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.

The 36-year-old South African captured the biggest win of his eight years in the region Sunday when he beat former UAE PGA chief executive Steven Munro 4&3 in the final of the tour’s matchplay championship at The Els Club.

Smith took advantage of some unlucky breaks for Munro to take the final by the scruff of the neck at 3up by the turn and never relinquished his stranglehold, all after edging David Laing 1up in an altogether more intense semifinal earlier on Sunday.

The win earned the Address Montgomery Dubai tournament co-ordinator 300 points and saw him close the gap on UAE PGA Order of Merit (OOM) leader Stefan Wears-Taylor (Al Zorah) to 80 points ahead of the season-deciding UAE PGA (Strokeplay) Championship at Arabian Ranches on April 30-May 1. It means Smith has given himself a shot at overhauling Wears-Taylor, the UAE PGA Championship’s defending champion, for the circuit’s year-long title.

“It’s was a big win, a great day and now we’ve got the two-day [36-hole] tour championship next week so hopefully I might be able to do the double,” said Smith.

“That would be great and I’m captaining the Dubai Trophy team so it’s quite nice to go there in some form. It’s going to be tough again with all those youngsters coming through… [including runaway EGF OOM leader] Josh Hill…amazing!”

The UAE PGA Matchplay semi finalists (L to R) Steven Munro, Mike Bolt, Ryan Smith and David Laing.

Smith didn’t know much about Hill when they met him in a foursomes match at last year’s Dubai Trophy. But the now 14-year-old teen’s magical run of form, including course records at Trump and The Track Meydan Golf and a runaway victory in the Faldo Series Middle East Championship, has turned Hill into the hottest golfer in the land.

Related: Hill sets Track course record, waltzes to sensational sixth EGF title

“I remember playing him and Arjun [Gupta] in a foursomes match and thinking we can’t get beaten by two 12 year olds. Luckily we won but the juniors are just incredible now, fearless.”

Smith thought his matchplay run was over with Laing playing nicely in their semifinal as he ‘scrapped for pars”. But a couple of late birdies got Smith to the 18th all square and he pounced when Laing found a tough desert lie on the right of the closing hole and proceeded to thin his approach through the back, and then thin his chip shot.

Munro progressed to the final with a 2&1 victory of Mike Bolt (Trump Dubai).

Meanwhile, Shane Peacock recently claimed his his maiden UAE PGA victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates with a fine score of 71.

Peacock, right, receives the spoils from UAE PGA CEO Luke Plumb.

The post Captain Smith captures UAE PGA Matchplay title, eyes ‘tough’ Dubai Trophy appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.