By Kent Gray
Dubai has suddenly become the epicentre of world amateur golf and has no intention of wasting the golden opportunity.

Just nine months after being awarded hosting rights to the 2023 World Amateur Teams Championship (WATC), Dubai Golf and the Emirates Golf Federation have pulled off second massive coup by securing the 2021 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships (AAC).

With first Royal Melbourne (Oct 2020) and then Sentosa Golf Club (Oct 2021) unable to take up hosting rights to the 12th edition of the AAC due to COVID-19 restrictions in Australia and Singapore respectively, the UAE has proudly stepped into the breach at the 11th hour.

Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club will now stage the AAC from November 3-6 and, given the delays, the 72-hole strokeplay event now holds more significance than ever. Not only will the champion earn a start at next year’s Masters and Open Championship as ever, the 13-month adjournment means the next Open, being the 150th edition at St. Andrews, is extra special. The champion will not only get to tee it up at fabled Augusta National but also in the oldest major at golf’s birthplace, The Old Course. As a result, global eyeballs will focus on The Creek and Dubai Inc, a boon as the world slowly begins opening up to golf tourism again.

It is no coincidence another of Dubai Golf’s properties, Jumeirah Golf Estates, will host the International Golf Federation-sanctioned WATC in 2023 with the 32nd Eisenhower Trophy (men) and 31st Espirito Santo Trophy (women) to be played on JGE’s Fire course.

Fire Course at JGE. Courtesy of the club

“It’s great news for Dubai and the UAE,” Dubai Golf CEO Chris May said of the AAC announcement, made jointly by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), the Masters Tournament and The R&A late last month.

“It is a tournament we have been working for some time to bring to the region so to finally have the opportunity to host the event in Dubai, it’s fantastic for the country and gives all UAE National team players along with all the other GCC golf teams the opportunity to test themselves ‘at home’ against
the best amateur golfers in the Asia Pacific region.”

May described as “significant” the trust Augusta National, the R&A and ultimately the APGC had shown in “Dubai and the UAE to host major sports events at this time.” That faith would be repaid, he promised.

“Following a visit from members of the tournament committee from Augusta National we received very positive feedback and hope to make the UAE part of the [AAC] tournament’s rotation plans in future years,” May said.

“We are working hard on the golf course over the summer months to ensure it is in great condition for the tournament and post-event member and guest play.”

The AAC was established in 2009 to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region. The event has rightly been lauded as a launchpad for freshly-minted Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama with the Japanese superstar the only back-to-back champion after triumphing at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe, Japan, and Singapore Island Country Club in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

Hideki Matsuyama with the winner’s trophy along with the flags of The Open and
Masters following the 2010 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. Getty Images

Lin Yuxin, who won in 2017 and 2019 and went on to make the cut at last month’s 149th Open at Royal St George’s as a result, is the only other two-time champion. The Chinese player is set to defend his title in November while the announcement will serve as great motivation for Emirati players such as Ahmad Skaik and Khalid Yousuf. Dubai-based Indian teen Arjun Gupta will be another hoping to cash-in on his intimate knowledge of The Creek.

May praised the EGF for their “integral…support and assistance” in ensuring Dubai Golf was selected at relatively short notice.

“This is an amazing opportunity for young golfers from the UAE who now have the two most significant amateur golf events to look forward to over the coming two years.”

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The post How the UAE plans to cash in on Dubai becoming the epicentre of global amateur golf appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 18-year-old fired a final round 70 on the O’Meara course at Carton House in Ireland to finish the World Amateur Teams Championship in a share of eighth place individually on Saturday.

A sizzling 64 had seen the Dubai-domiciled Indian lead after the opening round and his three-under finish – after second and third rounds of 72 and 69 respectively on Carton House’s Montgomerie layout – left him -15 for the championship, eight shots behind individual champion Alejandro Del Rey. The Spaniard stormed home with a closing 65 to edge Japan’s Takumi Kayana by a stroke in a competition where there his global kudos but no actual silverware.

RELATED: Thomas underlines ability to go seriously low, sits atop individual standings at Eisenhower Trophy

The Danish team of identical twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard and John Axelson won the overall title with a -39 aggregate of 541, a shot clear of the United States with Del Rey’s closing effort helping Spain claim the bronze medal. Overnight leaders New Zealand slipped to fourth with Italy rounding out the top five.

India finished 31st of the 72 teams in Ireland. Thomas’ -15 effort alone would have seen India place 24th but the format dictates the best two of three scores count each day and Kshitij Naveed Kaul and Aadil Bedi ended +6 and +15 respectively.

Still, it was a major confidence boost for the MENA Tour history maker ahead of next month’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Singapore, especially after a year that promised so much but has produced steady if unspectacular results.

“I played solid this week which was nice…it was nice to start scoring again,” Thomas told Golf Digest Middle East.

