Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The Middle East's number 1 consumer Golf magazine. This month features an exclusive interview with Donald Trump. WWG speaks exclusively to South African golfer George Coetzee about golf and Crystal Palace! Also we go round with ex England rugby player, Steve Thompson. Includes golf reviews and news from the region as well as a car review on the Volvo and much more.
Citation preview
WorldwideM I D D L E E A S T ’ S N U M B E R O N E G O L F M AG A Z I N E . E S T. 1 9 9 9
ISBN 978-9948-15-427-3
Official Media Partner to the European Tour in the Middle East
Official magazine of the EGF & the Arab
Golf Federation
WIN A custom fit Scotty
Cameron
A custom fit Scotttttty y y yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Cameron
To enter go to
wwgolf.net
GOLFSTYLEFrom the latest in cars, watches and fashion, to celebrities on the course
TrumpDubaiGET SET FOR BIG THINGS AS THE TRUMP FACTOR MAKES ITS MARK ON THE REGION’S GOLFING MAP
PLUSHAVE TOUR IRONS
BECOME FRIEND OR FOE TO
AMATEURS?
ARABIAN GOLF
NEWS FROM THE MIDDLE
EAST’S LEADING
CLUBS
RUGBY LEGEND STEVE THOMPSON TALKS GOLF!
in
EXCLUSIVE
JUNE 2014, ISSUE 160
M I D D L E E A SS TTTTT ’’’’ SS N U MM BBB EEE RRRRR OOOO NNNN EEEE GG OO LL FF M AAGG AAA ZZZZ IIII NNNN EEE . E S T. 1111 99999 99 9
OffiOffificiacialcialc MeMedM ia Partner to tho theeEuropeananeanan TouTo r inr the Middle EastEast
PLUSHHAAVVEE TTOUUURRR IIRROONSSSS
BBEECCOOMEE FFRRIEENNDDD OORR FFOOEE TOO
AMMAATTEEURRS???
RUGBY LEGEND SSSSSTTTTEVEEE THOMPSOOOOONNNN TALKS GOOOLLLLFF!
UEJUNE 2014, ISSUUE 160000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
2 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
Having watched Rory McIlroy’s
amazing victory in the BMW PGA
Championship at Wentworth
over the weekend I’ve got to say
that I believe it’s going to be a two-horse race
between Rory and Phil Mickelson as to who is
the next player to achieve the Grand Slam. If I
had to choose I’d go for Rory.
The young Irishman has got the most
beautiful swing in golf – it’s perfect. I’ve
admired Rory’s outstanding swing since I first
saw him play and I honestly believe he’s got all
the talent he needs to become the best in the
world. When he turns it on nobody can catch
him.
It will be interesting to see how he and Phil
fare at the US Open at Pinehurst Resort, North
Carolina, this month. The fairways there on the
Pinehurst No.2 course are as wide as a football
pitch so that should help Phil’s big-hitting, but
sometimes wayward, driving. Rory’s driving
suits any course when he’s in the mood and, as
he demonstrated at Wentworth, he’s got the
putting stroke to finish the job.
When we were watching the tournament on
television on Saturday as Thomas Bjorn roared
into a five-stroke lead to take into Sunday, I said
I still thought that Rory could win it. But to
come from seven shots behind on the final day
and win is something really special. I felt awful
for Thomas. To shoot a first round 62 and a third
round 67 and then go into a six-shot lead on
Sunday only to see it slip away and finish in a
share of third place with Luke Donald, two
shots off the winner, is heartbreaking.
Thomas still leads The Race to Dubai ahead of
Rory, Jamie Donaldson and Louis Oosthuizen,
all four of whom have earned more than a
million euros already this season. Rory’s victory
took his career prize money earnings past the
18 million euros mark. Not a bad achievement
for a 25 year old. Wentworth has always been a
home from home for me and it was wonderful
to see such huge crowds enjoying the golf –
and the sunshine. The BMW PGA Championship
has certainly earned its position as the flagship
event for The European Tour. Oddly enough it
was Rory’s first win on The European Tour in
England, his first on European soil and his first
European Tour victory since the 2012 DP World
Tour Championship in Dubai.
INTRODUCTIONWorldwide Golf Executive Editor Since 1999
The 9-time Major
Champion and
9-time Senior Major
Champion who has
witnessed and been
a part of some of the
most historic and
memorable golfing
occasions reflects on
the game today
p
witnessed and
a part of some
most historic a
memorable go
occasions refl
the game toda
Rory will beat Phil to the Grand Slam
PlayerGary
8 | WorldwideGolf - May 2014
CONTENTS
Donald Trump The US business tycoon lands in Dubai to check on his latest development the Trump International Golf Club.
34 George Coetzee The latest South African to win on The European Tour talks about his breakthrough at the Joburg Open, life on Tour and a lifelong affection for Liverpool FC.
68 European Challenge Tour Grand Final 2014 James Shippey, General Manager at Al Badia Golf Club, talks about the second edition of the Challenge Tour’s Grand Final and how the Club plans to build on the success of last year’s event.
70 National Bank of Oman Golf Classic
background and the challenge of organising Oman’s flagship professional golf tournament.
72 Azerbaijan the Land of Fire The venue for the Challenge Tour’s latest addition aims to
FEATURES
96 Steve ThompsonEngland’s most-capped hooker talks about how he’s adapted to life after rugby and how he’s feeling at home on the greens in Dubai.
98 Driving RangeAn in depth look at the McLaren MP4-12C and the Volvo XC60.
102 Tee TimesA watch is more than just a timepiece, it’s a statement.
104 The Look La Martina delivers its premium collection for Summer 2014.
14 The StarterNews on a bit of this, a bit of that, and a bit of the other!
18 Tour NewsReview of recent European Tour and US PGA Tour events.
39 Worldwide Golf ColumnistsHowell, Norman and Player shoot the breeze.
48 Wayne’s WorldWayne Johnson talks to Finland’s Mikko Ilonen about how the European Tour Performance Institute has helped his game.
75 Arabian GolfRecent reports of events around the region’s golf clubs.
REGULARS
STYLE
54 How to hit Tour Standard Bunker Shots By Mathew Parker, Senior Teaching Professional, PGA, European Tour Performance Institute at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
56 Preparation is key By Jonathan Craddock, PGA Professional, Emirates Golf Club.
INSTRUCTION
Over 100 destinations worldwide
Iron Man ChallengeWorldwide Golf’s Equipment Editor Craig Vance puts the latest tour proven irons through their paces.
DONALD TRUMP IS ONE OF THE MOST CHARISMATIC ENTREPRENEURS OF OUR TIME. LAST MONTH HE FLEW INTO DUBAI TO PROMOTE THE TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB AT AKOYA BY DAMAC AND MENTIONED THE RYDER CUP. NOW ALL THE GOLF WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT IT.HERE HE TALKS TO WSP PUBLISHER MIKE GALLEMORE...
