By Kent Gray
Todd Clements has waltzed through the final stage of Sunshine Tour Q-School in South Africa but won’t be relinquishing his amateur status immediately.

The MENA Tour’s runaway 2017 amateur order of merit champion finished second of the 108 starters at Randpark G.C. in Johannesburg, a second round eight-under 64 highlighting the brilliant performance in the 90-hole marathon.

However, the 21-year-old still has amateur ambitions, chief among them being selected to represent England at the Eisenhower Trophy in Ireland this September. The world amateur teams championship will be played at Carton House near Dublin from Sept. 5-8 and would be a fitting sign-off to a stellar amateur career which included victory in the 87th English Amateur Championship at The Berkshire last August.

Photo courtesy Sunshine Tour

There is a chance he could cut the amateur umbilical cord in August if he were to miss Eisenhower selection although that appears unlikely barring a massive loss of form. At 18th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR, a spot behind Dubai prodigy Rayhan Thomas), Clements is the highest ranked Englishman and is set to be named in a four-man team for next month’s European Nations Cup in Spain in what is a precursor to Eisenhower selection.

Whenever he turns professional, the Londoner will have options as he eyes the ultimate goal of a 2019 European Tour card. He can take up the Sunshine Tour card at any stage this season and is also likely to play the remodelled MENA Tour which has been shortened to an August-November season with expanded 72 hole (from 54) events offering more prize money and Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.

Clements opted to play in Joburg for the experience of cut-throat Q-School pressure looking ahead to the European Tour qualifiers, the first stage of which he will automatically skip if he can get his WAGR inside the top 15. He handled the Randpark test with aplomb too, rounds of 67-64-68 and “bad day at the office, it happens” 74 taking him into the final round with a share of the lead. He had led by as many as seven strokes at one stage during the week only for a self diagnosed intercostal muscle strain (rib area) picked up on the range ahead of Friday’s final round seeing him blow out to a closing 75 and second place at -12. He finish four shots behind South African professional Thriston Lawrence (closing 65) and a shot ahead of fellow amateur Louis Albertse (RSA).

“I actually picked up a slight injury in the morning so to go through the pain barrier and get finished and finish second overall was quite a delight actually,” Clements told GolfDigestme.com

“The whole experience exceeded my expectations in all honesty. I went to further my experience in the golfing world so to be able to compete straight away was a delight really. That was the goal, to give myself options when I do turn professional and now I’ve got those options.”

Clements finished leading amateur in seven of the nine events he entered during last season’s MENA Tour including the last six events of the year on the trot. There were runner-up finishes at the Dubai Creek Open (T-2 with Thomas) and Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open as he finished 110 points ahead of compatriot Sam Hobday despite playing six fewer events.

The developmental Middle East and North Africa circuit is meant as a finishing school for aspiring pros and is certainly proving its worth in Clements’ case. The Colchester lad seems at ease with his game after one of the most mentally challenging examinations.

Photo courtesy Sunshine Tour

“It’s a longer tournament so your concentration levels have to be a bit higher but I actually found it very similar to any other events which is great,” Clements said of Sunshine Tour Q-School.

“When it comes down to it, you are just playing golf every day whether you’re playing for a living, the Eisenhower, the Nations Cup or European Tour Q-School, you just try and play golf. That was actually quite reassuring that there isn’t much of a difference and if you get that kind of mind set, you can definitely compete.”

Clements intends having the rib injury checked upon his return to London on Monday. He puts it down to overuse after a hectic schedule which included representing Europe in the Bonallack Trophy in Doha a fortnight ago. “Hopefully it’s not too serious,” he said.

Related: Thomas adds Bonallack Trophy to amateur CV

.@ThristonL claims a four-stroke victory over England’s @ClementsTodd at the final stage of qualifying school @RandparkGolf

Read more: https://t.co/z2KnN4zNhR pic.twitter.com/MKvh2wCZcg

— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) March 24, 2018

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By Kent Gray
Henric Sturehed has been knocking on victory’s door for weeks and when he finally burst through Thursday, the view had exciting European, Asian and Sunshine Tour views.

The 27-year-old Swede waltz to a nine-stroke victory in the MENA Tour Championship at Al Zorah with a closing 69 to collect the circuit’s flagship title and the season’s richest cheque courtesy of an impressive -21 total.

