By Kent Gray

Tyrrell’s a treat
Given his giddy run of form over the past 16 months – victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship triumph was his fourth in 20 starts – has Tyrrell Hatton surpassed Tommy Fleetwood as Europe’s chief major champion in waiting? Perhaps. The Englishman unquestionably crept above Rory McIlroy to fifth in the OWGR. The only European above him? Jon Rahm, also the owner of four Rolex Series gold stars. You’ve got to love the ball-striking, the icy-calmness closing out events and the honest self-assessments, both during rounds and afterwards.

“Definitely pinching myself. It’s just very surreal to be that high in the world rankings. I don’t look at myself or — I don’t know how to sort of word it. I guess I’m very — yeah, I’m struggling to find the words how to put it across but I’ll just say it is very cool to be where I am at the moment.”

“Hi, I’m Tyrrell…and I’m an angry golfer”
“If you’re feeling glum, pop up a thumb”. The European Tour’s social media team always seem on point but how about the timing of having eventual champion Tyrrell Hatton front their latest ditty, #AngryGolfers? “I’m not quite sure why they chose me,” Hatton drolly told on-course commentator Tim Barter a round after previewing the soon-to-be-released viral video with a double thumbs up to mock a rare wayward drive on the National layout. Classic stuff and a fun new go-to to help us all defuse potential on course meltdowns.

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What’s the story, Rory?
Rory McIlroy, welcomed back to the UAE capital for the first time since 2018, complied one of those uniquely Rory rounds on Thursday in Abu Dhabi that makes golf look easy. But almost inevitably after the 64 – “a lovely way to start the year” – and two further mostly stress-free rounds to snare the 54-hole lead, the Northern Irishman found a way to let the title slip. Again. A fourth third placing to go with four bridesmaid finishes means the Falcon remains almost as elusive as a certain green jacket for Rors. Here’s hoping he’ll be back next January.

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What next for Abu Dhabi?
Speaking of the 17th Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, anyone else excited to see what the Desert Swing opener will be like co-sanctioned by the mighty PGA Tour? Yup, us too. Nothing’s official yet but it seems Abu Dhabi, the Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship and DP World Tour Championship at JGE will get the full U.S. treatment in 2022. McIlroy might find it even tougher to snare the fabled Falcon.

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2021 Lev-ity
How good was Alexander Levy’s reaction to his ace (a 9 iron from 177 yards) on the 15th in the third round in Abu Dhabi? It was peak 2020 (rolling into 2021) as the Frenchman looked around for affirmation from the galleries to be greeted by near silence. Damn you COVID. As Levy rolls on into 2021 behind the wheel of a new BMW X850i, here’s hoping there will be even fewer gallery restrictions next year.

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Casey can
If Abu Dhabi champion Tyrrell Hatton is Europe’s new chief major champion in waiting, then countryman Paul Casey is firmly back in the conversation as the best player without a big, with all due respect to Lee Westwood. Casey’s effortless power and a smiling jaunt to the Dallah Trophy ensured the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic has another worthy name on its stellar roll call of champions and leaves us to wonder how he hasn’t landed a major. Yet.

“I think a lot of good stuff [is still to come], honestly I feel like I’ve regained my youth. I mean that sincerely and, yeah, I’m so happy.”

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Majlis makeover
You had to feel for the hard-working team at Emirates Golf Club as patchy pictures of the Majlis’ normally pristine greens were beamed around the globe during the Desert Classic. The great news is it won’t be long until those images are a distant memory with the course to close May 2 for a complete rebuild of the putting surfaces to USGA specifications. The greens had come to the end of their lifespan – roughly 20-25 years in the harsh desert environment – but will be rolling smoothly once more when the course is reopened in late September.

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No.1 for a very good reason
How good is Dustin Johnson, even when he’s not at his best. The most impressive aspect of the world No.1’s second Saudi International win in three years was his unflappable response to a catalogue of miss reads on the tricky Royal Greens putting surfaces. The only time the reigning Masters champion did get angry – if you could call a light slap on his own thigh after bogeying the 16th in the final round “angry” – Johnson responded by very nearly driving the next. A par 4. Job done.

“I’ve been playing some really good golf the last six months. Hopefully, I’m going to continue to play this kind of golf. I’m seeing a lot of the same things each and every week, and that’s what I do… I’ve got a great team around me that helps me kind of stay in that form so that I can perform at the highest level each and every week.”