TOP TRUMP
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 29 28 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
CALL it the Trump Factor, the Trump Affect, call it
what you like but whatever words you choose to
describe one of the most charismatic entrepreneurs
of our time, he’s got it.
When he talks, people listen. Some hang on his every
word. Yet behind all the hype, ballyhoo and razzamatazz
his personality is such that you are compelled to sit up and
take notice. Donald Trump has made a career out of positive
thinking and turning bold visions into reality, so when he says
Dubai, and the Trump International Golf Club, have a great
chance of hosting the Ryder Cup, you have to think he just
might have the ‘kahunas’ to make it happen.
Maybe his enthusiasm sometimes overtakes the reality. He
believes in his own dreams and his belief often makes those
dreams come true. He’s the eternal optimist with a single-
minded conviction to deliver the goods. His track record
proves his point.
As a showman he has few peers. We live in a world of
talentless, would-be celebrities, who seldom contribute
anything anywhere. Donald Trump has that rare gift to hold
an audience in the palm of his hand and charm them into
believing in his conviction that his dreams will come true.
He’s the real deal. He does his homework. He has the
innate ability to know when it’s the right time to strike. He
very nearly made an impact on Dubai six or seven years ago.
But like many business leaders, he saw the signs of a recession
looming and drew his horns in. He had the experience and
savvy to foresee that this wasn’t just something that would
hit the USA, he was aware that the economic tsunami would
submerge the entire world, some countries more than others.
He also knew that when the time was right he would
come back to Dubai. He believed in the entrepreneurial
success, vision and spirit of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum and was primed and ready, waiting in
the wings to make his move when the opportunity arrived.
In DAMAC Properties Trump appears to have found the
perfect partner with the 42 million square foot AKOYA by
DAMAC development already earning high praise around
the globe – it was recently named ‘Best Golf Development in
the World’ at the International Property Awards.
When the larger-than-life American arrived in Dubai with
daughter Ivanka last month and declared that, with the
help of DAMAC and the world’s most sought-after course
designer, Gil Hanse, he would deliver the Middle East’s most
outstanding golf course, it was lofty claim, even by Trump’s
standards, given the wealth of world-class championship
tracks already in the region.
But if anyone can back up such a claim it’s Donald Trump.
He may be a man who divides opinion, but whether you
believe in him or not, Donald Trump will be good for Dubai
and Dubai will be good for Donald Trump. And as far as The
Ryder Cup is concerned….watch this space.
DONALD TRUMP <<
Iron Man Challenge
TaylorMade
Tour Preferred MC Irons
Precision-engineered cavity
design for the perfect blend of
feel, workability and stability.
Speed Pocket™ in 3-through
7-irons increases ball speed
low on the face to deliver more
consistent ballspeed and launch
conditions across the entire face.
Grooves milled to exact
specifications to promote more
spin and control from the rough.
Forged short-irons for
optimum feel, spin and control
where players need it.
RRP: 3,995AED
TOUR IRONS by Craig Vance Brought to you by
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 59 58 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
PING S55
This compact, multi-
material players’ iron
provides added distance
with control while
increasing workability and
forgiveness.
A tungsten toe weight
stabilizes the face to
improve accuracy, and a
vertical stabilizing bar offers
distance control.
The custom-tuning port is
made from a thermoplastic
elastomer for a soft feel and
sound at impact.
RRP: 5995AED
MIZUNO MP-54
A deep Milled Pocket Cavity
(3-7 iron) delivers stability from
off centre hits, while a heavily
bevelled sole ensures cleaner turf
interaction and the workability to
take your ball striking to the next
level.
One piece Grain Flow Forged
1025E Mild Carbon steel
construction is heightened
through a Step Muscle design that
retains thickness behind impact.
Modified ‘hosel blend’ that creates
the illusion of less offset for
greater left / right workability.
RRP: 3495AED
CALLAWAY APEX
The 1020 Carbon Steel
forging gives Apex Pro the soft,
responsive feel that the best
players in the world demand.
Tungsten-weighted inserts in
the soles of the long irons make
these irons incredibly easy to
hit, and deliver Tour type launch
conditions.
High performance-wide
grooves aim to produce more
consistent spin and control out
of whatever lie you’re playing
from. You get distance. You get
consistency. . .
RRP: 5600AED
TITLEIST AP2
The multi-material forged irons
offer distance with trajectory
control and forgiveness with
workability in a solid feeling
Advanced CG height progression
creates higher launching long
irons and flatter launching short
irons for more carry distance with
outstanding control.
Precisely-placed high density
tungsten-weighting in the long and
mid irons produces higher MOI
for consistent distance without
sacrificing workability.
RRP: 5195AED
3-PW 3-PW 4-PW 3-PW 4-PW5828
WIN a Scotty Cameron putter. Go to wwgolf.net
golf.ecco.com
B I O M H Y B R I DW H I C H H Y B R I D A R E Y O U ?
BIOM Natural Motion united with tour-proven E-DTS outsole technology.
Anatomic fit. Low-to-the-ground design.
Stellar comfort matched with serious performance.
Available at leading Golf clubs, Golf House Shops and Ecco Stores in UAE,
Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain & Egypt. Tel: +971 4299 3885 Ext 100, 101, 404
10 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
Average Qualified Circulation 14,700
Worldwide Golf
AFTER last month’s US Masters
tournament golf looked like it
was going stale. The big names
were not firing, the global TV figures
were down on previous years and the
game was starting to be dominated
by unknown players.
But things can change in the
blink of an eye! Martin Kaymer wins
the Players Championship, Rory
McIlroy announces the wedding is
off and goes on to win the BMW PGA
Championship and Donald Trump
drops a Ryder Cup bombshell during
his press trip in Dubai. We’ve also had
the battle for World No.1 between
Stenson and Scott.
Pete Cowen only said to me recently
that he doesn’t understand why Tour
players try to change their swing.
Instead they should understand what
they’ve got and build on it. Kaymer
cemented this statement with his win
at Sawgrass. After spending two years
tumbling down the World Ranking by
trying to build a swing that could hit
a draw – he decided to go back to his
old swing and hit a reliable fade. You
know, the one he won the 2010 PGA
Championship with!
Then we move on to the Rory saga.
The rumour at the start of the year was
that he wasn’t going to take part in
any of the Final Series events on The
European Tour due to his wedding.
His focus appeared to be gearing
up for the big occasion and he was
missing that vital spark.
His entry to play Wentworth was a
shock to some, as he’s never got on
with the West Course in the past but
the real shocker was it was off between
him and Caroline Wozniacki.
The announcement came just one
week after the wedding invites had
gone out! Who knows what really
went on. I’m sure we’ll find out in
time, but bearing in mind the huge
change in events off-course for Rory
and his mixed form on-course you’d
understand if he just went through the
gears to elude the media spotlight.
But in front of record crowds at
Wentworth and millions of TV viewers
he replied by shooting a final round
66 to lift the Tour’s flagship event and
record his first victory on European soil.
Yep, he’s never won in Europe before.
