By Matt Smith
Every year, just as the heat rises to remind us all that another summer of sweat is on the way, the finest golfers in the UAE gather for one of the most popular events on the calendar — the Dubai Golf Trophy.

Now in its 23rd year, the event sees the top 16 amateurs in the UAE and the finest professionals battle it out for the bragging rights in this Ryder Cup-style event. And 2022 carried more weight than usual as the ‘Ams’ were going for an unprecedented seventh consecutive triumph over the ‘Pros’.

Fans hoping for another gripping encounter — this tournament has served up many classic clashes over the years — were not disappointed as Mike Major’s Pros finally stopped the rot to reclaim the coveted prize from their rivals after six long years. 

Played over two days at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club (Sunday) and Emirates Golf Club (Monday) in Dubai, the competition closely follows the format of the Ryder Cup, with Day 1 seeing eight foursomes and eight fourballs matches, before 16 individual clashes on Day 2.

Chris May, CEO of organisers Dubai Golf, was on hand to watch the spectacle unfold. “It is such a privilege to host this great event that is steeped in UAE golf history,” he told Golf Digest Middle East. “It raises the game and the standards of golf for the UAE. We are delighted to be involved in such an occasion.

“There used to be such a gap between the pros and the amateurs, but we have really seen that gap close up due to the competition and the quality of facilities and academies on offer in the UAE. In recent years we have seen a few kids come through like Josh Hill, Toby Bishop, Ahmad Skaik and Khalid Yousuf. You see this flurry of quality come through as they push each other. But they seem to be coming along more frequently after the likes of Rayhan Thomas, who has done very well and is now in the States. The others take inspiration from that, saying: ‘If he can do it, or she can do it, I can do it to.’

“The Dubai Golf Trophy really plays a key role in this as we get everyone together and they can really see how they compare, regardless of upbringing, race or even club. It is a really meaningful team format, and reflects how far the amateur game has come.”

While the pros held the advantage after the action at Dubai Creek — with the most slender of leads at 8.5-7.5 — they held their nerve when it looked like they might throw it all away.

Khalid Yousuf’s amateur team were so quick out of the blocks on Day 2 at EGC and had their noses in front when Yash Majmudar and Hugo Garcia thumped Michael Bolt and Steven Munro 6&4 and 4&3 respectively.

The other two early matches between Sujjan Singh and Max Burrow, and Jackson Bell and Craig Vance were halved, and the amateurs were scenting another victory.

But then came the blue wave of Pro scores as Graham Forbes thrashed Jay Mullane 4&2, Tom Buchanan denied Yousuf 2&1 and Thomas Ogilvie chalked up a 3&1 win over Ali Parlane.

History-making Olivia Jackson showed her mettle as the first ever female to play in the event as she saw out a see-saw battle against Sam Mullane to snatch a vital half-point.

“To see Olivia come through to become the first female to compete at this tournament is wonderful,” added May. “It is great for us all as she is our pro here at EGC, but she is such a great role model and inspiration for the next generation of boys and girls.

“She can definitely hold her own against the boys and I think she is going to play more competitively this summer in tournaments back in England, so she is only going to get better.”

Back out on the course, just when it was looking all rosy on the blue side for the Pros, the red army charged back as amateurs Toby Bishop (3&2) and David Guinee (2up) saw off Nathan Kernaghan and Jack Woods respectively.

Loius Gaughan (4&2 v Raghav Gulati) got the pros back on track, but wins for Tom Nesbitt (4&2 v Sam McLaren), and Jonathan Selvaraj (4&3 v Luke Plumb) meant that the two-day epic came down to the last game and the last green.

Barry Pavic held a one-hole advantage with three to play, which would have meant a 16-16 tie and the amateurs retaining the trophy as defending champions. But up stepped Purna Sharma for the professionals, winning on 16 before halving the last.

That triggered a wave of celebrations from the Pros, and the Ams graciously accepted defeat 16.5-15.5 in one of the closest ever Dubai Golf Trophy clashes. Amid a sea of buggies, Sharma was embraced by his teammates before going on to lift the trophy.

“That was the hardest two-putt in my life,” Sharma told Golf Digest Middle East just after coming off the final green. “I can’t believe I held my nerve there.”

It was quite the celebration to end a dramatic day. Major, the non-playing Pro captain reflected on a tumultuous weekend, having been on the receiving end for the past six years as a player.

“I guess we can take a hint. I don’t play and we finally win,” he joked, an ACL operation taking him out of this year’s playing capabilities. “But every player was tremendous today and every single one of them contributed points over the two days. For it to be so close shows you the quality on both sides of the ‘divide’. The Ams were brilliant but we managed to find that little bit more when needed … at long last. I must thank Dubai Golf for putting on such a great event, with both the Creek and the Majlis in impeccable conditions. It has been a long, long journey to get here this weekend and we are so glad to win.”

