By Kent Gray
Promising youngsters come and go in golf, victims of a game with absolutely no guarantees, not even for the most talented of prodigies. Two things we do know for certain are that Mousa Shana’ah has serious game for a 13-year-old and won’t fade away for lack of opportunity on his own back doorstep.

It helps when your father runs a golf events company with bold ambitions for the junior game in the Middle East. Mousa is already a serial winner on the Junior Masters Open Tour organised by Abedallah Shana’ah and his father’s business partner, Ali Kalbat, the Managing Director and General Manager of Golf Events Management (GEM) respectively.

In December, Mousa will have a chance at yet more glory with GEM announcing a deal with the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) to host an annual ‘UAE World Amateur Junior Golf Championship’ at Al Hamra Golf Club. The event will be open to amateur boys and girls up to the age of 19 and will carry World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Global Junior Golf Ranking (GJGR) points.

Mousa is set to be one of the star acts if his recent performances are any indication. They include junior course records at JA The Resort Golf Course (68) and, encouragingly, Al Hamra (71) earlier this year.

The Jordanian is coached by former European and Asian Tour player, Yasin Ali, at the Leadbetter Academy at JA the Resort. Like Abedallah Shana’ah, Ali is working hard to ensure young Mousa keeps on developing. From almost first glance, Ali knew he was witnessing something special, a player with an attitude and work ethic that belie his years.

“I watched him hit some shots and what struck me was how he approached his practice. There was a real purpose behind each shot and that stayed with me,” said the Kenyan-born Briton. “As I’ve gotten to spend more time with him I’ve noticed that he’s a little different to most kids I’ve met at his age.  You notice how mature and grounded he is. The thing I love is when I set him a practice drill or give him a challenge it’s like a mission for him, he doesn’t stop till he gets it done, he doesn’t quit. That’s a great quality.”

Ali describes Mousa’s swing as “beautiful” in its simplicity. “It’s repeatable which is great.” But that’s only half the picture. “In terms of his mental game, he has a very positive outlook and a fantastic temperament which is essential for good golf.

Young contenders: 1) Mirwais Arghandiwal; 2) Fatiya Khalil; 3) Abdullah Kalbat; 4) Kate Bibby; 5) Hashem Shana’ah; 6) Lili Brecken; 7) Salwa Khalil

“For me his strengths are his temperament and his driving. When he’s out on the course, you’d be hard-pressed to figure how he’s doing as he keeps his emotions in check, he’s calm and collected. He drives the ball well and is pretty straight which naturally keeps him in play and with a chance to score.

“What do we need to improve? We need to gain some speed to hit it further, which will also increase as he develops and grows physically, and short game. For me, your short game can never be good enough. You can always hole more putts and chips.”

Ali says a 50-50 practice and competition balance is about right for juniors. He says juniors in the UAE are especially lucky to train on pristine practice surfaces and play and world-class courses.

So where does Mousa go from here?

“The short term goal would be to improve his game from a 150 yards and in. Medium goal, I would love for him to experience college golf in the United States as I did. Getting an education while playing golf is a win-win for me. Long term, it would for him to be happy and love the process of learning irrespective of the results. If he can maintain the same passion for learning and improving he’ll be more than successful where ever he plays.”

In this COVID-complicated world, the immediate playing opportunities will be at home. Luckily GEM is taking care of this as Kalbat points out.

“This competition will offer the best young golfers in the region a chance to compete against their counterparts from across the world, and we will be sure to market this event to the entire region, positioning it to become one of the biggest events in the world,” Kalbat said.

“We are so proud that we are the first national company to establish an event of this high standing within the region, in cooperation with our main partners, RAKTDA and Al Hamra Golf Club. The main goal of this event is to introduce youth to the professional golfing environment, help serious players to compete in high class ranked events with their counterparts from all the world, and lead juniors to the path of professional golf.”

The post Mousa Shana’ah sets sights on new ‘world championship’ set for Al Hamra appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
The Middle East’s burgeoning Junior Masters Open Tour has received a significant boost with the  U.S. Kids Golf Foundation adding Dubai to its international schedule.

The U.S. Kids Dubai Open, to be played in April, is set to attract players from across the region and offers the opportunity to earn ‘Priority Status’, which is necessary to qualify for the  U.S. Kids World Championship. Held each July at Pinehurst, more than 2000 players from around the world compete at the world event.

The Dubai Open will be played over two days and will be open to boys and girls aged six to 18 years old, all playing from different yardages appropriate to their age group divisions.

U.S Kids Golf hosts more than 1600 tournaments in 60 countries annually, enabling juniors to learn to compete at local level with the lure of qualifying for international events.

Dubai joins the American company’s calendar of international events in Scotland, Australia, Canada, England, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, India and South Africa.

“We are so proud about this cooperation with the biggest golf body for kids in the world,” said Abedallah Shana’ah, Managing Director of Golf Events Management, owners of the Junior Masters Open Tour.

