Dubai Creek lady captain secures Rolex pro-am slot at DP world TOUR championship

Dubai’s Maureen Platt will rub shoulders with the top 60 players on The European Tour when she competes in the Rolex Pro Am, curtain raiser for the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai next month after winning the Grand Final of the Luckiest Ball on Earth competition on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

While more than 1,000 amateurs entered the nationwide initiative held in association with the Emirates Golf Federation across 21 qualifying events, it was the Lady Captain of the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club who matched the round of her life to secure a place in the Rolex Pro-Am on Tuesday 12 November.

Playing off a handicap of 17.5, Platt’s total of 41 Stableford points saw her comfortably take the title by five points from Barnaby Compton of The Address, Montgomerie Dubai and Nicholas Reincke representing The Track, Meydan Golf on 36 points.

Compton claimed second place outright on the count-back and with it two hospitality tickets for the opening day’s play of the DP World Tour Championship on Thursday 14 November.

“I came along today happy to have made it through the qualifying round and just hoping to play well and enjoy the experience of playing in the Grand Final – it never crossed my mind that I would actually win,” said Platt, who has also played a key role as a volunteer marshal at the DP World Tour Championship. “Today equals the best round I have ever played and I can’t think of a better day to do it. I just can’t believe I’ve actually won.”
Victory means that Platt, who hails from Scotland, will join forces with one of the best players on The European Tour and play in the DP World Tour Championship Rolex Pro-Am on Tuesday 12 November just 48 hours before The Race to Dubai reaches a dramatic conclusion with the US$8 million DP World Tour Championship from Thursday 14 to Sunday 17 November.

Other prizes on the day went to Arabian Ranches Golf Club’s Adele McKelvey who won the Ladies’ Longest Drive, Nicolas Reincke from The Track, Meydan Golf who collected the Longest Drive prize for men and Cathy Feron from Saadiyat Beach Golf Club who won the Nearest The Pin event.

“Congratulations to Maureen on her victory and to every one of the other 21 finalists who did so well to reach the Grand Final here at the Fire course,” said Nick Tarratt, European Tour International Director, Dubai Office. “Our thanks also go to the Emirates Golf Federation, all the participating clubs and to Jumeirah Golf Estates for hosting the Grand Final. We hope Maureen will enjoy her day playing alongside the top 60 players on The European Tour in just four weeks time.”

Tickets for the four-day DP World Tour Championship are free of charge and can be obtained by registering online at the event website www.DPWTC.com.