Losing captain Yousuf was gracious in defeat. “They were tremendous,” he said. “We thought we had a chance there at the end but they held on. It was a great two days but sadly we have to give up the trophy after six great years. We will regroup. There is a whole new batch of youngsters coming through and we will see who will make the grade. We are losing a few guys like Josh Hill, Toby Bishop, Yash and (non-playing UAE No.1 amateur) Ahmad Skaik. But as we have proved time and again, there are always more and more players coming through and, each year, the quality gets better and better. Congrats to the Pros, it has been a long time for them.”

So now, the rebuilding process starts all over again, with new faces emerging and older ones bidding farewell ahead of 2023. Will the Pros or the Ams prevail? The Pros’ Buchanan perhaps explains it best. “It has been a long time coming,” he said. “It is always nice to play here and it was great to put on quite a show. Who knows who will win next time around, but this is the best weekend in UAE golf, bar none.”

What they said

Olivia Jackson, Pros
“They will be hurting having lost. Last year I was around the team even though I was not playing. We did not want to go out after the defeat. We just wanted to go home and I think they will be feeling the same. But we will all be friends again tomorrow and they will regroup as it was such a close thing.”

Toby Bishop, Ams
“It was unfortunate to get the loss, but everyone tried their best. Obviously the pros got the win but it was a fun weekend and that was the main part.”

Tom Buchanan, Pros
“The team spirit was fantastic out there and every player contributed to our points, showing how we were pulling for each other. The crowd at the last and the buggies everywhere shows you just what this means. A fantastic day once again.”

Khalid Yousuf, Ams captain
“I have been part of this event for so long. It was nice to finally captain the team. We tried our best. We came up slightly short but it was nice that it came right down to the last match and the last shot. Shows you what it meant to everyone involved.”

Mike Major, Pros non-playing captain
“It was great until the final hour. That was a horrible time as I was not playing so I couldn’t do anything about what was going on. It has been six years to get here and it is much down to the guys who didn’t play today, pushing up the standards, that has helped us finally win.” 

Yash Majmudar, Ams
“It was a great event, we were behind from the get-go yesterday, but each session was so close and a few things didn’t go our way — a few putts here and there. But I am really proud of how we performed.”

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The post Home is where the heart is: Looking back at the dramatic Dubai Golf Trophy with captains and players appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Heading into Sunday’s singles with a message of support from six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo to go with their two-point overnight lead following Saturday’s foursomes and fourballs at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, the Tom Buchanan-lead pros were in pole position.

Just Sir @NickFaldo006 causally offering his support to the @uaepga pros heading into Sunday’s Dubai Golf Trophy singles at @EmiratesGC against the four-peat seeking @EGFuaegolf amateurs. No pressure “Captain @tompro66” and team! pic.twitter.com/GWNi6me8kf

— Golf Digest ME (@GolfDigestME) April 28, 2019

But a disastrous start which saw the pros lose 7½ of the first eight available points, including the first five matches sent out, saw the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) amateurs waltz the singles 11-5 for an 18-14 victory overall. It followed 19½-12½, 17-15 and 19-13 victories for the amateurs in 2016, 2017 and 2019 respectively and closed the overall Dubai Golf Trophy tally to 14-6 in favour of the UAE PGA Pros.

“Outfought and outplayed,” was captain Buchanan’s succinct summary afterwards as the UAE PGA Pros contemplate losing the last four editions by a combined 73½-54½.  “We’re bitterly disappointed as we were in a good position after the first day and failed to finish it off. The amateurs boys are just sharper than us.”

Buchanan was the only UAE PGA player to produce three wins but even his 6&4 thumping of Drew Foxcroft in the singles was scant consolation.

“Yeah, three points but sadly means nothing as we lost,” said Buchanan who was a sizzling seven under par when he shook hands with Foxcroft on the Majlis’ 14th green.

“Every year we say that it will be next year but it’s getting harder and harder to beat them as they have so much strength in depth. I set the team out to win and sadly from early in the day it was a struggle. Losing the first five matches was a huge blow for us. But for sure, we will be back in 2020 and see what happens.”

Sujjan Singh and David Laing also won their matches for the UAE PGA pros while Jordan Gallagher and David Gray eeked out halves with Zi Ang Xu and David Guinee respectively.

But Sunday belonged to captain Craig Vance and his EGF amateurs who are, ironically, benefitting from the coaching of their vanquished opponents.

Vance beat Dubai Creek’s Michael Major 2&1 to win three from a possible three points. Bayhan Lakdawala and Max Burrow also recorded perfect records for the amateurs following 5&4 and 4&3 victories over Martin Robinson (The Address Montgomerie Dubai) and UAE PGA CEO Luke Plumb respectively.