Let’s hope we get to see him win
some more Majors this year and he
takes a different attitude regarding his
stance on the Final Series.
Rory isn’t the only big name to get
the golfing rumours flying. Donald
Trump, in true style, arrived in Dubai for
a press conference and site inspection
at The Trump International Golf Club at
Akoya by DAMAC in Dubai.
He’s a larger than life character, full
of enthusiasm and, having recently
bought Turnberry Golf Club in
Scotland, he’s a man with a golfing
masterplan. We all thought that he
would use the media spotlight in
Dubai not only to talk about his new
course in the Emirate but about his
vision and he delivered in the manner
in which only Donald Trump could.
Get set for Dubai to make a bid for
the Ryder Cup. Yes, bang out of the
blue he wants to start talks about
bringing the historic event to Dubai.
Wouldn’t 2022 be a perfect fit, just
after the conclusion of the DubaiExpo
in 2020.
For it to become a reality, Dubai
would have to submit a proposal along
with other nations bidding for the
event. After the likelihood of a wet and
windy Ryder Cup in Scotland, Dubai’s
attraction will look even sunnier.
Fingers crossed it can come true as
Dubai has already shown the golfing
world it can deliver.
Alex Gallemore
Editor
Editor-in-Chief: Mike GallemoreExecutive Editor: Gary PlayerEditor: Alex GallemorePublisher: Mike Gallemore
General Manager Dubai: Richard [email protected]
Editors: Todd Staszko, James Reeves, Tabitha Florence
Design Manager: Sarah B. Mahmood
Editorial Panel: Gary Player, Mike Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Richard Bevan, Todd Staszko
Head of Sales:Chris [email protected]
Editorial Executive:Greg [email protected]
Worldwide Golf specifies that post-press changes may occur to any information given in this publication and takes no responsibility for goods or services advertised.
June 2009 SSN 1- 46805671Approval UAE National Media Council: Ref.816 30/5/2007Trade Licence No. 1/104375/15280
ISSUE No. 160, JUNE, 2014Published by:Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd+44 1663 719926
Published in Dubai by:Prografix, PO Box 24677,Dubai, UAE (Tel) +9714 340 3785
Printed by:Raidy, Dubai
Ryder Cup Dubai 2022?
The Ryder Cup Trophy was last in Dubai during the Rolex press conference at the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates
in November last year, held by George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour and Paul McGinley, the 2014 Ryder Cup Captain.
Meydan Golf is offering a spectacular ‘Summer Wildcard’ from 1st June – 30th September with brilliant savings of up to AED2,250. Not only does it allow you (or anyone you lend the Wildcard to) free golf at the Meydan Golf Course, but you get an incredible package of exciting summer privileges at Meydan Hotels and Hospitality.
Make this the summer you, your family and all your friends go wild.
Book your Summer Wildcard now +971 4 381 [email protected] | www.meydangolf.comTerms & Conditions apply
• 1 Month AED1,500 (Standard Monthly Rate)
• 2 Months AED2,500 (Saving AED500)
• 3 Months AED3,000 (Saving AED2,000)
• 4 Months AED3,750 (Saving AED2,250)
WHAT’S SO WILD ABOUT THE GOLF WILDCARD?
WILCARD
Free Golfany tee times, any day
subject to availability
D
A
A
25% offBeach Pass
25Bea
A
A
50% offBuy one ticket,
get the second one
at half price
50% offBuy one ticket
get the second onat half price
A
A
Freepair of sunglasses
selected range only
Frepair of
selec
A
A
25% off
25% off
All F&B whilst producing wildcard
All F&
A
A
25% off
BA
R inc. breakfast
20% off
at Al Forsan,
Ya Hala, and
Le Dune restaurants
at Farriers,
Prime, and
Sheba restaurants
WILDCARD
THE DIFFERENCEBETWEEN A GOLF BALL AND THE #1 BALL IN GOLF.
“Pro V1 and Pro V1x fit all of my members, young or old, regardless of swing speed.”
– Andrew ShuckPGA Professional
“I need the Pro V1 just as much as a Tour player, because I’m trying to improve my game.”
– Denise P.Pro V1, Amateur
“When fitting students, we don’t focus on how fast they swing. We focus on lowering scores. That’s why Pro V1 or Pro V1x fits every player.”
– Jim FitzgeraldPGA Professional
“The Pro V1 performs off the tee great. It goes long, it goes exactly where I aim it, and it works perfectly.”
– Stephen L.Pro V1, Amateur
“I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t play the same ball as a Tour player. I’m looking for the same benefits. Distance off the tee and control around the greens.”
– David M.Pro V1x, Amateur
“The Pro V1 is so advanced that it gives golfers at any level everything they need.”
– Adam Scott
“I’ve played Pro V1 or Pro V1x through my junior amateur days, and now as a pro. Because I trust Titleist.”
– Jordan Spieth
“The Pro V1x gives me a perfect combination of distance and short game control.”
– Gerald C.Pro V1x, Amateur
www.prosports.ae
In head-to-head driver tests of competitor
golf ball models that are marketed “for
amateur players’ swing speeds,” the Pro V1
and Pro V1x deliver as long or longer distance.
And they provide the short game control
and renowned Titleist consistency that help
every player shoot lower scores. That’s why
more golfers around the world have made
the Pro V1 and Pro V1x the #1 choice for their
game. Further proof that there’s a difference
between a golf ball and the #1 ball in golf.
Pro V1® and Pro V1x™ golfers are Tour players
and amateurs. They are men and women
of all ages with a wide range of handicaps
and swing speeds. This is because the golf
ball doesn’t know who’s hitting it. It simply
reacts to the force applied. So the reasons
to trust the Pro V1 and Pro V1x are the
same for all players. They are designed to
provide superior performance on every shot,
delivering exceptional distance, short game
control, soft feel and long lasting durability.
LOWER SWING SPEEDMODERATE SWING SPEED
HIGH/MID SWING SPEEDHIGH SWING SPEED
High speed photography of golfers with different swing speeds shows differences in ball compression are virtually indistinguishable.
DRIVER DISTANCE AT AMATEUR SWING SPEED
DISTANCE ADVANTAGE (YARDS)
TITLEIST PRO V1
TITLEIST PRO V1x
COMPETITOR A
B
C
D
E
0 +5 +10
Pro V1 at 130 mph Ball Speed, 3000 RPM, Launch angle 12°
Learn more at titleist.co.uk
As we highlighted in last month’s
issue of WWG, this month’s US
Open on Pinehurst’s No.2 course
will showcase how the game
used to be played in the United States –
how master course craftsman Donald Ross
first wanted it played.
The famed designer completed the course
in 1907 and didn’t stop tinkering with it in a
quest for perfection until his death in 1948.
In the past few decades the lush, succulent
green landscapes of Augusta National have
set the aesthetic benchmark for inland golf
courses of America, and Pinehurst followed
suit when it hosted the US Open in 1999
and 2005.
