The 54-hole event at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, which offers valuable World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, has been confirmed for December 14-16 despite the on-going uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year’s champion Josh Hill and leading Emirati Ahmad Skaik earned spots in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. In a media release, the tournament said spots in January’s scheduled Rolex Series event at Abu Dhabi Golf Club were “potentially” available for the 2020 winner and leading local.

Matt Waters, Group Director of Golf for Abu Dhabi’s Troon International-managed cluster encompassing Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi and Yas Links, told Golf Digest Middle East that discussions were ongoing.

Hill capped a memorable 2019 with a thrilling one-stroke triumph over Arjun Gupta to be crowned the second winner of the Championship following Dino Capazario’s triumph in 2018. With the victory, the then 15-year-old became the youngest-ever participant in the Abu Dhabi HSBC event and enjoyed a practice round with then World No.1 Brooks Koepka.

“Winning the amateur championships and securing a spot in one of the largest European Tour events was an incredible way to cap off last year. Having the opportunity, as the youngest ever player, to compete alongside some of the best players in the world is an experience I will never forget,” said the Dubai-based England Boys’ rep.

“It’s exciting to be going back to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club to compete, it’s one of the most challenging courses in the UAE so with the strong competition and course difficulty it’s an honest test of golf, you have to play well to win.”

Regardless of whether HSBC spots are available, Waters is confident of another enthralling amateur battle.

“At Saadiyat Beach Golf Club we pride ourselves in delivering the world-renowned Troon Experience, which largely consists of maintaining exceptional playing surfaces which we believe sets the course up to be the perfect Championship venue for a World Amateur Golf Ranking Tournament.

“We are thoroughly looking forward to welcoming a vast array of elite amateur golfers to Abu Dhabi in December and to witness what we hope to be a thrilling tournament for all.”

For more info on the 2020 Abu Dhabi Amateur Championships, please contact Daniel Richards: golfevents.sbgc@aldargolf.com

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In addition to WAGR points, two spots in the 2020 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA will be on the line. The starts in the European Tour’s opening Rolex Series event of the new season will go to Dino Capazario’s successor as champion and the amateur championship’s leading Emirati player. 

Reigning Open champion Shane Lowry is expected to defend the Falcon Trophy at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from Jan. 16-19. The announcement that Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson will play in the Saudi International later in Jan. also raises the prospect that the world No.1 and No.3 will return to join Lowry at the $7 million Abu Dhabi stop, ensuring an incredible experience for the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship winners.

“This is another hugely exciting opportunity for upcoming golfers to test their skills against some of the very best players in the world at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA,” said H.E. Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

“Attracting more players and fans to the game of golf is an important part of the continued growth of the tournament and having local talent teeing off alongside some of the biggest names in the sport will create even more interest in the championship.”

The announcement comes as the Troon managed trinity of Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links Abu Dhabi gear up for a busy season includes major tour and tourism events.

The third edition of the €18,000 Abu Dhabi Pro-Am presented by Troon Golf  is scheduled for February 3-6. 2020. The Abu Dhabi Golf Festival follows from Feb. 7-14.

“There’s always a great buzz in the region when the golfing season officially gets underway. As well as playing three world-class golf courses, off the course there is also so much for visitors to do and celebrate. From the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, to watching the world’s best golfers play Abu Dhabi Golf Club in January, once again Abu Dhabi will prove itself as not only a golfing location, but also a fantastic destination with lots on offer for visitors,” said Francisco de Lancastre David, Cluster General Manager at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links Abu Dhabi.

“The Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship will certainly kick start a brilliant schedule of golfing events too, and with the added incentive for players to earn spots at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA, it’s bound to add another dimension to the event and further boost the profile of golf in the region. We thank the Abu Dhabi Sports Council for raising the profile of the event.”

Capazario won the inaugural Abu Dhabi Amateur with a three-over-par 219 total last year, a shot ahead of then 14-year-old in Arjun Gupta and UAE National Team player Saif Thabet.

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But the magical five under circuit, matching the feat of now European Challenge Tour player James Allan in the same event five years ago, wasn’t enough to prevent Burrow repeating as champion at the Emirates Golf Federation order-of-merit event.

RELATED: EGF secures WAGR status for series decider, suddenly making whole season more meaningful

That had a little bit to do with the fact Dunn had so much ground to make up after a Friday 75 but a whole lot more to do with Burrow’s near faultless golf over 36 holes. Capitalising on the immaculate condition of Al Hamra in the final event before the course hosts the Challenge Tour’s season-ending Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final beginning Wednesday, Burrow dropped just two shots all weekend in rounds of 68 and 71.

His five-under par 139 total was good enough for a three stroke victory margin over Dunn (142) with Ahmad Skaik third on 145 following rounds of 72 and 73.

Burrow had led by two after the opening round from David Guinee (70) while past winners Khalid Yousuf and Saif Thabet (72s) were also in the hunt. But Guinee, Yousuf and Saif all fell away with Saturday scores of 75, 76 and 76 respectively.