 

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20th Dubai Golf Trophy – Final results:

UAE PGA PROS 14-18 EGF AMATEURS

Singles
Adam Burwood lost to Mike Mezei 1up
Shane Peacock lost to Khalid Yousuf 4&3
Michael Major lost to Craig Vance 2&1
Martin Robinson lost to Bayhaan Lakdawala 5&4
Luke Plumb lost to Max Burrow 4&3
Jordan Gallagher halved with Zi Ang XU All Square
Michael Bolt lost to Stephen Loftus 2up
Ross McArthur lost to Steven Kelbrick 3&2
Sujjan Singh beat Bilbo Perrot 4&3
David Laing beat Bradley Mogire 4&2
Tom Buchanan beat Drew Foxcroft 6&4
Louis Gaughan lost to Toby Bishop 3&1
Ryan Smith lost to Ahmad Skaik 5&3
Jack Woods lost to Nathan Fisher 1up
David Gray halved with David Guinee All Square
Joe Way beat Barry Pavic 1up
UAE PGA Pros 5-11 EGF Amateurs (14-18 overall)

Saturday
Foursomes
Ryan Smith/David Gray Lost to Bayhaan Lakdawala/Max Burrow 2 & 1
Shane Peacock/Ross McArthur Lost to Craig Vance/Steven Kelbrick 1down
Michael Major/Joe Way beat Mike Mezei/Bradley Mogire 4&3
Adam Burwood/Jack Woods Halved with Bilbo Perrot/Stephen Loftus
Tom Buchanan/Luke Plumb Beat Ahmad Skaik/Khalid Yousuf 2 & 1
Jordan Gallagher/Louis Gaughan Beat Toby Bishop/David Guinee 3 & 2
Martin Robinson/David Laing Beat Drew Foxcroft/Barry Pavic 5 & 4
Sujjan Singh/Michael Bolt Halved with Zi Ang XU/Nathan Fisher
UAE PGA Pros 5-3 EGF Amateurs (9-7 overall)

Fourballs (Betterball)
Ryan Smith/David Gray Halved with Bayhaan Lakdawala/Max Burrow
Shane Peacock/Ross McArthur Lost to Craig Vance/Steven Kelbrick 3&2
Michael Major/Joe Way Halved with Mike Mezei/Bradley Mogire
Adam Burwood/Jack Woods Beat Bilbo Perrot/Stephen Loftus 2down
Tom Buchanan/Luke Plumb Beat Ahmad Skaik/Khalid Yousuf 3&1
Jordan Gallagher/Louis Gaughan Lost to Toby Bishop/David Guinee 1down
Martin Robinson/David Laing Lost to Drew Foxcroft/Barry Pavic 3&2
Sujjan Singh/Michael Bolt beat Zi Ang XU/Nathan Fisher 4&3
UAE PGA Pros 4-4 EGF Amateurs

The post UAE PGA pros “outfought and outplayed” in singles as EGF amateurs waltz to fourth straight Dubai Golf Trophy appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
With the UAE PGA professionals well “up for it” and the Emirates Golf Federation amateurs weakened, perhaps the Dubai Golf Trophy isn’t the foregone conclusion some considered it might be.

The teams for the 20th edition of the Ryder Cup-style matches have been released but it’s the big names missing that will have amateur captain Craig Vance sweating and his pro counterpart Tom Buchanan quietly optimistic.

Gone from the EGF team that made it an amateur three-peat last year are the injured MENA Tour history maker Rayhan Thomas and the regional mini-tour’s ‘Three Musketeers’ – Josh Hill, Toby Bishop and Arjun Gupta who are all understood to be busy on European campaigns.

Vance has given his four captain’s picks for the April 27-28 matches at Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club to Bayhaan Lakdawala, Mike Mezei, Bilbo Perrot and Stephen Loftu while Buchanan’s has handed his two picks to Al Ain club-mate Shane Peacock and Trump Dubai’s Ross McArthur.

Here’s the full line-ups:

UAE PGA Professionals
Tom Buchanan (Captain)
Luke Plumb (Vice-captain)
Shane Peacock
Michael Bolt
Sujjan Singh
David Gray
Adam Burwood
Jack Woods
Joe Way
Michael Major
Jordan Gallagher
Louis Gaughan
David Laing
Martin Robinson
Ryan Smith
Ross McArthur

EGF Amateurs
Craig Vance (Captain)
Steven Kelbrick (Vice-captain)
Bayhaan Lakdawala (Captain’s pick)
Max Burrow
Ahmad Skaik
Barry Pavic
Khalid Yousuf
Bradley Mogire
Mike Mezei (Captain’s pick)
Bilbo Perrot (Captain’s pick)
Drew Foxcroft
Toby Bishop
Nathan Fisher
Zi Ang XU (Willy)
David Guinee
Stephen Loftus (Captain’s pick)

“It should be a lot tighter this year with a few of my keys players out and I know Tom’s lost a couple of his players as well,” said Vance, downplaying talk of a fourth successive victory for the amateurs.