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The dirty D word
With distance almost a dirty word in golf nowadays, Bryson DeChambeau finds himself the game’s new anti-hero, with all due respect to Patrick Reed. Thankfully, Saudi was another reminder that ridiculous length off the tee doesn’t guaranteed fairways in reg, much less trophies (Dustin Johnson’s victory notwithstanding). In the clamber to dial back the ball, we should remember that and the fact the next-gen love seeing athletes hit bombs. Are we trying to lure newcomers to the sport or tell them that improved athleticism isn’t really wanted? Remember too that Kevin Na contended. As DeChambeau (T-18) said himself, a distance advantage will always be a distance advantage no matter how long the course is or how far the ball flies. But that doesn’t mean the big boofers will always win. This is golf after all. The only guarantee is that you’ll never beat this maddeningly brilliant game.

The course Jack is building
The Kingdom might be home to the youngest of the Desert Swing events but boy, aren’t Golf Saudi in a hurry to make up for lost time. Even before one of this year’s strongest fields (it was only early Feb.) teed it up at Royal Greens, the governing body announced Jack Nicklaus has put his name to a new private course in the Qiddiya megaproject 40 minutes south-west of the capital Riyadh. And that Saudi Aramco was backing a four-event, $4 million series of Ladies European Tour events in New York, London, Singapore and KAEC. Talk about Kingdom come. It’s going to be fascinating to see what the golf landscape looks like in a decade’s time.

Enough already COVID
Just when we all thought the horrors of 2020 were behind us… Here’s hoping the cancelled Oman Open can be rescheduled for later in the year because Greg Norman’s Al Mouj Golf design in Muscat is one of the courses that give Middle East golf tourism a great name.

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Qatar Quality?
Anyone else surprised a year has passed since the European Tour put its 2020 season on ice following Jorge Campillo’s victory at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters? Yeah, it feels much longer than that to us too. With the coronavirus-enforced demise of the Oman Open a timely reminder to take nothing for granted, the return to Education City is our last chance to enjoy some top-level desert golf before the long haul to the Race to Dubai decider at JGE in late November. The quality of the field in Doha, now that a potential two-tourney Middle East detour has become a one event hit and run mission, will be telling. Whatever happens, at least it looks like we’ll all play on after Qatar. What a year – and a Desert Swing – it has been.

The post That’s (almost) a wrap! A dozen reasons why the 2021 Desert Swing was (and still is) a doozy appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
As a full European Tour venue since 2018 and runner-up in Golf Digest Middle East latest biennial ‘Top 10 Courses of the Middle East’ ranking, Al Mouj Golf enjoys a richly deserved global reputation.

Now the three-time Oman Open venue boasts another quality connection after appointing eGolf to manage the Al Mouj Golf Academy and Pro Shop.

The partnership with the Middle East’s largest golf retailer will see eGolf provide grassroots coaching programmes courtesy of its US Kids Golf distributorship, plus equipment and custom fitting services at the Greg Norman-designed club in Muscat.

Al Mouj CEO Nasser Al Sheibani said the agreement would give members and visitors to the Omani capital access to the leading brands in golf, some of which weren’t previously available in the Sultanate.

“This agreement underlines Al Mouj Golf’s commitment to providing our golfers with the highest quality golf products, some of which haven’t been previously available to our members and guests.”

More important, Al Sheibani said, was the junior component of the partnership which is designed to attract the next generation to the game.

As the Middle East distributor of US Kids Golf, eGolf will roll out a grassroots junior participation programme founded around the complete US Kids Golf teaching curriculum, a Middle East first.

A full suite of US Kids Coaching products will be available and refreshed regularly. All Al Mouj Golf coaches will hold Level One and Two Coach Certifications from the US Kids Golf Teaching Institute in Pinehurst, USA, while specialised US Kids club fitting will also be offered.

Complimentary club fitting and use of equipment and group classes with individual attention are part of the service. The coaching follows US Kids Golf’s games-based philosophy that engages golfers and makes learning for all children more fun.

“This agreement supports one of our key objectives at Al Mouj Golf to grow golf in Oman and inspire children of all ages to take up the game in a fun and exciting way,” Al Sheibani said. “That hopefully inspires them to remain lifelong players and build lasting memories out on the golf course with their friends and family.”

Dean Cheesley (pictured) who founded eGolf Megastore in 2011, hailed the agreement.

“I am very proud of this partnership, particularly in regard to our support of Omani Junior Golf through our upcoming work at the Al Mouj Golf Academy. We share every golfer’s passion for the game and combine our passion with a commitment to helping our customers achieve their maximum potential on the course.

