MG Keyser Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

DP World Tour: De Jager leads Czech Masters as Dubai-based MG Keyser shoots 68

Matt Smith — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 06:15:30 +0000

By Matt Smith
South African Louis de Jager made the perfect start as he kooks for a first-ever DP World Tour win at the Czech Masters.

The 35-year-old carded a course record-equalling eight-under 64 — which was good enough for a one-stroke lead after Day 1.

De Jager is a five-time winner on his home Sunshine Tourbut has yet to taste success on the European circuit since coming through Q-School in 2018.

On Thursday, he started his day with a birdie on the first and then made five birdies in six holes from the sixth to the 11th. Another birdie on 15 allowed him to join Thomas Pieters at the top of the leaderboard and he then posted his eighth gain of the day to take the outright lead on eight-under.

Pieters made a strong start to his bid for a hat-trick of victories at Albatross Golf Resort in Prague. The Belgian won his first of six DP World Tour titles at this venue in 2015 and was victorious again in the Czech capital in 2019.

The 30-year-old carded birdies on each of his opening three holes and was five under par at the turn. His back nine was bookended by bogeys as he made four consecutive birdies from the par five 12th, eventually signing for a seven under 65.

In a share of third are American Jordan Gumberg, last year’s runner-up Tapio Pulkkanen, Marcel Schneider of Germany and the defending champion Johannes Veerman, while Dubai’s MG Keyser is well in touch thanks to a solid 68, including and eagle-birdie run on holes 1 and 2, which put him in a share of 15th spot.

“I’m very pleased,” De Jager said. “It was quite tricky out there today, the wind was from all different directions but me and my caddie made some good calls out there.

“I’ve been hitting the ball well, but I’ve gone back to old things, old tendencies that I keep falling back to. I worked a bit on those at the start of the week and I hit the ball really well today.

Pieters added: “I made some putts that me and my playing partners thought were going to miss today, the greens were getting very bumpy near the end. I think I got a bit of luck, put some good strokes on it. It was tough putting.”

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Dubai-domiciled MENA Tour champ MG Keyser a Fire starter after late COVID withdrawals

Kent Gray — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 00:27:17 +0000

Getty Images.
MG Keyser will make his fourth European Tour start at JGE.

By Kent Gray
Reigning MENA Tour No.1 MG Keyser has earned an 11th-hour start in the European Tour’s new Golf in Dubai Championship after positive COVID-19 tests forced the scratching of three players overnight.

In a statement released in the early hours of Wednesday, the European Tour said it had withdrawn Frenchman Romain Langasque, England’s Tom Lewis and Czech Ondrej Lieser from the $1.2 million event which begins on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates today.

“Langasque, Lewis and Lieser have not exhibited any symptoms and were tested upon arrival to the tournament bubble in Dubai as part of the pre-tournament screening process,” the European Tour said.

“They will now remain in self-isolation managed in accordance with the Dubai Health Authority and will be supported throughout that period by the European Tour’s medical and event staff.”

Jumeirah Golf Estates-attached, Dubai-based South African Keyser – MG is short for Mathiam Gerhard – and Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung were named as replacements.

The Golf in Dubai Championship will Keyser’s fourth European Tour start and third in 2020. He earned a European Tour best €6,031 payday for a share of 66th place at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic in January despite a blowout final round of 82 on the Majlis. The start at Emirates Golf Club his reward for winning the MENA Tour’s 2019 Order of Merit title.

He later missed the cut at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters but owns a two-for three cuts made record after finishing T-51 at the 2019 D+D Real Czech Masters.

Keyser sprung to prominence on the MENA Tour with back-to-back wins at the Dubai Creek Open and Golf Citizen Classic in 2017. His third and most recent win on the COVID-stalled Pro-Am circuit was at the Troon Series-Dubai Open at Dubai Hills in 2019.

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Rookie English pro Curtis Knipes fires 66 for first round lead in Egypt

Kent Gray — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:18:35 +0000

Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour by Arena
Curtis Knipes in action during the opening round of the NEWGIZA Open near Cairo on Tuesday.

By Kent Gray
Curtis Knipes’ professional career might be in its infancy but the English teen is clearly in a hurry to get his maiden win in the paid ranks.

