It may only be Tuesday, but the Hero Dubai Desert Classic has already witnessed a little bit of history as Dubai Golf’s Communications & Marketing Manager Will Tickell landed his first-ever hole-in-one, upstaging playing partner and Hero Cup star Antoine Rozner at Emirates Golf Club.

Playing in the Motivate Media Group team in the Tuesday Pro-Am alongside Rozner, Motivate’s David Fairservice and Golf Digest Middle East’s Oktoberfest champion Michael Harradine, Will’s magical moment occurred on the fourth hole (his 13th after teeing off from hole 10) — and Rozner called it all the way.

“It was pretty funny because David hit his shot pretty close and was looking good for nearest-to-the-pin,” the Frenchman said. “Then Will shows up and as soon as he hit it I said: ‘Uh-oh, maybe he’s gonna beat you. I think that is going in.’

“It is always a delight to see a fellow player get an ace and it was really good fun today.”

Not feeling upstaged in the slightest, the world No. 147 added: “It was nice and he has given me a few ideas for the week.”

Will Tickell with his special golf ball. Clarkwin Cruz/Motivate Media Group

Still basking in his moment, Will described the ace.

“Fourth hole. Majlis Course. A bit into the wind at around 156 yards,” the 29-year-old, who has been playing golf for 15 years, said. “I kept changing between a six and seven iron and went with the six, which was a good decision in the end. It was funny when Antoine called it in the air and I thought they were having me on. But to get a first hole-in-one is fantastic. I have been playing long enough, so it is about time.

“I will be treasuring this ball. As is usually the case, it is not the best ball and has a few marks and scuffs on it, but it is a very special one now.”

Oktoberfest champ Michael added: “It was a great day out. Antoine played great and Will and David also played very well. It wasn’t my best round, but it was a great day out and that’s what it is all about. I will be back at Oktoberfest to give it another go this year and see how we get on.”

David, who missed out on that nearest-the-pin prize, saw the funny side.

“The weather was perfect, and we had a few surprises. I saw my first hole in one and typically it came to beat me closest to the pin,” he laughed. “I thought I had it, but there you go!”

The Motivate Media Group Hero Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am team with Managing Partner and Group Editor-in-Chief Ian Fairservice. Clarkwin Cruz/Motivate Media Group

Motivate Managing Partner and Group Editor-in-Chief Ian Fairservice was on hand to watch the special moment.

“It is the first hole-in-one I have ever witnessed,” he said. “Antoine called it off the clubface and his caddie Patxi got the binoculars out just to check what had happened. As we approached the green, we got further confirmation — if it was needed — from the players on the adjacent seventh green.”

Motivate Media Group is Official Publisher of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic

The post Dubai Golf’s Will Tickell upstages Antoine Rozner with hole-in-one at Hero Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 21-year-old Walker Cup representative rallied from a shot back overnight with seven birdies in a closing 65 to capture the Sahara Kuwait Golf Championship on Wednesday in just his second start as a professional.

MacIntyre (65-66-65) finished -14 at Sahara Golf and Country Club to edge Luke Joy (64-67-67) by two shots and become the 13th first-time winner on the developmental Pro-Am circuit this year – an astonishing number given we are 14 events into a 15 tournament schedule and one of the first timers, South African MG Keyser, went on to win back-to-back titles at The Creek and The Els Club Dubai.

It was the Joy’s second runner-up finish in as many events and has put the Englishman squarely back in the frame for the overall Order-of-Merit title heading into next week’s MENA Tour Championship at Al Zorah G.C. in Ajman.

Related: Who needs to do what to win the MENA Tour money title?

“Absolutely delighted with my efforts, a memorable week for me, indeed,” said MacIntyre who had a win, loss and a half for Great Britian and Ireland in a 19-7 loss to the U.S. at last month’s Walker Club in Los Angeles.

“It was fun playing on the MENA Tour. The competition is great and so is the atmosphere and I look forward to playing more events next season.”

MacIntyre is flanked by Yousef Abdulaziz Al Qatami and Wael Abdulrahman Al Welayti, both members of the Sahara Kuwait’s golf advisory committee, at the prize giving.

The Oban product, the first left-hander in living memory to win the Scottish Amateur in 2015 and a runner-up in The (British) Amateur the following year, gave a hint of his obvious talent at the AYLA Golf Championship in Jordan a fortnight ago, recovering from an opening 78 in his very first round as a pro with a course-record 64 to finish third. He’s a combined 25 under par for his last five rounds.

