Shergo Al Kurdi Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Shergo Al Kurdi on life as a LIV Golf alternate and his last-minute inclusion to replace Henrik Stenson

Matt Smith — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 06:50:53 +0000

Photo by Jan Kruger/LIV Golf/Getty Images

With the money and publicity, you don’t expect anyone to pull out of a LIV event unless it is something very serious

By Shergo Al Kurdi, with Matt Smith
Raised in England but representing my father’s country of Jordan, I played my first elite event as a 14-year-old but first really came on the radar earlier this year when I became the first, and youngest at 18, player from the Middle East to make the cut on the DP World Tour at the UAE Swing’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic and finished T33 on 10-under.

I picked up $12,000 that day for my first payday and it has been so busy since. I am now a Golf Saudi Ambassador and since I turned pro, they have more than looked after me. They have helped me and invested in me and now here I am at LIV Golf.

At Bedminster, I was on the bench as an alternate, and all the talk was about Henrik Stenson, as he got stripped of the Ryder Cup captaincy before playing in his first LIV Golf event. The hype got bigger as he went on to win that event. Fast-forward two weeks in Boston — the fourth event — and again I was an alternate. Obviously with the money and the publicity, you don’t expect anyone to pull out unless it is something very serious.

Every week I just thought of it as a week of practice, focus on the range and in the gym, and do what I need to do to get better. Everything was going fine and I was just training away and doing practice work, and then 40 minutes before the shotgun start, I was told: “Stenson is not feeling well,” and I was in the
field for LIV.

Obviously it was a bit of a shock and also a panic as I did not have my dad with me and he was my caddie, and I didn’t even have any golf balls in my bag as I did not expect to play. I had no putting practice on the green…

Luckily it all came together as Stenson’s caddie — Gareth Lord — graciously offered to caddie for me, and we all made it time to tee off.

It was a whirlwind. Off we went and I found out I was playing with Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith — arguably the two biggest names in LIV Golf right now — because Stenson won the last one and was in the marquee group.

We started on the first hole and I would be lying if I wasn’t nervous, but it was such a great experience and I had never experienced anything like that before.

Luckily I had a good week and I didn’t let the team down, we finished third and I was 35th in the individual standings.

It was my birthday on the Monday, the day after the final round so it was a nice way to celebrate with a cheque for $144,000.

When we are not playing and stay on the bench, we do not receive any prize money, obviously, but the experience of being in this tournament environment and around the best players in the world is worth more right now as it helps me learn so much. I am loyal to the tour and I will be here every week, because you never know.

It is never going to hurt to be in this environment and I am travelling the world and playing all these different courses. Portland was my first time in the US for example, and even if I don’t play, it is such a valuable learning curve.

Next up now that the LIV season is at an end, I have some starts lined up on the new Asian Tour International Series in Morocco and Egypt, and also the new Saudi Open, which is a qualifier to the Asian Development Tour, and I will take it from there. I will certainly be aiming for the top five in Morocco and Egypt as I am pretty sure that will get an invitation to these LIV events next year.

Mr Majed Al-Surour and His Excellency Mr Yasir Al-Rumayyan of Golf Saudi have been brilliant in their support for me ever since day one. When I first turned pro, they were the first to help me financially, and what they have done to help get me in as an alternate has only been good, so I hope I can make them proud in the future.

Golf Saudi are showing the future of the sport and they have a few good national players. I have known Faisal [Salhab], Saud [AlSharif] and Othman [Almulla] ever since the Pan-Arab days as youngsters, I played the U-18 Pan-Arab with Saud, and it is good to be around players from my region and from Saudi, different Arab golfers, because I really think we have so much potential and I think that can really show in the future. It is great to see them at these LIV events and see them play with some of the guys in the pro-am, and we will see what happens from here.

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Get the November 2022 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here!

