The 40-year-old Surrey-based Australian somehow conjured successive birdies to emerge from a dramatic three-way playoff with Englishman Benjamin David and South African MG Keyser to win the Troon Series-Al Zorah Open on Wednesday, including his title-clinching bomb on the second playoff hole:

Troon Series – Al Zorah Open Play-off : What an awesome comeback to professional golf for Australia’s @Gauntgolf!! This is how he won the playoff.@Troon @troonint pic.twitter.com/GGJnaiYKlJ

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 20, 2019

Gaunt’s maiden MENA Tour victory came in just his second event back after he put his floundering career on ice in mid-2017 and his win in an Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) event since he captured the second of his two Challenge Tour victories at the Telenet Trophy in May 2013.

“I just don’t have the words to explain what I am feeling right now,” the father-of-four said after winning $13,500 by overcoming a difficult start to his final round at Al Zorah G.C. with two bogeys in his opening three holes to sign for a 73 and get into the playoff at -9 with David (69) Keyser (71).

Daniel Gaunt

“I have not played much the last 12-18 months and if you had said I’d win in my second proper event coming back, I would have snapped your hands off.

“The conditions were tough. The wind was brutal and the pins were tucked. I did not have my best stuff, but I am proud of the way I battled. And then to make two birdies when I needed to make them in the play-off, that was amazing.”

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(After Rd3 of Troon Series – Al Zorah Open)

He really is a tough Aussie. In fact, they call him ‘Dundee’ after Crocodile Dundee! But the Al Zorah Open was so special, even @Gauntgolf got emotional.#HBFS #JourneyToJordan @Troon @troonint pic.twitter.com/Y7sG6TuEhd

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 20, 2019

Gaunt gave up professional golf after getting frustrated with his poor form and the resulting financial strain on his family. He joined the maintenance team at his home club, the Burhill Golf Club in Walton-on-Thames, and did not play any tournament throughout 2018.

“It’s been a long couple of years. I have absolutely worked my backside off to get to this place. I am so happy, but I also want this to be the stepping stone to take me further.”

Keyser parred the first playoff hole (Al Zorah’ par-5 4th) to be eliminated. On the par-3 next, Guant guided a four-iron to 20 feet and made his putt as David parred to settle for a share of second place with Keyser.

BITE-SIZE INTERVIEW
(After Rd3 of Troon Series – Al Zorah Open)@bendavid429 came agonizingly close to what would have been the biggest win of his career. He finally finished second, but the Englishman was over the moon with his result.#HBFS #JourneyToJordan @Troon @troonint pic.twitter.com/uLd4VWWylo

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 20, 2019

India’s Dubai-based Rayhan Thomas (73) finished as the leading amateur at four-under par 212, which was good for tied ninth place overall. England’s Curtis Knipes (72), the amateur winner at Journey To Jordan-1, the inaugural event of the 2019 season, was next best at two-under par.

Thomas finished with a birdie but dropped shots on the par-3 15th and the 16th holes denied him a sub-par score and a place inside the top-five.

“The conditions were very tough, but my game was also mediocre,” said Thomas, the second highest ranked Asian player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking at No. 16.

“I am happy to be the leading amateur, but I obviously wanted to win the tournament. I know I could have contended for the title this week. It would have been nice to start the season with a win in your third tournament of the year.”

The MENA Tour move to Oman and the $75,000 Ghala Golf Club Open starting on Monday, Feb. 25.

Leading amateur Rayhan Thomas.

TROON SERIES- AL ZORAH OPEN – FINAL SCORES (par-72)
207 – *Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 68-66-73, MG Keyser (RSA) 70-66-71, Benjamin David (ENG) 69-69-69. *Gaunt won on the second playoff hole.
209 – Craig Ross (SCO) 68-66-75, Seve Benson (ENG) 69-68-72
210 – Robert Dinwiddie (ENG) 71-70-69, Max Smith (ENG) 68-71-71, Todd Clements (ENG) 71-65-74
212 – Rayhan Thomas (IND-Am) 69-70-73, Conor O’Neil (SCO) 72-70-70,
213 – Henric Sturehed (SWE) 73-71-69, Dominic Foos (GER) 69-71-73
214 – Curtis Knipes (ENG-Am) 72-70-72, Antoine Schwartz (FRA) 70-70-74, Tom Shadbolt (ENG) 70-69-75, Jack McDonald (SCO) 70-67-77
215 – Constantin Schwierz (GER) 71-71-73, Daniel Hendry (SCO) 71-70-74, Jack Doherty (SCO) 72-68-75, Lionel Weber (FRA) 68-71-76
216 – Jacob Oakley (ENG) 73-72-71, Joshua White (ENG) 72-68-76