The 19-year-old set his stall out early, stating before the start of the 9th MENA Tour by Arena season that winning the season-long Journey to Jordan was his “main goal” as well as to “be consistent throughout the season and make some money.”

Fast-forward a week and Knipes has made good on that promise thus far. After a T-8 finish at the Journey to Jordan #1 championship in Aqaba, his professional debut, he made a blistering start to the new $75,000 NEWGIZA Open in Cairo on Tuesday, a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 earning a two-shot lead over seven players.

Indeed, taking advantage of the relatively benign morning conditions at NEWGIZA Golf Club, Knipes bolted out of the blocks with five birdies in his opening seven holes. He had to wait until the par-5 17th, where he holed a slightly fortuitous downhill, left-to-right breaker from 18-feet, to pick up another shot but it was good enough to earn the handy buffer over Scotsman Scott Henry, Englishmen Joshua McMahon, Tom Sloman, Joe Heraty and Robbie Busher, Frenchman Sébastien Gros and Swede Niclas Weiland.

“Yeah, very happy to get a bogey-free round in obviously,” said Knipes who later relayed frustration in being unable to convert good chances on the 9th, 12th and 14th, the latter when he wedged it tight and saw a short putt burn the lip of the cup.

“The nine pars after the hot start was a little bit frustrating because when you feel like you are on a roll you want to keep the momentum going.”

It’s not that Knipes is grumbling. He’s played his last three rounds in a combined 10-under-par and could have seriously challenged in Aqaba save for an opening 76. Indeed, if he’d been able to wipe four shots off that opening round to the season and sign for an even-par round, he’d have finished solo second at Ayla Golf Club.

But it’s a new week and a new venue for the MENA Tour with Egypt the 12th country to host an event on the regional development circuit as the 9th season heats up.

“The golf course, yeah, it’s a great track, I really like it. I think the layout’s really good and the set-up, it’s in really good condition, the greens are rolling nice,” said Knipes who qualified for last year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush as an amateur.

“Conditions today, obviously this morning it was a lot calmer, there wasn’t too much wind which was nice, obviously give me the opportunity to get off to a good start and take advantage of that. It picked up a little bit towards the back nine, especially the last few holes which were playing quite hard coming back into the wind. Conditions are pretty fair out there [now] but I think we are in for a windy one tomorrow.

Knipes has one of the latter starts in Wednesday’s second round, off the 10th at 11.45am. He’ll be determined to make the most of his great start though after earning amateur honours in three events last season, twice alongside Dubai teen Josh Hill who went on to pip Knipes for the amateur Journey to Jordan OOM title.

England’s Curtis Knipes, who made headlines by qualifying for @TheOpen at @royalportrush last year, shot a six-under par 66 in the first round and is leading the NEWGIZA Open in Cairo, Egypt, by two shots.

He spoke about his bogey-free round and the golf course…@NEWGIZAegypt pic.twitter.com/XnpRnuANRW

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 11, 2020

Englishman David Langley, fresh from winning the season-opening Journey to Jordan #1 Championship last week, signed for a two-under 70 that could have been better save for a double-bogey seven on the 14th. Defending professional Journey to Jordan champion MG Keyser also had a 70 in his opening round of the season.

Former European Tour winners Romain Wattel and Richard Finch carded scores of 72 and one-over 73 respectively while the UAE’s only professional, Ahmed Al Musharrekh, fought back well from being two-over after six holes to finish on one-under-par 71.

Shergo Al Kurdi mixed six bogeys with two birdies in a 74 that left the Jordanian T-68 in the 85-strong field and with huge ground to make up if he is to figure anywhere near as prominently as his T-2 finish in Aqaba last week where he become the first player from the GCC to earn Official World Golf Ranking and Olympic qualifying points. The English-domiciled teen at least has the consolation of a share of the amateur lead in Egypt alongside Saudi Arabia’s Ali Alsakha.

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Keyser eyes fast start at NEWGIZA as Egypt becomes 12th MENA Tour host country

Kent Gray — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 13:04:01 +0000

David Cannon/Getty Images
Mathiam Gerhard – as in MG – Keyser plays a shot during the second round of the 31st Omega Dubai Desert Classic on January 24, 2020.