“This is particularly true in regard to the development of Omani junior golf and the Omani national team and I look forward to many more years of partnership to grow and support the future of the game in Oman.

“The partnership also provides members and guests of Al Mouj Golf with access to more than 85 golf brands via the eGolf network in the UAE, enhancing their retail experience in the Sultanate.”

almoujgolf.com

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By Kent Gray
The European Tour’s much-anticipated 2021 schedule includes six events in the Middle East and will open and climax in the UAE with two of the season’s richest events.

The 2021 Race to Dubai schedule was released overnight with 18 events either postponed or cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus returning to an 11-month season set to include a minimum of 42 events in 24 countries.

The globe-trotting year starts on Jan. 21 with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship which has had its purse bolstered to $8 million. It is the first of a remodelled Rolex Series reduced to just four events, including the season-ending DP World Tour Championship which has also had its purse bolstered to by $1 million to $9 million.

As Golf Digest Middle East reported yesterday, Rory McIlroy is expected to headline the field in Abu Dhabi with U.S. star Justin Thomas, ranked third in the latest OWGR, a place ahead of the Northern Irishman, also tipped to tee it up at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Justin Thomas is tipped to play the season-opening Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (Patrick Smith/Getty Images).

The season-ending DP World Tour Championship will return to its traditional November timeslot (Nov. 18-21) and will be the fourth Rolex Series event after Abu Dhabi, the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open (July 8-11) and the tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship (Sept. 9-12), the first three all carrying $8 million purses.

It is understood the four Rolex Series events are a forerunner to a more globally aligned calendar and will become co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour from 2022 as part of the strategic alliance recently announced by the two circuits. All four will offer 8,000 Race to Dubai points – 1000 more than this season and the same as on offer at the four World Golf Championship events.

There will be 12,000 Race to Dubai points available at the DPWTC, some 2,000 points above those on offer at the four major championships as the European Tour works to make its own events more attractive to the game’s biggest names.

Every Week Counts.

Announcing our 2021 schedule ? pic.twitter.com/cPWwTpjAsJ

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 15, 2020

Sadly, the Golf In Dubai Championship, a COVID-19 stop-gap measure squeezed into this season’s schedule on Fire before last week’s DP World Tour Championship on neighbouring Earth at Jumeirah Golf Estates, appears to be a one-hit-wonder.

But the region’s traditional events are back in an even more concentrated early-season burst. As promised, the season will feature a series of ‘swings’ in tight geographical clusters to keep travel to a minimum for members and bio-secure bubbles more easily contained. It all starts with a Middle East swing of five events – Abu Dhabi (Jan. 21-24, $9 million purse), Dubai (Jan. 28-31, purse TBC), Saudi Arabia (Feb. 4-7, $3.5 million), Oman (March 4-7, $1.5 million) and Qatar (March 11-17, $1.5 million) spanning the first 7.5 weeks of the season.

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The Race to Dubai decider at JGE now boasts a $9 million purse and more Race to Dubai points than the season’s four majors.

In a significant change, the four events that preceded Abu Dhabi this year – the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, the Mauritius Open and Australian PGA Championship in Dec. 2019 and the South African Open in early Jan, are gone although five events and/or venues are still to be confirmed.

The WGC-Mexico Championship (Feb. 25-28), positioned after the Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club and before the Oman Open at Al Mouj, is the only interruption to next season’s early season Middle East swing; in 2020 there was also a major geographical detour via the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia.

In all, there are only eight events, two of them WGCs, on the European schedule before the Masters (April 8-11). The first major of the year will be followed by two new events during April in Tenerife and Gran Canaria which form part of an “Iberian Swing” including the Portugal Masters – all three boasting $1.5 million purses. The schedule also includes the return of the “UK (and Ireland) Swing” in July and August with increased purses promised. The Open de España and the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters in Spain occupy the first two weeks of October, followed by the Trophée Hassan II in Morocco.

In an intriguing move, the second and so far unnamed event on the seven-week summer U.K. Swing will be co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA.

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2020 Race to Dubai and DP World Tour Championship winners Lee Westwood and Matthew Fitzpatrick.

European Tour CEO Keith Pelley said he was “incredibly proud” to announce the schedule given the on-going challenges presented by the pandemic.

“There is no question that the challenge of reshaping our 2020 season in many ways informed our approach to 2021,” he said. “One of the key learnings was to group events together in terms of their geographical location to create a more travel-friendly season for our members. That is reflected in numerous concentrations of event locations.