“I’m starting to see my practice game come into tournament play so looking forward to the Asia Pacific in October and feeling good, ready to head back [to Dubai] and spend a little bit of time in the books [school work] and get my game ready for Singapore.”

The Asia-Pacific will be played on the new Tanjong course at Sentosa Golf Club from October 4-7. Thomas finished T-35 on +5 at last year’s tournament at Royal Wellington in New Zealand after rounds of 73-71-73-72 and will be motivated to better that with the champion in Singapore earning an invitation to the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club and a place in The 148th Open at Royal Portrush.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates finished 61st in Ireland, an improvement of four places on their effort in Mexico two years ago.

Khalid Al Jasmi was the best performed Emirati with a +8 total following rounds of 73-75-80-70, the two-under final round on the Montgomerie course the obvious individual highlight. Ahmad Skaik finished +22 (T-147th individually) and Saif Thabet +42 (197th) with best rounds of 77 and 81 respectively.

RELATED: Khalid Al Jasmi’s Eisenhower Trophy longevity is impressive, once it becomes clear

Qatar was the best of the Arab Peninsular teams in T-53rd with Saudi Arabia 57th, lead by Khalid Attieh on +13 while Othman Almulla and Ali Alsakha finished  +14 and +24 respectively.

The post Eisenhower Trophy top-10 heightens Thomas’ Masters and Open Championship dream appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
Denmark had played in the World Amateur Team Championship 24 previous times but never won the biennial competition that pits the countries of the world in a stroke-play event. But on Saturday at Ireland’s Carton House Golf Club, all that changed thanks to the standout play of a pair of identical twins: Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard.

RELATED: Dubai’s Rayhan Thomas finishes T-8th; UAE 61st at Eisenhower

With nine holes to play in the 72-hole tournament, Denmark, the United States, Spain and New Zealand were all tied for the team title at 34 under par. The 17-year-old Hojgaard then made eight birdies between them on the O’Meara Course to beat the Americans by one stroke, the closest finish in the WATC since 1968.

Nicolai finished the day with a seven-under 66 while Rasmus shot a 67. Their teammate, John Axelsen, shot a non-counting 69 in the play-three-count-two format. The Danes’ final score was a 39-under 541 total.

“I feel wonderful,” said Nicolai, the 2018 European Amateur champion. “This is a dream come true for all of us. I had a tough start to this tournament, so I was just trying to play some good rounds to help the team. I did that the last two rounds so this is perfect. This is the biggest team event we could have won and to do it with Rasmus is perfect. … This is just wonderful.”

A final-round 66 from Cole Hammer, an incoming freshman at the University of Texas and a 69 from USC senior Justin Suh allowed the American squad to pass Spain by two strokes and finish alone in second place. It’s the 26th time Team USA has finished first, second or third in 31 editions of the WATC.

“I’m really proud of my guys,” said USA captain Tom O’Toole. “They played their hearts out. Like we said most of the week, we didn’t get some putts to fall but a lot of teams can say that. You can’t say enough about our guys’ effort. Super.”

The consolation for Spain? Alejandro “Alex” Del Rey was the low individual scorer, an unofficial honor, at 23-under 267. He and England’s Matthew Jordan shot the low scores in the fourth round at eight-under 65.

The post Identical twins give Denmark its first World Amateur Team Championship title appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Rayhan Thomas’ ability to go seriously low when it counts is not a new phenomenon.

The Dubai prodigy was just 16 when he signed for an opening 65 – and all three rounds in the 60s – en-route to becoming the first amateur winner of a MENA Tour event at the Dubai Creek Open in September 2016.

Fast-forward to his defence of that historic title this past September and Thomas flirted with golf’s mythical mark of 59 in the second round before putting his autograph on a 10-under 61.

RELATED: Watch Rayhan Thomas’ world record-equalling round at Dubai Creek

He eventually settled for a joint runner-up finish at his beloved home event but had the not insignificant consolation of equalling the world record for successive birdies in a professional event – nine –  in that magical 61.

Yesterday the now 18-year-old Indian arguably trumped it all with a nine-under 64 at the Eisenhower Trophy in Ireland to sit atop the individual standings at the biennial world amateur teams championship.

WIN: Desert Swing and Ladies Classic Pro-Am spots in the Golf Digest Middle East Amateur Series

Dane John Axelsen also fired a 64 but he was an eight-under effort on Carton House’s Montgomerie layout; Thomas’ round was achieved on the club’s par 73 O’Meara course.

Thomas’ score could have been better too – he bogeyed the 16th hole but showed his bounce back-ability with an eagle three at the very next to almost single handily propel India into contention.

India is tied third with Switzerland in the teams competition heading into Thursday’s second round at -9 in a format where the best two of three scores count towards a nations total each day. Kshitij Naveed Kaul contributed India’s other counting score with an even par 73.