Buchanan has a team of professionals in form, including Dubai Creek’s Adam Burwood who recently won the UAE PGA Championship to clinch the UAE PGA Order of Merit title. But the Scotsman, fresh from winning the UAE PGA Matchplay title himself, isn’t getting ahead of himself.

“It’s going to be a tight affair as it always is. The amateurs are very strong. They have used their picks very well. However, our guys are up for it. We are on a losing streak and hopefully we can turn it around this year”.

Vance isn’t waving the white flag either, pointing to the quality of the coaching available across the UAE and higher intensity during amateur tournaments as a huge plus for the amateurs.

RELATED: Steven Kelbrick eyes fabled Winged Foot and Senior Open after clinching EGF titles

“We play in events across the region and you now have to score under-par, or significantly under-par to even have a chance of winning,” Vance said. “This shows how much the amateur game in the region has developed in recent years and it had certainly been a contributing factor to our recent successes in the Dubai Golf Trophy.”

There’s some juicy match-ups for Saturday morning’s foursomes on the Majlis at Emirates G.C.:

DUBAI GOLF TROPHY 2019 -SATURDAY MORNING FOURSOMES (Pros named first)
7.20am: Ryan Smith/ David Gray v Bayhaan Lakdawala/Max Burrow
7.30am: Shane Peacock/Ross McArthur v Craig Vance/Steven Kelbrick
7.40am: Mike Major/ Joe Way v Mike Mezei/Bradley Mogire
7.50am: Adam Burwood/Jack Woods v Bilbo Perrot/Stephen Loftus
8.00am: Tom Buchanan/Luke Plumb v Ahmad Skaik/Khalid Yousuf
8.10am: Jordan Gallagher/Louis Gaughan v Toby Bishop/David Guinee
8.20am: Martin Robinson/David Laing v Drew Foxcroft/Barry Pavic
8.30am: Sujjan Singh/Mike Bolt v Zi Ang Xu/Nathan Fisher

The EGF amateurs won last year’s Dubai Trophy 19-13 but the UAE PGA team are still comfortably ahead in the overall stakes having won 14 of the previous 19 matches dating back to the year 2000.

The post Dubai Golf Trophy teams announced; EGF amateurs missing big names appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

It was the serial UAE PGA Tour winner’s second title of 2018-19 in just six starts after a promotion to Operations Manager for the wider Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club recently has curtailed his golf this year.

After earlier edging Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Jordan Gallagher 1 up in a tense semifinal, Buchanan is chuffed to be taking some decent form into this week’s annual Dubai Trophy where he’ll captain the UAE PGA team against a selection of EGF amateurs chasing their fourth straight victory in the Ryder Cup-style matches.

Great to win my 3rd ?? PGA matchplay championship today.
2 nice matches and solid rounds. Onwards to next weeks Dubai Golf Trophy. #proteam pic.twitter.com/ewXmFpevrX

— Tom Buchanan (@tompro66) April 21, 2019

Buchanan just hopes he doesn’t suffer the same fate as his predecessor Ryan Smith who won last year’s UAE PGA Matchplay crown only to suffer a thumping in his singles match at the Dubai trophy as the amateurs sealed their hat-trick 19-13.

RELATED:  Thomas leads perfect trio as EGF amateurs seal Dubai Trophy treble

The respective Dubai Trophy teams and first-round pairings are due to be announced on Tuesday.

“Yeah we are on a bad run at the moment,” captain Buchanan conceded. “It’s always a tight affair and hopefully we can get it back this year.

“The Dubai Golf Trophy will be special as always and especially in its 20th year and as captain. The amateurs are strong and have more depth in their picks compared to us but we are all looking forward to it and hopefully we can get the win.”

Buchanan, who had previously won at The Track, Meydan Golf this season, drove the ball well against Gallagher to set up his advance the final where he played the outward nine in three under to give Bolt little chance.

“I was three up through nine, played really solid, then just kept applying pressure. Mike’s putter was cold on the day sadly for him but two very enjoyable games and to win it for the third time is great.”

The post Buchanan wins third UAE PGA Matchplay title but hopes it’s not a bad Dubai Trophy omen appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
A mild surprise at the UAE PGA Tour season-opener at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club late last month was the performance of home club hero Tom Buchanan.

A serial winner on the regional circuit with four titles from nine starts last season, the Scot signed for an uncharacteristically sloppy 76 on his home track to finish near the foot of the leaderboard, not a place he is accustomed with.