“Another was to continue to enhance our Rolex Series events at strategic points in the global golfing calendar when the European Tour will be the focal point of golf on the world stage. This is one of the many aspects we will continue to develop in our Strategic Alliance discussions with the PGA Tour, following our historic partnership announcement last month.”

Initially, at least, events will continue to operate under the European Tour’s strict health and safety protocols, meaning limited on-site fan engagement at the Middle East events.

“However, with the incredible progress that has been made in recent months in terms of a vaccine, we look forward to hopefully welcoming the gradual return of the fans we’ve so dearly missed, whilst at the same time continuing to entertain viewers at home through our unrivalled World Feed TV output and across our award-winning digital platforms.”

View the 2021 European Tour Schedule here.

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By Christopher Powers
The coronavirus is no laughing matter, something Edoardo Molinari found out the hard way last week prior to the European Tour’s Oman Open. Knowing a sibling is coming unglued over something out of their control, however, is always funny. So you’ll have to forgive Francesco Molinari getting in a laugh at his brother’s expense.

For those who missed it, Edoardo was one of two European Tour pros who were quarantined last Wednesday over fears they had contracted the virus. The other was Lorenzo Gagli, who had been exhibiting flu-like symptoms and examined by the tournament’s medical staff. Both players are from Italy, where the number of cases grow by the day, and they happened to be sharing a hotel room. Neither Molinari or Gagli were thrilled with the decision, but the precautionary measures taken by the European Tour were understandable.

Fortunately, Gagli’s tests came back negative, and the European Tour reinstated both players and sent them off in a twosome in the opening round. This was particularly beneficial for Gagli, who finished in a tie for 10th. Molinari tied for 50th.

Francesco understands the gravity of the situation in their home country, but he couldn’t help but chuckle when he thought about what his brother was going through. He explained why on Tuesday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he is the defending champion.

“I was laughing, actually,” said the 2018 Open champion. “If you know my brother, of all people, for it to happen to him, I don’t know, yeah, I just found it a little bit funny at the beginning. But then, obviously, I spoke to him and he was, I would say, more annoyed than scared because he was feeling well. He had no symptoms. But, yeah, joking aside, obviously being Italian it’s not a great time back home with the health situation and I don’t know, hopefully they can get it sorted somehow quickly.”

That’s the brother-brother relationship summed up right there. Francesco expanded on the coronavirus matter later in the press conference.

“I know as much as you, if not less, to be honest. We just follow, obviously, the directions that we’re given by the tour. So far, luckily, it doesn’t seem to have an impact on us directly. But, yeah, like I said, the first person — I wasn’t in Italy last week — but I was obviously reading the news and they cancelled football games, soccer games, which are huge over there and closed school, so it’s definitely having an impact there. Hopefully it won’t get to that stage over here.”

So far it hasn’t, with six reported deaths in the United States versus 52 in Italy. As for precautions being taken by the Tour, the organization released a statement on the coronavirus Monday.

“The PGA TOUR has been closely monitoring all available information related to the continued spread of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19. We conduct more than 175 tournaments across our six Tours, and the health and safety of our players, employees, fans, partners, volunteers and everyone associated with the PGA TOUR continues to be our No. 1 priority.

“After reviewing the relevant positions from the Centers of Disease Control and the World Health Organization, there are no planned schedule changes beyond what has already been decided with PGA TOUR Series-China (a delay to the start of the season). However, we are establishing additional protocols to promote the health and safety of all participants and fans at our tournaments, and we will regularly review our schedule in light of revised CDC and WHO reports and make any updates as necessary.”

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By John Huggan
On a packed final-round leaderboard—six players began the day tied for first—it was always going to take something special to break out of the sizeable throng gathered at or near the apex of the Oman Open.

Or somethings special. Which is how it turned out. Even before they embarked on what would eventually be a three-hole playoff for the title, Brandon Stone and Sami Valimaki both made lengthy putts for unlikely 3s at the 465-yard par-4 72nd hole. Those birdies took the South African and the young Finn (playing in only his sixth European Tour event) to 13 under par, one shot clear of Frenchman Adrien Saddier. As many as 13 others finished within five shots of the playoff pair.

Pars each on the aforementioned 18th in the first two playoff holes, necessitated a third to settle the destination of the first-place cheque. And it was Stone, a three-time European Tour winner, who blinked, pulling his approach left of the green, then failing to get up-and-down to match Valimaki’s solid two-putt par. That 4 was, in fact, only the new champion’s sixth par in his last 15 holes; his two-under 70 in the final round over the Al Mouj Golf course included seven birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey 6 at the ninth that had appeared to end his victory chances.