By Kent Gray
Egypt will become the 12th country to host an official MENA Tour event in the regional circuit’s eight and a bit season history when the $75,000 NEWGIZA Open begins on Tuesday morning. It also serves as a refreshing start to MG Keyser’s defence of the circuit’s season-long Journey to Jordan title.

After sitting out the first event of the season in Aqaba last week, the 32-year-old South African is raring to go at NEWGIZA Golf Club, a 7,351-yard, par-72, Thomson Perrett & Lobb-design that opened to rave reviews last year.

Keyser was resting while Englishman David Langley and Jordanian amateur Shergo Al Kurdi stole the headlines at Ayla Golf Club but returns to action on the outskirts of Cairo after an encouraging T-66 finish at last month’s brutally tough OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic. The €6,031 payday was the Dubai-domiciled pro’s reward after earning the start at Emirates Golf Club courtesy of his MENA Tour Order-of-Merit win last season.

“I feel like I had a nice break and playing the Omega Dubai Desert Classic was a nice way to start the year. I am focused, prepared and ready to go,” said Keyser who is also guaranteed a start in the Made in Denmark in May and the Diamond Cup, a co-sanctioned event on the Asian and Japan Tours, as the reigning Journey to Jordan OOM champion.

“Having loads of opportunities in Europe and Asia is definitely a bonus for me this year, thanks to the MENA Tour and my management company. It is going to be fun and getting a good start on the MENA Tour in Egypt will obviously help build a lot with confidence going into the rest of the year.”

The challenge for Keyser and co. in Cairo might be keeping their mind on the golf with the Great Pyramids of Giza, the oldest of the seven ancient wonders of the world, serving as a stunning backdrop this week. The subtle intricacies of the course, which meanders through an old quarry, will be no cinch either with no rough but dramatic changes in elevation, lakes and gnarly desert waste areas to contend with.

“I played the course for the first time yesterday and really enjoyed the challenge,” said Keyser, a three-time MENA Tour winner. “It’s a fun course to play and in excellent condition. All 18 holes were really nice and very challenging in the wind, but the par 3s are especially good.”

They were playing a mutual appreciation game on the eve of the tournament with NEWGIZA Director of Golf Ali Mohamed hinting at an increased Egyptian presence on the developmental circuit soon.

“It really is a matter of great pride for us that we will be hosting our first MENA Tour event on our golf course,” said Mohamed. “We have received some very good reviews since our launch and we are confident that the professional players will find it challenging.

“We have had some very good talks with the MENA Tour and we’d like to help them extend their presence here in Egypt. We have another golf course in Sokhna by the Red Sea and we are looking at having another tournament there.”

Former European Tour winners Richard Finch (ENG) and Romain Wattel have bolstered the 86-strong field this week.

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With big names missing, Konig and co. keen to make a fast start to the new MENA Tour season

Kent Gray — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 16:51:09 +0000

Englishman Harry Konig has pedigree on Ayla Golf Club.

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.

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.

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

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MENA Tour champion MG Keyser to continue winging it

Kent Gray — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 06:52:49 +0000

Photo by Masam Ali

The new MENA Tour champion intends continuing to criss-cross the globe in pursuit of a solid foothold on one of golf’s major tours

By Kent Gray
Even Mathiam Keyser’s extremely well-travelled peers look at the South African’s hectic multi-tour, multi-continent schedule with awe. While others focus on one or possibly two circuits a season in a bid to make a living and slowly ascend golf’s international pecking order, the Dubai-domiciled 32-year-old hedged his bets last year by toiling away on the MENA, Asian and Challenge Tours. He even got a start on the European Tour, the ultimate destination, and intends adding the potentially lucrative Japan Tour to his travels in 2020.

It’s a good thing that Keyser, who answers to MG – as in Mathiam Gerhard – doesn’t mind business travel, the decidedly unglamorous side of professional golf.

Any idea how many air miles you accumulated last year, MG?

“I don’t think there is a number for that but I do know Emirates should probably give me a platinum card,” he says with a laugh.