Today, the course is playing as originally
envisioned by Ross, stripped of its luxurious
surroundings, with the fairways meandering
through the thick pine, lined by sandy ‘waste
areas’, fallen pine needles and gorse and all
sorts of nasty, prickly bushes sprouting from
the unkempt surface.
In February 2010, the design firm of Bill
Coore and Ben Crenshaw began to restore
the natural and strategic characteristics that
were the essence of Ross’s original design.
The project included the removal of about
35 acres of turf and the reintroduction of
hardpan, natural bunker edges and native
wire grasses.
USGA Director Mike Davis said the course
is going to “give the best players in the world
some shots that they simply haven’t had to
make in past US opens.”
However, Davis said that while the US
Open has recently, almost traditionally, been
the toughest test of the year, the USGA
are in no position to replicate previous
tournaments because the rough simply isn’t
there.
Wayward drives that would settle down in
7/8” rough might now land in those wire-
grass run-off areas.
With that in mind the US Open title
could hinge on luck – the golfing gods will
certainly be smiling on those who find a
nice lie every time they miss a fairway.
Better still, it puts more importance on the
players making sure they stay on the short
stuff.
14 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
the
Pinehurst's No.2 steps back in time
US Open – Who's hot... and who's not:
Adam Scott
The New World No.1
knocked off his early
season rust with a
win in Texas – in the
run-in to the year's
busy period.
Jordan Spieth
The hottest
youngster in the
game came close
at The Masters and
The Players – can he
become a 'closer'?
Phil Mickelson
Phil can't buy a putt
at the minute. Runner-
up at Pinehurst to
Payne Stewart in '99,
he needs the US Open
for the Slam.
Henrik Stenson
Still suffering from a
mild 2013 hangover.
Pinehurst could
be just the perfect
setting for a gritty
victory.
Graeme McDowell
One of the best
grinders in the
game. GMac loves
the challenge of
the US Open and
will relish Pinehurt's
tough conditions.
Rory McIlroy
His Wentworth win
should release him
from the shackles
but he'll be tested to
the limit as he looks
for a third Major and
a second US Open.
THE PGA of America has finally given Donald Trump
what he wants – A Major Championship at one of his
courses. Trump National Bedminster in New Jersey will
host the 2022 US PGA Championship, five years after
it hosts the US Women’s Open and the Senior PGA
Championship. However, Trump might not have to wait
that long as Turnberry – the resort on the Ayrshire coast
which he bought for an estimated £35m earlier this year
– is due to host The Open again before 2020. He's also
been shooting high at his Trump International course in
Dubai with talk of the Ryder Cup.
During the second round of the Volvo
China Open Ian Poulter was moving nicely
into contention before a momentary loss
of concentration cost him a 2-shot penalty
following an errant tee shot.
When he found his ball on the par 5
12th in the undergrowth he declared it
unplayable and decided to drop within two
club lengths of where it lay.
This meant his ball came to rest on a cart
path, allowing him free relief, but this is
where Ian went astray.
Having dropped within two clubs for the
penalty drop for the unplayable lie he then
automatically dropped again within two
club lengths of the nearest point of relief.
However, the Rules only allow you to drop
within one club length of the nearest point
of relief.
This meant Ian was further away from the
place he should have been and played from
the ‘wrong place’.
Having not corrected his indiscretion at
the time his score on the hole was changed
from a bogey 6 to a triple bogey 8.
I think Ian would agree that all the players
and caddies need refreshing on the Rules
from time to time, as it can be very costly.
RUNNING THE RULE By Stuart McMurdo, Golf Operations Manager, Jebel Ali Golf Resort
Simple error costly for Ian Poulter
LUCY LI TO PLAY IN US
WOMEN’S OPEN AGED 11
THIS year’s US Women’s Open will
see its youngest ever competitor
as 11 year old Lucy Li shot rounds
off 74 and 68 to win a sectional
qualifying event in California by
seven strokes.
The previous youngest at a US
Open was American compatriot
Lexi Thompson who was 12 years,
four months and 18 days old when
she teed it up at the 2007 event.
THERE can be no arguments – Stacy Lewis has been
one of the hottest players on the planet in the last
12 months. Lewis closed out the North Texas LPGA
Shootout in her home state last month to bookend
a spellbinding year. In 22 events dating back to last
June’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, Lewis
has won twice (including the Women’s British Open
at St Andrews), posted six runner-up finishes and had
19 top-eight finishes in total. Lewis is only denied the
top spot in the World Ranking by Inbee Park, who won
three of the five Majors last year.
STACY LEWIS IS REDHOT
SIX years ago a fresh-faced
23-year-old, dipped head to
toe in the latest Nike clobber
which was held together by
a flashy belt buckle, burst
into the limelight with a
breakthrough victory in one
of the deepest fields on the
PGA Tour at Quail Hollow. A
couple of months later he
won the AT&T National at
Congressional and then at
the Ryder Cup at Valhalla he
romped home in the opening
singles match against Sergio
Garcia as Azinger’s Americans
put Faldo’s flops to the sword.
Today, Anthony Kim doesn’t
even play golf recreationally
and hasn’t teed it up on the
US PGA Tour since the 2012
Quail Hollow Championship,
where he withdrew after one
round. He announced he was
suffering from tendinitis in his
arm and took time off. Then
he tore his Achilles in the gym
about six weeks later. Nobody
has seen him since.
Kim’s agent, Clarke Jones,
recently said he was ‘hopeful’
that Kim would be back
playing in 2014 but admitted
it was just a guess. “He’s a
marvellous talent, but it has
been a long time, there’s no
denying that,” he said. But
when asked if Kim was playing
any golf at all at the moment
Jones simply said ‘no’.
Anthony Kim...
remember him?been
ast
GA
end
ast
wis
pen
d had
d the
ho won
TRUMP SHOOTING HIGH
16 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
FITZPATRICK TO
TURN PRO
REIGNING US Amateur Champion
Matthew Fitzpatrick will turn
professional after this month’s US
Open. The 19-year-old, who won
the Silver Medal as the leading
amateur at last year’s Open
Championship at Muirfield, will
tee it up for the first time as a
professional at the Irish Open and
from there he hopes to play using
sponsors' invites for the rest of the
European Tour season.
MONTY SEALS
MAIDEN MAJOR TITLE
COLIN Montgomerie is no
longer the best player never to
have won a Major after he shot
a final round 65 to win the US
Senior PGA Championship by
four strokes.
Monty was at his ball-striking
best as he kept ahead of a
surging Tom Watson, who also
carded a closing 65 at Harbor
Shores in Michigan.
"I've had a couple of failures
here in America and close calls,
especially in Majors, and it's
great to finally win an event as
prestigious as the Senior PGA
Championship.
g g p
Dubai with talk of the Ryder Cup.