“It felt horrible and I finished well down the field, and that was disappointing,” Buchanan told GolfDigestme.com of his tie for 15th in the Sept. 24 event won by The Address Montgomerie Dubai’s Ryan Smith.

Fast-forward a month to the fourth stop on the UAE PGA’s 17-tournament schedule and it is fair to say normal service has resumed. With a brilliant one-under 71 in blustery conditions at the perennially challenging The Track, Meydan Golf, Buchanan eased to a four-stroke victory over Luke Plumb, the UAE PGA chief executive’s Trump Dubai club-mate Mike Bolt and Monty head pro Martin Robinson on Sunday.

“I had my kids on the range with me [at AESGC] on Saturday night hitting a few shots and it started to feel good and thankfully it continued to Meydan,” Buchanan said, noting Sophia, 8, and two-year-old Andrew have become willing range-rats. Here’s the happy proof from Saturday night:

Sophia Buchanan

Andrew Buchanan

Buchanan bogeyed the Track’s notoriously tricky par-5 1st but made the turn one under courtesy of birdies on the 4th and 7th. Further gains followed on the 10th and 14th as Buchanan dipped to three under with four to play and while there were bogeys on 15th and 17th, it only served to highlight how dominant the 38-year-old’s performance was.

“I drove the ball very well and the greens were excellent so anytime I had a putt I thought it could go in. So another nice victory…just need to keep it going.”

Count on Buchanan featuring at Arabian Ranches G.C. (Nov. 5) and at Trump Dubai (Dec. 3) if his work schedule allows. He’ll definitely tee it up Dec. 10-11 at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in what is the UAE PGA’s 36-hole qualifier for a spot in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

Buchanan earned a cult following in last January’s European Tour Desert Swing opener and is desperate to experience that high again.

RELATED: Tommy’s honour as Buchanan bows out of European Tour debut in style

“The HSBC qualifier is on everyone’s calendar this year. The prize is so great that everyone will be doing a little more to try and win that event,” Buchanan said.

Whatever happens at Saadiyat Beach, the popular Scotsman has a date with destiny next May as the UAE PGA pros look to avert a fourth straight loss to the Emirates Golf Federation’s leading amateurs in the annual, Ryder Cup-style Dubai Golf Trophy.

“It’s a big year for me as captain of the Dubai Golf Trophy team, trying to wrestle that trophy back from the amateurs. Hopefully, with a good UAE PGA season under our belts, the lads can come good for that.”

RELATED: Rayhan Thomas leads perfect trio as amateurs seal Dubai Golf Trophy three-peat

The post After being ‘horrible’ at home, normal service resumes as Buchanan claims his fifth title in last 11 starts appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Steven Kelbrick is living proof that life begins at 50 and has a golf magazine article to prove it.  Now he also subscribes to the fabled adage that warns: “Beware the injured/sick golfer”.

Related: Meet the Dubai amateur chasing a St. Andrews play date with Tom Watson

Full of the dreaded man flu, the 50-year-old Dubai amateur finally, somehow, landed a long overdue Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) order of merit title after signing for rounds of 72-71 to clinch the Tower Links Men’s Open on Saturday.  Kelbrick’s 143 aggregate edged Arjun Gupta (Jumeirah Golf Estates) by two strokes with Scotsman Robert Glenesk third a further shot back.

The Brit flew out to the UK on business after contesting the Staysure Tour’s (formerly European Senior Tour’s) Sharjah Senior Golf Masters earlier this month and has struggled with a head cold ever since.

“It’s funny, you’re not thinking about anything other than feeling awful and then you write down a number and all of the sudden it’s ‘oh s…’ that’s not bad,” he said.

Kelbrick is the defending EGF OOM champion after rattling off eight top five finishes and two-second place finishes in 2016-17. He’s finished no worse than fifth in all five starts this season including a third runner-up finish to teen Josh Hill at the Abu Dhabi Men’s Open in February.

Related: Josh Hill, just 13, fires Trump course record en-route to third successive EGF title

You’d think the near misses would be frustrating, but not for Kelbrick.

“It really is nice to win one and it probably should have mattered more in the past but I was really only focused on winning the order of merit last season. This year I really wanted to qualify for the Dubai Trophy [May 12-13 matches pitting the EGF’s best against UAE PGA teaching professionals]. I really enjoyed that last year and I should have secured it now, it should be a done deal.”

Kelbrick still has to play at least one more OOM event to qualify (amateurs need a minimum six starts to be eligible] so has this weekend’s Al Ain Men’s Open in his crosshairs. He’s already organised a practice round with local hero Tom Buchanan whom he’ll likely meet again at the Dubai Trophy.

Related: Buchanan returns to scene of dream European Tour debut, wins third UAE PGA title on the trot

Kelbrick, unsurprising given how lousy he felt, wasn’t striking it great at Tower Links and found himself two behind with five to play in the final round. But a 118-yard wedge shot flushed to three feet on the 14th sparked a run of three birdies in the final five holes, capped by a driver-seven iron-sand save birdie on the par-5 18th.