“I played golf the way as I used to as an amateur and never let the pressure of turning pro affect my game,” said MacIntyre, the fourth Scotsman after Paul Doherty, Clarke Lutton and David Law to win a MENA Tour event. “It [Sahara GCC] is a nice golf course with narrow fairways. You needed to be accurate off the tee and I drove the ball well all week, creating some good scoring opportunities. I holed putts when I needed to and that was the key to my success.”

Delighted with my start to the new job ? huge thanks to @theMENATour for the 2 invites will never forget where it all started. #higlander pic.twitter.com/9bgZWZ0ie8

— Robertmacintyre (@robert1lefty) October 18, 2017

Meanwhile, England’s Todd Clements comfortably kept up his white-hot form to win the amateur division for the fifth time in a row on five-under 205, two shots ahead of Switzerland’s Dubai-based Michael Harradine. It’s a stunning run that has virtually assured the reigning English Amateur Champion of the amateur OOM title.

The leading 50 professionals and top 10 amateurs on the OOM earn starts in the 72-hole Tour Championship starting Monday. MacIntyre is not eligible as he falls five events short of the mandatory seven required to tee it up in Ajman.

Sahara Kuwait Golf Championship Amateur Champion – @ClementsTodd pic.twitter.com/XLcOM7uDEZ

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) October 18, 2017

The post Robert MacIntyre vows to return to MENA Tour after dream Kuwait win appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 36-year-old sensationally eagled the 54th and final hole of regulation at Jordan’s inaugural $50,000 Ayla Golf Championship to sign for a five-under 68 on Saturday and force a playoff with fellow Englishman Luke Joy who had himself birdied the last hole to finish on 212, -7.

Elson then birdied the second hole in sudden-death overtime from four feet to collect his maiden MENA Tour win and a $9000 cheque but the latter will pale into insignificance should he go on to win the overall MENA Tour title.

Starts in the European Tour’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Maybank Championship in Malaysia, Morocco’s Hassan II Trophee and the PGA Tour’s DEAN & DELUCA Invitational at Colonial CC await Elon who has extended his lead atop the order of merit standings to a healthy 10,033 points over Joy with just two events remaining.

A full Sunshine Tour card for 2018 and exemption to the final stage of qualifying for the Asian Tour also await the MENA Tour champion which would give Elson options and he is also through to the second stage of European Tour Q-School.

Elson waited just three professional events for his maiden pro title at the 2003 Volvo Finnish Open on the European Challenge Tour and went on to qualify for the main tour and the 137th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 2008.

Related: Elson has his eyes on the MENA Tour’s biggest prizes

His most notable main tour round was the 63 he carded on the final day of the 2012 Joburg Open, also capped with an eagle on the final hole of regulation, to finish a shot shy of Branden Grace as the South African captured his first European Tour title.

But Elson injury and form issues meant the former Augusta State University player has bounced around the minor leagues looking for his next big break which could now be on the horizon. He did win his second pro title at the 2015 King Hamad Trophy in Bahrain but that was a small one-off event not aligned to any tour.

“I’m quite surprised to win, to be honest,” Elson said afterwards. “I struggled a bit on the front nine, but made a nice birdie on the 9th to get to level-par for the day. Thereafter, I played solid golf and holed putts when I needed to, to get into the playoff (including an eight iron from 185 yards to two feet for the 54th hole eagle).

“The playoff could have gone either way, but I hit some great shots and made putts to get the job done, finally.”

The elephant in Elson’s trophy cabinet had been a MENA Tour title although he told Golf Digest Middle East earlier this year he simply needed to keep knocking on the door after T2 finishes at the 2016 Royal Golf Mohammedia Open and April’s RAK Classic at Tower Link.

“I’m well aware I haven’t won yet, but my finishes have been extremely consistent and I’m sure if I keep playing solid golf it will happen at some point,” he said during the mid-season break.

Jamie Elson after receiving the winner’s trophy from HE Nasser Sultan Shraideh, Chief Commissioner, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority.

One man’s joy is another Joy’s heartbreak as the man vanished in the playoff came within a whisker of turning around a frustrating 2017 derailed by a bout of malaria contracted during the MENA Tour’s South African swing. Luke Joys final round 72 included an ace on the 12th but he will be left ruing two bogeys and a double in the final round.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre closed with a nine-under 64 in his pro debut to set the Ayla course record, eclipsing Swede Henric Sturehed’s second round 67, to move into a four-way tie for third on -6.