The post Gaunt’s Al Zorah Open victory is an inspiration to any golfer struggling with their game appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

“My head was not in a right place and I felt I was just throwing away money when I had to take care of my four lovely kids and my mortgage,” the Surrey-based Australian said of his decision to quit the touring life in mid-2017 despite having previously captured two European Challenge Tour titles.

Gaunt duly found work on the maintenance team at his home Burhill Golf Club in Walton-on-Thames and the change of scenery slowly helped rekindle his love of the game.

He still needed prompting to give pro golf another go and has a shot Wednesday at the MENA Tour’s $75,000 Troon Series-Al Zorah Open to give his closest supporters the ultimate payback.

A six-under-par 66 in Tuesday’s second round will see the Aussie go into today’s final round tied for the lead at -10, 134 with Scot Craig Ross. They are two shots clear of rookie English professional Todd Clements and former MENA Tour winner MG Keyser.

“There are friends, including [MENA Tour life member] Zane Scotland and a few others – they know who they are and I am indebted for their support – who believed in me and helped me financially to play golf again this year.

“So here we are…I am happy to be in the position I am in. I will go out and do exactly what I did the first two days. Come the last nine holes and we will see if I am in contention. I have full faith in myself. I have won before and I can do it again. I won’t be here if I did not believe I can win.”

Ross, who added a 66 to his opening-round 68 as well, went bogey-free on Tuesday and will look to add to the Clippers Logistics Championship he won on the EuroPro Tour last year.

India’s Dubai-based Rayhan Thomas birdied his final two holes and was the leading amateur following a two-under-par 70 round that took him to five-under par 139. The 19-year-old was three ahead of England’s Curtis Knipes (70), the amateur champion at Journey To Jordan-1, the inaugural event of the 2019 season.

Another Dubai-based teenager, the 14-year-old Josh Hill (72), was the next best on the amateur leaderboard at one-under par 143.

Thomas was solid for the first 11 holes with two birdies before a wobble cost him shots on the 12th and 14th holes. But a miraculous par on the 16th lifted his spirits and he birdied the last two return to the clubhouse a satisfied man.

“My ball was completely plugged on the 16th hole in the greenside bunker and I left myself a 12-footer for par after hacking it out somehow. Luckily, I made that putt and then stiffed it to two feet on the par-3 17th and got a regulation birdie on the par-5 18th,” said Thomas, who created history on the MENA Tour when he became the first amateur to win a title (2016 Dubai Creek Open).

“It was a good round, but like any golfer, I thought I could have shot a couple better. The conditions were perfect today and I should have taken advantage of it.”

Tuesday’s cut fell at one-over 145 with 50 professionals and 10 amateurs making it to the final round.

LEADING SCORES (After Round 2, par-72)
134 – Daniel Gaunt (AUS) 68-66, Craig Ross (SCO) 68-66
136 – Todd Clements (ENG) 71-65, MG Keyser (RSA) 70-66
137 – Seve Benson (ENG) 69-68, Jack McDonald (SCO) 70-67
138 – Benjamin David (ENG) 69-69
139 – Rayhan Thomas (IND-Am) 69-70, Lionel Weber (FRA) 68-71, Max Smith (ENG) 68-71, Tom Shadbolt (ENG) 70-69
140 – Antoine Schwartz (FRA) 70-70, Dominic Foos (GER) 69-71, Jack Doherty (SCO) 72-68, Joshua White (ENG) 72-68, Andrew Burmester (RSA) 70-70
141 – Daniel Hendry (SCO) 71-70, Rigel Fernandes (IND) 70-71, Oliver Jacobsson (SWE) 69-72, Robert Dinwiddie (ENG) 71-70
142 – Robin Roussel (FRA) 73-69, Harry Konig (ENG) 72-70, Robbie Busher (ENG) 72-70, Ahmad Baig (PAK) 69-73, Conor O’Neil (SCO) 72-70, Erik Jonasson (SWE) 70-72, Constantin Schwierz (GER) 71-71
143 – Gustaf Kocken (SWE) 72-71, James Allan (ENG) 71-72, Taylor Carter (ENG) 70-73, Maarten Bosch (NED) 74-69, Josh Hill (ENG-Am) 71-72

