Major of the Middle East Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Late bloomer Laurie Canter is at it again at Emirates G.C.

Golf Digest Middle East — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 19:45:09 +0000

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By Joy Chakravarty
Ever since the European Tour made its comeback following the COVID-19 shutdown, players have reacted differently to the loneliness of the strict bio-bubble and the emptiness on the golf courses.

Stars such as Rory McIlroy and Paul Casey blamed the silence and the lack of energy from the lack of crowds for their struggles towards the latter half of the 2020 season. But one person who completely embraced the ‘new normal’ and thrived is England’s Laurie Canter.

The 31-year-old from Bath was ranked 579th in the world when action resumed on with the UK Swing in the last week of July. In the six months since then, Canter has climbed to 131st in the world. In that period, he finished runner-up twice – in Portugal and Italy – and was in contention at the DP World Tour Championship before finishing tied fifth.

RELATED: Paul Casey and Robert MacIntyre primed for Dallah doozy

Canter once again hauled himself into the limelight at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic, where a four-under par 68 in Saturday’s third round took him to tied fourth place at 10-under par total.

So, what did Canter do differently during the shutdown that has helped him hit such a rich vein of form?

“I get asked that question a lot, but honestly, I don’t have a very good answer,” said Canter, who is making his debut in the ‘Major of the Middle East’ this week.

“It’s not like I practised any differently, or changed something. I do a few things differently now, like spending less time on the range and playing the golf course more.

“Every player will have a different formula that they’d like to go back to but for me, it is investing a bit more time in learning the golf course and developing shots rather than improving my technique, which I was spending a lot of time on without much success.”

It was a masterclass from Canter for the first 11 holes as he seemed to have birdie chances in each one of them but only managed convert on five occasions. He then made three bogeys coming in.

“It’s just that I don’t feel very comfortable on the back nine of this golf course. I struggle with my tee shots on the 12th, 13th and 14th holes (all severe dogleg left). I am more of a fade player.

“I also struggled with the pace of the greens. But it was good to sign off with a birdie,” said Canter, who three-putted the 15th for a bogey after making a birdie on the 14th that would have gone 15-20 feet past the hole if it had not caught just enough of the cup to drop.

The Englishman said there was no frustration with all his near-misses and hopes his time will come soon.

“I am not frustrated now. I guess you can only find out at the end of your career what that moment meant at that time. It really has all been very good learning and all this will hopefully, somewhere down the line, stand me in good
stead.”

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Sergio Garcia’s Desert Classic opening was a Majlis masterclass

Kent Gray — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 19:04:10 +0000

By Kent Gray
Consider, for a moment, that Sergio Garcia made his first cut on the European Tour aged just 15. Now ponder the fact that momentous occasion, way back at the 1995 Turespaña Open Mediterranea, was two years before reigning U.S. PGA champion Collin Morikawa was born.

Don’t worry, we feel old too. We also felt a little for Morikawa (and a lot for Tyrrell Hatton) after Garcia, now 41, handed the Californian, just 23, a lesson in longevity on Thursday to put himself in the conversation for a second Dallah trophy triumph in four years.

The dual 2017 OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic and Masters champion produced a ball-striking masterclass on the Majlis, signing for a six-under 66 and his 11th round of 67 or better in the ‘Major of the Middle East’.

Garcia outgunned debutant Morikawa (71) by five strokes and the third member of the event’s marquee threeball, Hatton (76), by 10.

You’ve been out here for more than 550 events. With all the success you’ve enjoyed – including 16 European Tour wins – what fuels the desire to keep on keeping on?

“I really enjoyed playing with Collin today, but you know, obviously my focus, it’s a little bit different than it [once] was with family and getting married and having kids and stuff,” Garcia said.

“But that doesn’t mean that I’m not a competitor. I still love to compete. I love to practice, try to get better and that’s what I try to do all the time. So it’s nice to see rounds like the one today, because it shows that I’m putting some good work in there and just got to keep doing more of that.”

When Garcia won the Sanderson Farms Championship for his 11th PGA Tour title last October, he declared the old Sergio back. He credits comfort with his equipment for that and showed why in the first round. There was an exquisite pitch to set up birdie on the 2nd (his 11th) and a delicate repeat over a bunker to a short-sided pin in the par-5 next for another gain. But the undisputed highlight was a 8-iron he very nearly holed for eagle on the Majlis’ tricky 6th.

