The 25-year-old has risen to No. 70 in the official World Amateur Golf Rankings on the back of victories at the 6th Saudi Open and 40th Pan Arab Championships in Cairo.

Salhab’s victory in the individual standings at Dreamland Golf Resort in Egypt also spearheaded Saudi Arabia to just its second teams gold medal– by a whopping eight strokes over Qatar.

The victory at the Saudi Open, which included a course record 66 around Riyadh Golf Club, earned Salhab an invite to the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. Though he missed the cut by six strokes after rounds of 75-75, the experience gained teeing it up in a field including the likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Bubba Watson and eventual champion Harold Varner III cannot be underestimated.

It was Salhab’s third Asian Tour start in as many months and he has been the leading Saudi amateur at each stop: 113th at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship and T109th  at both the Laguna Phuket Championship and the Saudi International. 

 

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A stroke average of 74.83 in his six Asian Tour rounds thus far is a benchmark to work with, just as the eye-catching performances of Ratchanon Chantananuwat are something to aspire to. The Thai 14-year-old amateur has impressively made the cut in all five of his Asian Tour starts thus far, including both Phuket events and the Saudi International where he finished T71.

Salhab is grateful to Golf Saudi for the opportunities to learn at the highest level. 

 “This is all thanks to the continuous support us National Team players receive, whether that’s from the Saudi Golf Federation or Golf Saudi, their backing enhances our chances of performing to the best of our abilities.”

 Saud Al Sharif is up to 371st in the WAGR chiefly on the back of his Jordan Open victory late last year. Al Sharif went on to finish 141st, 130th and 115th at Blue Canyon, Laguna Phuket and Royal Greens respectively. 

 Jamie McConnell, the Director of Instruction at the Claude Harmon Performance Academy Dubai, coaches Al Sharif and is pleased with the progress of the entire Saudi national team.

 “The team have been working exceptionally hard over the last few months with some fantastic results including three victories from Saud and Faisal which was fantastic to see, and more than earned through their hard work and dedication,” said McConnell.

 “I think this year the biggest help has been the schedule that they have been able to play. Mixing a full summer of amateur events with some more recent Asian Tour events allows them to really feel what it is like to play, travel and adapt to different scenarios, climates and courses. This is a huge part of learning to compete at the highest level and I must compliment Golf Saudi on not only backing them to play in these events, but also opening the doors required to do so.”

“The next few months will involve a sit-down review of what we have been through and achieved over the last few months, while also reflecting on what needs to be improved before what will be a hectic period in the late spring and through the summer.” 

The Kingdom’s leading amateurs have pushed Saudi’s pioneering professional Othman Almulla all winter long with the world’s 1697th ranked player recording 113th, 126th and T100 finishes at the two Phuket events and the Saudi International respectively.

Like the amateurs, Almulla continues to work tirelessly towards his dream and posted a poignant message during the Saudi International entitled “keep going”.

 “It will take time; it will take pain; it will break you down and force you to become stronger. But everything you are going through right now will take you to places you could have never imagined. Have faith in your journey and trust in yourself because one day, you will get there. – Walk the Earth.”

golfsaudi.com

The post Faisal Salhab spearheads promising performance surge by Saudi amateurs  appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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)

The post Dunn applies blowtorch with Al Hamra course record but Burrow remains cool to claim RAK repeat appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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.

The post Saadiyat Beach gain official World Amateur Golf Ranking status for Abu Dhabi event appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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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