Two more bogeys would follow for Valimaki, who only 18 months ago was doing his national service in the Finnish army, but four birdies more than made up for those mistakes. More crucially, none of the principal challengers could match his two-under-par aggregate over the closing four holes. Where most were faltering, he was flourishing.

“It’s awesome,” was Valimaki’s understandably almost speechless initial reaction. “There are not many words to say, it’s unbelievable. After the ninth hole, when I made a double, I knew that the 10th hole is good and I had to make a birdie on that. I didn’t make a really good par on 11 and after that bogey I felt like, ‘OK, this is gone.’ But then I just grinded, made three birdies and on the last, an awesome birdie.”

While the field he had to beat in Oman was far from the best the European Tour has to offer—not one of the 17 men who finished in the top 10 ranked inside the world’s top 100 and only three were inside the top 150—Valimaki’s progress up the professional ladder has so far been remarkably swift. Following the example of former World No. 1 Martin Kaymer, the 21-year-old was last year a four-time winner on what was the Germany-based EPD Tour and is now the Pro Golf Tour, a feat that earned him promotion to last year’s European Challenge circuit. He got his European Tour card at Q school last fall, and a T-7 finish at the recent Vic Open in Australia hinted at a burgeoning potential that has been further underlined with this victory.

The post Finland’s Sami Valimaki, just 18 months out of military service, wins Oman Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall
Two European Tour players, Lorenzo Gagli and Edoardo Molinari, have been quarantined, reportedly, over fears they have contracted the coronavirus, and forced to withdraw from this week’s Oman Open.

Gagli and Molinari were approached by a European Tour doctor at breakfast on Wednesday, Gagli told Italian newspaper La Nazione. Though the two were supposed to be roommates for the week, they were isolated in separate rooms. Gagli said he was given a test and told the result would be available in two days, but that he would have to remain in the room until next Wednesday, forcing him to miss the Qatar Masters as well.

“It’s an inexplicable decision,” Gagli said to La Nazoine. “Only us two have been excluded from the tournament, but I arrived in Muscat last Sunday and over the last few days I’ve worked out in the gym with dozens of other players. I ate with them and travelled by bus with them.

“If there was a risk of contagion, then they would have to isolate dozens of golfers and cancel the tournament.”

In a statement to the AP, the European Tour said Gagli and Molinari had withdrawn from the event on “medical grounds.”

Gagli, who did acknowledge he had been battling a cold, said the decision came from the Oman health ministry, and claims it is costing him and Molinari “serious economic damage.”

Both players hail from Italy, which is suffering an outbreak of the coronavirus with more than 440 cases confirmed, most of any non-Asian country. Gagli entered the week 407th in the Official World Golf Ranking, while Molinari (348th) is a former U.S. Amateur champ and Ryder Cupper, and brother to 2018 Open champ Francesco Molinari.

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The 35-year-old German was unveiled on Wednesday as the headline act for the 3rd staging of the $1.75 million Oman Open to be staged at Al Mouj Golf from Feb.27-March 1.

Kaymer has a superb record in the Middle East highlighted by a record hat-trick of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship titles among his 11 European Tour triumphs. The 2010 US PGA Championship winner also boasts three PGA Tour titles – the two majors and the 2014 Players Championship – but nearly spilled outside the top 200 of the Official World Golf Ranking, falling to 198th last May.

A share of eighth place in Abu Dhabi and back-to-back top-20s at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic and the Saudi International powered by SBIA has helped Kaymer climb back to 112th and has him convinced a breakthrough is close.

“I think as long as I follow a plan, winning again is just a matter of time,” said Kaymer. “At the end of 2019 I sat down with my coach and we talked about the things that didn’t work out and the things that did, and I need to elevate my game.

“I feel really close because I have a plan now,” he said. “The last two or three years, I didn’t really have a plan of what I wanted to do, where I wanted to be or where I thought my golf should be.”

Kaymer is one of the straightest hitters on tour but realised he needed to add some oomph to his tee balls.

“I changed a few things over the winter with my driving because I was never happy the way I drove the ball. It was straight, but it was never long enough to compete at the big events.

“If you look at the stats these days, the guys are hitting it with 300 yards of carry, so I needed to change something. I did that and I’m very happy the way I’m driving it right now.

“My irons have always been good and I have I worked a lot on the short game too. It’s just a matter of having a plan behind what you want to do. It might sound really silly – like how can you not have a plan – but sometimes you get so stuck in an environment that you actually forget what you are doing. You just go from week-to-week-to-week.