“To bring them to our region will take junior golf to a new era, we are also very happy to bring to Dubai the biggest and the best golf experiences ….the Dubai Open will be one of the major tournaments for juniors and will qualify the juniors for other big U.S. Kids tournaments all over the world”.

U.S. Kids spokeswoman Lola Geerts, responsible for tournament development in Europe, Africa and United Arab Emirates, is equally enthusiastic.

“The Dubai Open will be the first U.S. Kids Golf International Tournament in the United Arab Emirates and the region and will attract many players from all over the World. It will be a yearly appointment and will be the pinnacle event of U.S. Kids Golf in this part of the world.”

U.S. Kids Golf was formed in 1996 as a solution to the problem its founder, Dan Van Horn, experienced when trying to get his children, then 5 and 8, into golf. The former golf professional and engineer began developing Ultralight kids clubs, which were designed to be 25 per cent lighter than adult and most junior clubs. In 2000, U.S. Kids added two new initiatives to help juniors on the journey to a lifetime in golf: Tournaments and Play & Learn.

“The vision of families spending time together outdoors and playing golf is  U.S. Kids Golf’s true passion, and many people throughout the golf industry have joined in the effort of giving kids and families the lifelong game of golf,” U.S. Kids said in a statement.

“This competition will offer the best young golfers in the region a chance to compete against their counterparts from across the world, and we will market this event in the entire region and the world to become one of the biggest anywhere,” Ali Kalbat, of Golf Events Management, continued.

Dean Cheesley, CEO of eGolf Megastore, the Middle East distributor for U.S. Kids Golf, has welcomed the development.

“After so many years it’s a sheer delight to finally have the U.S. Kids Golf Junior Tour arrive to the Middle East. U.S. Kids Golf tournaments have been the starting ground for so many of today’s top players on the LPGA and PGA Tours and the arrival of the world junior qualifiers to the region can only assist junior golf development in the Middle East.

“The events are well structured, professionally run and most importantly for the juniors, a lot of fun”.

The post Dubai juniors event added to U.S. Kids Golf Foundation international schedule appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Reigning boys’ green jacket holder Mousa Shana’ah kicked on from where he left off at the season opener at Yas Links – and last season – with a stunning 68 at the Jebel Ali 9-holer. The two-under-par round is a junior course record and helped the 12-year-old (12!) Jordanian up-and-comer to an eight-stroke victory over British 15-year-old Thomas Taylor-Cross. Third in the boys’ event was another Brit, Josh Bibby, whose seven-over 77 was a shot shy of Taylor-Cross.

UAE national team player capped a memorable day for the boys when he scored his first hole-in-one on Jebel Ali’s tricky par-3 8th.

Abdulla Kalbat is rewarded for his hole-in-one on Jebel Ali’s tricky 8th hole.

Kate Bibby backed up her season-opening victory in Yas Links with a two-over-par 72 to again win the girls’ title, this time by four strokes over Indian player Eshna Bhargava. Third place went to the British player Lili Brecken with an 84.

RELATED: Bibby off to brilliant start on Junior Masters Open Tour

Shana’ah easily won the boys’ net prize from Diego Ojeda and third-placed Savansh Chopra. The girls net division went to last season’s green jacket recipient Siti Latifahin ahead of Belgium’s Sien Demelker and Bibby.

The main champions at JA The Resort Golf Course including girls champion Kate Bibby (left) and Mousa Shana’ah (second from right).

The four on-course prizes went to:

– Hole in one: Abdulla Kalbat (UAE)
– Nearest the pin: Jay Pangarkar (India)
– Longest drive for boys: Josh Bibby (UK)
– Longest drive for girls: Kate Bibby (UK)

The Junior Masters Open Tour offers players aged for eight to 19 years old the lure of Global Junior Golf Rankings (GJGR) and Junior Golf Score Board ranking points. It has expanded in its second season with new events in Egypt and Oman.

“It was a great tournament at JA The Resort Golf Course as we see everything you could wish to see in a golf tournament,” said Abedallah Shana’ah , Managing Director of Golf Events Management, owners of the Junior Masters Open Tour.

“The results are amazing and the competition is high between all the players. I am so happy to see a hole in one this season. Our juniors are playing very good golf and I am sure that they will reach to the best position in the ranking globally in a short period. 

RELATED: The Junior Masters Open Tour’s green jacket goals

“We are so proud of all the players and we are happy to see that in each tournament we have more players from different countries which show that the tour give the players what they required, and we will keep encouraging them to reach to the best places over their peers from around the world.

“We are also so proud that we are the first we establish a  tour with the global ranking in the Middle East and also the first we establish the same in Africa, and we add some tournament in Oman as the first round will begin in January, and we will keep developing the tour to be one of the best and biggest junior tours not in the region only but in the world.”

Abu Dhabi Golf Club will host the third round of the 2019-2020 season on November 30.

Winners were grinners at JA The Resort Golf Course.

The post Mousa Shana’ah, just 12, fires 68 to star in latest Junior Masters Open Tour event appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Kate Bibby was the star as the second season of the Junior Masters Open Tour opened at Yas Links.