Matt Smith — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 07:47:22 +0000

By Matt Smith
Catch the latest issue of Golf Digest Middle East, as Chiara Noja and the cream of women’s golf get set for the Aramco Team Series finale in Jeddah, and Dubai prepares for the DP World Tour Championship, with world No. 1 Rory McIlroy coming to town. Also, find out about a stay & play holiday on your doorstep in Muscat, while Shergo Al Kurdi and Claude Harmon III give you an insight into the first season of LIV Golf. Catch up with Alex Riggs and Lea Pouillard as they have some vital tips on how to improve your game, while Matt Fitzpatrick reveals some tricks of the trade.

All this and much more in the November 2022 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

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Jordanian youngster Shergo Al Kurdi steps in for Martin Kaymer at LIV Golf Team Championships in Miami

Matt Smith — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 10:19:26 +0000

Shergo Al Kurdi speaks to Golf Digest Middle East in Jeddah. Motivate Media Group

By Matt Smith
For the second time this season, Shergo Al Kurdi will come to the rescue for an ailing player in LIV Golf — but it won’t be quite a last-minute rush as last time.

The Jordanian 19-year-old stepped in for Henrik Stenson in Boston after the Bedminster champion had to withdraw through vertigo just before tee-off at the fourth event of the season.

And now the young alternate will once again tee it up in the $50 million Team Championship in Miami this weekend as Cleeks captain Martin Kaymer has been forced to withdraw with a wrist injury.

“Obviously it was a bit of a shock and also a panic as I did not have my dad with me and he was my caddie, and I didn’t even have any golf balls in my bag as I did not expect to play,” Al Kurdi told Golf Digest Middle East in Jeddah of his late inclusion in the field at Boston. “I had no putting practice on the green. Luckily it all came together as Stenson’s caddie — Gareth Lord — graciously offered to caddie for me, and we all made it time to tee off.”

Field update for #LIVGolfMiami …

Martin Kaymer WD with wrist injury.

Shergo Al Kurdi will replace him in the Cleeks GC lineup and play Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann in Friday's singles match.

— LIVGolfComms (@LIVGolfComms) October 27, 2022

Al Kurdi will team up with Graeme McDowell, Laurie Canter and Richard Bland, and the Jordanian will face a tough task against Torque skipper Joaquin Niemann on Friday.

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LIV Golf: Bedminster winner Henrik Stenson forced out of Boston event with vertigo — Jordanian RAK Classic star Shergo Al Kurdi steps in

Matt Smith — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 09:33:49 +0000

By Matt Smith
Young Jordanian Shergo Al Kurdi was thrust into the spotlight at the LIV Golf Invitational Series — Boston in the most unlikeliest of fashions.

WATCH the live action from LIV Golf here

Bedminster champion Henrik Stenson was forced out of the fourth LIV event of 2022 with a bout of vertigo, and Majesticks team captain Lee Westwood was forced to call up substitute player Shergo at the last minute.

The official statement said “medical reasons” for Stenson’s withdrawal, but the Swede told LIV anchorman David Feherty that it was vertigo that had sidelined him.

MORE: Shergo signs on as Golf Saudi ambassador

Stenson, who was dropped as European Ryder Cup captain just ahead of his LIV Golf bow in New Jersey, responded in style to claim the individual title at Bedminster.

But he was robbed of the chance to go for the double in Massachusetts and 18-year-old Al Kurdi, who was on the alternate list, stepped up — and in at the deep end as he went out with superstar LIV Golf signings, World No. 2 Cameron Smith and double major-winner Dustin Johnson.

He did not look out of place as he posted a comfortable one-over 71.

Al Kurdi first came on the radar earlier this year when he became the first player from the Middle East to make the cut on the DP World Tour at the UAE Swing’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic and finished T33 on 10-under.

Now he will walk away with at least 10 times the $12,000 he earned that day in February, as all players are guaranteed at least $120,000 in each LIV Golf tournament — and he looks likely to finish a lot higher — and a lot better off — than 48th.

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Get the March 2022 edition of Golf Digest Middle East FREE here!

