Dodd digs deep to win the Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open

Stephen Dodd dug deep into the wealth of his experience to win the MENA Golf Tour’s Abu Dhabi GOLF CITIZEN Open at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club

Three behind overnight, the Welsh ace closed with a two-under 70 to reach six-under, edging the English duo of Craig Hinton and Stuart Archibald by one shot for his second title on the tour this season.

Tied for the lead with Hinton going into the final hole, Dodd two putted for a par after drilling his 7-iron approach from 172 yards to within 30 inches of the pin while Hinton, who led the field in the first rounds, caught his chip thin from greenside rough and settled for a bogey.

“It feels nice to get back to the winning ways. I played really this week and hit a lots good shots on this long course,” said the 47-year-old Welshman after receiving the winner’s trophy and a cheque for $9,000 from Khalid Mubarak Al Shamshi, secretary-general of the Emirates Golf Federation.

Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, and Paul Booth, Director of Club Operations at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, were also present.

James Allan of England emerged the best amateur of the tournament on three-over 219, two shots ahead of Switzerland’s Michael Harradine and three of Morocco’s Mustapha El Maouas.

Three birdies in four holes from the 10th put Dodd in front, but he lost the advantage with a bogey on the 16th. The prospects of a playoff loomed as the Welshman and Hinton headed to the final hole tied at six-under.

In the end, experience, composure and savvy won title for Dodd, already a three-time winner on the European Tour.

“I thought Craig well after shaky start,” said Dodd. “I wasn’t playing all that good as I should have in the previous tournaments, but this week things fell in place,” said the Welshman.

Hinton felt a two-shot swing at the 10th made things a bit difficult. “But I was never out of the hunt until the closing hole. Stephen is vastly experience and played really good golf,” added the 25-year-old Englishman who has made it to the second stage of the European Tour.

New Zealand’s Trevor Marshall finished alone on fourth on four-under 212, one clear of Scotland’s Tom Buchanan who claimed solo fifth on a two-under 214.

England’s Lee Corfield made the biggest move on the final day, firing a sizzling 67 – the tournament’s best score – to jump to one-over 217 and into a tie for 14th.

Leading scores after the final round (par-72):

Professionals:

210 – Stephen Dodd (Wales) 72 68 70
211 – Craig Hinton (England) 68 69 74, Stuart Archibald (England) 69 72 70
212 – Trever Marshall (New Zealand) 71 72 69
214 – Tom Buchanan (Scotland) 75 68 71
215 – Dale Marmion (England) 74 73 68, David Law (Scotland) 75 71 69, Christopher Cannon (England) 71 72 72, Jürgen Maurer (Austria) 72 74 69

Amateurs:

219 – James Allan (England) 74 72 73
221 – Michael Harradine (Switzerland) 76 74 71
222 – Mustapha El Maouas (Morocco) 76 71 75

Pic caption:

Khalid Mubarak Al Shamshi, secretary-general of the Emirates Golf Federation, presenting the winner’s trophy to Stephen Dodd as Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, and Paul Booth, Director of Club Operations at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, look on