“So I just took a break, reflected a little bit, because I was not happy where my game was going, and then I changed.”

Kaymer is also hoping another change can start to bear fruit after he became reunited with his old caddie, Scotland’s Craig Connelly, the man who carried his bag during those two major victories.

“It’s great to have ‘wee man’ back on the bag,” said Kaymer. “I feel like I’m back in a comfort zone with Craig, and it’s important in my career now to find that comfort zone. You need people around you who know you and keep you in a good place – and that’s what Craig brings.”

The post Martin Kaymer, winless since 2014, headlines Oman Open field appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Bailey Gill planned to tee it up at the $75,000 Royal Golf Club Bahrain Open next week. Instead he’ll be rubbing shoulders with the likes for former world No.1 Martin Kaymer at the European Tour’s Oman Open, an event with a cool million extra greenbacks on the line. Amazing, potentially life-changing things like that happen to good players on the MENA Tour by Arena.

The 22-year-old Englishman was trying to get his head around the sudden change of plans after capturing the $13,500 winner’s cheque at the Ghala Open on Wednesday.

The Worksop lefty birdied his last three holes and five of his last six in a bogey-free 65 to get to -15 and win by one from overnight leader and room-mate David Langley. Scot Craig Ross, who briefly owned the lead by two strokes at the turn, settled for third at -12, a shot ahead of impressive Dubai-based Indian teen Arjun Gupta who signed for a bogey-free 66 and his best MENA Tour result. Gupta played his final 36-holes in 11-under-par to seal his second amateur title on the regional development circuit after he shared that honour with pal Josh Hill at last November’s Tour Championship.

CHAMPIONS!!
England’s @baileygill1997 (16-under par) and India’s Arjun Gupta are the Professional and Amateur winners of the Ghala Open.
Gill’s reward, apart from the $13,500 cheque, is a spot in next week’s Oman Open on the @EuropeanTour. pic.twitter.com/Ko88ScAd8z

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 19, 2020

But this was Gill’s day, a scarcely believable pro breakthrough after he wasted a golden opportunity at the inaugural NEWGIZA Open last week.

The southpaw started the final round in Cairo just a shot out of the lead but faded to a share of 12th. They say you learn most not from your victories but your disappointments and that clearly proved the case after Gill signed for a closing two-over 74 at NEWGIZA Golf Club, the equal worst score of anyone who finished in the top 40.

“This is fantastic,” said Gill. “I have been waiting for some time now for this to happen. It did not happen in Cairo, but I am glad I could hang on and win here in Oman.

“I was disappointed last week, but I came here knowing I was playing solid. I have been playing good golf for some time now, just struggling to get everything together and I am glad I managed to do that.”

Get it done he surely did, but not without a few nerve-jangling moments down the stretch. Twice on the last two holes weak, pushed drives looked to have cost the Lindrick Golf Club member but he recovered both times with a pair of spectacular chips to tap-in range. Check them out:

With this exquisite chip to less than 2 feet, @baileygill1997 has taken a one-shot lead at -15 going into the final hole of the Ghala Open. pic.twitter.com/928YvaYwVR

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 19, 2020

That brilliant chip by @baileygill1997 left him with his short putt to make a birdie and edge ahead of a fast-charging @DavidLangley59 by one shot… pic.twitter.com/aMI7p7tLlh

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 19, 2020

“Those two were tough shots on the last two holes. I hit a horrible tee shot on the 18th hole and there was a lot of pressure when David holed his putt for a birdie on the last. David really played great despite the poor start he had, especially on that back nine.”

“I’m delighted to win the Ghala Open and I can’t wait to get going next week at the Oman Open at Al Mouj Golf. It will be my first European Tour event so I’m really looking forward to the challenge of playing with some of the best golfers in the world.

“I have only been a professional now for around five months so I’m really happy this opportunity has come to me so soon and I hope I can take advantage of it.”

Langley, seeking a second MENA Tour title inside three weeks, was left to rue a double-bogey start in a topsy-turvy closing 67. The 25-year-old Marlow rookie bounced back immediately with a birdie two but bogeyed the par-5 3rd before reaching the turn in 38 strokes, two over. He triggered a charge by driving it just short of the 375-yard par-4 10th and coolly holing the eagle putt before rattling off five birdies in his final seven holes for a homeward nine played in 29 strokes.