Golf Digest Middle East — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 05:49:32 +0000

By GolfDigestME.com
A scheduling quirk means just four months will have elapsed by the time Lydia Ko defends her Aramco Saudi Ladies International title at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club this month.

Since her runaway five-stroke victory in November, the Kiwi has gone on to claim a 17th LPGA Tour title in the U.S. but it is an Instagram post from world No.1 Jon Rahm that has truly emboldened Ko.

Find out the simple realisation the 24-year-old, world No.3 has come to in our preview to the $1 million Ladies European Tour event in the March edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

We also discover the Golf Saudi link to the Asian Tour’s new International Series and explain how the 10 new marquee events are a game-changer for a sleeping giant awoken by LIV Golf’s $300 million investment.

Elsewhere, we get tee to green tips from the best players in each category on the PGA Tour and discover ways to cheat (gasp!) at putting…without actually cheating of course. You’ll also find our extensive guide to the best irons of 2022 in the continuation of our annual Hot List gear test.

All this and much more in the March 2022 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

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Jordan’s Shergo Al Kurdi is the latest global ambassador signed by Golf Saudi

Kent Gray — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 10:01:59 +0000

The fledgling professional joins big names spreading Golf Saudi’s message worldwide.

By Kent Gray
Pioneering Jordanian professional Shergo Al Kurdi has joined World Golf Hall of Famer Gary Player, fellow major champion Anna Nordqvist and PGA Tour winner Jason Kokrak as an international ambassador for Golf Saudi.

Al Kurdi’s ambassadorship was announced on the eve of the PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers where the 18-year-old carded rounds of 75-76 at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club to miss the cut by 7 strokes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Golf Saudi قولف السعودية (@golf_saudi)

After being given his break on the regional developmental MENA Tour in recent years, the English born but Jordanian raised Al Kurdi turned professional before Christmas. He missed the cut at both the Asian Tour’s two Phuket events but is considered one of the region’s best hopes and showed why by becoming the first Arab player to make a cut on the DP World Tour at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic earlier this month. He eventually finished T-33 at Al Hamra Golf Club, signing for rounds of 68-68-74-68 to finish -10, 12 strokes behind winner Ryan Fox of New Zealand.

Kurdi, who won €12,250 in RAK, has been charged with bringing golf to new audiences, by inspiring young Arab boys and girls regionally. He wants to let his golf to do the talking and believes his association with Golf Saudi will help him to achieve that.

DP World Tour professionals Pablo Larrazabal and Adri Arnaus and Ladies European Tour players Camilla Lennarth, Amy Boulden and Anne van Dam are also listed on the Golf Saudi website as global ambassadors for the governing body.

golfsaudi.com

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Eight (sometimes Middle East) reasons why Phuket, not the Bahamas, deserves your golf attention this week

Kent Gray — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 05:35:26 +0000

Photos: Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
Suttijet Kooratanapisan, Wade Ormsby and Ratchanon Chantananuwat ahead of the $1 million Laguna Phuket Championship.

By Kent Gray
Like most everyone else, at Golf Digest Middle East we’re genuinely excited to see Tiger Woods back on his feet, lighting up social media again – all it took was one swing – and even planting the seeds of a top-level comeback.

About the only thing that would make his annual Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas better would be if the Big Cat was playing himself this week. With that said, the revelations about the seriousness of his Feb. 23 car accident — “I’m lucky to be alive” and “Yeah, it [amputation of his injured leg] was on the table.” — means no one is getting ahead of themselves.

There are still a plethora of PGA Tour superstars teeing it up in New Providence – McIlroy, Koepka, Thomas, Morikawa, DeChambeau etc. etc. – so by all means, enjoy the limited field show and repeated sightings of Tiger.

But if you’re not quite ready for the start of golf’s made-for-TV silly season, there’s a strong argument – and Middle East motives – to switch attention 14,000-odd km away to the $1 million Laguna Phuket Championship.

With the worrying Omicron-enforced demise of the DP World Tour’s South African swing, the second leg of the Asian Tour Phuket Series is the only main tour in full-field action this week.