Denmark leads on -12 thanks to Axelsen’s 64 and Rasmus Hojgaard’s 68 while hosts Ireland are second on -10.

“This is by far one of the best rounds I’ve ever played, I mean it was just clinical,” Thomas told GolfDigestme.com afterwards.

“I played really well, made the putts this time, hit it solid and did it when it counts which is awesome. I can’t wait for the tomorrow.”

Thomas is off at 12.48pm (3.48pm UAE time) in his second round today on the Montgomerie course and knows the trick now is to back up his magnificent start.

He started with a birdie hiss on Wednesday and roared out in 31 strokes with five more gains. There were further birdies on the 10th and 13th before the bogey blip was quickly forgotten when he left a 275 yard three wood second into the par 5 17th exactly 13 yards shot before promptly draining his putt from off the green.

“It was a great start to the week,” Thomas said in his typically understated manner.

“So yeah, this is a great little boost for the week but it’s just the start, still three days and a lot of golf to be played so keep playing like this and we’ll be fine.”

The UAE, meanwhile, start the second round in a share of 61st place on +10 after a solid even par 73 on the O’Meara course from Khalid Al Jasmi and an 83 from Ahmad Skaik. Saif Thabet had a non-counting 87.

Qatar leads the Arab nation battle in a share of 41st place on +2 while Saudi Arabia is T-56 on +6 with counting rounds from Othman Almulla (73) and Ali Alsakha (77) on the par 72 Montgomerie.

The post Thomas underlines ability to go seriously low, sits atop individual standings at Eisenhower Trophy appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

“After the 2016 Eisenhower, I kind of realised how big the event was,” the 18-year-old Dubai-based Indian No.1 said of the World Amateur Teams Championship.

RELATED: Win Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Omega Dubai Ladies Classic Pro-Am spots

“I saw the names of the people who have played it so set that as a goal, to try and make the 2018 team. And I’m glad I did because I’m 100 per cent sure this is going to be a great event.”

RELATED: Meet Othman Almulla, the Saudi amateur star about to play his third Eisenhower Trophy

Fast-forward to 8.07am (11.07am UAE time) on Wednesday and it will be mission accomplished for Thomas when he tees it up in the 31st Eisenhower Trophy at Carton House in Ireland, following in the spike marks of many of the game’s biggest names including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

The MENA Tour trailblazer has been grouped with Brazilian Henrik Machado and Dutchman Nordin van Tilburg for the first two rounds of the 72-hole teams’ strokeplay event, on the O’Meara course Wednesday and Carton House’s Montgomerie layout on Thursday.

Thomas is joined by Aadil Bedi and Kshitij Naveed Kaul in Ireland after the trio helped India finish seventh in the recent Asian Games in Indonesia.

Bedi and Thomas placed T-13 individually in Jakarta and while Thomas slipped from fifth place after 36 holes, he’s more than happy with his form heading into the Eisenhower.

“I think I played really well for two days and even struck it well on the third day in the middle part [of his round] but it just wasn’t my week,” Thomas said after signing for rounds of 71-69-73-73 at Pondok Indah Golf & Country Club.

“I still think it is a good trend going forward and I think the game is finally coming together nicely, it’s not very far away, it’s just around the corner.”

India’s performance came in for some harsh criticism by the country’s sports media but Thomas typically handed the barbs with his usual level-headedness.

“There’s not much more we could have given our country I don’t think. All of the team wanted to win real bad but, you know, that’s the way it goes, you win some, you lose some.

“It’s an experience I’ll never forget, staying in the [Olympic Games style] village with the team and watching what all the other athletes do as well, just being around that atmosphere was amazing. Seeing how focused and dedicated all these athletes are was quite inspiring.”

As well as Thomas, Middle East interest in Ireland this week will centre around the Arab battle within the wider world battle between the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Khalid Al Jasmi, Ahmad Skaik and Saif Thabet will represent the UAE. Qatar’s team is Saleh Al Kaabi, Jaham Al Kuwan and Ali Al Shahrani while Saudi will send out Othman Almulla, Ali Hassan Alsakha and Khalid Waleed Attieh.

The biennial Eisenhower Trophy, named after the former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, was first played on the Old Course at St. Andrews in 1958. Australia claimed the inaugural title two years before Team U.S. won the first of their record 15 titles at fabled Merion in Pennsylvania. Nicklaus was part of that 1960s team and still holds the individual scoring record.

Jon Rahm (2014), Rickie Fowler (2008), Ryan Moore (2004) and Hal Sutton (1980) are other high profile players to claim leading individual honours while Tom Kite, Lanny Wadkins, Curtis Strange, Scott Hoch, Michael Campbell and Luke Donald have all played the Eisenhower.

