By Matt Smith

The Dubai Golf Trophy, one of the biggest events in the UAE golfing calendar, is back, and the May 8-9 event takes place on the Championship course at Dubai Creek, ahead of the second day on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club.

The Ryder Cup-style tournament, now in its 23rd year, pits the UAE’s top 16 professional players against the top 16 amateurs in the region and was originally launched by Dubai Golf – owner and operator of some the nation’s top golf clubs. Each team consists of 12 automatic qualifiers from the season-long UAE PGA tournaments and qualifying Emirates Golf Federation events across the UAE. Both team captains have an additional four ‘wildcard’ picks, and two ladies are selected to compete in the Dubai Golf Trophy Ladies Challenge Match to complete both sides.

This year, the amateur team is gunning for seven victories in a row, having claimed another convincing victory last year at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Khalid Yousuf will captain this year’s amateur team, while Michael Major from Dubai Creek will lead the professionals in a non-playing capacity.

“I am delighted to be the captain for the professional team, it’s a proud moment,” Major said. “We have a strong team this year, but of course we continue to be underdogs until we manage to regain the trophy back from the amateur side.”

Yousef added: “It’s a great honour to captain the amateur team this year as I have been involved in the Dubai Golf Trophy for over 15 years. The team is looking very strong this year and we are hoping to continue the amateur run. The pro team is also looking very good this year and we are all looking forward to some tight games over the weekend”.

Christopher May, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Golf, said: “The Dubai Golf Trophy was founded on the principle of raising the profile of golf in the region and bringing both amateur and professional golfers from clubs all over the UAE together in a competitive and enjoyable format. The tournament provides a focus for players to aim for throughout the qualifying events counting towards EGF and UAE PGA Order of Merits during the season, and culminating in a season-ending spectacle on two of the finest courses in the region. Best of luck to both teams.”

Official Schedule

Sunday
Championship course, Dubai Creek Golf Club
7am Foursomes
12:30pm Fourballs
Monday
Majlis course, Emirates Golf Club
11am Singles

Teams

Professionals
Non-playing captain: Michael Major
Louis Gaughan
Sujjan Singh
Steven Munro
Graham Forbes
Michael Bolt
Tom Buchanan
Purna Sharma
Ryan Smith
Oscar Yeomans
Thomas Ogilvie
Sam McLaren
Luke Plumb
Jackson Bell
Olivia Jackson
Nathan Kernaghan
Jack Woods
Lea Pouillard
Ginger Delacretaz

Amateurs
Captain: Khalid Yousef
Craig Vance
Toby Bishop
Jay Mullane
Yash Majmudar
Ali Parlane
Hugo Garcia
Sam Mullane
Max Burrow
Raghav Gulati
Tom Nesbitt
Jonathan Selvaraj
Dan Byrne
Ahmed Waheed
Barry Pavic
David Guinee
Liang Wei Lui
Jamie Rosalyn Camero

The post Dubai Golf Trophy returns to Dubai Creek and Emirates Golf Club appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club head teaching pro overcame gusty winds at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to win the 15th event on the 2017-18 UAE PGA Tour on Monday with a two-over 74. It was his third victory in as many starts on the regional circuit after he notched back-to-back wins at Trump Dubai and Saadiyat Beach in December, the latter landing him a dream start in January’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The 38-year-old Scot recorded rounds of  74-75 – and a lifetime of memories – in the European Tour event and has clearly picked up where he left off – Monday’s event in Abu Dhabi was his first since the Desert Swing opener and means he’s won three of the five UAE PGA events he’s entered this season.

Related: Tommy’s honour as Buchanan bows out of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in style
Related: Buchanan living the dream at European Tour event

“I was a bit rusty out there today and had some new clubs in the bag as well and made a few errors. Having only played 36 holes since Abu Dhabi [January] certainly wasn’t ideal,” Buchanan told Golf Digest Middle East.

“But it was great to be back at Abu Dhabi, so many good memories. It’s always great to win and to beat your peers.”

Nice to win my 3rd @uaepga trophy today @ADGolfClub. New weapons from @Titleist were behaving beautifully On a very blustery day. Hope the form continues for the rest of the season. #uaepga pic.twitter.com/QLTSBKMd4i

— Tom Buchanan (@tompro66) March 12, 2018

Starting on the 10th, Buchanan got off to a heady start with birdie but doubled the 14th before a birdie on the par-5 18th saw him make the turn at even par. He then traded a bogey at the 3rd with a birdie at the 5th before a frustrating bogey-bogey finish.

“I bogeyed my last two holes and thought that would cost me but fortunately it was good enough,” he said. “I’ve only played five events this year and to win three is fantastic. Hopefully the form can continue and we [the pros] can’t wait for the Dubai Golf Trophy [matches against the best Emirates Golf Federation order of merit amateurs on May12-13].”

Buchanan’s 74 edged Jonathan Craddock (Emirates G.C.), former UAE PGA chief executive Steven Munro and Michael Major (Dubai Creek) into a share of second place after the trio signed for 76s on Monday.

It was Craddock’s second runner-up finish inside a week after he lost in a playoff (also involving current UAE PGA chief executive Luke Plumb) to Joe Way at Emirates Golf Club last week.

The next event on the UAE PGA Tour order of merit schedule is the Montgomerie Pro-Am on April 2.

Related: Creek pro Joe Way wins second UAE PGA title at The Faldo

The post Buchanan returns to scene of dream European Tour debut, wins third UAE PGA title on the trot appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.