England’s Joe Heraty, who carded a bogey-free 68, Italy’s Rocco Sanjust  (67) and Sturehed (73) joined MacIntyre in the group, four clear of the English duo Zane Scotland and Lee Corfield and Sweden’s Fredrik From.

MacIntyre, tied for 15th at the start of the day, eagled the final hole after nailing his nine-iron approach from 168 yards to within nine yards.

“I was far off from the field after a disappointing 78 in the opening round and had nothing to lose. Played a bit aggressively and that approach paid off. I can take a lot of confidence out of the last two bogey-free rounds, a lot of positives,” said the 21-year-old, who hails from Oban, a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland.

England’s Todd Clements, the first round joint leader with Joy, closed with a 72 to share amateur honours with Michael Harradine (Swtizerland) after both finished on +1, 220, well ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla and Jordan’s Shergo Al Kurdi who tallied +13 aggregates.

England’s Mark Chamberlain also had something to cheer about as he aced the 179-yard, par-3 16th with an eight-iron for his first hole-in-one since turning professional in 2011 — and the fifth overall — as he finished tied 47th.

The MENA Tour now travels to Kuwait for the Sahara Kuwait Golf Championship from Oct.16-18, before the field whittles down for the 72-hole, $100,000 Tour Championship at Al Zorah Golf Club in Ajman from Oct. 23-26.

The post Elson ends 14-year wait for second tour victory, on cusp of winning multiple European and PGA Tour starts appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray

With a major champion returning for his second start in three weeks, the current order-of-merit leader winging his way to Malaysia and the return of a perennial title challenger from Austria, this week’s Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open doesn’t lack for preview fodder.

But as inevitable as it is that former Open champion Darren Clarke, MIA South African MG Keyser and confidence-bruised Englishman Luke Joy will dominate the early narrative at Yas Links, there is an intriguing amateur subplot that has MENA Tour chairman Mohamed Juma Buamaim just as excited.

At the summit of the battle within the battle is Englishman Todd Clements who will look to extend his lead in the circuit’s amateur OOM. Clements, who moved up to 64th in the amateur world rankings on the back of his joint second placing with Rayhan Thomas at the recent Dubai Creek Open, takes a 27 point lead into the 12th of the tour’s 15 regular season events over countryman Sam Hobday.  UAE-based Swiss international Michael Harradine, third overall 41 points adrift, will also hope to have some say at Yas Links.

But the presence of UAE nationals Ahmed Skaik, Khalid Yousuf, Sohail Al Marzooqi and Abdalla Al Musharrekh among the 24 amateur entries is especially welcomed by Buamaim.

It is a particularly important time for Skaik who won the individual title at last year’s 21st GCC Golf Championship in Bahrain. The left-hander is counting down to the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in New Zealand (Oct. 26-29) and the Nomura Cup (Asia-Pacific Amateur Teams Championship) in Malaysia (Nov. 9-12).

Skaik will have promising 17-year-old Mohammed Al Hajeri for company at Royal Wellington next month where the individual winner earns a start in the 2018 U.S. Masters. Abdalla and Hassan Al Musharrekh, meanwhile, will fly with Skaik to Jordan’s AYLA Golf Championship, a new stop on the MENA Tour next week, as part of the on-going prep for the Nomura Cup.

“It’s great to see UAE national team members, in particular, sign up for the event,” said Buamaim.

“The experience that the region’s amateurs gain from competing alongside professionals will hold them in good stead for their future regional and international engagements.”

Clarke, the 2011 Open Champion and the MENA Tour’s increasingly hard-working patron, has returned to Abu Dhabi of his own accord, partly to push the circuit’s agenda with the Emirates Golf Federation but also in the hope of rekindling some old magic ahead of teeing it up on the Champions Tour in the U.S. next year.

The 49-year-old, who spent time practicing under the watchful eye of Butch Harmon School of Golf director of instruction Justin Parsons at The Els over the weekend, finished T-16 at the Creek with scores of 68-69-74. Clarke will be hoping his putter co-operates a little more at Yas Links as he looks to go one better than his T-2 finish in his MENA Tour debut at the 2015 Ras Al Khaimah Classic.

