Willett, a 39-year-old PGA Professional, hailing from Buckinghamshire in England, demonstrated unparalleled speed and precision, showcasing his smart shot making skills with just the use of a 3 wood, 6 iron and pitching wedge, in an astounding display of athleticism. The official time of his record-breaking achievement was 20 minutes and 12 seconds and is another accolade the speed golfer can add to his list, which includes being the current British no.1.

We teamed up with the world’s fastest golfer, to attempt a new @GWR for the fastest 9-hole round of golf by an individual ahead of the @DPWTC.

The official time of his record-breaking round was 20 mins and 12 secs!
#SmartLogisticsToATee #DPWorldTour #DPWTC pic.twitter.com/3P1phViDV4

— DP World (@DP_World) November 15, 2023

The challenge was initiated by DP World, a global leader in smart logistics and title partner of the DP World Tour and DP World Tour Championship. Known for their expertise in efficiently getting things from A to B, DP World extended an invitation to Luke Willett to tackle this unique challenge – navigating 9 holes, measuring 2709 yards, on the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in the quickest time possible. The Fire Course lived up to its name with the challenge made even harder in the sweltering 34-degree Dubai heat which still saw Luke shoot just +9 over par.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have set this Guinness World Record for the fastest 9-hole round of golf” said an exhausted Luke following the challenge “It’s an incredible feeling to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the sport, and I’m grateful for the opportunity provided by DP World. Their expertise in smart logistics is truly commendable, and I’m honoured to be a part of this record-breaking journey with them. This is only the start.”

DP World’s involvement in this challenge reflects their commitment to excellence and efficiency, mirroring the qualities that have become synonymous with the company’s logistical prowess. By inviting Luke Willett to break the record, DP World has not only showcased their support for sportsmanship and achievement but has also underlined their dedication to achieving goals in the most efficient way possible.

Danny van Otterdijk, DP World’s Group Chief Communications Officer, congratulated Luke on his phenomenal achievement, “Luke’s remarkable speed and skill are truly commendable, and we are delighted to have been a part of this historic moment. At DP World, we thrive on efficiency and excellence, and Luke’s record-breaking performance perfectly aligns with our values. We congratulate him on this extraordinary feat, especially considering the course and the temperature, and look forward to witnessing more milestones in his impressive speed golf career.”

Willett’s achievement not only establishes him as a trailblazer in the world of golf but also adds another remarkable chapter to the legacy of Guinness World Records.

The DP World Tour Championship takes place at Jumeirah Golf Estates from 16-19 November and represents the climax of the Race to Dubai on the DP World Tour, where the likes of Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm will tee it up in front of thousands of fans.

Images: DP World

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By Kent Gray
On the subject of book-ending his season with Dubai wins, Paul Casey was hedging his bets. On the future of the European Tour, even though it won’t be known as such, the Englishman was unequivocal.

The 44-year-old world No.26 enjoys star billing at the penultimate event of this challenging Race to Dubai season alongside Tommy Fleetwood, 600-man Stephen Gallacher and defending champion Antoine Rozner.

After three weeks off, Casey feels “refreshed” for the $1.5 million AVIV Championship and would love to add a 16th European Tour victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates to his15th at the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club in January.

RELATED: Stephen Gallacher happy to celebrate European Tour milestone in Dubai, the place that ‘put me on the map’

That said, as much as the Fire course has (finally) caught his eye in practice, Casey isn’t entirely sure it is a layout that suits his renowned ability to scrap when the going gets tough.

“I think if you look at stats I’m probably a guy who likes a seven, eight, nine under winning score, something that’s quite tough, where a really good round is something where you just break par. Those big, big birdie fests maybe not as much,” Casey said.

All of which is problematic when you consider Rozner won the inaugural Golf in Dubai Championship on Fire with a 25-under total last December. Still, Casey is hoping this week’s relatively unfamiliar surroundings will help spark a strong finish to 2021.

