolfcourse

A post shared by Sven Nielsen (@svennielsenpga) on Aug 2, 2018 at 4:55pm PDT

Nice shot, Sven. But perhaps not quite as flush as your recent ace at Trump.

?HOLE IN ONE? today for me while playing with one of my clients. 145yards PW. ???? #golf #golfer #holeinone #golfcoach #golflesson @trumpgolf @trumpgolfdubai

A post shared by Sven Nielsen (@svennielsenpga) on Jul 20, 2018 at 11:52pm PDT

We’re genuinely happy for the hard-working South African but won’t be so generous if the Springboks show as much class in the upcoming Rugby Championship. Did we mention the team behind the Sand Trap are ardent supporters of the All Blacks?

LUKE’S PRO V1 JOY

Just like the mighty All Blacks, we love golf swag at the Sand Trap, especially swag of the, well, you know, free kind. Check out the booty MENA Tour player Luke Joy has just recieved from a couple of well-known sponsors.

Huge thanks to @GOLFPRINCIPLES @callawaygolf @Callaway_Mat for all the help with getting the new X- Forged irons set up ?Awesome service and superb product come as standard! Many thanks guys?#golfprinciples #lukejoygolf #callaway #rogue #trackman pic.twitter.com/erN0cnP3Nj

— Luke Joy (@JoyBoy59) July 28, 2018

Always great to get a delivery from @titleistukireland / Africa Thanks @titleist for keeping me stocked up… I use the Pro V1 X Ball and Players glove?. #1 #1ballingolf #prov1x #golf #titleist #golfball #lukejoygolf

A post shared by Luke Joy – ‎ليوك (@lukejoygolf) on Aug 3, 2018 at 10:48am PDT

Nice. We’re guessing these shiny new spheres will travel a little further than the tee shot of Joy’s brother Ollie during a recent social round.

So bit of social golf today with my Bro @ollie_joy85 and Cousin at Queens Park GC… Both didn’t make it past the ladies tee… Rules are Rules ? #queenspark #sunshine #pantsdown #golf #keepingitfun #ladiestee #familygolf #family #priceless #bournemouth #england #funinthesun #chef #aussie #lukejoygolf

A post shared by Luke Joy – ‎ليوك (@lukejoygolf) on Aug 2, 2018 at 1:55pm PDT

Rules are rules but enough of those shenanigans. The Yas Links-attached Englishman is just back from a steady 12th place finish in last week’s Sunshine Tour stop in Kenya, an encouraging bounce-back after playing like a complete plonker – his words, not ours – in Open Championship qualifying. 

Joy still has designs on a European Tour card via Q-School ahead of a series of starts on the Sunshine and Asian Tours towards the end of 2018 “with the end goal of punching a ticket to secure European Tour status or at least have some events with a full playing category on the Challenge Tour”.

“I’m working hard with Matt Parker down at Yas so all seems to be working towards the ET for the coming years.”

Here’s hoping, although don’t be surprised if you see more off the course action on JoyBoy59’s twitter feed in the coming weeks; the 30-year-old Dorset pro is getting married at the end of the month. We’re sure fiancée Lauren-Leanne Bellows wouldn’t mind a prolonged honeymoon following hubby to some of the European Tour’s more exotic locales.

To be fair, Joy will need to keep winning to continue to afford experiences like this watching his beloved England in the World Cup.

Thanks for an amazing few weeks @England … You got a whole nation believing, dreaming and singing! Gutted yes, but the future looks very promising for this young side ???????#threeloins pic.twitter.com/BarrHQw8br

— Luke Joy (@JoyBoy59) July 11, 2018

JoyBoy indeed!

FRIENDLY REMINDER #1

It’s not long now until the climax of the European Tour season at JGE. In fact, it’s 99-days until the DP World Tour Championship. Follow the prompt for free tickets, Sand Trappers.

Only #100daystogo until the #greatestplayersonearth return to @JumeirahGolfEst for the #dpwtc. Register for free general admission now #racetodubai pic.twitter.com/MOX8le3aOw

— DP World Tour Championship (@DPWTC) August 5, 2018

DUBAI TROPHY BLAST FROM THE PAST

Former head pro Malcolm Young is clearly in a nostalgic space as he packs up after 10½ years at Arabian Ranches to take up a new posting in Hong Kong. Or perhaps he just found this picture as he was clearing out some clutter.

Either way, it’s a cool rewind to the 2010 Dubai Golf Trophy which the professionals snuck by a solitary point. The Pros will miss Young’s talents next winter as they try to avert a fourth straight loss to the EGF’s best amateurs, but not half as much as the quietly spoken Scot’s old clientele at Ranches. Dubai’s loss is the Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf’s gain. Yup, that’s how highly rated Young is.

ANOTHER SAD FOND FAREWELL

There are leaving dos and then there’s the way Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club do the leaving do. Stick with us here.

How about honouring New Zealand-bound course superintendent Marty Brown with his own golf tournament.

