By Matt Smith
Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club member George Fitchet finally got his name on the clubs honours board by scoring 40 points to win the stableford SGSC Summer Open supported by Gargash Autos.

Fitchet managed two gross twos and a further six net birdies in a solid round and walked away with a new Titleist TSi, Gargash Autos prizes and the title.

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The post Fitchet claims Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club Gargash Autos Summer Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
It has been quite the month for Nathan Fisher and an even better year for his beloved Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club (SGSC).

The 33-year-old South African did the small club with big ambitions proud by winning the 36-hole Emirates Golf Federation OOM Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in early May, edging JGE teen Arjun Gupta in a sudden death playoff for his maiden EGF title after a run of near misses.

Related: Fisher chalks one up for the ‘old guys’ at EGF Championship

Fisher survived another nerve-jangling playoff to land an even bigger title for the little 9-hole club that could at the weekend as SGSC overcame regional superpower and perennial title contenders Emirates Golf Club in the UAE Scratch League Final.

The two-day decider went to sudden death after the honours where shared on the Majlis 2-2 and the Peter Harradine-designed Sharjah layout, also 2-2, in regulation play, making it 4-4. SGSC opted for Fisher (+3.3 handicap) and Chinese 15-year-old Zi (William) Ang Xu (+0.6 handicap) to face former touring professional Mike Mezei (+3.8) and Kenny Babcock (+2.5) in overtime. It was some matchup with Fisher and Xu unbeaten all season and the Emirates G.C. duo flawless in the Grand Final.

“Miracle” par saves from Babcock and Mezei, the former from sand and the latter from water, kept Emirates GC in it on the 1st and 2nd respectively before the quartet halved the 3rd, again in pars.

Fisher then produced the telling blow, his 4-iron from 220 yards finding the back of the 553-yard par-5, 4th at Sharjah. The four-time SGSC champion rolled the ensuing 30-footer to three feet and then held his nerve to clinch the title before a rowdy crowd of nearly 50.

SGSC Director of Golf, Martin Duff, singled out Fisher and Xu, who only made his debut for the team in January, for special praise afterwards.

“I am extremely proud of everyone involved but the way our two players played the four playoff holes really was quite incredible and I really do believe they deserved the win,” said Duff.

The victory capped a memorable season for SGSC which celebrated its 10th anniversary in March with a second successful staging of the Sharjah Senior Golf Masters, the only tour event played on a 9-hole course. The Staysure Tour (formerly European Senior Tour) season-opener was won by Thai Thaworn Wiratchant.

Related: Wiratchant wins Sharjah Senior Golf Masters in dramatic playoff

“The golf course turned 10 years old at the start of March and to have won a title like the UAE Scratch League, beating much bigger clubs with much bigger memberships really is something for everyone involved to be extremely proud of,“ Duff continued.

SGSC had earlier edged Abu Dhabi Golf Club in their Scratch League semifinal while Emirates overcame Dubai Golf sister club, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, to reach the final.

The post Fisher helps Sharjah hook maiden UAE Scratch League title appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The NMT Battle of the Continents, and associated banter, is back for a sixth season at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club (SGSC ) and amateurs from around the Middle East are invited to tee it up for their corner of the world.

As official media partner, Golf Digest Middle East will again be following all the action as Europe go in search of a hat-trick of titles in 2017-18.

With the respective captains all members of the SGSC Scratch League team – Thomas Murdoch (America’s and Australasia), Nathan Fisher (Africa and Middle East), Mike Robson (Europe), Sunny Ramadas (Asia) – the usual pre-season posturing ensures another fiercely friendly edition.

Each continent holds a qualifier to find eight players  – the three best gross and 5 best net scores – to join their respective captains in the BOTC Grand Final on January 20.

In the final, the 9 team members are each grouped with a member of the three other continents in nine flights for a 18 hole stableford matchplay competition. The leading stableford score from the 4 ball is awarded 4 points, the next best three and so on with the trophy awarded to the team with the most points.

The first qualifier is scheduled for October 20 with two shotgun tee-times available to be part of Captain Murdoch’s America’s and Australasia team.

For your diary, here’s all the qualifiers:

America’s and Australasia – Oct. 20 (7:30am and 1pm)
Africa and Middle East – Nov. 3 ( 7:30am and 1:30pm)
Europe – Nov. 10 (7:30am and 1:30pm)
Asia – Dec. 15 (7:30am and 1:30pm)

Vivian Verma, from sponsors NMT Global Projects, certainly can’t wait for the Asian qualifier.

“I am delighted to once again sponsor this great event. In my year as Club Captain at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, I was keen to get my hands on the trophy under the captaincy of Mr. SS Son. We had a fantastic team but we couldn’t quite make it happen due to the outstanding European performance.

“This year I will be doing all I can to qualify for the Asian team and bring home the victory in the gand final.  Having spoken to all the team captains, I know how excited they are to get down to business.

“Plenty has been said between the captains over the summer but it’s now time for the fun to begin. May the best team win.”

Entries are now open for all the qualifiers. SGSC expect record entries and have again catered for this with morning and afternoon shotguns. Contact: Golf Reservations on 06 548 7777 or golfres@golfandshootingshj.com

The post Europe strive for the hat-trick in the battle of the continents appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.