After its own pandemic enforced shutdown – 20 long and frustrating months – the Asian Tour returned to action with Chan Shih-chang’s victory at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship last week. But it’s what happened on Monday, namely the release of the 25-star players headed to February’s Saudi International – Johnson, DeChambeau, Schauffele, Mickelson, Watson etc. etc. – that has really upped the ante.

To catch you up, the Saudi International has become the Asian Tour’s $5 million, “flagship” season-opener and the 144-players in Phuket this week are all striving to make it to Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Feb. To achieve that a top-30 finish in the final Asian Tour Order of Merit is required so with just three events of this severely disrupted season to play – at Laguna Golf Phuket from tomorrow and a Singapore double-header next month– there’s a lot on the line.

There’s also the prospect of a 2022 schedule not only bolstered by the Saudi International but also 10-new premier events made possible by a $200 million investment by the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Investments.

But that is for next season. Right now, the inaugural Laguna Phuket Championship has plenty of storylines to draw your attention. Here’s eight, with the prospect of more to emerge as the Middle East discovers more about the emboldened circuit on its geographical back doorstep:

Suttijet Kooratanapisan returns to his beloved Laguna Golf Phuket.

The Asian Tour’s original Mr. 59 returns

Suttijet Kooratanapisan is one of 58 Thais in the field but the only one who can claim to be the first Asian Tour player to shoot golf’s mythical number – 59 . The now 34-year-old achieved the feat on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) at the 2017 Singha Phuket Open, notably on the same layout to be used this week, Laguna Golf Phuket. Another Thai, Naras Luangphetcharaporn, is the only other player to shoot 59 in official Asian Tour competition ‒ at the circuit’s 2019 Q-School. There was also lift, clean and place rules in play then but hey, 59 is 59 no matter how you slice and dice it.
“I remember hole No. 7 was a par-5 last time, now it’s a par-4. I loved that because when I shot 59, I made eagle there,” said Kooratanapisan who has one ADT title to his name but is still searching for main tour breakthrough. “This week is a lot harder though as the rough is very long and the fairways are very narrow. It’s not the same as last time. My goal this week is just to play under par every day. Right now my putting is so good.”

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Have we mentioned the precociously talented Thai teen Ratchanon Chantananuwat?

Why yes, yes we have – here and here in the past week – and right here again. So what’s all the fuss about? For starters, the Bangkok schoolboy became the third-youngest player in Asian Tour history to make the cut at last week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship. Then he stormed home with a Sunday 65 to finish his Asian Tour debut T-15. Not bad for a 14-year-old. It would be something else if he can make it back-to-back cuts but perhaps no surprise either given he finished second in the Singha Laguna Phuket Open – an All Thailand Golf Tour event – at Laguna Golf Phuket recently. Whatever happens, Chantananuwa looks set to play a big part in the Asian Tour’s suddenly bright future.

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Jordanian trailblazer Shergo Al Kurdi

Followers of MENA Tour will know how critical the regional development circuit has been in the rise and rise of Jordanian teen Shergo Al Kurdi, including an OWGR feat for Middle East and GCC golfers at the opening event of the 2020 MENA Tour season. What Middle East fans may not know is that Al Kurdi turned professional at last week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship. Things didn’t quite go as planned, rounds of 76-74 seeing the 18-year-old miss the cut by seven strokes. But with his pro debut out of the way there will be added resolve this week. The three other MENA Tour regulars in the field be looking for better weeks as well; at +2, Englishman David Langley (76-70) was the best performed at Blue Canyon but still three strokes shy of making the weekend. Compatriot Curtis Knipes (75-73) finished +4, a shot worse than Scot Ryan Lumsden (70-77).

Teenager @SHERGOKURDI shares his thoughts ahead of the Laguna Phuket Championship and talks about his hopes to inspire others ?

