Race for Dubai Open spots picks up steam on the Mena Golf Tour

An intriguing battle for places in the Dubai Open, the Asian Tour’s final event of 2014, is brewing on the sidelines of the MENA Golf Tour as it heads to Al Ain this week for the penultimate event of the season. In a move acknowledging the growing strength of the MENA Golf Tour, the Asian Tour will hand out special invitations to 23 MENA Golf Tour players to compete in the marquee event to be held at The Els Club from December 18 to 21.

With the Order of Merit rankings wearing a new look every week in both professional and amateur divisions, the race for direct entries to the Dubai Open has picked up steam ahead of the GOLF CITIZEN Masters Al Ain, which stars on Monday.

The top eight professionals and the leading three amateurs from their respective Orders of Merit will qualify  tojoin a galaxy of superstars from Asia in the Dubai Open along with the front-runners in the MENA Division – three professionals and as many amateurs — the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award.

The remaining six spots are reserved for the MENA Golf Tour whose major ambition is to create a competitive environment for region’s players and encourage more people to take up golf, regardless of whether they come from within or outside the region.

Among those who made the biggest moves after last week’s Ghala Valley Open were winner Zane Scotland, who is now placed second on the Order of Merit, and Spain’s Carlos Balmaseda of Spain, who jumped to sixth place after finishing second.

In the amateur division, Scotland’s Daniel Kay moved to second place after sharing the first place with England’s James Yeomans, a result which relegated Craig Vance to fourth place. The final picture, however, will emerge only after the season-ending MENA Tour Championship in two weeks time.

The top three professionals on the MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit already receive exemptions into the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School and the latest initiative by the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia to reserve spots for MENA Golf Tour players has further added to the excitement as the MENA Golf Tour hits its final stretch.

“We need to create the right environment for producing a new wave of players, ones who will take the game forward. This is critical for the region to sustain its vibrant portfolio of golf courses,” said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.

“The (MENA) region needs golfers. Regardless of whether they come from within or outside the region. What matters is to build momentum, which is what the MENA Golf Tour provides and strives for,” he said.

“We welcome the initiative taken by the Asian Tour by offering slots to our players and hope our bond will only grow stronger as time goes by,” he added.

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.