What are we talking, 15, 20 flights? “I have no idea but it must be outrageous.” With a little more probing, Keyser settles for “well over 30” – 15 return flights from DXB to various Asian hubs, another five long haul journeys to Europe and too many shorter regional flights around both continents to remember.

Photo by Masam Ali

“It’s definitely not easy as it’s an expensive lifestyle getting from point A to B but still, I’d rather do that than sit in an office 9-5,” Keyser continues. “‘Wow’ is the reaction of most people [when he rattles off his schedule] but I enjoy playing 30 weeks a year. I’m very lucky I can do this for a living so I’m enjoying it.

“This game gives you so much, the chance to meet people and make friends all over the world so definitely worth the investment. And you’re always only one week away from making it and changing your life.”

Keyser is confident that one life-changing week is on the horizon. He’s just not entirely sure what part of that world that horizon is in.

After winning the MENA Tour’s Journey to Jordan last season, Keyser at least knows he’ll start 2020 at Emirates Golf Club in his maiden Omega Dubai Desert Classic. He’s also guaranteed a start in the Made in Denmark in May and the Diamond Cup, a co-sanctioned event on the Asian and Japan Tours. The Heidelberg native has also committed to Japan Q-School and all 11 MENA Tour events in 2020 but all roads ultimately lead to the European Tour, or at least Keyser hopes so.

After signing with Czech-based golf management company Relmost, Keyser was handed seven Challenge Tour starts and a maiden European Tour appearance at the D+D Real Czech Masters in Prague last August. Making the cut at Albatross Golf Resort before settling for a €3,700 share of 51st place with rounds of 71-70-71-71 (for a -5, 283 total, 14 shots adrift of eventual champion Thomas Pieters) has given Keyser hope for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and beyond.

“It was tricky getting used to playing in Europe having plied away in Asia for so long but I had a good time learning and adapting to the different conditions and grass in Europe last year,” said Keyser.

“I felt like I belonged when I played Czech Masters so I’m definitely looking forward to it [his second European Tour start at Emirates Golf Club from Jan. 23-26]. Dubai is home for me and I have loads of friends and family here to support me. I enjoy playing here and definitely feel like I can have a good week around Emirates. It’s a dream for me to play with the best players in the world at home.”

Keyser is attached to Jumeriah Golf Estates and dreams of teeing it up in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai decider there one day soon. It’s not such a far-fetched scenario when you consider the journey of new European Tour Rookie-of-the-Year Robert MacIntyre who won just his second professional start at the MENA Tour’s Sahara Kuwait Championship in 2017. Frenchman Robin Roussel, who tuned up for last season’s Challenge Tour by winning the Bahrain Open in last March, has the opportunity to follow in MacIntyre’s soft spike marks after graduating to the European Tour by finishing seventh overall in last season’s Road to Mallorca.

It’s inspiration stuff for Keyser and co.

“I’ll probably end up getting around five European Tour starts this year thanks to Relmost so win one of them and its job done. I also have an opportunity on the Challenge Tour to play well enough to keep my card there and get a full season to try and finish top 20 [in 2020] which would earn a European Tour card as well. So yeah, it’s going to be a busy 2020 but I’m very excited. The grind is definitely worth it.”

Photo by Masam Ali

While previous MENA Tour champions have gone on to bigger tours full time, Keyser is looking forward to defending his title in the new 11 (regular season) event schedule which has been condensed into three months, from the season-opening Journey to Jordan 1 in early Feb. to the $125,000 Arena [Tour] Championship from April 20-23. Moving the tour into the early part of 2020 is a perfect launch pad for the Challenge, Asian and Japan Tour’s which ramp up from April.

“Winning the Journey to Jordan means a lot to me, especially being based in the UAE for the past five years. I’ve been working hard to be consistent, playing loads of golf all over, Asian Tour, Challenge Tour and the Mena Tour. It’s nice to see the hard work is paying off.

“The Mena Tour has been amazing and the opportunities, not only for me but for everyone playing it, are potentially life-changing. It’s becoming a strong, competitive tour.”

Keyser will be joined at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic by 15-year-old amateur Journey to Jordan champion Josh Hill, 2019 Tour Championship winner Harry Konig (England) and the winner of a just-announced 2020 Arena Shootout, a 36-hole strokeplay event to be played at Al Hamra Golf Club on Jan. 13-14.