“I had a real dodgy patch in the middle of the round but you know how golf goes, you stripe one and it all comes back,” he said.

Kelbrick’s putting is also coming back thanks to some concentrated instruction from Arabian Ranches putting specialist and Aim Point Express qualified pro Malcolm Young.

“At Sharjah, I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole but struck it well and received a number of compliments,” said the duel Trump Dubai-Royal Liverpool member who carded rounds of 75-76-74 to finish T-42 at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club.

“With hard work and excellent dialogue, Malcolm has got me to a position where instead of being a complete weakness, my putting is at the point of becoming a strength. We are still building confidence.

“The swing feels good and whilst we are not quite there yet, [new Yas Links Director of Instruction] Mathew [Parker] and I are feeling good going into the events in summer time.”

Related: Parker happy to be back as DOI at Yas Links

The post On a high despite feeling lousy, Kelbrick somehow snares elusive EGF title at Tower Links appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Tom Buchanan (@tompro66) March 12, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Kent Gray

1. Tommy Take Two

No one can ever take the 2017 Race to Dubai title off Tommy Fleetwood but the fact Justin Rose so nearly did on the final Sunday of the season lingered in the younger Englishman’s craw as 2018 opened.

The 27-year-old admitted as much on the Tuesday of his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title defence.

“The biggest thing for us after last year, I had had the year of my life by a long way, was to make sure that we kept progressing, kept improving,” the Southport lad said. “We sort of really wanted to look at the year like, you know, if Justin Rose had shot level par on that back nine on Sunday [at the DP World Championship; Rose was two-over, slipped to T-4 and eventually finished runner-up in the season standings to Fleetwood], then I wouldn’t have had The Race to Dubai title.

“So it was sort of important to maybe try and prove as if you were hurt and you had not had that whole euphoria of achieving something amazing in your career.”

Fast-forward to Sunday evening at Abu Dhabi G.C. and it was mission accomplished. With masterful ball-striking and some equally silky putting, Fleetwood scorched around the back nine of a wind-swept National course in a scarcely believable 30 strokes to sign for a 65 and join Martin Kaymer as a back-to-back winner of the Falcon trophy.

Talk about vindicating the Seve award he received on the Tuesday after being voted Players’ Player of 2017 by his peers.

“To sort of validate your position of Race to Dubai champion or Player of the Year so early on is really sort of nice and satisfying,” Fleetwood said after capturing his fourth European Tour title.

The scintillating finish didn’t go unnoticed by Rory McIlroy who hailed Fleetwood as a “great addition to the world of golf, a great addition to The European Tour and will be a great addition to The Ryder Cup team in September.” The latter is still to be achieved but the world No.12’s defiant grittiness looks set to make him an integral figure in golf’s global conversation more and more.

“I want to go places in the game. So to have your peers talk about you like that, Rory, obviously has done it all in the game, is very nice.”

2. Tom Buchanan – Dreams are made of this

Ain’t golf great. Big Tom Buchanan mightn’t have survived the weekend in Abu Dhabi but the fact the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club head pro got to peg it up in the €3 million European Tour event proves even the giddy upper echelons aren’t out of reach for your Average Tom, Dick or Harry.  Bobby Jones famously said “Nicklaus played a game of which I am not familiar” after Jack won the 1965 Masters so you can imagine what Buchanan, teeing it up in the same field as world No.1 Dustin Johnson and returning Rory McIlroy, felt. But just to have a shot at testing himself in such esteemed company after winning a UAE PGA qualifier at Saadiyat Beach before Christmas was something out of The Boy’s Own Annual.

“For us guys to have the chance to play an event like this is incredible. Hopefully, the people who have come with me [Buchanan’s Brigade] are enough to cement it for the next wee while as well because for us as club PGA pros, for an 18-hole shootout to get into what is now the premier event in Europe, is just incredible.”

Buchanan lapped up every minute of it and even saw the funny side of the odd ropy swing during rounds of 74-75 which left him 119th in the 126-man field and very much in awe of golf’s best.

The Scot, who celebrated his 38th birthday on the Tuesday of the championship, was asked if he had any regrets moving to the UAE six years earlier?

“When I left Duddingston I came over here with a holdall and my set of golf clubs. Now I’ve got a wee bit more than a holdall; a wife, two kids, and still the same set of golf clubs [laughter].” And now, golf memories to last a lifetime. Well played Tom, the UAE PGA, IMG, Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Abu Dhabi G.C.

