By Kent Gray
Can Michael Bolt finally be the captain to halt the amateur’s five-year Dubai Golf Trophy dynasty?

We’re about to find out with the teams for the April 10-11 Ryder Cup-style matches between Bolt’s UAE PGA Tour pros and the Ahmed Skaik-captained Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) amateurs released.

REWIND: UAE PGA captain Luke Plumb on fifth straight Dubai Trophy loss: ‘The EGF top 5 did a number on us’

Bolt’s 16-man team for the 22nd edition at Emirates Golf Club (Faldo course) and Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth course) features a number of familiar faces including freshly minted UAE PGA Championship winner Luke Plumb and David Gray who edged Bolt 1-up to win his third UAE matchplay championship recently.

UAE PGA Championship winner Luke Plumb is set to be a key member of the professional team.

Skaik, the first Emirati to captain a Dubai Trophy team, will partner UAE national teammate Khalid Yousuf in the Saturday foursomes against Purna Sharma & Malcolm Young.

There are some particularly juicy top of the order match-ups with amateur team talisman Josh Hill teaming with Jay Mullane to take on Dong Lee and Jonathan Craddock while Arjun Gupta and Yash Majmudar take on Bolt and beaten UAE matchplay semifinalist Sujjan Singh.

For the first time, women will compete in the Dubai trophy with Olivia Jackson and Anneke Strobach representing the UAE PGA and Hyeonji Kang and Natalii Gupta, Arjun’s sister, the EGF amateurs. They will play a separate competition this week ahead of the women being incorporated into the full Dubai Trophy in 2022.

The Faldo will host the foursomes and fourball matches on Saturday ahead of the singles on Earth Sunday.

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UAE PGA Professionals v EGF Amateurs

Saturday Foursomes
Match 1: Dong Lee & Jonathan Craddock v Josh Hill & Jay Mullane
Match 2: Michael Bolt (Captain) & Sujjan Singh v Arjun Gupta & Yash Majmudar
Match 3: Luke Plumb & Phil Waine v Viggo Sorensen & Zubair Firdaus
Match 4:  Graham Forbes & Louis Gaughan v Toby Bishop & Sam Mullane
Match 5: David Gray & Ryan Smith v Steve Kelbrick & Max Burrow
Match 6: Purna Sharma & Malcolm Young v Ahmed Skaik (Captain) & Khaled Yousuf
Match 7: Bishnu Sharma & Sam McLaren v Dan Byrne & Niklas Korjonen
Match 8: Michael Major & Thomas Ogilvie v Gordon Munro & Jake Wiltshire
Ladies: Olivia Jackson & Anneke Strobach v Hyeonji Kang & Natalii Gupta

The post Bolt, Skaik name teams as EGF amateurs chase Dubai Golf Trophy six-peat appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 23-year-old Englishwoman slipped into Dubai earlier this year with quite the pedigree after accepting a teaching internship at Emirates Golf Club.

COVID-19s problematic spread meant there was a slight delay between her January 3 start and last month’s date with destiny on the Faldo when Jackson’s talent became evident to a wider Middle East audience. Shooting a 67 on The Faldo to become the first woman to win on the UAE PGA Tour, by three strokes no less, certainly is a fun way announce your arrival.

“I had no clue how significant my win was until after I’d finished playing,” said Jackson whose role at Emirates G.C. was teed up by Nick Huby, her coach at the Peter Cowen Academy in Rotherham, with a handy assist by Cowen himself who now has academies across the Dubai Golf network.

“I had a few lessons [to deliver] after the tournament and after the third lesson in the afternoon, I went to check my phone and had over 85 notifications. I was shocked to see how many people had reached out and congratulated me. It was pretty surreal.”

It turns out we shouldn’t be surprised at all by the historic win last month. Jackson’s talent has already taken her all the way to the U.S. to play division 1 golf for the University of Tulsa Oklahoma, to a Faldo junior series title before that and more recently to the 2018 Yorkshire County Championship. Few can lay claim to a course record at the Home of Golf but Jackson has that on her CV too, a giddy waltz around the New Course in 67 strokes, eight-under.

What didn’t surprise Jackson was her ability to compete with the male members of the UAE PGA.

“I don’t think gender matters. I had been prepping for it as I would usually do for a tournament and in the end it’s you against the course. It’s great to see that I can put myself up against the guys.”

Jackson intends playing all the 2020-21 UAE PGA Tour events her work commitments will allow and, all going well, breaking another barrier by making the Pro team for next year’s Dubai Trophy. The pros could do with the help after losing the last five editions of the Ryder Cup-style matches to the EGF’s leading amateurs.