Ahmad Naim won the net title with a 143 total on count-back from Al Hamra member Byung Jin Woo. Adam Zahri was third, a further shot adrift.

13th RAK Men’s Amateur Open – Results

Gross
139: Max Burrow (68, 71)
142: Simon Dunn (75, 67)
145: Ahmad Skaik (72, 73)

Net
143: Ahmad Naim (72, 71) on count-back
143: Byung Jin Woo (67, 76)
144: Adam Zahri (71, 73)

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By Kent Gray
Last month, Golf Digest Middle East revealed that Saadiyat Beach Golf Club had secured World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) status for a new event designed to lure some of the world’s best young amateurs to the emirate.

The Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship will be played over 54-holes of strokeplay and given its revised December 13-15 timeslot, shapes as attractive to collegiate players heading home for Christmas while falling at a time where there is little top-flight golf available elsewhere.

RELATED: Saadiyat Beach gain official WAGR status for Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship

Now Saadiyat has partnered with Abu Dhabi Golf Club to offer two further tournaments that will not only expose the Troon International managed sister properties to a wider amateur audience, but also the emirate’s tourism jewels.

The Abu Dhabi Golf Festival will be held at both Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat, as well as Yas Links, from December 1-8. It is spearheaded by leading German golf tour operator, Golf Extra, and is a popular week for European golfers searching for winter sun.

The Abu Dhabi Pro-Am, scheduled for February 2-7, follows on from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the start of the new European Tour year. It’s a 54-hole tournament played over three days at both Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat and alredy boasts a $30,000 prize fund. Co-sanctioned by the PGA’s of Europe and the UAE PGA, it is open to teams of four, including one professional, and will be played in a better ball format.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.

“These events will not only help raise the profile of Abu Dhabi as a golf destination and a tourist attraction, but also provide a fantastic advert for what we have to offer here in Abu Dhabi,” said Ed Edwards, General Manager at Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Beach.

“Golf in the region has been on an upward curve ever since the hosting of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 13 years ago. These major golf events will complement the European Tour events and attract more visitors to this superb golf destination.

“We are extremely excited about the direction that golf in Abu Dhabi is heading.“

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The Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship will be a 54-hole strokeplay tournament open to male players and will be played on the Gary Player-designed seaside links from December 8-15.

It will be the first standalone event to offer WAGR points although the MENA Tour has offered this carrot for amateurs in recent seasons and helped the likes of Dubai-based Indian Rayhan Thomas and Englishman Todd Clements establish themselves in the global game.

“We have been contemplating hosting such an event for quite some time and after we hosted the [Abu Dhabi] HSBC qualifier last year we realised that there was an opportunity to create a larger amateur championship for not only the local players  but also many elite international amateurs,” said Matthew Waters, Saadiyat Beach G.C.s Golf Operations Manager.

“The process of applying for the WAGR status was surprisingly simple however there were quite a few requirements that we had to meet.”

The final category of the Abu Dhabi event will be determined by the R&A once the strength of the 72-strong field is assessed. Waters is hopeful the December slot will prove popular.

“We chose these dates specifically to accommodate for as many amateurs as possible. With the schools breaking up for the Christmas Holidays that week we hope to welcome many of the young up and coming elite amateurs as well as many college athletes on their way back to their home countries for Christmas,” he said.

“The weather is also perfect around that time of year so we hope that many participants can enjoy not only the championship but the many other attractions Abu Dhabi has to offer.”

Saadiyat Beach held a Pro-Am qualifier for last year’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The new Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship doesn’t offer that European Tour lure, not yet anyway.

“Not yet….but would certainly be a great addition to the event,” Waters said.

To register for the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship, click here.

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By Kent Gray
Dubai-domiciled Indian international Rayhan Thomas has made an impressive – albeit topsy-turvy – start to his European summer campaign, firing himself into early contention at the prestigious St Andrews Links Trophy in Scotland.

The 18-year-old world amateur No. 28 signed for a two-under 69 on the New Course at the home of golf on Friday to share seventh place nearing the completion of the first round of the 72-hole strokeplay event.

Thomas was just two shots off the clubhouse lead set by England’s Olly Huggins after the Frilford Heath G.C. player also took advantage of the relatively benign conditions to card a four-under 67. Reigning MENA Tour amateur champion Todd Clements (ENG) opened with a 73.

Things could have been so much better for Thomas with the MENA Tour history-maker mixing an eagle and four birdies with four bogeys in his opening round.

“I hit the ball solid, just missed a couple of putts on the back nine but the worst I could have shot was two under today so I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Thomas told GolfDigestME.com ahead of Saturday’s second round on the famed Old Course.

“I think the Old Course is a little tougher than the New Course but there are birdie opportunities, there’s a score out there so I can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Since its inception in 1989, the St Andrews Links Trophy has attracted the world’s leading amateurs, many of whom have gone on to enjoy success on the PGA and European Tours, notably Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy, Padraig Harrington, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy.