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By Kent Gray
Two pesky three putts haven’t stopped Dubai-domiciled amateur Rayhan Thomas from making a decent start to his bid for a third professional title at the Troon Series-Al Zorah Open.

The Oklahoma State University-bound 19-year-old will start the second round of the $75,000 MENA Tour event on Tuesday just one shot off the pace after carding an opening three-under 69 Monday.

Frenchman Lionel Weber, Australian Daniel Gaunt, Scot Craig Ross, England’s Max Smith and Guatemala’s Jose Rolz co-lead after 68s on a blustery day in Ajman.

Thomas three-putted the 7th for a bogey and then three-putted again for par on the par-5 18th but was happy with his opening effort that left him in a six-way share of 6th alongside promising Pakistani star Ahmed Baig, Englishmen Benjamin David and Seve Benson, Swede Oliver Jacobsson and Dubai-based German Dominic Foos.

“It was a good round overall,” said the Dubai Creek member who created history on the MENA Tour when he became the first amateur winner at the 2016 Dubai Creek Open. He has since gone on to claim the King Hamad Trophy in Bahrain.

“I drove the ball really well, but did not have the best day on the greens.”

Thomas could have been joined on 69 by another Dubai-based teenager, 14-year-old Josh Hill, but the English youngster was docked two shots as a penalty for an inadvertent rules infraction.

Dubai-based Indian Arjun Gupta, also 14, was the second best among the amateurs with a round of two-under-par 70.

Weber, who won the 2017 Mountain Creek Open in Thailand, only arrived in Ajman late on Sunday so was essentially playing Al Zorah blind. 

Weber already has a MENA Tour title to his name.

“I arrived in Ajman late and did not even have time to play a practice round. I just thought that I should go out and enjoy myself and before I knew it, I had made four birdies in my first four holes,” said the 28-year-old, who is attached to Black Mountain course in Hua Hin, Thailand.

“I was very annoyed that I did not have a decent finish. I doubled the 16th hole and then made another bogey on the 17th. But apart from those two mistakes, I am really happy with my first day.”

Gaunt, who missed birdie putts from four feet on two par-5 holes, said: “The conditions were definitely much tougher than when I played a practice round. On one of the holes, I hit a driver and a 9-iron yesterday, and today it was a driver and a 5-iron.”

LEADING SCORES (After round 1, par-72)
68 – Lionel Weber (FRA), Craig Ross (SCO), Max Smith (ENG), Jose Rolz (GUA), Daniel Gaunt (AUS).
69 – Benjamin David (ENG), Ahmad Baig (PAK), Dominic Foos (GER), Rayhan Thomas (IND-Am), Oliver Jacobsson (SWE), Seve Benson (ENG).
70 – Jack McDonald (SCO), Joshua Grenville-Wood (ENG), MG Keyser (RSA), Arjun Gupta (IND-Am), Tom Shadbolt (ENG), Andrew Burmester (RSA), Cameron Phillips (ENG), Antoine Schwartz (FRA), Taylor Carter (ENG), Erik Jonasson (SWE), Rigel Fernandes (IND).
71 – Robert Dinwiddie (ENG), Constantin Schwierz (GER), Elliott Oxlade (ENG), Josh Hill (ENG-Am), Steve Webster (ENG), Todd Clements (ENG), Daniel Hendry (SCO), James Allan (ENG), Jack Floydd (ENG-Am).
72 – Pavan Sagoo (ENG), Jack Doherty (SCO), Conor O’Neil (SCO), Daniel Scourfield (ENG), Joshua White (ENG), Jake Ayres (ENG), Peter Stojanovski (MAC), Gustaf Kocken (SWE), Gabriel Axell (SWE), Ben Davies (ENG-Am), Daniel Kay (SCO), Curtis Knipes (ENG-Am), Louis Campbell (ENG), Daniel Suchan (CZE), Harry Konig (ENG), Robbie Busher (ENG), Arkesh Bhatia (IND-Am).