Great to spend some time with Darren Clarke this week. His instinct (strike) and artistry (shape) are about as good as anyone. Good two days work @the_els_club_dubai @bhsgdubai #teamtitleist #titleist #golfer #golf #golfing

A post shared by Justin Parsons (@jparsonsgolf) on Sep 23, 2017 at 2:31am PDT

Joy hopes to quickly rebound from a missed cut at the KLM Open and the “crushing blow” of failing to advance from the first stage of European Tour Q-School in Austria last week. At fourth on the Pro OOM, the 29-year-old still has much to play for and especially so around the links layout to which he is attached.

Related: Joy “absolutely deflated” after failing, by a stoke, to advance at European Tour Q-School 

After back-to-back Dubai Creek and Golf Citizen Classic victories, Mathiam Gerhard, or “MG “, Keyser, is opted to chase a return to the Asian Tour which means Joy, Swede Fredrik From and former Challenge Tour winner Jamie Elson will resume their battle for top honours as the circuit quickly zeros in on its flagship $100,000 Tour Championship at Al Zorah from Oct. 23-26.

Dubai-based Keyser begins a three week stretch on the Asian Development Tour in Malaysia at this week’s PGM EurAsia Sabah Championship at Sabah Golf and Country Club but has vowed to return to MENA Tour duty in 2018.

“I would love to play the rest of the Mena events and try finishing first but I have commitments in Asia and have to focus on getting my main tour card back for next year,” Keyser told Golf Digest Middle East.

“And then I can hopefully schedule the Mena Tour in for 2018 and try and play enough events to be able to play tour champs.”

Order of Merit standings thru Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Classic at The Els, Dubai:
Professionals
MG Keyser (South Africa) – 18,774 points
Fredrik From (Sweden) – 18,397
Jamie Elson (England) – 17,453
Luke Joy (England) – 16,420
Andrew Marshall (England) – 16,171

Amateurs
Todd Clements (England) -181 points
Sam Hobday (England) – 154
Michael Harradine (Switzerland) -140
Tiago Lobo (Brazil) – 121
Rayhan Thomas (India) – 118

The post UAE lefty Ahmed Skaik leads intriguing amateur subplot at Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 27-year-old Frenchman produced rounds of 66-67-66 in Korat to finish the $30,000 Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen at -17, a staggering seven shots clear of English runner-up Luke Joy (England).

Michael Harradine closed with a level-par 72 to leave the Dubai-based Swiss national team amateur in a creditable three-way share of third at -6 with Englishman Jamie Elson and Scot James Byrne.

Lightning forced the suspension of the final round for 60 minutes but it barely slowed Weber who produced four of his seven birdies Wednesday in his last six holes.

“It was great to be able to play my A game,” said Weber who became the second Frenchman after Edouard Espana to win a MENA Tour event and was presented with the trophy by tour patron, His Excellency Pasan Teparak.

“I had a good final round and I am really pleased to have my first win as a professional here in Thailand. It will give me a lot more confidence for the future.”

Harradine was two under through 11 before a double bogey on the par-4, 15th undermined the 33-year-old’s efforts.

His tally of six-under, however, saw Harradine easily clinch the amateur title by six shots from Thai Worathon Zeng, who finished on level-par 216, as Dubai-based India amateur No.1 Rayhan Thomas settled for third on +3 after returning a final round 76.

“I struggled on the first seven holes but things started to click thereafter and I played a bit more solid. Unfortunately, I lost a ball in the jungle on the 15^th and then made a birdie on 16. Finished on level par. You are never happy when you finish the round badly, but overall it was a good week,” Harradine said.

Joy, a two-time MENA Tour winner, made a strong finish, reeling off three birdies in his last four holes en route to a final round 69. But the Englishman’s late surge was not enough to threaten Weber,who was only playing his second MENA Tour event after leading through 36 holes in the MahaSamutr Masters at Banyan GC (where he is an ambassador) before fading to a T7 finish.

MahaSamutr Masters champion Jazz Janewattananond finished solo 10th on -4 after a final-round 70, one behind his Thai compatriot Pattaraphol Khanthacha who finished in a four-way tie for fifth.

Defending champion Wolmer Murillo carded a 71 for a share of 11th on -3 while Tyler Hogarty, the winner of last season’s -1 red numbers on one under, tied for 13th.

The MENA Tour will travel to Chonburi next week for the May 16-19 Pattana Golf Championship, the third and final event on the tour’s Thailand swing and its first 72-hole event.

An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.