The 18-year-old ?? became the first Jordanian to tee up on the Asian Tour last week.?@LagunaGolfHKT #LPC2021 #whereitsAT pic.twitter.com/jKdJFlAi68

— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) December 1, 2021

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Saudi stepping-stones

Faisal Al Salhab, H.R.H. Prince Khalid Saud Al Faisal, Advisor to the Chairman and CEO of Golf Saudi, Saud Al Sharif and Othman Almulla.

Saudi Arabia’s investment in the Asian Tour – separate deals incorporating the Saudi International and the 10 new premier events starting 2022 – will help fast-track the development of the Kingdom’s leading players. It won’t be smooth sailing as the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship highlighted with pro Othman Almulla (+4) the best performer. But the only way to learn how to cope at the highest level is to experience the highest level and amateurs Faisal Al Salhab (81-72), Saud Al Sharif (78-85) and Abdulraham Al Mansour (81-85) will measure improvement by trying to improve on their respective +9, +19 and +22 aggregates. The Saudi trio join Ratchanon Chantananuwat among six amateurs in this week’s field.

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Tight at the Top

OOM leader Wade Ormsby finished T-23 last week.

Wade Ormsby won the season-opening Hong Kong Open (way back in Jan. 2020) and led the Order of Merit when the Asian Tour shut-down after the Malaysian Open in March 2020. The Aussie still leads the moneylist (US$237,003 ) after a decent T-23 finish at Blue Canyon but it’s getting tight at the top. Blue Canyon champion Chan Shih-chang ($211,775) is up to second while the monster birdie putt Joohyung Kim binned on the 72nd hole Sunday earned the 19-year-old Korean a share of second place and bumped him up to third overall ($194,628). Who will lead going into the Christmas break and January’s Singapore double-header? Don’t be surprised if it is Kim who won has kicked on from his Asian Tour breakthrough at the 2019 Panasonic Open in India to become the highest-ranked player this week at No. 130 in the OWGR.

Joohyung Kim.

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A little more Jazz

Jazz Janewattananond.

If there was a genuine shock at last week’s season resumption it was that Jazz Janewattananond, a former MENA Tour winner and the reigning Asian Tour No.1, missed the cut by four strokes. Count on the Thai getting his bid to become the first back-to-back OOM winner firmly back on track at Laguna. He enters the week in 7th on the moneylist with $113,000.

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Are you not entertained?

So you haven’t paid much attention to the Asian Tour until now and wonder what’s the standard like? Allow us to present Chan Shih-chang’s tee shot on the tricky par-3 14th at Blue Canyon during last Sunday’s final round as an example of the quality shot-making that marked the week.

Accuracy off the tee ?#BCPC2021 #whereitsAT pic.twitter.com/DGtgD3aK2F

— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) November 28, 2021

It was a pivotal laser beam, setting up the Chinese-Taipei 35-year-old for his third Asian Tour title after a five-year title drought on the circuit. So yes, the quality is world-class. Tune in any way you can. You might just be surprised.

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Speedy Sadom Kaewkanjana

Sadom Kaewkanjana.

It seems everything Sadom Kaewkanjana does he does so quickly. Like securing his Tour card at his first attempt via Q-school before becoming the fastest graduate to win on the Asian Tour (at the 2019 Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open)… in his very first Asian Tour start. A 72nd hole bogey scuppered his chances of a second title last week but the eventually second-placed Thai is in sublime form; he’s returned sub-par scores in his last 20 competitive rounds. And he does it all at an impressively giddy pace, as in one of the fastest pro golfers we’ve witnessed on any tour type-cadence. Pull a club, pick a target and pull the trigger. We love it. And Kaewkanjana’s chances this week.

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MENA Tour announce plans for 16 events in 2021 after emerging from ‘destructive’ pandemic bunker

Kent Gray — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 08:11:12 +0000

Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour
Journey to Jordan Order of Merit leader David Langley in action at Ayla Golf Club earlier in 2020.

By Kent Gray
After nearly eight months of radio silence, the MENA Tour is finally transmitting again and the first communiqué is one of cautious optimism.

Tour Commissioner David Spencer has shared with Golf Digest Middle East a letter sent to the regional developmental circuit’s membership on Wednesday outlining a 2021 schedule featuring no fewer than 16 events.