The Arena ShootOut is one of 14 tournaments announced for 2020 including a two-stage Q-School, again at Ayala Golf Club in Aqaba, the tour’s official destination partner. A total of $860,000 in prize money and the usual array of European, Asian and Challenge Tour starts will again be up for grabs. Keyser will be chasing those opportunities hard but don’t be surprised if his globe-trotting is exclusively European Tour focused before long.

[divider] [/divider]

MENA Tour by Arena 2020 Schedule

JANUARY

2020 Arena ShootOut
Jan 14-15
Al Hamra Golf Club, RAK
Purse: $10,000

Qualifying School A
Jan. 21-23
Ayla Golf Club, Aqaba
Purse: $6,000

Qualifying School A
Jan. 27-29
Ayla Golf Club, Aqaba, Jordan
Purse: $6,000

FEBRUARY

Journey to Jordan 1
Feb. 3-5
Ayla Golf Club, Aqaba, Jordan
Purse: $75,000

NEWGIZA Open
Feb. 11-13
NEWGIZA Golf Club, Cairo, Egypt
Purse: $75,000

The Ghala Open
Feb. 17-19
Ghala GC, Muscat, Oman
Purse: $75,000

Royal Golf Club Bahrain Open
Feb. 24-26
Royal GC, Bahrain
Purse: $75,000

MARCH

Journey to Jordan 2
March 2-4
Ayla Golf Club, Aqaba, Jordan
Purse: $75,000

The Abu Dhabi Triple Crown
March 16-18
Yas Links, Abu Dhabi GC, Saadiyat Beach GC, Abu Dhabi
Purse: $75,000

Troon International Pro-Am
March 22-25
Al Hamra GC, RAK Al Zorah GC, Ajman
Purse: $60,000

Ras Al Khaimah Open
March 30-April 1
Tower Links, RAK
Purse: $75,000

APRIL

Northern Emirates Open
April 6-8
Al Hamra GC, RAK & Al Zorah GC, Ajman
Purse: $75,000

The Al Ain Classic
April 13-15
Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, Abu Dhabi
Purse: $75,000

The Arena Championship
April 20-23
Ayla GC, Aqaba, Jordan
Purse: $125,000

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With a dream Desert Classic start locked in, teen Josh Hill lauds MENA Tour for helping him ‘grow as a player’

Kent Gray — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 00:34:03 +0000

Journey to Jordan Amateur and Professional champions, Josh Hill (left) and MG Keyser. (Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour by Arena)

By Kent Gray
Josh Hill couldn’t pull off the finish he had hoped for to cap his breakout rookie season on the MENA Tour but will ride his golfing fairytale into 2020 nonetheless.

The 15-year-old Dubai-based amateur had the chance to win his second title on the regional developmental circuit in three starts but faded from the lead through 36 holes to a share on 9th with a closing 76 at the Journey to Jordan Tour Championship on Thursday. There was a bittersweet finish in Aqaba with the top-1o seeing Hill overhaul fellow English teen Curtis Knipes to top the season-long amateur Journey to Jordan order of merit standings and secure a start in January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic in the process.

That prospect alone helped Hill get over the disappointment of his four-over final round at Ayla Golf Club.

“I have been to every [Dubai Desert Classic] tournament since I was a five- or a six-year-old and remember getting amazed by the number of people that walked with Tiger Woods’ group when I was there the first time…I am very excited and looking forward to playing at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic,” said Hill who become the youngest winner of an OWGR event when he captured the Al Ain Open in last October.

“It’s been an amazing season for me, one in which I have learned a lot on the MENA Tour playing with all the professionals. I think I have grown as a player.

“I wanted to finish top-10 in at least a couple of tournaments this season, but I have surpassed my expectations. The win at Al Ain was definitely the highlight of the season.”

Josh Hill may not have won the Journey To Jordan Tour Championship after being sole leader at the start of final day, but he did get the prize he was after – winning the MENA Tour by Arena Amateur Order of Merit and getting that dream start at the @OMEGAGolfDubai Desert Classic. pic.twitter.com/dxANidtSPt

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) November 28, 2019

Top 10 amateur Journey to Jordan standings.