A guaranteed spot at the PGA Tour’s 2018 DEAN & DELUCA Invitational (for the MENA Tour champion), multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Hassan II Trophy, Maybank Championship Malaysia, and the KLM Open, await MENA Tour members, in addition to playing privileges on South Africa’s Sunshine Tour, and exemptions into the final stage of the Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour Q-Schools.

Caption: His Excellency Pasan Teparak, patron of the MENA Tour, presenting the winner’s trophy to Lionel Weber as Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Tour, and Stacey Walton of GLS Asia, look on.

The post Weber goes wire-to-wire to waltz maiden pro title in Thailand as Harradine finishes tied third appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The frugal Frenchman has reportedly gone 36-holes at the MENA Tour’s Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen using the same ball, no small feat given the evasive jungle fringing most of the fairways on the Seve Ballesteros-designed layout in Thailand.

The well-worn sphere is clearly behaving – Weber backed up an opening 66 with 67 Tuesday to move to 11-under for the $30,000 championship in Korat.

It earned him a four stroke buffer over Englishman Luke Joy heading into the final round of the 54-holer and a second shot at a maiden MENA Tour title in as many weeks.

Weber co-lead through 18 and 36 holes at last week’s MahaSamutr Masters at Banyan GC (where he is an ambassador) only to fade to a share of 7^th with a final round 75.

He’s hopeful of a happier ending in the second event of the tour’s Thailand swing Wednesday.

“I feel my game is in great shape,” said Weber who rolled in seven birdies, five on his front nine, against two bogeys Tuesday. “Although I hear some players have lost many balls, I am still playing with the same lucky one. The course is pretty tricky and you need to shape the ball a lot and I did that.

“Also, you need to focus on every shot. It always feels good to be in Thailand as it’s a great place to play golf.”

Switzerland’s Dubai-based amateur Michael Harradine stayed in the frame with a second round 71 to share third with Thailand’s Pattaraphol Khanthacha on six under as Blake Snyder (USA) occupied solo fifth a further shot adrift, one ahead of Scotland’s James Byrne.

Joy, who went bogey-free in his Tuesday 68, has given himself a grand shot at a third MENA Tour title

“It’s a course where you have to be very patient. It’s quite fiddly. It goes from fairway to jungle and there is not much in-between. I actually lost my ball on Monday as we were playing in fading light after a thunderstorm forced suspension of play,” Joy said.

“I played quite steady today and going bogey-free always feels good. This is a course you do not want to overpower yourself. In fact, I have used my driver just three times.” said the talented Englishman.

Harradine v Thomas in amateur race
Swiss national team representative Harradine, 33,mixed three birdies with one bogey to extend his lead over his nearest challenger Rayhan Thomas in the amateur division.

Teen Thomas, who is supported by the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, made the turn at two-under but dropped four shots in a four-hole stretch from the 11th before making gains on the 16th and 17th that left him in a tie for 14th at one-under — and four behind Harradine.

Last week’s winner, Jazz Janewattananond (Thailand), and defending champion Wolmer Murillo (Venezuela) were tied for 10^th on two-under, one behind a three-man group which included Czech Republic’s Cyril Suk, the winner of the 2014 Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open.

England’s Zane Scotland (+10), Scot Clarke Lutton (+8), Spaniard Leo Lilja (+11) and England cricketer-turned-golfer Craig Kieswetter (+14) were among the notables who missed the cut, made at five-over 149.

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Frenchman Weber reeled off seven birdies in a six-under 66 at Mountain Creek Golf Resort & Residences in Amphur on Monday to ease two shots clear of Harradine, South African Tyler Hogarty and England’s Jamie Elson.

Multiple MENA Tour winner Luke Joy was six under through 16 holes but a bogey on the 17^th and double on 18 saw the Englishman settle for a 69 and solo fifth, one ahead of Czech Cyril Suk, Thai Pattaraphol Khanthacha and Blake Snyder (USA).

Harradine, who created headlines in January when he flirted with winning an Asia Tour card, mixed five birdies and a bogey in his 68.

The 33-year-old Swiss national team representative, who left for Thailand after breaking his own course record at The Track, Meydan Golf in Dubai en-route to winning the AGMC Men’s Open, an EFG order of merit event, with rounds of 69-72, leads the Mountain Creek amateur division by three shots from Indian No.1 Rayhan Thomas.