T
ev
an
US
Q
w
ro
su
ar
he
ab
ha
re
th
pl
it
m
be
de
w
an
Jo
LE
er to
shot
US
by
king
also
bor
ures
calls,
s
nt as
GA
The Players' stats special
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 17
Year Total Splashes Weekend wetness2014 28 42013 44 202012 39 102011 40 142010 29 142009 32 102008 64 262007 93 222006 57 212005 68 532004 30 112003 29 13
LONG JAMIE SILVERWelshman Jamie Donaldson is enjoying himself on the US PGA Tour this year. The 38-year-old smashed the longest drive of the tournament – 348 yards down the imposing 18th fairway.
2014 17th hole stats:Rd1 – 12 balls in the water. Ave. score 3.021Rd2 – 12 balls in the water. Ave. score 3.063Rd3 – 1 ball in the water (Angel Cabrera, sorry Angel!). Ave. score 2.854Rd4 – 3 balls in the water. Ave score 2.915
pin position and length saw the hole ease up on the weekend and only 4 KING OF SPEEDGary Woodland clocked the biggest clubhead speed during The Players – a whopping 123.70mph
Splashes at 17
Miller says Island Hole is ‘too easy’
TWO-time Major winner and television
commentator and pundit, Johnny Miller,
has come out and said that the infamous
17th hole at The Players Championship
is ‘too easy’ for the pros, adding that he
would lengthen the hole on certain days if
there was no wind forecast. “I would like to
see the guys at least hit an 8-iron, maybe
even a 7-iron,” he said. “I just think it would
make it a more exciting hole than throwing
up a 9-iron or a wedge up there.”
Let's have a look at the stats to see if Miller has a point…
Obviously, the 17th has the potential to not only wreck a round but also wreck the chances of landing one of the biggest prizes in golf. Here's a rundown of how many wet balls the 17th has gobbled up since 2003.
KAYMER JOINS ELITE BUNCHMartin Kaymer joined Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott as winners of a Major, a WGC title and The Players.
RORY McIlroy ended a tough week on a high by winning The European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship at
Wentworth, moving to second in The Race to Dubai and therefore qualifying for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, in the process.
McIlroy’s last European Tour win was in 2012 at the DP World Tour Championship when he won both the tournament and The Race to Dubai. His last international
tournament win was in December 2013, at the Emirates Australian Open.
The week began with the news that the Northern Irishman had called off his wedding to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki and the two-time Major champion had admitted that playing at Wentworth would be “very difficult”.
But he put his troubles behind him with a spectacular display, closing with a swashbuckling 66, coming home in just 32 blows on the back nine, for a 14-under-par winning total of 274, one stroke clear of Ireland’s Shane Lowry.
“I feel relieved,” said McIlroy. “It’s been 18 months since I won on The European Tour and to win the Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth – I couldn’t ask for any more.
“I knew coming in here that I was playing well. I struggled a little on Friday but played great over the weekend and in the final round I was helped by a couple of mistakes from the guys in front of me. My caddie J.P. set me a target of 15-under – I didn’t quite get there but luckily 14-under was good enough.
“The support I got all week was
McILROY BOUNCES BACK FROM LOVE
SPLIT AT WENTWORTH
Course of two halvesRory McIlroy ripped apart the back nine at Wentworth, playing them in 14-under for the week which turned out to be his winning total. He was steady on the opening nine but had to recover from making the turn in 38 (+3) on day two.
18 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
BMW PGA Championship
incredible and it really helped me, so it was great to be able to get the win in front of such good fans.”
The DP World Tour Championship, taking place at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai from 20-23 November will feature the top 60 players in The Race to Dubai and, historically, a prize-money total of €500,000 has been enough to book a spot in The European Tour’s grand final.
McIlroy’s Wentworth winner’s cheque of €791,660 takes his season’s earnings to €1,295,825 and moves him into second place in The Race to Dubai, guaranteeing his place in the DP World Tour Championship field.
Shane Lowry, who started the week 165th in The Race to Dubai after a difficult
Tiur sitatur, simincte lacessin eos adi quae quam. Simus id moluptatur? To optatib usantor eptatem aut.
Eagle-eyedMcIlroy made light work of the par-5 12th on the West Course with an eagle in rounds 1 and 2 and easy bird-ies during both rounds over the weekend. He also found the par-5 4th to his liking with birdies throughout the week and then an eagle on Sunday.
start to the season, turned in an excellent display, firing a blistering opening round of 8-under 64 and signing off the final round with a long, snaking putt for a birdie at the last and a closing 68 to secure the runner-up spot.
Lowry’s second-place prize money of €527,770 sees him surge up The Race to Dubai into 15th place on €560,749 ensuring that he’ll also be teeing it up at Jumeirah Golf Estates in November.
“I’ve had so many bad days this year, I’ve been struggling such a lot, that I just said to myself, ‘just go out there and enjoy it and see what happens’” said Lowry.
“With the putt on the last I was just trying to two-putt it as I knew I couldn’t win the tournament at that point. It was a great way to finish and get second place on my own. I’m really looking forward to the next few events now.”
Race to Dubai leader and former Dubai resident Thomas Björn, who has already booked his place in the DP World Tour Championship field, looked to be in firm control of the tournament.
The Dane set a new course record with a 62 in the opening round and went on a breath-taking run of birdies down the home stretch in the third round for a back nine of 30 to sign for a 67 and take a five-stroke lead into the final round.
But the wheels came off in spectacular fashion on the final day as Björn struggled to a 3-over 75, which saw him drop into a share of third place with England’s Luke Donald on 12-under-par 276.
Donald’s third-place prize money of €297,350 takes his season’s total to €472,727 and puts him within touching distance of a place in the season-ending showcase in Dubai. Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and England’s Simon Dyson shared fifth place on 9-under-par 279.
Shane Lowry celebrates his mammoth birdie putt that sealed second place.
Thomas Björn has a tough final round.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 19
One week after moving to World No.1 without hitting
a golf ball, Adam Scott lived up to the billing with a
superb victory at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at
Colonial. Scott downed fellow Major Champion Jason
Dufner on the third hole of sudden-death to win his
11th PGA Tour event and complete the ‘Texas Slam’ of
winning all four Tour events in the Lone Star State.
"It was a challenge,” said Scott of Colonial’s tree-
lined course. “It tested my patience a little bit and
demanded a lot out of my game. I came into the
week trying to find my rhythm on the golf course
and it tested my game for where it needs to be.”
Scott increased his lead on the World Ranking
ahead of new No.2 Henrik Stenson who replaced
Tiger Woods while Rory McIlroy’s win at Wentworth
saw him move up from 10th to sixth place.
Meanwhile McIlroy’s win moved him up to second
place on The Race to Dubai while second placed
Irishman Shane Lowry was the big mover after
Wentworth as he jolted up from 165th to 15th. Other
big movers came from the Open de Espana a week
earlier where joint runner-up Thomas Pieters shot up
to 63rd from 134th and Richard Green moved from
150th to 71st.