USA have recorded eight runner-up finishes to go with their 15 wins. Australia and Great Britain & Ireland have the next best record with four wins although England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland now play individually.

Canada, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, France, The Netherlands and Scotland are the only other teams to have hoisted the Eisenhower Trophy – all once each.

The post Thomas poised to walk in the spike marks of golf’s greatest at 31st Eisenhower Trophy appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
As Saudi Arabia’s leading amateur for more than a decade, Othman Almulla has known his share of golfing highs.

How about qualifying for the 2007 Omega Dubai Desert Classic as a 20-year-old, an unforgettable experience transformed into the surreal when he got to meet Tiger Woods. Almulla also played the 2008 Qatar Masters by winning the Qatar amateur and made a third European Tour appearance via an invite to the 2010 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship before heading off to university in Houston.

RELATED: Thomas poised to walk in the spike marks of golf’s greatest at 31st Eisenhower Trophy

This week the now 32-year-old from Dhahran in Saudi’s eastern province will proudly represent his country in a third and potentially final Eisenhower Trophy. It doesn’t get any better than teeing it up in the world amateur teams championship except for Almulla, it really does. Regardless of how he fares at Carton House G.C. in Ireland from September 4-8, the fun is only just beginning in what is easily the most exciting period for the game in the Kingdom.

Almulla isn’t a confirmed starter yet but given the service to his country’s golf emergence, you suspect he will be among the field for Saudi’s European Tour bow at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club from Jan. 31- Feb.3. There he will rub shoulders with world No.1 Dustin Johnson and Masters champion Patrick Reed who have already committed to the event. Almulla has already savoured playing alongside Ernie Els and Ladies European Tour star Amy Boulden in a promotional event to unveil Saudi’s inclusion in the Desert Swing rota, a press op also headlined by the cult figure that is Andrew “Beef” Johnson.

“I’ve had an amazing ride these last 15 years and I’m over the moon about the Saudi Event in January,“ Almulla said. “I can’t wait to share my country with everyone who comes to visit, either to play in the event or to watch, as well as everyone watching it on TV. I don’t know if I’ll get a start yet but hopefully if I do, I’ll do my best to represent Saudi.”

For proof of Almulla’s dedication to doing the Saudi Golf Federation proud, you need only follow the +3-handicapper on social media where he keeps followers regularly updated on his progress, often from Rolling Hills G.C. as this post highlights:

Always pushing myself to the next level and trying to find different ways to get better. Today’s post is a little look into my daily schedule. 1st pic: 30 min warmup routine specific to my physical needs to get me in the best condition to swing the club consistently from day to day created by @cgmperformance. 2nd: A big key to becoming better is to train and not practice, my coach @zanescotlandgolf advocates this every time we do work. So instead of number of ball to hit when working on changes we always talk about sets of 3, with first two balls being a drill then the last ball being a full swing. 3rd:Short game work on the course. 4th: Play the course trying to focus only on scoring. Feel free to send any questions! #nike #golf #ksa #saudiarabia#golfstagram #golfswing

A post shared by Othman Almulla (@othman.almulla.golf) on Aug 13, 2018 at 10:00am PDT

Almulla is coached by MENA Tour life member Zane Scotland and built up to Ireland with a camp at Scotland’s academy with Saudi team-mates Khalid Attieh, and Ali Alsakha ahead of the Eisenhower.  The trio will look to climb above the 64th (of 70) and 55th (of 65) placings Almulla helped achieved in his two previous world teams championships in 2006 and 2008 at Stellenbosch and Adelaide respectively.

Another amazing day in the books. Great to have this group of guys, where we continually push each other to become better, and continue to support each other to reach our goals. Today’s venue was the grove, one of the purest courses in London.

A post shared by Othman Almulla (@othman.almulla.golf) on Aug 25, 2018 at 3:16pm PDT

After Ireland, Almulla will tee it up in the European Challenge Tour’s Kazakhstan Open (Sept. 13-16) and the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Singapore (Oct 4-7) before returning to MENA Tour action.

“The Mena Tour has been incredible for golf in the region by giving the local players so many opportunities to play against world-class professionals,” Almulla said. “I can’t wait for it to start back up again. I think the tour is a valuable asset to prepare our players to try and jump into the professional ranks.”

Which begs the next question. Could we see you playing for cash at the Saudi European Tour debut?

“I certainly still dream of turning professional and I’m working hard towards realising that goal. I’m planning to play out this season and then evaluate things at the end of the year and progress from there.”

The giddy journey continues.

Surround yourself with people who motivate and inspire you. It’s the only way to chase your dreams. When you enjoy the journey you have to take to make those dreams your reality that is when real progress can be made.

A post shared by Othman Almulla (@othman.almulla.golf) on Aug 29, 2018 at 5:24pm PDT

The post Meet Othman Almulla, the Saudi star set to play his third Eisenhower Trophy appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.