On day when an afternoon thunderstorm suspended play for 70 minutes, 16 players broke par at the Seve Ballesteros-designed course while two players will have to return in the morning to complete their first rounds after play was eventually called due to poor light.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, who won last week’s MahaSamutr Masters — the opening event on MENA Tour’s three-event Thailand swing birdied three of his last four holes en-route to a 71 that left him sharing 9^th place in an eight-man group which included Thomas.

Elson, meanwhile, overcame an opening double bogey to stay in contention with a 68.

“I had an early start, but it was pretty hot out there. I had an up-and-down front nine. Doubled the first and then birdied the next four holes which was good,” said Elson, who made the turn at -3.

Englishman Jamie Elson recovered from an opening double bogey to earn an early share of second place

“My back nine [holes] were fairly steady. It’s just one of the courses that demands accuracy off the tee. If you are off line, you are going to lose the ball. Overall, I am very happy my with day’s work.”

Hogarty, who won the season-ending MENA Tour Championship last year, was also pleased with his opening round in what is his first golfng foray to Asia.

“I had a fairly good front nine as I kept the ball in play. This course is of medium length, but you have to hit it straight as it is pretty tight,” he said.

“The back nine [holes] are shorter and I played really them well. I missed one shot at 14 when I couldn’t find my ball. I have never been to Asia before and I am really enjoying the Thailand swing — and even losing a bit of weight in this heat,” he half-pie joked.

Czech Republic’s Cyril Suk provided the highlight of the day, reeling off six birdies, including three in a row from the first, on the front nine, but struggled to maintain the momentum coming home, eventually settling for a 70.

Elsewhere, England’s Craig Hinton, the winner of the MENA Tour’s Order of Merit title last year, returned a 75 while Zane Scotland, a 10-time winner on the MENA Tour, carded a 78.

A guaranteed spot in the PGA Tour’s 2018 DEAN & DELUCA Invitational (for the MENA Tour champion), multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Hassan II Trophy, Maybank Championship Malaysia, and the KLM Open, are key incentives for MENA Tour members, in addition to playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour, and exemptions into the Final Stage of the Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour Q-Schools.

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The Bahrain-based 27-year-old touring professional will take a five stroke lead into the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic on Wednesday over a group of five players including three-time MENA Tour winner and European tour veteran Stephen Dodd.

Dodd (70-67) was joined by joint overnight leader Max Williams (66-71), fellow Englishmen Jordan Garnish (68-69) and Jamie Elson (71-66) and Australia’s Peter Stojanovski (68-69) at -7.

After mixing two eagles and five birdies against three bogeys in Monday’s opening round, Royal Golf Club-aligned Owen had his driver going to rattle off six birdies in a flawless six-under circuit to be -12 for the tournament.

“I have been coming here since 2011 and know the course pretty well. It suits my eye. I did miss a couple of greens, but never really got into much trouble. I gave myself good opportunities and made a few putts,” Owen said of his sizzling second round on a steamy RAK day.

Owen will be looking to kick on after racking up a string of top five finishes on the tour.

“Obviously, it’s hard to ignore where I am, but at the same time the game plan doesn’t change. I will try and make some early birdies to kind of settle the nerves and, hopefully, get the job done this time around.”

As a three-time European Tour winner Dodd, who mixed six birdies with a lone bogey on the tough 3rd hole in his second-round 67, stands as a significant threat to Owen.

The Welshman made his European Senior Tour debut at the Senior Open Championship last July and went on to win the 2016 Senior Italian Open, a feat which showed his hunger remains as keen as ever.

Elsewhere, Spain’s Francisco Perez and England’s Paul Dwyer, who were among a four-way tie for the lead overnight, left themselves with work to do after carding respective rounds of 73 and 72 to be at -6.

England’s Lee Corfield, a four-time winner on the MENA Tour, moved into a tie for 10^th on -5 after a second round 71, one ahead of Craig Hinton, the winner of the 2016 MENA Tour Order of Merit title, as experienced Andrew Marshall settled for a tied 17^th after a shooting a two-under 70.

England’s Todd Clements carded a 69 to top the amateur division on -3, four shots ahead of Switzerland’s Dubai-based Michael Harradine, who backed his opening 71 with a 74.

UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh returned a second-round 75 for 36-hole total of seven-over-par 151, missing the cut, which was made at two over, by five shots. A total of 54 professionals and nine amateurs have made it to the final round.

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A 9-iron to six feet on the last secured Williams’ second eagle on a day of low scoring at Tower Links as countrymen Daniel Owen and Paul Dwyer and Spaniard Francisco Perez also signed for 66s to top the leaderboard at six under.