The dispatch also promised the payment of outstanding prize money from earlier this year as well as the refunding of entry fees to events subsequently postponed by COVID-19, all in no small part courtesy of a “revised” and “fully executed” naming rights sponsorship agreement with Arena.

The 16 events next year will include the five outstanding 2020 tournaments postponed by the coronavirus outbreak being staged in a “golf bubble” at Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba, Jordan from March 8 to April 5. An 11-event “2021 season” is then pencilled in for an October commencement, notwithstanding further pandemic curveballs.

The letter was light on specifics – event dates, purses etc. – but will be greeted with guarded enthusiasm by the circuit’s fledging pro and amateur membership, many of whom have been left competition starved thanks to the coronavirus. The on-going support of Arena, which supplies structures to the severely impacted events industry, and Ayla, which has extended its destination partnership agreement into 2021, speaks volumes of the tour’s intent, especially in this challenging fiscal environment.

Spencer confirmed the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic would honour its committment of starts in the $3.25 million European Tour event to the top amateur and three leading professionals, a nice New Year’s boost for Jordanian amateur Shergo Al Kurdi and pros David Langley and David Hague (England) and Ryan Lumsden (Scotland).

Further European Tour, Asian Tour and Challenge Tour invites will also be offered to top performers following the five March-April events where fields will be limited to 120 players in a bio-secure bubble.

“These incentives are yet to be finally determined with other promoters but as usual we will work with the individual players once the 2020 Journey to Jordan is completed to create the best possible playing opportunities within their own playing schedules,” Spencer wrote.

There will be no Q-School for the 2021 season with all current members eligible to rejoin for the 2021 season in a category that will be determined after the completion of the 2020 Journey To Jordan. “Furthermore, we are working with several other OWGR Tours to provide MENA Tour Members with limited exemptions to play in tournaments that they are likely to be scheduled for the May to September 2021 period.”

Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba, Jordan, returns as the MENA Tour by Arena’s destination partner in 2021.

Spencer signed off the letter thanking players for their patience and understanding after an extraordinary year. The MENA Tour was the first OWGR-sanctioned circuit to suspend play – following the Journey to Jordan #2 Championship won by Lumsden, in early March. Plans to play the outstanding five events in late 2020 were tentatively announced in April but the ongoing travel challenges presented by the pandemic ensured that was a false dawn.

David Spencer

“Firstly, I want to apologise (again) for the lengthy delays in the prize fund payments,” Spencer wrote. “We appreciate that this has placed pressure on you and that was not our intention. We are very pleased to have been able to sort this issue out and look to the future in a positive and proactive manner.

“We are extremely lucky to be working with companies like ARENA and AYLA who are dedicated to the MENA Tour and have worked with us to create a future pathway.

“I am not going to go over the destructive nature of COVID especially in the world of sport, suffice to say we have navigated this situation with the players’ best interests always being paramount in all discussions.

“Like all of you, I am very much looking forward to seeing 2020 in the ‘rear-view mirror’ and applying our efforts and energies to growing our Tour and providing more exciting playing opportunities for our Members.

“#StaySafe and wishing you and your families all the best for 2021 and beyond.”

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Jordanian amateur Shergo Al Kurdi creates further history after securing Desert Classic start

Kent Gray — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 07:01:11 +0000

By Kent Gray
While most of us can’t wait to say ma’asalama and good riddance to 2020, Shergo Al Kurdi will be one of those who look back on the year that shook the world with genuine fondness.

In a last-gasp boost, the Jordanian teen learned on New Year’s eve that he will tee it up in the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic from Jan. 28 courtesy of leading the MENA Tour’s stalled 2020 amateur Order of Merit (OOM).

It is understood the 16-year-old is the first Middle Eastern player to earn a spot – others have been handed invites – into the $3.25 million European Tour event at Emirates Golf Club.

