Young guns set to make their mark as Mena Golf Tour Dubai Creek Open returns to the UAE
Spearheaded by Jakub Hrinda, a rich assortment of teenage prodigies will bring a breath of fresh air to the competition when the second leg of the MENA Golf Tour gets under way with the Dubai Creek Open later this month. Slovakia’s Hrinda showed flashes of brilliance on his debut at the 2013 Qatar Classic when, aged just 13 year, six months and 24 days, he became the youngest golfer to win the amateur division of a MENA Golf Tour event since its inception in 2011.
A ninth grade student at Doha College at that time, Hrinda finished with a level-par score of 216, putting in the shade more experienced players in his division and announcing his arrival on the big stage with a bang.
Inspired by the spectacular showing, he is hoping to build on the success when he joins the likes James Allan and Elliott Oxlade, both of England, India’s Rayhan Thomas and Jung Bin Kim of South Korea in a teen brigade bursting at seams with confidence.
Also included in the amateur division are experienced Michael Harradine of Switzerland, England’s James Yeomans, Zi Hao Su of China and among others who will be out to spoil the teenage party along with Lebanon’s Rachid Akl, who at the age of 56, is the oldest player in the entire field.
Riding on a first-place and a top-four finish in the first two events on the MENA Golf Tour held in Morocco earlier this year, Englishman James Allan 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 have its own share of emotions and drama before the champions are crowned.
A former winner of the Oman Open Golf Championship, Al Rumhy will be the player to beat especially in the Arab division for the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award which recognises the performance of the top three Arab professionals and amateurs from their respective divisions in each event.
“At the core of our mission is a deep commitment to develop amateurs who represent their countries. They are the ones who will inspire more people to take up golf at the right age,” said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.
“Ours is the only golf tour which is open to amateurs. And it’s quite encouraging to see many youngsters are using this platform to get to the next level. We want to encourage our players to turn professional, but not rush them,” he added.
Mustafa Al Hashimi, CEO of wasl Hospitality and Leisure that manages the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, fully endorsed the vision of the MENA Golf Tour, saying: “We support all initiatives that are aimed at promoting the overall growth of the game in the region. Investing in the future heroes, I believe, is a journey worth sharing.
“Also, events like the Dubai Creek Open which has a truly international feel to it help showcase our world-class facilities, so important to developing our brand in the global market. I wish the organisers the very best and hope all players will relish the challenge of playing on our course.”
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.