MG Keyser, meanwhile, didn’t have the best finish at Aqaba like Hill. A closing 79 saw the South African finish T-36 in the season decider but it was still sufficient to claim the professional Journey to Jordan title even though his nearest challengers for the honour – Australia’s Daniel Gaunt (69) and England’s James Allan (72) – finished tied for 16th.

The final pro J2J standings.

Keyser finished with total earnings of $45,153 from the season and knows the feat has the potential to change his future. As well as the Desert Classic, Keyser has earned invites to the Made in Denmark and the Diamond Cup in Japan.

“I think one of the things every professional golfer looks for is consistency and that was one of the most pleasing aspect of my season,” said Keyser who went through the season without missing a cut.

“I am planning to play more in Europe and this gives me two starts on the European Tour and also in the Diamond Cup in Japan. These are great opportunities and it is now up to me to make the most out of it.”

Above everything else, winning the Journey To Jordan validated the hard work put in by @KeyserMG and he was especially proud with the consistency he showed throughout the season.@arenagroup_plc @TGP_Dubai @AylaOasis pic.twitter.com/TC6UAwsLZV

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) November 28, 2019

The 2020 season of the MENA Tour begins with two stages of Q-School, to be played back at Ayla Golf Club, from January 20-23 and January 26-29.

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Konig wins Tour Championship; Keyser and Hill qualify for Desert Classic as Journey to Jordan champions

Kent Gray — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 14:25:34 +0000

By Kent Gray
There was a bitter-sweet finish for Dubai teen Josh Hill and last gasp heartache for Joshua Grenville-Wood as England’s Harry Konig captured the MENA Tour’s Journey to Journey Tour Championship with a dramatic late birdie-barrage.

Konig rattled off four birdies in his last five holes for a closing 69 to set the clubhouse target at Ayla Golf Club at -11, 205. Grenville-Wood, who like Konig had started the final round of the season a shot adrift of Hill, lead on -12, had the chance to win with a birdie on his 54th hole or force a playoff with a par but will rue a bogey-bogey finish in end in a four-way tie for second alongside fellow Englishman Todd Clements, Jamie Rutherford and 2017 Tour Championship winner Henric Sturehed (Sweden).

Our champion!! @HarryKonig1 is a bit emotional after winning the Journey To Jordan Tour Championship. He birdied four of last five holes to win on -11. pic.twitter.com/K5zrihLuk7

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) November 28, 2019

Hill, meanwhile, stumbled to a closing 76 to finish T-9 on -5, alongside among others, fellow Dubai-based amateur Arjun Gupta.

The overnight leader’s shot at yet more MENA Tour history went south early, a double bogey on the 8th contributing to a four-over outward nine played in 40 strokes. The consolation for the 15-year-old Ain Ain Open champion was his top-10 saw him just sneak above Curtis Knipes to win the amateur Journey to Jordan order of merit title and a start in January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Dubai-born 15-year-old Josh Hill is our Amateur Journey To Jordan champion! He will be making a dream start at the 2020 @OMEGAGolfDubai Desert Classic. pic.twitter.com/km3OdgksCa

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) November 28, 2019

Like Hill, MG Keyser won’t be thrilled with his closing 79 but still easily secured the professional Journey to Jordan title and European Tour starts in Dubai and Denmark next year, plus an invite to the Diamond Cup, an event co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour.

South Africa’s @KeyserMG is our Professional Journey to Jordan champion. Well done Chief!! pic.twitter.com/i0rNzXXYO5

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) November 28, 2019

It was Konig’s first MENA Tour victory and is set to see his current Official World Ranking (OWGR) on 2061 soar. He had given little hint of contending in Ayla after missing the cut at the tour’s penultimate event at Tower Links and placing a lowly 53rd at Al AIn where Hill set the new mark as the youngest winner of an OWGR event at 15 years, six months and 27 days old.

But Konig found something in Aqaba, compiling rounds of 71-65-69 to secure the biggest win of his career. His closing round included an eagle on the 9th when he holed out his third shot on the par 5 amid what could have been a title ending run that read bogey, double bogey, bogey, eagle, bogey from the 6th to the 10th. But he bounced back with birdies at the 11th and 14th before sealing the deal with three successive birdies to finish.