It comes after MENA Tour commissioner David Spencer sent a letter to the regional developmental circuit’s information-hungry membership outlining plans for a full 11-event schedule in 2021 – after the five events postponed by COVID-19 earlier this year are played in a month-long “golf bubble” at Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba – Al Kurdi’s home club – from March 8.

Al Kurdi will be joined at the “Major of the Middle East” by Englishmen David Langley and David Hague and Scot Ryan Lumsden, the top three players on the professional OOM before the MENA Tour was put in ice following the Journey to Jordan #2 Championship, won by Lumsden, in early March.

It’s been a year of firsts for Al Kurdi who became the first Arab male to earn Official World Golf Ranking points when he finished runner-up to Englishman David Langley at the Journey to Jordan 1 in February. He’ll end 2020 as the world No. 1506; he is ranked No.1053 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Shergo Al Kurdi first Middle East player to earn OWGR and Olympic Golf Ranking points

The ODDC will be Al Kurdi’s fifth European Tour start; he also teed it up in the Jordan Mixed Ope, an event co-sanctioned the Challenge Tour, Staysure (Now Legends Tour) and Ladies European Tour, in April 2019.

As you’d expect, it’s a been an invaluable learning curve for the teen who first teed it up in the Qatar Masters in 2018, played the inaugural Saudi International and Trophee Hassan II in Morocco last year before returning to Doha for the Qatar Masters in March, the final event before COVID-19 shutdown the European Tour. He’s missed the cut in all five European/Challenge Tour starts but showed his progression at Education City Golf Club in March with rounds of 73-74.

Al Kurdi is no stranger to the Majlis course at Emirates G.C. He started playing MENA Tour events at the age of just 13 and was invited by then ODDC Tournament Director Spencer to play the Pro-Am at Emirates G.C. in 2014, as captured in the picture above.

Qualifying for the event proper is a continuation of the MENA Tour’s remit to see an Arab player qualify for the Olympic Games.

“We are so proud of Shergo and what he has managed to achieve at such a young age,” Spencer said in February after Al Kurdi joined the OWGR in February.

“The MENA Tour by Arena was established with this specific objective in mind and we feel validated of all the work that has been put behind the Tour. Having a player from the region qualify for the Olympics is our cherished objective, and Shergo is now well on his way.”

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Officials hope to complete the disrupted 2020 MENA Tour season in October-November

Golf Digest Middle East — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 12:15:06 +0000

2020 Journey to Jordan leader David Langley. Photo by Joy Chakravarty

By Kent Gray
The MENA Tour deliberately took 16 months between the end of its seventh season in late 2017 and the start of its eight edition in February 2019 to redesign the regional developmental circuit. A further refinement was the decision to condense the current 2020 schedule into essentially three months between late January and mid-April, allowing members the chance to kick-start their year in the Middle East’s best weather before spreading their wings around the world. The MENA Tour suddenly fitted perfectly into golf’s global landscape – until the world suddenly wasn’t the same courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With travel around the G.C.C becoming increasingly challenging, the MENA Tour’s leadership took the decision on March 5 to postpone the final six events of the 11-tournament season until October-November, reintroducing a mid-summer break as was previously the case. Only time will tell what professional golf, much less global sport, will look like come late 2020 and beyond but two things are certain; the MENA Tour deserves praise for acting so decisively and continues to work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a smooth resumption when things get back to the new normal, whenever that is. In the meantime, here’s five mid-season takeaways from the 9th edition of the MENA Tour by Arena.

1) Langley leads
What’s $704 between professional golfers? For David Langley (pictured above), it’s a potentially priceless sum. The 25-year-old Englishmen went into the enforced break atop the Order of Merit (OOM) standings, edging compatriot David Hague to a start in the European Tour’s €2.5 million Trophee Hassan II as a result. At the time of press, the June 4-7 stop in Morocco wasn’t among those postponed by the European Tour meaning Langley, the 2017 Open Championship silver medallist (for low amateur honours), has a shot at quickly adding to the $25,499 he’s banked in his five MENA Tour starts this far. The Stokenchurch pro will take plenty of confidence (if not recent form) to wherever his golf travel takes him next after capturing the season-opening Journey to Jordan 1 Championship before finishing 11th and runner-up in Egypt and Oman respectively. Langley then did just enough to hold off Hague for the Morocco spot after Hague won the Royal Golf Club Bahrain Open before finishing 33rd to Langley’s 38th in the Journey to Jordan 2 Championship, the final event before the postponement. $704? A huge sum in the mini-tour scheme of things.