Next up though is a return to the Faldo for the OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic. Jackson is “super excited” to take up an invite to represent Motivate Media Group, publishers of Golf Digest Middle East, in the Nov. 4-6 day-night Pro-Am.

“It will be a great week,” said the LPGA Tour teaching apprentice. “I hope to learn from some of the best in the game and connect with some great people. It will be interesting to see how I perform against the tour players and where I can improve as a player.”

You could even call the inside the ropes opportunity at the Ladies European Tour event a dress rehearsal for the real thing.

“I still have aspirations of playing professionally but I get a huge amount of enjoyment growing the game and seeing people fall in love with it like I did,” said Jackson who was introduced to the game by her father at age 11.

“I would love to make my position here more permanent. Dubai is awesome and I can see myself coaching and playing here for a very long time. I could never imagine throwing my coaching shoes in.”

Jackson is working towards an LPGA-sanctioned coaching qualification. When she’s not logged into the online lessons being delivered from LPGA headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida, or delivering lessons at Emirates G.C., you’ll find Jackson hard at work on her own game. Even between lessons you’ll likely find her on the range or in the gym.

“I try to practice as much as I can. It’s about finding the time even when you don’t necessarily want to or don’t feel like doing it. I definitely feel like university prepared me for this, in being good with my time and trying to prioritise the right things.”

That discipline paid dividends in the UAE PGA event with Jackson able to claw her way back two over through four holes.

“The best part of my game is probably my driving, I rarely miss a fairway. But I would say I’m very good at grinding through a game. I know even when I’m not hitting it great I can still get it round and score.

“The worst part of my game is probably staying in the moment. Sometimes I tend to get ahead of myself instead of focusing on what I need to do. It’s something I’m constantly working on.”

The post History Lesson: Olivia Jackson hasn’t taken long to make her mark on the UAE golf scene appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Until Monday that was when the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club teaching professional finally flicked the switch, freeing the undoubted golfing talent within to notch his maiden victory on the regional circuit at Arabian Ranches.

The 29-year-old typically did it in topsy-turvy style, taking advantage of a new driver to fashion six birdies, an eagle and even a triple bogey to negotiate the Ian Baker-Finch designed, Troon International-managed layout in 69 memorable strokes.

Woods, a regular contributor of instruction content for Golf Digest Middle East, edged Dong Lee (Emirates Golf Club) by a stroke with recent The Track, Meydan Golf winner Tom Buchanan (Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club), Michael Major (Dubai Creek), Jonathan Craddock (Emirates G.C.) and UAE PGA chief executive Luke Plumb in a four-way tie for third on 72.

“It’s nice to get the first win…finally,” Woods told GolfDigestme.com

“It’s taken far too long to get. I haven’t been that close in the past and have struggled with my game for a while but feel it coming together now which bodes well for the rest of the season.”

The new driver helped Woods birdie the 1st and 3rd at Arabian Ranches before he undid all the good work with the triple on the shortish par-4 6th.

“I didn’t hit that bad a shot off the tee, just a little right, but never found it.”

WATCH: Jack Woods’ short game video tip – Fight or flight? 

Woods responded well with further birdies on 7,8,9 and 11 before nestling an 8-iron to about 15ft on the par 5 13th en-route to his eagle.

“I had a couple of frustrating three putt bogeys in the last five holes to finish with a 69 but it’s great to get my first win which will hopefully allow me to kick on a get more this year.

“I drove the ball particularly well which I haven’t done for a while which makes the game much easier.”

Like all his peers, Woods is eyeing Dec. 10-11 and the UAE PGA’s 36-hole qualifier at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club for a spot in the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

“The chance to play with the top players in the world at the HSBC would be great but there’s a lot of top pro’s out here so I’ll need another good round [or two] to have a shout at that,” Woods said.

“I wanted to have a run at the Order-of-Merit [the UAE PGA’s overall title] this year so that’s my main goal this season.”

After a slow start to the season, Woods is off and running in that quest but the Hertfordshire lad is still looking up to club-mate Major who is the latest to top the OOM ahead of the next tournament at Trump Dubai on Dec. 3.

The post Jack finally out of the UAE PGA Tour Woods after topsy-turvy Arabian Ranches win 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.

Peacock won the individual event at the Dubai Creek UAE PGA Pro-Am with an even par score of 71. The AESGC Tournament Co-ordinator had been humming along at two under only to drop a couple of late shots as the blustery wind and slippery greens that troubled finally caught up with him.