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Amateur Josh Hill on cusp of more MENA Tour history, Dubai Desert Classic start

Kent Gray — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 17:17:29 +0000

By Kent Gray
Josh Hill has a shot at yet more MENA Tour history after underlining his seemingly limitless potential on the second day of the Journey to Jordan Tour Championship.

The 15-year-old Dubai-based England Boys’ representative will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the season on Thursday at deceptively picturesque Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba.

With a three-under second round 69, Hill emerged from a three-way tie atop the leaderboard following his opening 66 to lead alone by a stroke through 36-holes from a trio of English professionals, Harry Konig (65), Jamie Rutherford (67) and Joshua Grenville-Wood (70), and Swede Gabriel Axell (70).

For context, all four professionals are looking for their first win on the MENA Tour.

Hill now has a shot at becoming the first amateur with two MENA Tour by Arena wins after famously capturing the Al Ain Open to become the youngest player, at 15 years, six months and 27 days old, to win an Official World Golf Ranking-sanctioned event last month.

Hill believes his win in Al Ain Open, even though he started the final day three shots behind the leader, will help him as he dons the role of a front-runner.

“It will be a different challenge and I think what would definitely help is if I get off to a good start like I did in Al Ain,” said Hill. “But that win proved to me that I have what it takes to win a tournament at this level and that would be a good, positive thought in my mind.”

Hill holds a six-stroke lead over Claude Harmon 3 Performance Golf Academy pal Arjun Gupta on the amateur leaderboard after Gupta ascended five places up to T-16 with a solid second round 70. Perhaps more importantly, Hill leads countryman and current amateur Journey to Jordan order of merit leader Curtis Knipes by a mammoth 18-strokes after Knipes slipped to 58th position after an 80 on Wednesday. Knipes’ round included a catastrophic 12 on the par-5 9th and was followed by a double bogey on the next hole. Given their respective positions at opposite ends of the leaderboard, Hill is now projected to win the overall amateur title and earn a start in January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

South Africa’s MG Keyser, the professional Journey to Jordan leader, was at four-under 140 after a 71. However, with his nearest challengers, Australia’s Daniel Gaunt (73) and England’s James Allan (72), not making any significant inroads, Keyser looks on course to win the season title and starts in the Desert Classic and Made in Denmark.

Hill got off to a hot start and was four-under through seven and managed to make enough birdies to offset a bumpy back nine.

“I was doing everything so well for the first seven holes and then made a stupid bogey on the ninth,’ said Hill, who made seven birdies and ended with a bogey on 18th.

“Struggled a bit after that but delighted to finish at three-under on a tough day. I made a three-putt bogey on the 12th hole, but apart from that, I putted really well today and that really saved the day.”

Konig said he was ‘plodding’ along and making some good up-and-downs until he decided to get aggressive on the back nine. The move paid rich dividends as he finished with five birdies in his last six holes for the low round of the day.

“I missed making a birdie on the par-5 17th hole, where I missed a putt from five feet. That was slightly disappointing, but I did make a birdie on the 18th which was playing very tough in this wind. I think it is the first time I have made a birdie on that hole,” said Konig.

The 27-year-old Rutherford came to Jordan having missed getting into the final stage of the European Tour Qualifying School by just one shot.

“I did not putt well at all that day in Spain and it was very disappointing. I went back home and mostly did putting for two weeks before coming here. In a sense, it is good that I had this tournament to play and an opportunity to bounce right back,” said Rutherford.

Axell, who lost in a play-off at the Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena, will try and make amends in Thursday’s final round.

“It’s never good to finish with a bogey, but it wasn’t easy out there. However, I am playing some good golf and there is no reason why I should not finish one better than what I did at Ras Al Khaimah,” said Axell, who made three birdies in a row before making the turn.

Grenville-Wood, who finished second in Bahrain earlier this year, said: “It was a grind out there, especially on the back nine. I am pretty pleased with the way I kept it going and kept hitting steady shots. I made a pretty good par on the 18th. So, one shot back, I will take it.”