Marty Brown, our Golf Course superintendent is leaving (after 12 years service). Come down and join us on his farewell golf day on 10 August.#golf #sharjah #sharjahgolf #golfindubai #farewellgolf pic.twitter.com/KpYl2d4qRF

— Sharjah Golf & SClub (@SharjahGolf) August 2, 2018

A classy move from a club that is making a habit of doing classy things and best of all, there’s still time to farewell Brown by entering the event.  The Kiwi leaves huge steel-capped boots to fill after presenting SGSC in pristine condition for the last two Staysure Tour (formerly European Senior Tour) Sharjah Senior Golf Masters events. Go well Marty. Oh, and I’m sure you’ll join us in wishing the Mighty All Blacks all the best as well. We did warn you!

TODAY’S TEAR-JERKER

Okay, here’s the Sand Trap’s first tenuous Middle East link. Sure Justin Thomas hasn’t played in the Desert Swing yet – perhaps the American will be the star draw at January’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship or even the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic? – but we just couldn’t ignore his win in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational overnight. More to the point, we loved that JT’s grandparents were on hand to see his third win of the season at Firestone.

What a day for the family

A post shared by Justin Thomas (@justinthomas34) on Aug 5, 2018 at 7:59pm PDT

What a keepsake that pic will be. And now on to Bellerive with Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy set to push Thomas all the way in his defence of the Wanamaker Trophy. Golf is deep. Really, really deep as this 72nd hole drive from JT shows. And to think McIlroy hit a 400+ yarder in the final round at Firestone.

JT’s 394 yards drive at the 18th is the second longest drive ever hit on the final hole at Firestone (396, Tiger in 2003). ・・・ #WGCBridgestone Repost #europeantour

A post shared by Golf Digest Middle East (@golfdigestme) on Aug 5, 2018 at 9:54pm PDT

GEORGIA ON OUR MINDS

The newly-minted Ricoh Women’s British Open champion has been a perennial contender at the OMEGA Dubai Ladies Classic is recent years so there’s a genuine Middle East link to this snippet.

Stunning moment @RICOHWomensBrit #champion @georgiahall96 and a crowd of very #excited youngsters just shows what a young #homegrown #talent can do for #golf #congratulations #georgiahall @ricoheurope @CallawayGolfEU @goodwood_golf #berenberg @RandA @GettySport pic.twitter.com/gw0NORULmW

— David Cannon (@Cannonball63) August 5, 2018

And these stunning pictures are from our favourite golf photographer too, UAE regular David Cannon. Enjoy.

David Cannon

David Cannon

David Cannon

David Cannon

THE GULF CLUB

How about the play of David Baldwin and Leighton Johnson in capturing the EGF’s Summer Pairs Open sponsored by Golf Superstore. Check out all the action in his post from Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club:

Looks like they were having fun in the sun (okay, blistering heat) at Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club too in annual Troon Executive Card Summer Series.

We had fantastic TEC Summer Series over the weekend at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. Thank you all for your participation and congratulations to the winners! #playgolf #troongolf

A post shared by Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (@saadiyatbeachgolfclub) on Aug 5, 2018 at 4:58am PDT

We had fantastic TEC Summer Series over the weekend at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. Thank you all for your participation and congratulations to the winners! #playgolf #troongolf

A post shared by Abu Dhabi Golf Club (@abudhabigolfclub) on Aug 5, 2018 at 5:01am PDT

The winners were grinners in the fourth round of the Summer BMW X5 Series Open Social at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club too.

Aurn & Vivian win. The fourth round of the Summer BMW X5 Series Open Social was hosted on the 4th August 2018. The format was Betterball medal on the front nine and a Texas Scramble Medal on the back nine. The duo returned net 35 (1 under par) in the betterball & net 30 (6 under par) in the nine hole Texas Scramble format. Giving the pair a combined score of 65, 7 under par. Congratulation to both! @bmwmiddleeast #golf #sharjahgolf #sharjah #greatprizes #summergolf #winners

A post shared by Sharjah Golf (@sharjahgolf) on Aug 5, 2018 at 5:38am PDT

WE. CAN’T. STOP. WATCHING.

Finally, if you’re not already following us on Instagram, here’s a couple of recent posts that should entice you to sign-up at golfdigestme:

Father and son weekend goals. ?‍?

A post shared by Golf Digest Middle East (@golfdigestme) on Aug 2, 2018 at 1:38pm PDT

Talk about father-son goals.

And then there is this in the latest installment of Phil Being Phil, just in case you missed it (quite how that is possible is beyond us).

In My Philings ???

A post shared by Golf Digest Middle East (@golfdigestme) on Aug 2, 2018 at 9:35pm PDT

We don’t know what Lefty’s Dad dance is so weirdly alluring. But… We. Can’t. Stop. Watching. At least it was better than his running putt in the U.S. Open. But lets move on, maybe by watching again. Until next time…Wow Phil. Just wow.