The $18,000 took his season’s earnings to exactly two greenbacks over $30,000 and saw Sturehed leap-frog five places up to second in the order-of-merit behind champion Jamie Elson.

He’d started the working week almost certain of a place in the final stage of Sunshine Tour Q-School in South African and ended it with much more than a honking great pay cheque.

As well as a full card on the South African tour, Sturehed is now contemplating starts in January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic and a second European Tour event, next September’s KLM Open at the Dutch. He also has a full Asian Development Tour card for 2018 but mightn’t need it – there’s also a free pass to the final stage of Asian Tour Q-School to consider.

“I’m absolutely delighted with my first win on the MENA Tour,” said Sturehed who became the the fourth Swede to win a MENA Tour event after Per Barth, Christofer Blomstrand and Fredrik From.

“I felt really comfortable out there, like I was in control of my game. It was my first season on the MENA Tour and I really enjoyed the whole experience. There are many good players out there and it was fun competing with them. I have made many new good friends and hope to return next year.”

Jake Shepherd, a two-time winner on the tour, went bogey-free in a closing six-under 66 to finish second at Al Zorah on -12, two clear of fellow Englishman Andrew Marshall and Adam Sagar.

Elson returned a level-par 72 to join fellow Englishmen Joe Heraty and Luke Joy in a three-way tie for fifth on -9, 279 , good enough for him to seal the prestigious Order of Merit title ahead of Sturehed.

As well as season earnings of $32,695, Elson becomes the first MENA Tour player to win a PGA Tour start at the DEAN & DELUCA Invitational at Colonial C.C. in May after also teeing it up in the Desert Classic and the European Tour’s Trophee Hassan II in Morocco in April. The 36-year-old Englishman also has all the Sunshine, and full and developmental Asian Tour privileges as Sturehed to ponder.

In the final wash-up in Ajman, you had to feel for Luke Joy whose frustrating season – hampered by a bout of malaria contracted during the MENA Tour’s South African swing – ended in more disappointment.

By the equivalent of a measly $121, he dropped to third in the OOM which denies the Yas Links-attached Englishman and return to the KLM Open. Here’s hoping he makes hay at the Desert Classic after being DQ’d for innocently signing an incorrect score card last January. He also has full Sunshine Tour status for 2018 although the illness in Pretoria may make a Asian Development Tour pass more appealing.

Todd Clements, meanwhile, signed for a 68 to win the amateur division on -5 283 . It was the English Amateur Champion’s sixth successive title and saw him crowned runaway amateur OOM champion from Sam Hobday.

Final MENA Tour Championship scores 

Final Pro OOM standings

Final Amateur OOM standings

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Two-back overnight, Sturehed rattled off eight birdies and a chip-in eagle to move to -13 at the season-decider in Ajman and open up a healthy five stroke lead over Englishman Andrew Marshall (66).

The season-long title race is suddenly a lot more spicy after Joy signed for a 69 to move from a share of 9th overnight into a share of 5th with Slovenia’s Tim Gornik and Swede Fredrik From, the latter an outside chance at the order-of-merit (OOM) title.

Joy is now just two shots behind Jamie Elson after the overnight leader and OOM pole-sitter carded a one-under 71 to fall into a share of third at -7 with Canadian Lindsay Renolds.

Related: Who needs to do what to win the MENA Tour

With 36-holes remaining, the equation is simple for Joy. If he goes on to win, the MENA Tour title, three European Tour starts, an invite to the PGA Tour’s Dean & Deluca Invitational, a Sunshine Tour card and a place in final qualifying for the Asian Tour is his. If Joy finishes second or third, Elson would need to finish no better than 4th or 6th respectively while Joy would still need a top three finish if Elson slips outside the top 10.

Sturehed backed up his opening 68 with a nine-under second round that included a chip-in eagle three on the 4th after his six-iron from 218 yards finished just off the green, a solitary bogey at the 8th before three successive birdies to finish.

“Conditions were a bit tougher today because of cross winds, but I had a good, solid day,” said the 27-year-old Swede.

“You never know tomorrow holds as there are many good players in the field and anything can happen. I need to stick to my game plan and keep the feel-good vibes going.”