One of our spectators took this video of @DavidLangley59 driving to the edge of the 375-yard par-4 10th green and sinking his eagle putt to get back to even par for the round. pic.twitter.com/fxExKMJtzn

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 19, 2020

Sadly for Langley, the brilliant back-nine left him just shy of playoff although he does have the consolation of a near $10,000 lead over Gill in the Journey to Jordan money-race heading to Bahrain.

“I am gutted, but after that finish, if I had to lose to someone, I’d rather it be Bailey,” said the 25-year-old, also playing his first full season as a professional.

“I was rooming with him last week in Cairo and I know how upset he was after the finish there and credit to him for getting it done.

“I hit a perfect tee shot on the first and made a poor swing with my second. Obviously, the adrenaline was pumping a bit. That double affected me on the fourth hole, which is a par-5 and I could not make a birdie there. Being two-over after four on an easier stretch was not ideal, but I stayed patient and went on a roll on the back nine.

“A win here would have possibly got me two European Tour starts [Oman for winning Ghala Open and Hassan Trophee II for topping the Journey to Jordan at the halfway stage], so there was that pressure. Good to see Bailey getting the Oman spot and I am in a nice position to get into Morocco after this.”

Gupta, who turns 16 in May, showed once again why he is considered one of the brightest prospects in the region as he notched his first top-five on the MENA Tour and came to within one shot of earning his first-ever Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.

Arjun Gupta played his final 36-holes in 11-under-par.

“I am happy with my finish. The whole week my short game and my putting was very good. I could have probably driven the ball a bit better, but I can’t complain after such a finish,” said the Dubai-born Gupta, who is coached by Jamie McConnell at the Claude Harmon III Performance Golf Academy in Dubai.

“I want to win the Amateur Journey to Jordan this year and this is a good step in that direction. I also want to win a tournament on the MENA Tour and this gives me confidence that I am close.”

Final scores from Ghana Open:

-16 – @baileygill1997
-15 – @DavidLangley59
-12 – @CraigRoss64
-11 – Arjun Gupta (Am)
-10 – @alf1e_p, @PavanSagooo, Curtis Knipes, Benjamin Jones (Am), @PaulMcBride0

Full scores here:https://t.co/970IwPtaoz pic.twitter.com/ZKEmYkFP5u

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 19, 2020

The post Bailey Gill wins Ghala Open as Dubai teen Arjun Gupta records best MENA Tour finish appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

A stunning seven-under-par 65 Tuesday propelled Langley to -10 through 36 holes and to the summit of the $75,000 Ghala Open leaderboard and will see the 25-year-old Englishman take a one-stroke lead into Wednesday’s final round over a gaggle of five players.

After winning the season-opening Journey to Jordan #1 Championship and backing his dream debut up with a T-8 finish at the inaugural NEWGIZA Open in Cairo last week, Langley’s impact on the regional development tour has been instant and mightily impressive. Victory in Muscat would add to the fairytale and hand the rookie Marlow professional a scarcely believable start in the European Tour’s $1.75 million Oman Open next week.

It would also give Langley a sizeable lead in the season-long Journey to Jordan race which promises precious 2021 European and Asia Tour starts to the eventual Order-of-Merit title winner.

“I feel confident. I am swinging it really well,” said Langley who leads by one from 2017 Open Championship silver medallist Alfie Plant (68), fellow Englishmen Pavan Sagoo (67), Jake Ayres (68) and Bailey Gill (67) and Scotland’s Craig Ross (67).

“I think I have gained strokes in driving every day this season on the MENA Tour and yesterday was probably the only round when I did not gain strokes in putting. I played so well in the final round in Egypt, but I guess I was trying too hard over there and shot just two-under when I had a very low one in me that day. A tied eighth finish is pretty good, but I learned a lot from that round, and from Jordan. So, hopefully, we can get the job done tomorrow.”

Let’s just say England’s @DavidLangley59 is on a roll. He won in Jordan and finished inside the top-10 in Cairo. On Tuesday, he shot a seven-under par 65 to currently lead the Ghala Open by one shot.

We asked him what was he doing particularly well to enjoy this purple patch… pic.twitter.com/eOubmltJLr

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 18, 2020

Starting from the 10th tee, Langley’s round was highlighted by a spectacular slam-dunk eagle when he holed a wedge from 84 yards on the par-4 11th. His only bogey came soon after on the 14th hole, but with 16 greens in regulation, he was never in any major trouble after that and also picked up shots on all four of Ghala Golf Club’s par-5s.

“It was a pretty good day. When you start with an eagle like that, it’s always good,” said Langley who improved to No. 1187 in the world rankings after his win in Jordan.