The post Welcome to the ‘Sand Trap’, a social media take on all things Middle East golf appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Actually, make that good start a great one. The young Al Zorah professional opened the UAE PGA’s flagship event with a five under 67 at Arabian Ranches on Monday. It earned the tournament’s defending champion a four-stroke halfway lead over the trio of Jack Woods (Dubai Creek), Joe Marshall (Butch Harmon School of Golf) and Shane Peacock (Al Ain).

More importantly, Wears-Taylor enjoys a six-stroke buffer over Smith (The Address Montgomerie) heading into Tuesday’s final round after the newly minted UAE PGA Matchplay champion signed for a one-over 73.

It means Smith has it all to do on Tuesday although the way Wears-Taylor is playing, a fourth 2017-18 UAE PGA title looks his to lose. The real excitement could yet be lower down the leaderboard as players jockey for the last spots in the UAE PGA team for the May 12-13 Dubai Trophy.

As captain, Smith has two picks in his 14-man team for the matches at Emirates G.C. and Dubai Creek where the pros will be out to avoid a hat-trick of losses to the Emirates Golf Federation’s leading amateurs.

With defending OOM champion Cen Mills (Dubai Creek), currently third in this season’s points race, unavailable, there are spots up for grabs and Creek colleague Woods (17th) and the Monty’s Martin Robinson (18th) are well positioned after the first round to make a last gasp bid. Robinson was T-10 overnight after an opening 74.

Meanwhile, Jumeirah Golf Estates hosts the 36-hole EGF OOM Championship on May 4-5 to finalise the amateur team for the Dubai Trophy. One name guaranteed for the youngsters is JGE 14-year-old Josh Hill who has won seven EGF titles this summer, including six in an incredible three month spell.

The post Wears-Taylor makes fast start to UAE PGA Championship defence appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Steven Kelbrick is living proof that life begins at 50 and has a golf magazine article to prove it.  Now he also subscribes to the fabled adage that warns: “Beware the injured/sick golfer”.

Related: Meet the Dubai amateur chasing a St. Andrews play date with Tom Watson

Full of the dreaded man flu, the 50-year-old Dubai amateur finally, somehow, landed a long overdue Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) order of merit title after signing for rounds of 72-71 to clinch the Tower Links Men’s Open on Saturday.  Kelbrick’s 143 aggregate edged Arjun Gupta (Jumeirah Golf Estates) by two strokes with Scotsman Robert Glenesk third a further shot back.

The Brit flew out to the UK on business after contesting the Staysure Tour’s (formerly European Senior Tour’s) Sharjah Senior Golf Masters earlier this month and has struggled with a head cold ever since.

“It’s funny, you’re not thinking about anything other than feeling awful and then you write down a number and all of the sudden it’s ‘oh s…’ that’s not bad,” he said.

Kelbrick is the defending EGF OOM champion after rattling off eight top five finishes and two-second place finishes in 2016-17. He’s finished no worse than fifth in all five starts this season including a third runner-up finish to teen Josh Hill at the Abu Dhabi Men’s Open in February.

Related: Josh Hill, just 13, fires Trump course record en-route to third successive EGF title

You’d think the near misses would be frustrating, but not for Kelbrick.

“It really is nice to win one and it probably should have mattered more in the past but I was really only focused on winning the order of merit last season. This year I really wanted to qualify for the Dubai Trophy [May 12-13 matches pitting the EGF’s best against UAE PGA teaching professionals]. I really enjoyed that last year and I should have secured it now, it should be a done deal.”

Kelbrick still has to play at least one more OOM event to qualify (amateurs need a minimum six starts to be eligible] so has this weekend’s Al Ain Men’s Open in his crosshairs. He’s already organised a practice round with local hero Tom Buchanan whom he’ll likely meet again at the Dubai Trophy.

Related: Buchanan returns to scene of dream European Tour debut, wins third UAE PGA title on the trot

Kelbrick, unsurprising given how lousy he felt, wasn’t striking it great at Tower Links and found himself two behind with five to play in the final round. But a 118-yard wedge shot flushed to three feet on the 14th sparked a run of three birdies in the final five holes, capped by a driver-seven iron-sand save birdie on the par-5 18th.

“I had a real dodgy patch in the middle of the round but you know how golf goes, you stripe one and it all comes back,” he said.

Kelbrick’s putting is also coming back thanks to some concentrated instruction from Arabian Ranches putting specialist and Aim Point Express qualified pro Malcolm Young.

“At Sharjah, I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole but struck it well and received a number of compliments,” said the duel Trump Dubai-Royal Liverpool member who carded rounds of 75-76-74 to finish T-42 at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club.

“With hard work and excellent dialogue, Malcolm has got me to a position where instead of being a complete weakness, my putting is at the point of becoming a strength. We are still building confidence.

“The swing feels good and whilst we are not quite there yet, [new Yas Links Director of Instruction] Mathew [Parker] and I are feeling good going into the events in summer time.”

Related: Parker happy to be back as DOI at Yas Links

The post On a high despite feeling lousy, Kelbrick somehow snares elusive EGF title at Tower Links appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.