Challenge pros target final place with win at Egyptian Open
As well as the oldest golfing title in the Middle East, a place in the end of season Grand Final and a chance to graduate to the lucrative full European Tour will be the target when the Egyptian Open.
For many, it is the last chance to make it to the following week’s Grand Final in Italy, where only the top 20 will make the grade to qualify for the 2011 Race to Dubai.
With such a nail-biting finale in prospect, much is expected at the JW Marriott, Mirage City Golf Club where competition in the $250,000 Egyptian Open presented by SODIC is likely to be as intense as anything seen so far on the Challenge Tour.
To be staged from October 20-23, the event will feature 114 players including invited regional pros and amateurs as well as the cream of the Challenge Tour, many of whom will be inspired by the glorious example of last year’s number one Challenge Tour graduate Edoardo Molinari.
Less than a year after graduating with record Tour prize-money, the Italian is a Ryder Cup winner, a multiple title holder on the full European Tour and the current world number 14 – living proof as to what can be achieved by those stepping up into the European Tour spotlight. Add in the stunning recent form of 2006 Challenge Tour graduate and World Number Four Martin Kaymer – the USPGA Champion – and it is easy to see why event organisers the Egyptian Golf Federation are expecting a feast of golf in Cairo.
“Many of the players will be inspired by graduates such as Molinari, Kaymer and Peter Hanson who has also gone from Challenge Tour to Ryder Cup winner,” said Egyptian Golf Federation Chairman Ayman Hussain. “Our event comes at a crucial time of the season and many players will know they can secure a place in the Grand Final by winning in Cairo.”
Among the Challenge Tour stars set to shine are Steven Tiley – currently 29th in the Order of Merit – last year’s Egytian Open runner up Thorbjorn Olesen, who has five top five finishes to his name this season, and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, currently ranked fifth in the rankings and with two Challenge Tour wins to his name, including the most recent last week at the ALLIANZ Golf Open du Grand Toulouse.
Those who are sure to enjoy the experience without the pressure of trying to graduate to the European Tour are a host of invited amateurs including Abdel Monem El Shafei, Amr Abou El Ella, Soliman El Assar and Mamdouh El Sheikh of Egypt and UAE youngster Ahmed Al Mosharekh.
Adding extra stardust to the occasion will be World Number Nine Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland who is sure of a warm welcome to the Middle East, while Joakim Haegman, a three time European Tour winner and former Ryder Cup player and Assistant Captain, will also tee it up in Cairo.
Among the Middle East-based pros heading for the tournament are golf in Dubai ambassador Ross Bain, Calle Carlsson (JW Marriott, Mirage City Golf Club), Steven Burton (Katameya Heights – Egypt), Abdul Salam Hassan (Dreamland Golf Resort – Egypt) and Ayman Mahmoud (Alexandria Sporting Club – Egypt).
