UAE Amateurs go to Egyptian open with Mcilroy & Manassero
Miki Mirza, Ahmed Al Musharrekh and Nabil Sharif will have a chance of playing alongside stars
UAE amateur golfers Miki Mirza, Ahmed Al Musharrekh and Nabil Sharif will have a chance of playing alongside two of the biggest names in golf when the 2010 Egyptian Open is staged at the JW Marriott, Mirage City Golf Club from Wednesday 20 – Saturday 23, October.
World number seven and Ryder Cup player Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland and last year’s British Amateur Champion Matteo Manassero of Italy – still only 17 years old and already qualified for full Tour status in 2011 – will lead a strong line-up in the penultimate tournament on the 2010 European Challenge Tour calendar.
But they will also face the determined efforts of five amateur qualifiers who will secure their places at the forthcoming Egyptian Amateur Open.
Mirza, Al Musharrekh and Sharif will be up against golfers from Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon as well as elite amateurs from England, Scotland, Norway, Holland, Germany and South Africa in the 54-hole scratch event with the top five qualifying for the main $250,000 tournament.
For the first time in its history, the Egyptian Amateur Open – to be held from September 30 to October 2 – will offer R&A World Ranking points with the Egyptian Golf Federation set to close amateur entry applications for all Middle East and North Africa players with a handicap of 7.4 or less on September 26.
“While we are delighted and honored to have Rory McIlroy, Matteo Manassero and the best of the European Challenge Tour coming to Cairo, the Egyptian Open has a long and traditional history associated with the amateur game,” said Egyptian Golf Federation Chairman Ayman Hussein.
“I fully expect competition in this year’s Egyptian Amateur Open to be stronger than ever as more than 50 players chase just five qualifying spots for the Egyptian Open itself.”
In total, 14 Challenge Tour tournament winners from this season are already confirmed for the Egyptian Open with all intent on following in the footsteps of last year’s rankings champion Edoardo Molinari. The Italian, who won three times in 2009, has enjoyed a stellar season on the full European Tour winning twice, earning a place in The Ryder Cup and moving to world number 15.
“The Egyptian Open will be the 24th and penultimate tournament on the 2010 European Challenge Tour calendar and the last opportunity for players to qualify for the season-end Apulia San Domenico Grand Final in Italy the following week,” said Nick Tarratt, Director The European Tour International, Dubai Office. “The Grand Final offers the top 20 finishers a place on the full European Tour so we expect the competition in Cairo to be particularly intense.”