EUROPEAN TOUR RACE TO DUBAI RANKING AS AT MAY 26, 2014
Pos. Player Nat. Eve. €
1 Thomas BJÖRN DEN 11 1,470,194
2 Rory McILROY NIR 6 1,295,825
3 Jamie DONALDSON WAL 9 1,233,996
4 Louis OOSTHUIZEN RSA 6 1,034,766
5 Miguel A. JIMÉNEZ ESP 11 956,312
6 Sergio GARCIA ESP 8 931,935
7 Victor DUBUISSON FRA 6 875,353
8 Stephen GALLACHER SCO 9 838,993
9 Jonas BLIXT SWE 4 773,831
10 Henrik STENSON SWE 9 710,129
11 Charl SCHWARTZEL RSA 9 701,428
12 Lee WESTWOOD ENG 5 667,832
13 Joost LUITEN NED 10 640,195
14 George COETZEE RSA 11 602,001
15 Shane LOWRY IRL 10 560,749
16 Branden GRACE RSA 10 547,445
17 Pablo LARRAZÁBAL ESP 10 547,375
18 Alexander LEVY FRA 14 528,370
19 Thomas AIKEN RSA 11 513,309
20 Tommy FLEETWOOD ENG 11 498,600
21 Richard STERNE RSA 8 476,384
22 Ernie ELS RSA 7 473,935
23 Francesco MOLINARI ITA 9 469,235
24 Thongchai JAIDEE THA 10 458,634
25 Luke DONALD ENG 7 442,802
26 Mikko ILONEN FIN 10 432,577
27 Alejandro CAÑIZARES ESP 12 418,728
28 Justin ROSE ENG 5 410,562
29 Simon DYSON ENG 15 406,744
30 Andy SULLIVAN ENG 15 405,254
31 Ross FISHER ENG 12 396,132
32 Rafa CABRERA-BELLO ESP 10 377,997
33 Morten Ørum MADSEN DEN 15 373,968
34 Darren FICHARDT RSA 14 360,661
35 Dawie VAN DER WALT RSA 13 349,434
36 Romain WATTEL FRA 12 342,684
37 Graeme McDOWELL NIR 4 322,262
38 Michael HOEY NIR 14 307,798
39 Emiliano GRILLO ARG 10 306,350
40 Brendon DE JONGE ZIM 4 288,160
41 Hennie OTTO RSA 11 286,996
42 Matteo MANASSERO ITA 10 277,155
43 Ian POULTER ENG 5 276,164
44 Alvaro QUIROS ESP 8 273,249
45 Martin KAYMER GER 7 272,313
46 Bernd WIESBERGER AUT 10 266,702
47 Gonzalo F.CASTAÑO ESP 7 260,979
48 Chris WOOD ENG 11 259,103
49 Felipe AGUILAR CHI 6 252,798
50 Seve BENSON ENG 13 243,889
Standings
20 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
2014 RYDER CUP RANKINGS
Qualification Criteria for The 2014 European Ryder Cup TeamThe players in Bold currently occupy the nine automatic qualifying places (after the BMW PGA Championship):
Qualification for The 2014 European Ryder Cup Team will be selected employing the following criteria: (a) The leading four Members on The Ryder Cup European Points List (1) on Sunday August 31st 2014. In the event of a tie between Members (i.e. a number of Members having accumulated an equal number of points), placings will be decided by the Member with the higher ranking on the 2014 Race to Dubai on Sunday 31st August 2014.
(b) The leading five Members, not otherwise qualified under paragraph (a) above, on The Ryder Cup World Points List (2) on Sunday 31st August 2014. In the event of a tie between Members (i.e. a number of Members having accumulated an equal number of points), placings will be decided by the Member with the higher ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking as published on Monday August 25th 2014.
(c) The Captain, Paul McGinley, will choose (at his own discretion) the remaining three Members following the conclusion of the Race to Dubai Tournament scheduled to conclude on August 31st 2014.
(1) The Ryder Cup European Points List will comprise points (1 point = 1 Euro) earned by a Member from all Race to Dubai Tournaments in which he participates between August 26th 2013 and August 31st 2014. (Money earned by a Member from the 2013 Race to Dubai Bonus Pool or Race to Dubai bonus points earned during the 2013 Final series do not count towards this points list).
(2) The Ryder Cup World Points List will comprise Official World Golf Ranking Points won by a Member1 from each tournament in which he participates between August 26th 2013 and August 24th 2014, and thereafte only from the Race to Dubai Tournament scheduled to conclude on August 31st 2014. Official World Golf Ranking Points are allocated to all officially sanctioned tournaments (on any Federated Tour) by the Official World Golf Ranking and are allocated according to the Event Rating of the tournament.
EUROPEAN POINTS LIST WORLD POINTS LIST
1 Henrik STENSON 295.30
2 Rory McIlroy 242.19
3 Sergio Garcia 235.86
4 Thomas BJÖRN 176.88
5 Luke Donald 155.28
6 Victor Dubuisson 150.56
7 Jamie Donaldson 145.63
8 Justin Rose 145.43
9 Martin Kaymer 140.77
10 Ian Poulter 132.71
1 Victor DUBUISSON 2297434.81
2 Jamie DONALDSON 2204898.77
3 Thomas BJÖRN 2200031.94
4 Henrik STENSON 1912467.23
5 Ian POULTER 1817816.47
6 Rory McIlroy 1712191.24
7 Joost LUITEN 1450345.80
8 Miguel A. Jimenez 1449628.33
9 Gonzalo F-Castano 1261024.46
10 Sergio Garcia 1195816.34
TOUR NEWS
Date: May 1 - 4
Event: Wells Fargo Championship
Venue: Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
Winner’s Cheque: $1,224,000
HOLMES COMPLETES HIS COMEBACKJ.B. Holmes secured his first win since coming back from a series of surgeries –
including two on his brain in 2011 – with a one-stroke victory over a charging Jim
Furyk at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow. Holmes, who last won in
2008, started the day with a one-stroke lead and increased it to three with a few
holes to play. He needed the cushion and sealed the win with a two-putt bogey
from around 50-feet on the final green.
Pos. Name Country R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
Date: May 1 - 4
Event: The Championship at Laguna National
Venue: Laguna National Golf Club, Tampines, Singapore
Winner’s Cheque: €180,531
AGUILAR WINS WITH STUNNING FINISHFelipe Aguilar lit up the back nine and finished with a closing 10-under-par 62 to
win The Championship at Laguna National by one stroke from America’s David
Lipsky and Denmark’s Anders Hansen. The Chilean came home in 28 blows
including a birdie on the difficult par-3 17th and then holed his approach to the
short 18th to set the clubhouse target at 22-under.
1 Felipe Aguilar CHI -22 65 67 72 62 266
T2 David Lipsky USA -21 64 68 70 65 267
T2 Anders Hansen DEN -21 67 66 67 67 267
Pos. Name Country R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
Date: Apr 24 - 27
Event: Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Venue: TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana
Winner’s Cheque: $1,224,000
NO STOPPING NOH IN THE DEEP SOUTHWhile many of his competitors were getting blown off course in the gusty
conditions, Seung-Yul Noh calmly plotted his way to his first US PGA Tour title at
the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The 22-year-old from South Korea carded a
1-under-par final round to win by two shots from Andrew Svoboda on 19-under-
par while Keegan Bradley, who began the day in the final pair, two shots behind
Noh, fell away with a 75.