“I flew it straight into the hole and I feel sorry because I damaged the cup a bit. Made a silly error on the 14th, and missed a short birdie putt on the 17th, but apart from that, it was solid golf.”

NEWGIZA Open winner Sebastien Gros lurks dangerously after a second straight 68, leaving the Frenchman alone in eighth place at -8, while countryman and overnight leader Antoine Schwartz (71), Scot Sam Locke (70), the 2018 Open Championship low amateur, and England’s in-form David Hague (68) are three behind the leader at -7.

India’s Dubai-based Arjun Gupta is the leading amateur courtesy a splendid round five-under-par 67 that took him up to tied 16th place, two ahead of Russian 16-year-old Ivan Striganov (74).

There was also a proud moment for Saudi golf as all three players in the field – professional Othman Almulla and amateurs Saud Al Sharif and Ali Alsakha – made the cut, which fell at two-over-par.

Such an amazing moment for Saudi golf!! All three players in the field at @theMENATour’s Ghala Open – professional @o_almulla_golf and amateurs Saud Al Sharif and Ali Alsakha- have made the cut!!

Great progress and well done to @SaudiGolf! pic.twitter.com/YBC8BG071T

— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyofGolf) February 18, 2020

The post White-hot Langley eyes second MENA Tour title in three weeks appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
It’s back to Middle East golf’s ultimate finishing school for Josh Hill after the teen has spent the past month absorbing some eye-opening European Tour lessons before burying his nose in some proper course books.

After sitting out the first two events of the 2020 MENA Tour by Arena season to catch up on his GCSE course work, the 15-year-old Trump Dubai member will tee it up in the $75,000 Ghala Open on Monday.

RELATED: MENA Tour welcomes golfers with disabilities Into regional circuit fold

The circuit’s reigning amateur champion has been grouped with his professional Journey to Jordan counterpart, MG Keyser, and Englishman Ben Hutchinson for the opening round at Ghala G.C. Four-time European Tour winner David Horsey, using the event as a warm-up to next week’s $1.75 million Oman Open at nearby Al Mouj Golf, is also in Muscat, along with defending Ghala Open champion Nick Marsh – like Hill making his season bow – and the winners of the first two events of the season in Aqaba and Cairo, David Langley and Sebastien Gros respectively.

But it will be Hill’s return that captures the early attention after his breakout 2019 when he won the Al Ain Open to claim the world record as the youngest winner of an Official World Golf Ranking event in October. That led to the amateur Journey to Jordan title and a start at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic. The England Boys’ rep also qualified for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. While an un-co-operative driver saw him miss the cut at both Desert Swing events, he’s fizzing to get back into the MENA Tour swing of things.

“Playing in Abu Dhabi and Dubai was a most wonderful experience. I learned so much. I am already practicing differently for events having seen how well and how detailed the leading pros practice,” said Hill.

Jordanian 19-year-old Shergo Al Kurdi has dominated the early amateur narrative in 2020, highlighted by his runner-up finish at the season-opener at Ayla Golf Club a fortnight ago. Al Kurdi isn’t in Muscat but Hill, who recorded his first MENA Tour top 10 at this event last year, has ample amateur rivalry with pals Toby Bishop and Arjun Gupta among those just as determined to take advantage of the absence of the current amateur Order-of-Merit leader Al Kurdi.

“I love the layout of the Ghala Golf Club. I played well here last year, and I want to play well again and make a good start to my season,” said Hill. “Even though I am not playing the full schedule on the MENA Tour this year, I still aim to win the Amateur Order of Merit and get back to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic next year.”

Defending champion Nick Marsh.

Marsh is also hoping to renew his love affair with Ghala after winning last year’s title by two stokes from now Challenge Tour star Robin Roussell. Marsh triumphed on 18-under and 14 of those gained shots came on the Ghala’s inward nine.

“Just feels great to be back at Ghala Golf Club. It’s my first event of 2020 and I’m really looking forward to get back playing again,” said Marsh who once reached 14th in the world amateur rankings.

“Last year, winning here was amazing, shooting 18-under for three rounds was awesome. I still don’t know why I have such a love affair with the back nine, maybe it just suits my eye…I don’t know. But I hope it continues this week.”

And added motivation for the players this week is that the Ghala Open champion will also receive an invitation to participate in next week’s Oman Open on the European Tour.

“It’s a huge motivation, not only to win on the MENA Tour again but the rewards you get for that. A start in a main European Tour is a money-can’t-buy experience, to be able to test yourself against the best players in the world… However, I will take it one step at a time,” Marsh said.

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