Mena Tour News Information and Results

Mena Golf Tour returns with the Dubai Creek Open and promises rich fare

Fresh from racking up the biggest win of his career at the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship in the United Kingdom, a confident Chris McDonnell will be hoping he can make his good form this season count when he tees it up at the Dubai Creek Open, his first event on the MENA Golf Tour, starting on Monday.

The 32-year-old Englishman, who earlier in the summer won the Austrian PGA equivalent, will be up against a deeply talented field, packed with potential winners and several rising young stars, promising to serve up a nerve-shredding coming down the stretch on the final day.

With the likes of Wales’s Stephen Dodd and the English trio of Jake Shepherd, Lee Corfield and Joshua White, who have all won at least one event on the MENA Golf Tour, in the fray along with Asian Tour veteran Yasin Ali, McDonnell will have his work cut out when the joins a strong 124-player field, which includes 24 amateurs.

With a first and a tied 30th finish under his belt in the opening two events on the 2014 MENA Golf Tour schedule, England’s White currently leads the Order of Merit, but will need to find that extra bit of something to keep the moment rolling into Dubai Creek Open in the face of a stiff competition.

Whatever the outcome might be, the Dubai Creek Open will produce a first-time winner as England’s Zane Scotland, who won the previous two editions of the event, is competing in the European Tour Qualifying School this week, but will be on hand to defend his title at next week’s Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open at Al Badia Golf Club.

Spearheading the Arab challenge will be Morocco’s Faycal Serghini, who finished runner-up to England’s Joshua White at the Royal D’Anfa Open — the opening event of the current season — in Mohammedia after leading by four shots with four holes to play.

Included in the Arab division are UAE’s only professional Ahmed Al Musharrekh and the Moroccan duo of Ahmed Marjan and experienced Younes Al Hassini, who will be aiming to close the gap on compatriot Serghini at the top of Order of Merit for the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award.

Riding on a first-place and a top-four finish in the first two events on the MENA Golf Tour Englishman James Allan has claimed the early lead in the Amateur Order of Merit with 51 points, ahead of Morocco’s Ayoub Lguirati (41).

With many of the youngsters, including Oman’s Azaan Al Rumhy, playing their first event of the current season in Dubai, the script will produce its own share of emotions and drama before the champions are crowned.

“The Dubai Creek Open has been oversubscribed for the third time in a row and that is a testament to the high number and depth of quality golfers on the tour. The strength of the field, which is represented by players from 31 countries, makes us feel like the tournament has the energy of a ‘major’ on the MENA Golf Tour,” Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the tour, told newsmen on Monday.

 “For us the MENA Golf Tour is a mission, a mission to make golf part of the social fabric, which, in turn, will help produce a future generation of champions,” he added

“This year we have instituted the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award in line with our main golf to spread the game across the region. The award recognizes the performance of the top three Arab professionals and amateurs from their respective divisions in each event,” he said.

Adel Zarouni, vice chairman of the Arab Golf Federation, said: “We have supported the MENA Golf Tour since its inception and will continue to do in the future as well. It’s quite encouraging to see the tour grow in stature and popularity every year. I think it’s a matter of time before we have Arab golfers making waves on the circuit.

Chris May, CEO of Dubai Golf that manages the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, commented: “We look forward to welcoming players from different nationalities on the MENA Golf Tour. As in the previous years, the field looks pretty strong this year as well and I am sure we see some quality golf from quality players in the next three years.

“Our golf course operations team has worked very hard to ensure the (par-71) course is in great condition for the big week. I wish all participating players the very best and hope they will relish the beauty and challenge of our course set against the stunning backdrop of the Creek and Marina.

An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation.

Pic caption: Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, and Adel Zarouni, vice chairman of the Arab Golf Federation, are flanked by Chris Turlik, the tournament director, top Moroccan professional Faycal Serghini, Chris May, CEO of Dubai Golf, and England’s Joshua White, the current MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit leader, at press conference at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

 

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