1 Seung-Yul Noh KOR -19 65 68 65 71 269
T2 Andrew Svoboda USE -17 64 68 70 69 271
T2 Robert Streb USA -17 67 66 68 70 271
Pos. Name Country R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
Date: Apr 24 - 27
Event: Volvo China Open
Venue: Genzon Golf Club, Shenzhen, China
Winner’s Cheque: €389,151
LEVY IN CRUISE CONTROL IN CHINAALEXANDER Levy eased to his first title on The European Tour with a cool four-
stroke win over England’s Tommy Fleetwood at the Volvo China Open. A stunning
second round 62 broke the course record and put him in control and a third
round 70 saw him take a three-shot lead into the final day. He posted three
birdies to enhance his grip but a double bogey on the 15th threatened to derail
his procession. But he rallied and picked himself up to birdie hole 17 and 18 to
seal the win in style.
1 Alexander Levy Fra -19 68 62 70 69 269
2 Tommy Fleetwood ENG -15 70 68 67 68 273
3 Alvaro Quiros SPA -13 67 68 68 72 275
Pos. Name Country R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
1 J.B. Holmes USA -14 70 67 66 71 274
2 Jim Furyk USA -13 72 69 69 65 275
3 Martin Flores USA -12 67 68 69 72 276
22 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
Date: May 15 - 18
Event: HP Byron Nelson Championship
Venue: TPC Four Seasons Resort, Irving, Texas
Winner’s Cheque: $1,242,000
FLAIR THE KEY TO TODD’S BREAKTHROUGHBrendon Todd holed a bunker shot and saved par after playing a shot left-handed
with the back of his 4-iron on his way to capturing his maiden US PGA Tour title at
the HP Byron Nelson Championship.
Todd began the day in a share of the lead with Louis Oosthuizen, but the former
Open Champion faded quickly and Todd stepped in with a 4-under 66 to take the
title by two from Mike Weir.
1 Brendon Todd USA -14 68 64 68 66 266
2 Mike Weir CAN -12 68 66 67 67 268
T3 Charles Howell III USA -10 68 66 69 67 270
Pos. Name Country R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
Date: May 15 -18
Event: Open de Espana
Venue: PGA Catalunya Resort, Girona, Spain
Winner’s Cheque: €250,000
JIMÉNEZ WINS AGAIN AT 50MIGUEL Angel Jiménez wrapped up his second title of the season at the Open de
España to extend his record as the oldest winner on The European Tour.
The Spaniard, who was playing in his 27th Open de España, won a three-man
play-off with Richard Green and Thomas Pieters with a par on the first extra hole.
1 Miguel A. Jiménez ESP -4 69 73 69 73 284
T2 Richard Green AUS -4 74 69 69 72 284
T2 Thomas Pieters BEL -4 69 69 71 75 284
Pos. Name Country R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
Date: May 8 - 11
Event: Madeira Islands Open – Portugal - BPI
Venue: Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra, Madeira, Portugal
Winner’s Cheque: €75,000
BROOKS SEALS BITTERSWEET FIRST WINDaniel Brooks clinched his maiden European Tour title at the Madeira Islands
Open after beating Scott Henry in a play-off but the tournament was marred by a
sense of sadness after the death of caddie Iain McGregor.
The tournament had to be cut to 36 holes after persistent fog over the first two
days and when McGregor, who was caddying for Alastair Forsyth, collapsed
on the ninth hole of the final day, play was indefinitely suspended. However,
Forsyth felt that McGregor would have wanted play to be completed so play was
resumed.
1 Daniel Brooks Eng -9 68 67 - - 135
2 Scott Henry Sco -9 67 68 - - 135
T3 Fabrizio Zanotti Par -6 70 68 - - 138
Pos. Name Country R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
Date: May 8 -11
Event: The Players Championship
Venue: TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Winner’s Cheque: : $1,800,000
KAYMER CLINGS ON TO WIN THE PLAYERS Martin Kaymer displayed nerves of steel after he let slip a healthy lead but
then hung on to win The Players Championship for his first win since 2011 by
one stroke from Jim Furyk. The German pulled four shots clear through 11 but
stumbled upon resumption of play after a 90 minute rain delay. Furyk birdied the
16th to close the gap to three and when Kaymer made a double bogey on 15 the
lead was just one with the American safely in the clubhouse. Kaymer then got a
bad bounce on the 17th and needed to drain a raking 28-footer to save par. He
rolled it in and made par on 18 to seal the win.
1 Martin Kaymer GER -13 63 69 72 71 275
2 Jim Furyk USA -12 70 68 72 66 276
3 Sergio Garcia Spa -11 67 71 69 70 277
Pos. Name Country R1 R2 R3 R4 Total
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 23
Let us welcome you to one of Dubai’s most celebrated golf
havens. Take advantage of exclusive summer rates on membership
and enroll today for exceptional benefits which include:
Access to the Championship Golf Course inclusive of cart fees
Full Access to the Practice Facilities and Academy Par 3 Course
Full Access to the swimming pool and gymnasium
20% discount at all restaurants and lounges
Single – AED 4950
Family – AED 7450
T: +971 4 363 1260 F: +971 4 360 8981
WWW.THEADDRESS.COM
SUMMER GOLF MEMBERSHIP AT
The Address MONTGOMERIE DUBAI
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 25
The lady in charge of the Marshals at the DP World Tour Championship might not live in
the UAE any more, but her passion for the job gets stronger and stronger as the tournament
goes from strength to strength. JENNI HOSKINS gives us the lowdown on what it’s like to
organise the vast number of volunteers who officiate at the climax of The Race to Dubai.
“I LOVE my role as Chief Marshal at the DP
World Tour Championship. I have a great,
loyal and committed team behind me who
support me from beginning to end and I
try hard to ensure that they get maximum
satisfaction out of their contribution
to the success of the tournament.
“Seeing all the volunteers buzzing with
excitement at the very end of the week gives
me the biggest thrill of all – it's an amazing
feeling to hear them chatter, taking away
such happy memories having given so
much of themselves to a highly successful
event in a sport they feel passionate about.
“At the moment, I am keeping an eye on
The Race to Dubai to keep in touch with
who is playing well and is likely to be part
of the 60 who will be entertaining us with
their skills this year - and then wondering
and speculating who is going to be
holding the trophies on the final day.
“I have been living back in England for
almost six years now but my husband
is working in Abu Dhabi so my return
is two-fold – but is fitted around the
DP World Tour Championship!
"I love being back in England so much. I
do like the cooler weather and I adore
snow but the extremely wet winter we had
did not suit me at all, so after Christmas
I was back in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for
The European Tour’s Desert Swing and
some much appreciated warmth.