3. We’ve got a Topgolf Crush

Every year the organisers of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship somehow up the ante with their off-course entertainment but they truly outdid themselves this time.  The double-decker  Top Golf Crush in the always family-friendly Championship Village was a brilliant innovation. Who knows, maybe a future Fleetwood, Rory or DJ will recall making his first tentative swings there someday. It certainly has us amped for the introduction of TopGolf proper to the Middle East at Emirates G.C. next year. We can’t conclusively say Abu Dhabi does the best championship village on the European Tour, but if last year’s Open at Royal Birkdale is any measure, it’s surely close.

4. The Tiger effect

What a week it was for Todd Clements at the Desert Classic, the world amateur No.30 making the cut on the record -5 number with rounds of 69-70 before finishing 68th with weekend rounds of 71-76.

The 21-year-old former English amateur champion is a product of the MENA Tour and fits the profile mentioned by another MENA Tour star, Jamie Elson, the latter sadly unable to cash-in on a fine opening 68 as the scoring got seriously silly on Friday and spilt into the weekend.

“I think it’s the Tiger Woods effect really,” said Elson, a worthy ambassador for region’s developmental circuit. “I think the kids that he inspired to start the game are now 25 years of age and they’re pros, and they’re, you know, flying it 300 yards through the air. I mean you look at the scores, never used to shoot scores like that around this sort of golf course, but you know that’s the standard these days and that’s what you have to do.”

There are those who prefer a stiffer test for the best, Pablo Larrazabal apparently among them as this tweet from the 2014 Abu Dhabi champion pointed out. “We must tight[en] the fairways, grow the rough and firm the greens to make it tougher…nowadays, all about hitting it hard and a putting contest…-5 cut at the #ODDC18 is crazy.”

It sure was crazy…crazy good to watch. We get where the Spaniard is coming from and yes, balls that spin less from drivers with larger sweet spots are apparently an issue… blah, blah…

But there’s a reason nobody goes to watch the monthly medal. We’ll take birdies and eagles over a par snore-fest any day. That’s no way to grow a game the likes of Clements and co. are now making an utterly absorbing watch.

5. Rory was the story

Haotong Li richly deserves these column inches for his spirited performance down the stretch on the Majlis. Rory McIlroy, despite the expert predictions, simply didn’t bring his best stuff to the final round of a historically low Desert Classic, two back nine bogeys in a 69 leaving him contemplating what could have and probably should have been back-to-back wins in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

By contrast, Li “hit some of the best shots in my life” to match the three-under 69 and ride the one stroke cushion (over McIlroy) he started Sunday with all the way to a -23 aggregate, a score that eclipsed by a shot, the previous Majlis benchmark jointly held by Thomas Bjørn (2001), Stephen Gallagher (2013) and McIlroy (2015).  In golf, you can only control your own game and Li did that better than McIlroy; the plaudits and associated riches – $500,000 and a giddy ride up the world rankings from 60th to 32nd – flowed and will continue to do so.

But for all Li’s grittiness and that glorious putting, McIlroy dominated the over-arching narrative from the first half of the now split Desert Swing.

Save for a sloppy Sunday on The National where he carded a 70 (compared to Fleetwood’s 65), the three-putt par on 13 and an off-piste bogey on 16 at Emirates G.C, the world No.11’s comeback would have been utterly exceptional rather than merely brilliant.

“If someone had told me at the start of the year you’d finish third and second your first two events, I’d say, yeah, I’d take that.” Except McIlroy couldn’t accept it. “But being in the positions I’ve been in and having two close calls the first couple of weeks of the year, it’s a little difficult. The competitor in me is very disappointed right now. I wanted to win. I always want to win, and I just didn’t do enough when I needed to.”

The consolation was a swing that looks more silkily synchronised than ever before. The 324-yard 3-wood on 13 Sunday was exhibit A (just don’t mention the three-putt!) and he has plenty of reps before Augusta to iron out the slight big stick misses and those uncharacteristic “mental errors” that marred his Dubai bid. If his blade comes to the party, watch out world. Sure, a first Falcon and a record-tying third Dallah would have been nice, but we suspect a career Grand Slam-sealing green jacket will be ample consolation. McIlroy MkII certainly looks capable.

6. Bjørn again…and again

Thomas Bjørn couldn’t have scripted a better start to the Desert Swing, what with Sergio Garcia winning in Singapore and Jon Rahm in California on the same weekend as Tommy Fleetwood repeated in Abu Dhabi (it didn’t hurt that he made the cut on the National either). But the smile was short lived and not because Europe’s Ryder Cup captain had an unwanted weekend off in Dubai. These are going to be a stressful nine months for Bjørn as we witnessed first hand playing the Pro-Am with the quiet but oft-volcanic Dane on the eve of the Desert Classic. Not a hole went by when either a fan or a TV cameraman wanted a piece of the 46-year-old. He handled it with aplomb but clearly has the weight of Europe on his ample shoulders. Walking off our final green Bjørn agreed it was going to be nice to get his quiet life back post Le Golf National “but we’ve got some Americas to beat first”.  Here’s hoping he gets some breathing space to achieve just that.