Solid start today at -6. Looking to keep the run going here tomorrow @OMEGAGolfDubai for round 2. ?? pic.twitter.com/isum5n6wrl

— Sergio Garcia (@TheSergioGarcia) January 28, 2021

“I’m a lot happier with the equipment that I have now because I feel like I can shape shots and I can do a little bit more what I used to do,” said Garcia whose driver cooperated fully on Thursday too. “That obviously has been a process, it comes down to confidence and I’m very happy to see where I’m heading.

“So I think that it’s a big year, and hopefully I can be in good shape because I want to be a part of a lot of things this year.”

On the evidence of Thursday, Garcia certainly looks set to give his 2021 goals a decent nudge.

“Yeah, I felt comfortable out there for sure,” he said after the bogey-free start. “I felt like I hit a lot of good shots. Conditions obviously were good, but they were tricky. The greens are a little patchy when it comes down to firmness. Some spots are really firm and some spots you can definitely spin it. So it’s just a matter of getting the right hops there.

“But other than that, I felt like it was a good, solid day.”

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McIlroy, Stenson and Willett headline Desert Classic field

Kent Gray — Mon, 26 Dec 2016 05:58:54 +0000

It’s billed as the “Major of the Middle East” and has begun unveiling a 2017 cast with those very real credentials.

Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett, all past winners, are the first major names confirmed for 28^th Omega Dubai Desert Classic from February 2-5.

While there is still no official word on whether Tiger Woods might make his 2017 bow in Dubai, the confirmed trio bring a combined six major championships, 29 European Tour titles and immeasurable pulling power to Emirates Golf Club.

Willett is back to defend the famed Coffee Pot after his win last February ignited a roller-coaster year. The 29-year-old Yorkshireman went on to become a father for the first time, win his first major title at The Masters and represent England at the Rio Olympics before enduring a forgettable Ryder Cup bow at Hazeltine.

World No.2 McIlroy, who will reportedly marry Eric Stoll later in April after The Masters and his latest tilt at the career grand slam, is a combined 96-under-par for his last seven appearances on the Majlis. That run has included wins in 2009 and 2015 for the 29-year-old Northern Irishman as well as 6^th in 2010, 10^th in 2011, 5^th in 2012, 9^th in 2014, and 6^th place in 2016.

“To think the tournament is now in its 28^th year, just older than I am, is testimony to its enduring strength,” said McIlroy who will be making his 11th appearance in Dubai, the most he has played at any single event worldwide.

“I have great memories of this course and tournament. I made the cut here for the first time in a European Tour event as a 17-year-old amateur in 2007 and it was here I secured my first professional win two years later. My great relationship with Dubai was pretty much set in stone from then.”

Stenson, the freshly minted European Tour Player of the Year, Olympic silver medallist, and 2007 champion in Dubai, dedicated his epic Open Championship win at Royal Troon last July to his great, late EGC mate Mike Gerbich and is looking forward to returning to his old home club.

“Playing well in front of family, friends and supporters always gives you that extra bit of satisfaction,” the 40-year-old Swede said.

“It would be great fun to win in Dubai again, but they (the organisers) have once again assembled a strong field and nothing can be taken for granted. We will have to see how things unfold.

Defending champion Willet will be out to emulate Scot Stephen Gallacher, the only back-to-back winner of the Desert Classic.

Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of ‘golf in DUBAi,’ said: “The Omega Dubai Desert Classic has been one of the key drivers in fuelling the growth of golf in the emirate and the confirmation of the some of world’s leading golfers only goes to show we are headed for an exciting week.

“Both Rory and Henrik are familiar faces to Dubai fans, having competed in this event a number of times. They are exceptionally talented and a source of inspiration for young sportsmen even from beyond their own sport,” said Buamaim.

“Also, it will be interesting to see if the winner of the 2017 Omega Dubai Desert Classic can follow in the footsteps of Danny and goes on to win the Masters.

“Over the years, the ‘Magic of the Majlis’ at Emirates Golf Club has treated fans with some great theatre and, like all of you, I also look forward to seeing who emerges from the evening shadows to add a slice of Dubai history on Sunday, February 5.”

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