RELATED: European Tour to become DP World Tour from 2022 with record total prize fund in excess of $140m

“I like the Fire Course. For all the years I’ve been here I’ve walked right next to it and never paid any attention – it’s a very good golf course. Visually for me it’s very appealing, I played it well today in the pro-am, I’m looking forward to getting stuck in,” said Casey who is off at 7.40am in the first round alongside Fleetwood and Aussie Min Woo Lee.

“…Any time I turn up I’m turning up to try and give it my best and try and win the tournament. I’ve had one victory in Dubai earlier this year and I’d love to add another one to that.”

Casey also added his voice to a chorus of approval after the European Tour announced Tuesday that it will be rebadged to the DP World Tour from 2022 with 47 events in 27 countries, all with minimum prize funds of $2 million.

“It is exciting stuff,” Casey said.

“I was disappointed it wasn’t called a world tour about 20 years ago. I always thought we should be the world tour, we play pretty much everywhere.

“It’s about time so I congratulate DP World and the European Tour on this announcement. It benefits the players but it benefits everybody that is out here on Tour. It’s not just the players making money that trickles down into caddies and support staff and media and everybody – the whole family benefits from this so fantastic news.

“This is massive and I think it shows the strength, considering that technically we’re still in a pandemic as well, that shows the strength of the Tour, the strength of golf globally.

“There’s a positive trajectory in the environment that we’re currently in. Imagine if travel becomes easier and sporting events without restrictions become the norm again, the trajectory could be even steeper than we’ve currently got.”

But that is for next year and beyond. Right now, the focus is on the final fortnight of a long year. After the AVIV Championship, there is the $9 million DP World Tour Championship on neighbouring Earth at JGE before then a much-needed break.

Casey admits “the form coming in is probably not great” for his return to Dubai.

“You’ve only got so much fuel in the tank and maybe it’s just been slowly leaking out. I’ve given it so much this year and there’s been some great moments but there are the big things that take the energy out – Ryder Cup, Olympics and things like that and all the majors.

“Sometimes you just need to sort of hit the reset button, I think the three weeks off puts me into a good position going into these last two. I feel energised, I feel ready to go. I’ve just had three weeks off and this will be my final two events of this season so I’m really excited.”

The post Casey excited by strangely unfamiliar Fire and the Race to Dubai’s suddenly brighter future appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Hisham Shammas and Paul Abouchacra won last season’s Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge and clearly have every intention of defending their title in the 20th anniversary edition of the iconic Middle East amateur series.

The dynamic duo won the first of the XCGC’s four 2018 qualifying events at Jumeirah Golf Estates, combining for a betterball net score of 62 around JGE’s Fire course on Thursday.

Shammas and Abouchacra’s 10-under total edged Jai Dawda and Vivek Sharma by a stroke while Alan and Souyama Salem were third in the Lincoln Al Tayer-sponsored competition after carding a seven-under 65.

Neil Phillips and Paul Donovan recorded a five-over 77 to win the gross title and also qualify for December’s 20th XCGC Grand Final back at JGE.

The top 4 net place-getters and the gross-winners go through to the one-day Grand Final where the following prizes are up for grabs:

Champions: A memorable ‘International Experience’ at one of Europe’s leading golf clubs.
Runners-Up: Pro-Am spot as well as corporate hospitality at the 2019 HSBC Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
Third: Corporate hospitality at the 2019 HSBC Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

Meanwhile, the traditional Lincoln Al Tayer-sponsored nearest the pin competition at last week’s Fire qualifier came with a twist with the those who hit within the ‘Lincoln Circle’ entered into a draw to win a Lincoln of their choice for a weekend. The lucky winners were Ornella Parigi, Wayne Munro and  Shammas.

Xclusive Yacht’s nearest the pin on the 14th was won by Martin Lambert.

The second qualifier in the XCGC’s ‘Celebrating 20 Years Premium Series’, is scheduled for October 18 at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai. Register online at xeroxcgc.com

The post Shammas and Abouchacra pick up where they left off as 20th XCGC begins on Fire appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.