7. The stars align

Not to be outdone by Abu Dhabi, the Omega Dubai Desert  Classic’s ‘Constellation Clinic’ was a doozy. A doff of our cap to Rory McIlroy for giving his precious time, a lesson and a shiny new set of TaylorMade sticks to young Arjun Gupta, and to the organisers for coming up with competition that saw young Irish lass Saoirse Lambe play the Pro-Am with McIlroy and Niall Horan. There are those unconvinced by the increasing influence of social media on golf and more than a few naysayers when Dubai announced Paige Spiranac, golf’s Instagram Queen would be the event’s official starter. But you only had to see the gaggle of teenage girls swooning over Horan to understand that golf is going in, ahem, one direction. Whether many or any, will be lured to the game by the boy band heartthrob is a moot point; you’ve got to get the next generation through the turnstiles somehow and Dubai leads the way on that front. The 600,000 and counting (even past its used-by date) impressions a tweet we posted, merely mentioning golf nut Horan was starring at the clinic, was a case in point. The birdie count on the Majlis almost matched those metrics and it all added up to a Ror-ing success.

The post Seven Things from the Desert Swing appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 38-year-old Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club head pro signed off the week of his golfing life with a 75 on Friday to finish +5, seven shots shy of the halfway cut.

He flirted with the unthinkable midway through his second round with three birdies in a four hole stretch but not even the double bogey that finally snuffed out his chances could dampen the big Scot’s joy.

Buchanan anticipated feeling a bit dusty after a celebratory afternoon on the Falcon terrace. So, when you do clear your head and draw breath on the week, what will be the key memories?

“Aye, a sore head and an empty wallet [laughs] probably,” he joked before getting a little more serious. “I think the reception at 18 last night [Thursday] was memorable. Then when I actually hit one out the middle again at hole four [yesterday] and knocked it in for a two and that got a huge roar and that got me back to level for the day. Yeah, I mean it was great, [playing partners] Paul Waring and Ricardo Gouveia have been gentlemen. Absolutely helped me round and got me settled. It’s been amazing.”

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The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship might boast some of the biggest names in golf but the loudest first day cheers were reserved for local hero Tom Buchanan who produced a colourful 74 in his European Tour debut.

It left the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club head pro in a 13-way share of 102nd place alongside the ilk of former Open champion Paul Lawrie, former world No.1 Lee Westwood, Ryder Cupper Chris Wood and former Abu Dhabi champion Robert Rock.

At +2 there’s work to be done to prolong this wild daydream all the way into the weekend at Abu Dhabi G.C. but the 38-year-old reckons he’s a shot at making the cut now he has those inevitable first round jitters out of his system.

“I’m in there, I’m in there pretty well aye,” the Scotsman said after a rousing reception on 18.

“It gives me a chance if I come out tomorrow, a bit more relaxed obviously about what’s happening. I’ve played okay today for 74, anything better tomorrow gets me under par and in with a shot of still being here at the weekend. That was the big thing about today, being here for the weekend.”

Buchanan wouldn’t be the only one to savour that prospect.

“Obviously the following and having people with me has been wonderful. I’ve tried to block it out a bit and I was doing all right until they started screaming at the first tee this morning. I have to say that really got to me and I hit a big massive pull off the first [laughs] but, you know, it’s been great.

“[Friday’s] going to be worse, there’s more coming tomorrow. I know that, there’s more coming tomorrow [laughs]. Aye, so that’ll be good, it’s great for me and my family, its great for the club in Al Ain, to be representing the club is fantastic, and it’s the big stage isn’t it, it’s the stage where we all want to be, and I’ve enjoyed it.”

Buchanan did well to hold his nerve on the biggest stage of his life especially with the vocal locals in tow. “I was starting to get a wee bit down at the 9th and then made up and down out the bunker for a bogey. Then I birdied 10 then all of a sudden we were back on.

“I managed to hit one out the middle at 12 into the back bunker, I hadn’t calculated for it come out of the middle [more laughs] so I made bogey there then a good birdie at 16. Then I hit probably one of the worst shots I’ve hit in the last year at 17 to miss the green by about 30 yards right, behind a tree and I made five.

“But all in all a wonderful experience and I think if somebody had offered me 74 this morning I would definitely have taken it.”

English amateur Dan Kirkwood, who also qualified for Abu Dhabi via last month’s UAE PGA qualifying tournament at Saadiyat Beach G.C., matched Buchanan’s 74 but UAE pro Ahmed Al Musharrekh struggled to a 14 over 86.

The post Buchanan’s Brigade ready for wild Friday appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.