It is Thomas’ first time playing St Andrews and he’s clearly savouring the scared atmosphere plus the lofty position in the 144-strong field made up of scratch handicappers or better.

“It’s playing very fiery and very fast so it’s a new challenge but I love links golf, love St Andrews so it’s a good start. The preps gone well, I’ve been working on my bump and run, trying to keep everything low but the whether has actually been pretty good this week and today was really calm with just light winds.

“Light winds for St Andrews is a windy day in Dubai but it was a good day today.”

Thomas’ UK summer will also see him contest the 123rd Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen and Murcar Links from June 18-23. He cruelly missed the cut for the matchplay phase of the British amateur by a stroke last year but it did spur him to a historic semifinal showing at the 70th U.S. Junior Amateur.

Related content: Thomas thrilled by India call-up for 18th Asian Games

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By Kent Gray
Todd Clements has waltzed through the final stage of Sunshine Tour Q-School in South Africa but won’t be relinquishing his amateur status immediately.

The MENA Tour’s runaway 2017 amateur order of merit champion finished second of the 108 starters at Randpark G.C. in Johannesburg, a second round eight-under 64 highlighting the brilliant performance in the 90-hole marathon.

However, the 21-year-old still has amateur ambitions, chief among them being selected to represent England at the Eisenhower Trophy in Ireland this September. The world amateur teams championship will be played at Carton House near Dublin from Sept. 5-8 and would be a fitting sign-off to a stellar amateur career which included victory in the 87th English Amateur Championship at The Berkshire last August.

Photo courtesy Sunshine Tour

There is a chance he could cut the amateur umbilical cord in August if he were to miss Eisenhower selection although that appears unlikely barring a massive loss of form. At 18th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR, a spot behind Dubai prodigy Rayhan Thomas), Clements is the highest ranked Englishman and is set to be named in a four-man team for next month’s European Nations Cup in Spain in what is a precursor to Eisenhower selection.

Whenever he turns professional, the Londoner will have options as he eyes the ultimate goal of a 2019 European Tour card. He can take up the Sunshine Tour card at any stage this season and is also likely to play the remodelled MENA Tour which has been shortened to an August-November season with expanded 72 hole (from 54) events offering more prize money and Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.

Clements opted to play in Joburg for the experience of cut-throat Q-School pressure looking ahead to the European Tour qualifiers, the first stage of which he will automatically skip if he can get his WAGR inside the top 15. He handled the Randpark test with aplomb too, rounds of 67-64-68 and “bad day at the office, it happens” 74 taking him into the final round with a share of the lead. He had led by as many as seven strokes at one stage during the week only for a self diagnosed intercostal muscle strain (rib area) picked up on the range ahead of Friday’s final round seeing him blow out to a closing 75 and second place at -12. He finish four shots behind South African professional Thriston Lawrence (closing 65) and a shot ahead of fellow amateur Louis Albertse (RSA).

“I actually picked up a slight injury in the morning so to go through the pain barrier and get finished and finish second overall was quite a delight actually,” Clements told GolfDigestme.com

“The whole experience exceeded my expectations in all honesty. I went to further my experience in the golfing world so to be able to compete straight away was a delight really. That was the goal, to give myself options when I do turn professional and now I’ve got those options.”

Clements finished leading amateur in seven of the nine events he entered during last season’s MENA Tour including the last six events of the year on the trot. There were runner-up finishes at the Dubai Creek Open (T-2 with Thomas) and Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open as he finished 110 points ahead of compatriot Sam Hobday despite playing six fewer events.

The developmental Middle East and North Africa circuit is meant as a finishing school for aspiring pros and is certainly proving its worth in Clements’ case. The Colchester lad seems at ease with his game after one of the most mentally challenging examinations.

Photo courtesy Sunshine Tour

“It’s a longer tournament so your concentration levels have to be a bit higher but I actually found it very similar to any other events which is great,” Clements said of Sunshine Tour Q-School.

“When it comes down to it, you are just playing golf every day whether you’re playing for a living, the Eisenhower, the Nations Cup or European Tour Q-School, you just try and play golf. That was actually quite reassuring that there isn’t much of a difference and if you get that kind of mind set, you can definitely compete.”

Clements intends having the rib injury checked upon his return to London on Monday. He puts it down to overuse after a hectic schedule which included representing Europe in the Bonallack Trophy in Doha a fortnight ago. “Hopefully it’s not too serious,” he said.

Related: Thomas adds Bonallack Trophy to amateur CV

.@ThristonL claims a four-stroke victory over England’s @ClementsTodd at the final stage of qualifying school @RandparkGolf

Read more: https://t.co/z2KnN4zNhR pic.twitter.com/MKvh2wCZcg

— Sunshine Tour (@Sunshine_Tour) March 24, 2018

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