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The 19-year-old world amateur No.17 will make his much-anticipated return to the regional Pro-Am circuit at the $75,000 Troon Series–Al Zorah Open starting in Ajman today.

After bypassing last week’s season-opening Journey to Jordan-1 event in Aqaba, Thomas is set for his first MENA Tour appearance since the 2017 Dubai Creek Open where he finished T-2 in a highly creditable defence of the Dubai Creek Open title that launched his career a year earlier.

It also marks the likely beginning of the end for the Dubai Creek member on the developmental tour. He plans to play the remaining ‘spring swing’ events until mid-March before taking up a scholarship at Oklahoma State University, the No.1 team in NCAA, later this year.

“Once I join my college, I am not sure how many events I will be able to play on the MENA Tour. I will surely miss all this,” Thomas told the MENA Tour website. “This tour has meant a lot to me and my golfing career so far.”

The former amateur order-of-merit champion has exempt status for Ajman and is one of 13 amateurs in the 120-strong field. As ever, he’s quietly confident of contending after learning from missed cuts in the European Tour’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic and inaugural Saudi International.

He missed the weekend at Emirates Golf Club by two strokes but closed with a pleasing 69 and before mixing an eye-catching opening 67 at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club to outshine four of the world’s top five players with a 77 to eventually miss the cut by four shots.

“I do want to leave on a high. I am playing well and even though I missed the cut in Dubai and Saudi, I did have my moments there and thought I was pretty solid in patches,” Thomas said.

“Now I just need to make sure I have three consistent rounds and I should be in a good place.”

The MENA Tour by Arena has returned to the world schedule after a year of restructuring and features 10 tournaments in 2019, split into two five event spring and autumn swings. With increased purses and Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, it is a launch pad for ambitious young professional to the bigger tours, and for the players from across the Middle East eyeing the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The post Thomas begins farewell MENA Tour campaign among the favourites for this week’s Al Zorah Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 28-year-old Swede returns to the scene of his historic MENA Tour Championship win in October 2017 for the second event of the new season, the Troon Series-Al Zorah Open,  starting today.

RELATED: Thomas begins farewell MENA Tour campaign among the favourites for this week’s Al Zorah Open

The Linkoping lad was unstoppable at the Nicklaus Design 16 months ago, negotiating the par-72 course with a 21-under-par aggregate to win the last MENA Tour season decider by nine strokes from England’s Jake Shepherd.

That was a tour record for the largest winning margin in a 72-hole event and included a course-record 63 in the second round.

Sturehed is hoping to cash in again at the happy hunting ground after opening the new MENA Tour by Arena season with a stunning 66 at Ayla Golf Club last week, only to be struck down by a suspected bout of food poisoning and fade to a share of 46th place after rounds of 78 and 73.

It was another cruel blow for Sturehed who finished 153rd in last season’s Race to Dubai with €175,117 from 21 starts and then agonisingly missed his card this year by just one shot at European Tour Q-School.

He hopes the return to Al Zorah for this week’s 54-hole championship will spark a recovery.

“I have very good memories of this place from the Tour final. I played very well that week and am hoping I can do something similar this week,” said the world No. 639.

“What I clearly remember is that I kept it very simple back then. I found most of the fairways and my putter was hot throughout the four days. That is something you need to do on most courses to win and that is what I want to do this week again.”

Sturehed will also need to overcome some quality names in the field of 120 including Dubai-based amateur Rayhan Thomas and Englishman Matthew Baldwin who won last week’s Journey To Jordan-1 in Aqaba by a record eight shots for a 54-hole tournament.

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