But it was still enough to win the UAE PGA Tour title by a shot from early order of merit leader Fraser McLaughlan (AESGC),  Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club head professional Michael Major and Jordan Gallagher (Pro Sports) who shared second place with 72s. Cian Hurley, Robbie McCarthy, Ross McArthur and Purna Sharma where joint fifth on 73.

In the Pro-Am section of the field David Gary led Hisham Shammas, Gregory Mathieu and Pascal Bartette to victory with a 16 under par total.

The champion team at the 2018 Dubai Creek UAE PGA Pro-Am.

The Track, Meydan Golf hosts the fourth round of the UAE PGA Tour season on October 28.

Related: Dubai Hills G.C. added to 2018-19 UAE PGA Tour schedule

The post Peacock wins Dubai Creek Pro-Am as McLaughlan extends UAE PGA Tour OOM lead appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Ryan Smith’s last round of competitive golf was at the Dubai Golf Trophy in May, not that he wants reminding.

The South African only made it as far as the 12th hole at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club before being forced to shake hands with Mike Mezei, a 7&6 loser in their singles match as the EGF Amateurs made it an unprecedented hat-trick of wins in the annual Ryder Cup style matches.

It wasn’t exactly how the UAE PGA team captain had envisaged his season ending and to be fair, it was a blip in an otherwise memorable campaign that saw the 37-year-old finish second in the regional circuit’s order of merit and win the UAE Matchplay title, the most significant win of his eight seasons in the region.

RELATED:  Captain Smith captures UAE PGA Matchplay title, eyes ‘tough’ Dubai Trophy

Smith proved it was a blip by picking up at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club on Monday where he had left off at the matchplay final in late April, winning the first event of the 2018-19 UAE PGA Tour season.

The Address Montgomerie Dubai Tournament Co-ordinator carded a one-under 69 at Al Ain to edge Purna Sharma (Pro Sports) and Tom Henderson (Jumeirah Golf Estates) by two strokes.

As well as making up for the disappointment of the Dubai Trophy, it also avenged a playoff loss to Trump Dubai’s Mike Bolt at the corresponding event last season. Bolt, for the record, carded a 75 on Monday while Smith’s successor as Dubai Trophy captain, home club legend Tom Buchanan, could muster only a 76.

“I’m really happy to get the season underway with a win,” Smith said. “I felt a bit rusty early on as I haven’t played competitive golf all summer but I managed to play consistently and not get myself into too much trouble.

“I hit it great on the range which gave me confidence. I really like Al Ain and have always played pretty well there, lost to Mike Bolt in a playoff last season there so nice to win this time.

“The goals for the season? Most importantly make the Dubai Golf Trophy team and just try and play as many events I can. After finishing second in the order of merit I’m looking forward to another good season and hopefully going one better.”

RELATED:  Dubai Hills added to 2018-19 UAE PGA Tour schedule, new venue for Tour Championship

With reigning champion Stefan Wears-Taylor and 2016-17 moneylist winner Cen Mills now back in their native South Africa and Wales respectively, Smith has made a great start to that ambition.

Al Hamra Golf Club will host the second event of the UAE PGA season on October 8.

The post Smith erases Dubai Trophy disappointment with season-opening UAE PGA win in Al Ain appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
A new event, a new joint venue for the season-ending tour championship and the guarantee of a new champion mark the release of the UAE PGA Tour’s 2018-19 schedule.

The 18-tournament season begins at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club next Monday and will wrap up with the traditional 36-hole (stroke play) UAE PGA Championship in April.

To coin a marketing phrase from the European Challenge Tour, you could call it the local ‘Road to Ras Al Khaimah’ with Tower Links and Al Hamra set to host the two-round finale on April 15-16.

With reigning champion Stefan Wears-Taylor and 2016-17 moneylist winner Cen Mills now back in their native South Africa and Wales respectively, there will be a new champion crowned at Al Hamra.

RELATED: Wears-Taylor sets sights on Sunshine Tour after defending UAE PGA’s flagship title to seal regional OOM race

There will also be much interest in the inaugural Dubai Hills Pro-Am slated for November 26 which will incorporate a ‘set the course record’ challenge.

There is no official word as yet on whether the UAE PGA will again be granted a spot in the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after Al Ain pro Tom Buchanan’s dream week at Abu Dhabi Golf Club last January.

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

But a 36-hole event scheduled for Dec.10-11 at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, the only two-round event outside the Tour Championship, hints at it being a qualifier for the 2019 Desert Swing opener.

Photo: Masam Ali/Motivate Publishing
Tom Buchanan carded ropunds of 74-75 at last year’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to finish seven shots shy of the cutline – and with memories of a lifetime.