Battling gusty winds, the Dubai-based Brit carded sensational rounds of 68 and 73 to win the opening event at Yas Links with a three-under total. Bibby was six strokes clear of Filipino player Jamie Camero (77, 76) while third place in the girls gross division went to Japan’s Sakura Kawakani on +12 after rounds of 80-76.

RELATED: The Junior Masters Open Tour’s green jacket goals 

Spaniard Hugo Garcia won the boys gross with rounds of 75-71. The 15-year-old’s two-over total was three better than Brit Thomas Taylor-Cross with a score of +5 (73,76) while Jordanian Mousa Shana’ah (78,74) and 15-year-old Viggo Sorensen (78, 74) shared third on +8.

Mousa Shana’ah

It was an impressive start to the defence of his overall green jacket title for 12-year-old Shana’ah who was also second in the boys’ net division behind UAE national team player Abdulla Kalbat. Italian Emanuele Galeppini was and Diego Ojeda from Oman fourth place.

The girls net division went to Belgian Sien Demelker followed by Bibby and Jamie Camero in joint second place. Third went Italian player Carlotta Scialanga while Siti Latifah, last season’s girls green jacket holder, was 4th.

The Junior Masters Open Tour is run by Golf Events Management and sanctioned by the two global rankings: the Global Junior Golf Rankings (GJGR) and Junior Golf Score Board.

“It was a great two days of golf at Yas Links golf club as the results are amazing and the competition is high between all the players,” said Golf Events Management Managing Director Abedallah Shanaah

“The weather conditions gave more challenge to the players and put them in a real situation to test their game. I am so happy to see that the juniors at the region has this potential, and I am sure that they will reach to the best position in the ranking globally in short period, and I congratulate all the winners and all the participants for their amazing sport skills”.

Golf Events Management General Manager Ali Kalbat continued: “We are so proud of all the players and we will keep encouraging them to reach to the best places over their peers in the world. We are also so proud that we are the first we establish the golf tours with the global ranking at the Middle East and also the first we establish the same in Africa, and we will keep developing the tour to be one of the best and biggest junior tours not in the region only but in the world.”.

The second event of the season is scheduled for Nov. 9 at JA The Resort Golf Course in Jebel Ali.

The post Bibby off to brilliant start on Junior Masters Open Tour appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Juniors with ambitions of playing collegiate golf and the game’s biggest amateur events are being urged to sign up for the second season of the Junior Masters Open Tour (JMOT).

With Global Junior Golf Rankings (GJGR) points on offer across nine tournaments from October to April in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, the 2019-2020 season is shaping up to be an exciting introduction to the golf’s elite level.

More than 80 players competed last season in age-groups spanning eight to 19-year-olds, including 16 girls and overseas players. Open to juniors of all skill levels, three more events have been added this season with five of the nine tournaments 36-hole affairs.

The circuit also gives players a chance to be ranked on the Junior Golf Score Board. Together with GJGR points, it’s the best way for young amateurs to qualify for leading amateur events around the world and court potential college scouts.

Divisional champions at a JMOT event last year.

Playing for gross and net prizes in different age-group divisions, the overall Order of Merit champions are presented with Masters-like green jackets at seasons end. The JMOT also helps the more serious players navigate the “sometimes complicated and confusing procedures required to compete in professional and high-class junior tournaments.”

“The main goal of this tour is to introduce youth to the professional golf sport, encourage friendships and a life-long love for the game and provide competition for golfers of all skill levels,” said Abedallah Shana’ah, managing director of Golf Events Management, the JMOT’s organising body.

“It’s also designed to…lead juniors to the path to be a professional golfer.”

Shana’ah said further expansion was also planned.

“We began last year with one tour in the UAE which includes six tournaments only. This year we have two major tours on in UAE which have nine tournaments and the other in Egypt which has seven tournaments. This will make it easy for the juniors in the Middle East to claim more points in the ranking and get their spot to the top.”

Mousa Shana’ah and Siti Latifah won the green jackets as overall Junior Masters Open Tour Order of Merit winners last season.

Ali Kalbat, general manager of Golf Events Management, added: “We are so proud that we are the first we establish the golf tours with the global ranking in the Middle East and also the first to establish the same in Africa. We will keep developing the tour to be one of the best and biggest junior tours, not in the region only but in the world.”

Junior Masters Open Tour (2019-2020 Schedule)

2019
1. Oct 18-19: Yas Links Golf Club (36 holes)
2. Nov 9: JA The Resort Golf Course (18)
3. Nov 30: Abu Dhabi Golf Club (27)

2020
4. Jan 11: Yas Links Golf Club (18)
5. Feb 1: The Track, Meydan Golf (18)
6. Feb 21-22: Tower Links Golf Club (36)
7. March 6-7: Al Hamra Golf Club (36)
8. March 27-28: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (36)
9. April 24-25: Jumeirah Golf Estates – Fire (36)

Visit Junior Masters Open Tour on Facebook and Instagram via @golfeventmanagement
golfeventmanagement1@gmail.com

The post JUNIOR GOLF: Green Jacket Goals appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.