Bailey Gill teed it up on the European Tour courtesy of the MENA Tour. Photo by Joy Chakravarty

2) Gill (just) sneaks in
The MENA Tour’s remit is to provide fledging professionals opportunities at the next level. Unlike David Langley whose aforementioned, European Tour start in Rabat is up in the air, countryman Bailey Gill at least got to play the Oman Open before the coronavirus shut down golf worldwide, the reward for winning the MENA Tour’s Ghala Open in Oman a week earlier. Rounds of 77-70 meant the 22-year-old English lefty missed the cut at Al Mouj Golf but the big-time experience was no doubt priceless. Gill will resume the MENA Tour in 6th place on the OOM.

Arjun Gupta has ground to make up on amateur oom leader Shergo Al Kurdi. Photo by Joy Chakravarty

3) Al Kurdi has company
After Josh Hill’s breakout 2019 campaign including worldwide fame after winning the Al Ain Open, Shergo Al Kurdi has dominated amateur headlines this season. The Jordanian 16-year-old become the first amateur from the G.C.C. to earn Official World Golf Ranking points after his gusty runner-up finish to Langley at the J2J#1 Championship in late January, a huge step towards realising his 2024 Olympic Games dream. But watch for Arjun Gupta (pictured No.3) in the second half of the season. The Dubai-based Indian is second to Al Kurdi in the amateur OOM and will be buoyed by his 4th placing at the Ghala Open. Gupta’s fellow Els Club Dubai range-rat, Toby Bishop, is another cursing the coronavirus enforced pause after a rich run of domestic form. Bishop, 7th in the MENA Tour amateur OOM, signed for a course record 62 en-route to winning the EGF’s Saadiyat Beach Open before capturing The Els Alliance and then leading the Trump Dubai Open before COVID-19 trumped everything.

George Groves, the WR4GD No.1, in action at the DP World Tour Championship, where he lifted the EDGA Dubai finale trophy last November. Photo by Joy Chakravarty

4) Great determination
Sadly lost in these tumultuous times was the MENA Tour’s trailblazing agreement with the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA). It was set to showcase four players with an official World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) and a handicap of 4.4 or less at the Ras Al Khaimah Open (Tower Links G.C.), the Northern Emirates Open (Al Hamra G.C.) and the Al Ain Classic. Those events were among the six postponed. Here’s hoping the EDGA players are among those on the tee when the MENA Tour resumes.

Englishman David Hague is second behind Langley in the OOM and eyeing the Arena Championship at Ayla Golf Club, the MENA Tour’s destination partner in Aqaba, Jordan. Photo by Joy Chakravarty

5) Smooth resumption
A doff of our cap to the administrators worldwide trying to piece professional golf back together again in these extremely uncertain times. The cryptic scheduling puzzle is no less challenging for the MENA Tour who had sourced a series of European, Asian, Challenge and Alps Tour starts for its best 2020 performers, invites on tours now in a state of flux themselves. Those are complications for another day though. For now, the great news is a determination to get the MENA Tour by Arena back on its feet as quickly and as safely as possible and heading towards the season-ending $100,000 Arena Championship at Ayla Golf Club, the circuit’s Aqaba destination partner. “We are in touch with the members and updating them on a regular basis. The logistics are being tied up right now. We are looking at the window of October-November. The Tour is talking to the venue partners and will release the dates as soon as possible,” the tour said in a statement. A resumption, in any shape or form, will be a grand statement of intent.

The post Officials hope to complete the disrupted 2020 MENA Tour season in October-November appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.