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Josh Hill, still just 15, nabs share of early Journey To Jordan Tour Championship lead

Kent Gray — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 17:00:39 +0000

Josh Hill in action on the opening day at Ayla Golf Club. (Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour)

While professional Joshua Grenville-Wood was booming 405-yard drives and “flicking” 170-yard wedge shots and Miguel Angel Jimenez’s son made a hole-in-one, it was the Dubai amateur who stole the headlines again in Aqaba

By Kent Gray
MENA Tour pin-up boy Josh Hill is at it again.

The 15-year-old took advantage of unusually benign conditions early on Tuesday then showed his class as a strange wind whipped across Ayla Golf Club to grab a share of the first-round lead at the $100,000 Journey To Jordan Tour Championship.

Professionals Joshua Grenville-Wood (England) and Gabriel Axell (Sweden) later matched Hills opening 66 but it was the Trump International Golf Club Dubai amateur’s six-under circuit that inevitably grabbed the early headlines.

Hill, who became the youngest winner of an OWGR-sanctioned event and the MENA Tour by Arena’s fourth amateur champion when he captured the Al Ain Open by Arena last month, was in the second group out and enjoyed the abnormality calm conditions for his opening four holes.

He was still only one under through four after birdieing the par-5 1st and gave it back with a three-putt bogey on the par-3 6th. But the England Boys’ representative then kicked into gear with five birdies in his next eight holes before another gain on 17 to set the early clubhouse target.

The breeze picked up by the time Hill reached the 5th tee but it helped the unfamiliar wind direction made three of Ayla G.C.s four par-5s play downwind.

“I was lucky with the wind for the first four holes and then it picked up. It was strong and from a different direction. But I played pretty solid and kept hitting some very good iron shots,” said Hill who has been nominated for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

“Most of my birdies were from inside 10 feet. Just that three-putt on 6th was the only bad part of a good day.”

Hill outscored playing partners Curtis Knipes (73) and Jack Floydd (75) by seven and nine shots respectively, a huge boost in his bid to overtake Knipes atop the amateur Journey to Jordan standings and grab the rich reward of a start in January’s OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

Arjun Gupta, who trains alongside Hill on the Claude Harmon 3 Performance Golf Academy range at The Els Club Dubai, held second place in the amateur leaderboard after a one-under 71 for a share of 21st place.

Grenville-Wood ht one drive 405 yards!
Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour

Grenville-Wood, meanwhile, took full advantage of the par-5s playing downwind, hitting massive tee shots and flicking wedges in for two eagles – on the 9th and 13th – on a bogey-free day. And Axell, who lost in a play-off at the recent Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena, continued his good form in a round that featured a hole-out with his second shot from 90 yards for an eagle on the par-4 15th hole, mixed with five birdies and a solitary bogey.

Sweden’s Henric Sturehed, the 2017 Tour Championship winner, and the Yas Links Abu Dhabi-attached Englishman Luke Joy, a two-time MENA Tour winner, were tied for the fourth place at 67.

Grenville-Wood, who is hoping to better his second-place finish in Bahrain earlier this year, said: “It felt like a completely new golf course in that wind but what it also did was make the par-5s a lot easier. I hit a wedge second shot from 170 yards on the ninth, and then my drive went 405 yards on the 13th.”

Gabriel Axell. (Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour)

Axell is clearly making the most of his decision to travel to Aqaba a week in advance to escape the freezing temperatures back home in Sweden and get some practice with some sun on his back.

“I am really surprised that I have managed to play well despite the break after the Ras Al Khaimah Open. I went back to Sweden and it was like -4 and -5 degrees. So, I came here early with a couple of my Swedish mates and practiced for a week. That seems to have definitely helped,” said Axell.

South Africa’s MG Keyser, the Journey to Jordan professional leader, started with a three-under 69 to be in tied seventh place. His closest rival, Australia’s Daniel Gaunt, opened with an even-par 72.

Miguel Angel Jimenez Junior, son of the legendary Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, made a hole-in-one – his first in competitive play – when he aced the par-3 2nd from 194 yards with a 6-iron. The Senior Jimenez has a penchant of making aces and holds the European Tour record with 11.

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