As ever, the region’s leading teaching professionals will be chasing order-of-merit points to qualify for the UAE’s answer to the Ryder Cup, the Dubai Golf Trophy which has been set for April 27-28.

RELATED: Thomas leads perfect trio as EGF amateurs seal historic Dubai Trophy treble 19-13

The UAE Pros will be hoping to avoid a fourth successive loss to the Emirates Golf Federation’s leading amateurs in the 20th edition of the matchplay event.

UAE PGA Tour – 2018-19 Schedule

2018
Sept. 24: Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club
Oct. 8:  Al Hamra Golf Club
Oct. 17: UAE PGA Dubai Creek Pro-Am
Oct. 28: The Track, Meydan Golf
Nov. 5: Arabian Ranches Golf Club
Nov. 26: Dubai Hills Pro-Am
Dec. 3: Trump International Golf Club, Dubai
Dec. 10-11: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
Dec. 18: Emirates Golf Club

2019
Jan. 8: Jebel Ali Golf Resort
Jan. 22: Al Zorah Golf Club
Feb. 12: The Els Club, Dubai
Feb. 25: Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club
Mar. 4: The Montgomerie Pro-Am
Mar. 11: Abu Dhabi Golf Club
Mar. 25: Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth)
Apr. 2: Yas Links Pro-Am
Apr. 15-16: UAE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP (15th at Tower Links/16th at Al Hamra)
Apr. 27-28: Dubai Trophy

The post Dubai Hills added to UAE PGA schedule, new joint host venue for Tour Championship 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.

The Dubai Creek teaching pro survived a high-scoring playoff to edge UAE PGA chief executive Luke Plumb (Trump Dubai) and Jonathan Craddock (Emirates G.C.) after the trio had reached overtime with one-over 73s on The Faldo course.

Related: Let UAE PGA winner Joe Way show you how to escape fairway bunkers

Plumb was the first casualty in extra time, a double-bogey on the Faldo’s par-4 1st not enough to match Way and Craddock’s bogeys. The survivors then bogeyed the par-3 2nd before Way finally got the job done with a par on the par-5 3rd.

@joeway_ Joe Way was victorious @emiratesgc winning a 3 hole playoff after tieing on 73 with @golfcoachjc and Luke Plumb. #emiratesgolfclub #faldocourse #uaepga #dubaigolftrophy #orderofmerit

A post shared by UAE PGA (@uaepga) on Mar 7, 2018 at 10:26am PST

Way isn’t in the field for the next event on the PGA schedule at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Monday but is well placed in the season-long order of merit in fifth place after 14 of 19 events. Stefan Wears-Taylor, Mills, Mike Bolt (Trump Dubai) and Ryan Smith (The Address Montgomerie) make up the top four heading into the Abu Dhabi, the Montgomerie Pro-Am (April 2), Jumeirah Golf Estates (April 16) and UAE PGA Strokeplay Championship at Arabian Ranches on April 30-May 1.

The UAE PGA Matchplay Championship, which also counts towards the final OOM standings, is on-going with the semifinals and final to be held at Trump International Golf Club Dubai in the week before the strokeplay championship.

Related: What a Way to finish the UAE PGA Pro Am

The top 14 players in the OOM standings, plus two picks, qualify for the UAE PGA team hoping to regain the Dubai Trophy against the Emirates Golf Federation’s leading amateurs at Emirates G.C. and Dubai Creek on May 12-13.

The post Way wins second UAE PGA title on The Faldo after tough playoff appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Emirates Golf Club pro edged Mills with a par in extra time on the 1st hole at Arabian Ranches after matching the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club teaching pro and serial UAE PGA Tour winner’s four-under-par 68.

“I’m delighted to pick up my first win on the UAE PGA Order of Merit, its been a long time coming and I’m looking forward to having a run at the Dubai Golf Trophy team this season [now],” said Craddock who is up to 13th on the order of merit.

Craddock rode a hot putter at Ranches, rolling in three successive birdies from the 8th before picking up further gains on the 13th  and 15th holes in regulation. Mills’ Creek colleague Joe Way was third with a 70, a shot clear of Dubai Golf Trophy captain Ryan Smith (The Montgomerie) and host club head pro Malcolm Young who shared fourth.

Al Zorah’s Stefan Wears Taylor, a two-time winner already this season, finished T-6 to extend his lead atop the OOM standings from Mike Bolt (Trump), Smith, Joe Way (Dubai Creek) and Welshman Mills whose OOM title defence is off to a good start despite the playoff disappointment.

Trump International Golf Club Dubai hosts the next event on December 4.

The post Craddock claims maiden <br> UAE PGA Tour title appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.