Defending champion Tyler Hogarty, (South Africa) tied for second overnight, fell into a tie for 17th after returning a 77 while England’s Jake Shepherd kept himself in the frame for a strong finish, taking a share of 8th after posting a 69.

The English duo of Zane Scotland and Lee Corfield, who between them share 14 MENA Tour titles, are T-22 on +1 while Craig Hinton, the winner of the 2016 Order of Merit title, occupied tT-40 on +6, 150.

Taylor Carter returned a 69 to join fellow Englishman Sam Hobday at the top of the amateur division on -2 as overnight joint leader Todd Clements slipped to +1 after a 76.

Click here for full MENA Tour Championship scores

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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.

One back at the start, 27-year-old Prinsloo closed with a 68 to reach 12-under for the tournament, beating Sandys, who carded the day’s low score of a 67, by two shots for his first Big Easy Tour win since 2013.

England’s Jeff Inglis joined the South African duo of Jacquin Hess and Francois Coetzee for a share of third on -7 as the MENA Tour’s Jamie Elson, who led by one shot overnight, returned a final round 75 to settle for solo sixth a further shot adrift.

“It’s been a while since I won on the Big Easy, but, it’s very nice to win the co-sanctioned event with the MENA Tour. It just feels like it’s a step higher,” said Prinsloo.

“The last leaderboard was on hole number 15’s green and I still had a three-shot lead there. I thought ‘OK, this looks pretty simple’, and all of a sudden on 17, Omar (Sandys) was on 10-under and put some pressure on me. But luckily I kept calm and put the ball in the right spaces, and yeah got it done.

“I just had to keep doing the things I have done the last two days and, it’s always a little bit tougher to do that on the last day, a little bit more pressure. But, I managed to stay calm.”

Elsewhere, Sweden’s Henric Sturehed signed for a 71 to finish in a three-way tie for seventh on five under, one ahead of fellow MENA Tour member Antonio Costa of Chile and two better of Fredrik From, the winner of the Pattana Golf Championship in Thailand last month.

England’s Sam Hobday took the honours in the amateur division on +8 after closing with a 78 as Brazil’s Tiago Lobo, who hit the front on day one with a 73, failed to keep the momentum going, missing the cut on Wednesday after a second-round 78.

Next up is The Roar, the third and final co-sanctioned event on MENA Tour’s South Africa swing, which will be played at Waterkloof Golf Club in Pretoria from June 20 to 22.

The post Late charge propels Prinsloo to victory at Jo’burg City Masters appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Elson carded an equal best of the day 67 Wednesday to come from two shots back to grasp the lead in the co-sanctioned Sunshine Big Easy Tour-MENA Tour event at -9, a shot clear of South Africa’s Jaco Prinsloo.

Joy, meanwhile, was unable to recover from his opening two-over 74, going backwards with a second round 76 to miss the cut but four shots. That means the inconsistent OOM leader, through seven events of the MENA Tour season, is in danger of surrendering his lead atop the points standings, particularly if Elson can kick on to victory at Country Club Johannesburg Thursday.

Golf is a numbers game and those can be tricky when you’re playing at altitude where the ball flies further. Not that Elson, who mixed five birdies and an eagle with two bogeys in his second round, seems to be struggling.

“I played really solidly the past two days. I’m really confident with my iron-game. I got some really good yardages today and managed to hit some pretty close. It’s just a question of getting it in on the green, you know,” said Elson who finished runner-up at April’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic.

“The main thing is just working out the altitude,” he said of what he needs to work on going forward.

“You know, coming from the UK, the ball is flying, I would say, five percent further in the winter time here. I have been to Jo’burg before in the summer time but it was about 10 percent further. So I have got a little conversion thing in my bag that’s been helping me out and it’s been working very well.”

South African Maritz Wessels fired a 67 to climb into solo third as overnight leader Jacquin Hess slipped into a three-way tie for 13th on -4 despite closing his second round 74 with an eagle at the par-5 18th.

England’s Sam Hobday led the amateur division into the final round on +2 as overnight leader Tiago Lobo (Brazil) endured a tough second round, carding a 78 to finish on seven over, leaving himself with a mountain to climb in Thursday’s final round.

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