Varri and Keegan Emerge Victorious in Close Contest at Emirates Golf Club
Barely 24 hours after Ronan Hall became the first junior to win an International Pairs UAE Qualifier when he won the Yas Links event, another 16-year old followed suit as Conor Keegan proved the perfect foil for the hugely experienced Trevor Varri when they edged a close victory at Emirates Golf Club.
Perhaps taking inspiration from Ronan’s feats in Abu Dhabi, Conor, who also plays off a handicap of 5, played some top-quality golf as he & Varri compiled a better-ball score of 43 stableford points. Emirates Golf Club will almost certainly provide the largest field in the 2011-12 Tech Access International Pairs UAE Presented by Cadillac as 88 players took to the world-famous Majlis Course, which, with the Dubai Ladies Masters just two weeks away, was presented in perfect condition.
Varri, who scored 12 points on the first four holes, including a net eagle, to settle any nerves his younger partner may have had. Conor warmed to the task as he went on to record three net birdies of his own before firing a superb birdie on the 1st, their penultimate hole. With a winning score in sight and only the relatively easy 2nd hole to play however, Keegan and Varri stuttered slightly, both recording bogeys to ensure a nervous wait for all scores to be returned. But in the end, a well-deserved victory was theirs by a single point.
The runners-up position had to be decided by countback as four teams came in with 42 points. Patrick Morrow & Adam Sweeney, who finished third in last season’s Qualifier at Emirates Golf Club then went on to lose the Dubai Creek event by countback, came up just short again but did claim second thanks to their last 6 holes, from the ever-steady pairing of Jayshree Gupta & Dalip Tripathi. Both pairs returned steady cards but just missed out on the main prize.
Nearest-the-pin prizes were available on holes 4 and 15 where Poul Woutersen displayed superb skills to win both!
Conor Keegan and Trevor Varri join representatives from Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Els Club and Yas Links, who have already qualified for the 2011-12 National Final. The next Qualifying events of the 2011-12 Tech Access International Pairs UAE Presented by Cadillac, will take place on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th January when members of Al Hamra Golf Club and Tower Links Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah will have their chance to win a coveted place in the National Final.
Tech Access International Pairs UAE Presented by Cadillac is also supported by Diamond Developers, Acuma Wealth Management, Cansco, Rivoli Group, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, City & Welcare Hospitals, Royal Caribbean International, Nike Golf, 7Days, Worldwide Golf and UAE Golf Online.
Photo: International Pairs UAE Emirates Golf Club Qualifier winners, Conor Keegan and Trevor Varri, pictured with Captain, Mike Sim and Lady Captain, Caroline Jones.