The quartet combined for 23 birdied and four eagles – including another brace of eagles by Owen – against just seven bogeys.

“I played really well and very pleased with my day’s work. The course is just fantastic and in great condition,” said Williams (pictured) who had earlier eagled the par 5 5th.

“It’s always nice to get an eagle, let alone two. Just kind of everything fell together, ball striking, putting and ball control.”

Bahrain-based Owen lit up his opening round with five birdies and two eagles (on the 5th and the 13th) against three bogeys to put himself in contention for his maiden MENA Tour win. Dwyer rattled off three birdies in a row to start his round and kept the momentum rolling with a solitary bogey the only blemish. Perez picked up eight shots, including five on the front nine, against two bogeys on a day when 34 players broke par.

Englishman Lee Corfield overcame an bogey on the 1st to card a four-under 68 which left the four-time MENA Tour winner in a seven-way tie for sixth. Defending order of merit champion Craig Hinton shared 13th a further shot adrift in a four-man group which included Spain’s Leo Lilja, the winner of the season-opening Palmeraie Country Club Casablanca Open in March.

Among other notable scoces, Welsh ace and European Senior Tour player Stephen Dodd carded a 70 while England’s Andrew Marshall returned a 71.

Switzerland’s Dubai-based Michael Harradine rolled in three birdies on the back nine after making the turn at two over to hit the front in the amateur division on a 71, two shots ahead of a four-man group that includes Qatar’s Saleh Al Kaabi.

The post Two eagles apiece as Williams and Dwyer roar into four-way share of RAK Classic lead appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 33-year-old Swiss national team representative carded a second successive 73 at Suvarnabhumi Golf & Country Club Thursday to miss the cut in the final stage of qualifying by six shots.

Harradine’s heartache was matched by reigning MENA Tour order-of-merit champion Craig Hinton after a second round 74 saw the Englishman also fade to +2 and an inconsequential share a 193^rd place.

Middle East interest is now focused on two-time MENA Tour winner Luke Joy who snuck into the weekend on the number, -4, following a second successive 70. Joy was one of 30 players in a share of 92^nd place; the top 80 and ties made the cut.

Australian Todd Sinnot backed up his opening 64 with a seven-under 65 to remain atop the leaderboard in Thailand where the top 35 and ties earn tour cards for 2017. Sinnot was joined at -15 by countryman Richard Green following a sizzling 63 from the former Dubai Desert Classic champion, and Japan’s Junya Kameshiro.

Harradine was close to abandoning his dream of a professional career six weeks ago but found some surprising form in the first stage of qualifying, finishing equal top of his section B tournament on a different course at Suvarnabhumi.

But the short game he used to finish -22 in the first stage deserted him the past two days and left him contemplating the future.

“To be honest, I am not too sure,” said the Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club member of his next move.

“Like I said, I was set on putting away the clubs a few months ago but now I am not too sure. I would love to be able to play golf professionally and actually make a living out of it but who wouldn’t. I am going to have to have a think about it when I get back to Dubai and see. “

Harradine had been worried about an uncooperative driver heading into the final stage but it turned out to be the rock of his game.

“I only just missed two fairways yesterday which got me into way more trouble than they should have and hit every fairway today,” he said.

“The strongest part of my game last week [his short game and putting] was what I really struggled with these two rounds. My distance control was horrendous, couldn’t get any wedges close enough for an easy birdie.

“Last week it felt like I couldn’t miss a putt, instead now I felt like I had no feel whatsoever… that’s golf I guess.”

Two three putts in his first four holes Thursday was a deflating start for Harradine in a round where he knew he needed to go low.

“I slowly managed to get it back to -1 after 10 and at that point I thought that if I could get another four birdies, I might have a chance of making the cut. But I stupidly went for a pin that I shouldn’t have on 11 with a 3 iron which ended up in a double.

“That took any wind I had left out of my sails that and wasn’t able to get it back on track. I made a birdie on 15 but then three putted again on 17 to finish one over.

“I’m just very disappointed, especially after having played and putted so well last week. I can’t be anything but disappointed with that.”

Joy went to bed Thursday four shots outside of the top 35 and ties but is a positive mood after reaching the final stage of qualifying for the third time.

“I’m playing nicely so I’ve just got to be patient on the greens. I’ve just got to get stuck in,” he said.

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