“Each year, the DP World Tour
Championship brings a different excitement
and last year was wonderful as Henrik
Stenson finished in such superb style – a
climax that will be remembered for many
years to come. Henrik was a true gentleman
when he joined us for the traditional
Champion photo. His warmth towards the
volunteers was a delight for me and I know
they felt his appreciation for them, too.
“The talk among our volunteers during
the tournament is very infectious. They
feel appreciated and the word spreads
between those who return every year
to those new ones who want to come
and be part of the action. This is why the
event gets better and better each year.
“I am about to begin the process of getting
back in touch with all the volunteers I know
and who are returning this year and I hope
to hear from new volunteers who will bring
just as much energy and enthusiasm – if
you’re interested please get in touch!”
If you want to play a part at one of the world’s biggest golfing occasions, at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, from November 20-23, contact Jenni by email at: [email protected]
26 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
WATCH THE DP WORLD TOUR
CHAMPIONSHIP IN STYLE WITH
EARLY BIRD HOSPITALITY
DISCOUNT
THEY say the early bird catches the worm and it’s certainly true where
prospective visitors to the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, are
concerned. The European Tour’s season-ending showcase will see
some of the best players in the world contesting one of the most prestigious
titles in golf at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai from Thursday 20 to Sunday
23 November and at the end of the week, the tournament will crown both
the DP World Tour Championship and The Race to Dubai champions. As
golfing spectacles go, it doesn’t get much better, but for those who are quick
enough off the mark, it just might.
The tournament organisers are currently offering a 10% early bird discount
on hospitality tickets for the luxurious Championship Chalet. The chalet offers
the best view on the golf course to watch Henrik Stenson defend his titlse as
DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai Champion against the top
60 players on The European Tour, with a spacious shaded terrace overlooking
the 18th hole of the magnificent Earth course where the greatest moments
of drama will unfold.
Guests will enjoy premium food and beverages throughout the day
and they can utilise the ‘Grab & Go’ option if they prefer not to miss any
of the action. There is VIP parking, internet access, complimentary Official
Tournament Programmes and daily drawsheets and a host of other benefits.
“The Championship Chalet is the perfect venue to entertain clients or
simply enjoy an unforgettable day out at one of the finest sporting events in
the UAE,” said Nick Tarratt, Director of the European Tour Dubai Office. “Tickets
sell out every year so book now to avoid disappointment.”
FREE TICKETS FOR ALL…JUST REGISTER ONLINE!
Online ticket registration for the 2014 tournament is now open. Visit www.dpwtc.com to
secure your season pass for the week’s action.
What’s more, those who pre-register will be entered into a free prize draw with VIP hospitality
tickets up for grabs!
The Championship Chalet
Package includes:
• Access to the Championship Chalet
and course.
• Premium food and beverage service
throughout the day, including
breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.
• Contemporary climate-controlled
chalet.
• Spacious terrace overlooking the
course.
• Grab & Go option to take
refreshments onto the course.
• Live coverage from around the
course on high definition TV.
• Official Tournament Programme and
Daily Drawsheet.
• Internet access and Newspapers.
• Dedicated hostesses and guest
management team.
• VIP car parking.
The Championship Chalet is open from 09:00 to
18:00. Bar is open from 12:00 to 18:00 (Standard
house beverages)
Discounted early bird hospitality tickets are
available now.
For tickets and information call Julie Letherby on
+971 (0) 567 359 852 or [email protected]
www.DPWTC.com
28 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
DONALD TRUMP IS ONE OF THE MOST CHARISMATIC ENTREPRENEURS OF OUR TIME. LAST MONTH HE FLEW INTO DUBAI TO PROMOTE THE TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB AT AKOYA BY DAMAC AND MENTIONED THE RYDER CUP. NOW ALL THE GOLF WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT IT.HERE HE TALKS TO WSP PUBLISHER MIKE GALLEMORE...
TOP TRUMP
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 29
CALL it the Trump Factor, the Trump Affect, call it
what you like but whatever words you choose to
describe one of the most charismatic entrepreneurs
of our time, he’s got it.
When he talks, people listen. Some hang on his every
word. Yet behind all the hype, ballyhoo and razzamatazz
his personality is such that you are compelled to sit up and
take notice. Donald Trump has made a career out of positive
thinking and turning bold visions into reality, so when he says
Dubai, and the Trump International Golf Club, have a great
chance of hosting the Ryder Cup, you have to think he just
might have the ‘kahunas’ to make it happen.
Maybe his enthusiasm sometimes overtakes the reality. He
believes in his own dreams and his belief often makes those
dreams come true. He’s the eternal optimist with a single-
minded conviction to deliver the goods. His track record
proves his point.
As a showman he has few peers. We live in a world of
talentless, would-be celebrities, who seldom contribute
anything anywhere. Donald Trump has that rare gift to hold
an audience in the palm of his hand and charm them into
believing in his conviction that his dreams will come true.
He’s the real deal. He does his homework. He has the
innate ability to know when it’s the right time to strike. He
very nearly made an impact on Dubai six or seven years ago.
But like many business leaders, he saw the signs of a recession
looming and drew his horns in. He had the experience and
savvy to foresee that this wasn’t just something that would
hit the USA, he was aware that the economic tsunami would
submerge the entire world, some countries more than others.
He also knew that when the time was right he would
come back to Dubai. He believed in the entrepreneurial
success, vision and spirit of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al Maktoum and was primed and ready, waiting in
the wings to make his move when the opportunity arrived.
In DAMAC Properties Trump appears to have found the
perfect partner with the 42 million square foot AKOYA by
DAMAC development already earning high praise around
the globe – it was recently named ‘Best Golf Development in
the World’ at the International Property Awards.
When the larger-than-life American arrived in Dubai with
daughter Ivanka last month and declared that, with the
help of DAMAC and the world’s most sought-after course
designer, Gil Hanse, he would deliver the Middle East’s most
outstanding golf course, it was lofty claim, even by Trump’s
standards, given the wealth of world-class championship
tracks already in the region.
But if anyone can back up such a claim it’s Donald Trump.
He may be a man who divides opinion, but whether you
believe in him or not, Donald Trump will be good for Dubai
and Dubai will be good for Donald Trump. And as far as The
Ryder Cup is concerned….watch this space.
DONALD TRUMP <<
2022RYDER CUP?
30 | WorldwideGolf -June 2014
WWG: DO YOU HAVE YOUR SIGHTS SET ON A PARTICULAR TOURNAMENT?DONALD TRUMP: SANDY JONES (Chief Executive of the British PGA) HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT WHERE THE RYDER CUP IS HELD AND I ACTUALLY JUST SAID ‘WE HAVE TO CALL SANDY BECAUSE THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE VENUE FOR THE EUROPEAN TOUR TO BRING THE RYDER CUP’. I’M NOT SAYING WE’RE GOING TO GET THE RYDER CUP BUT I THINK WE WOULD HAVE A GREAT CHANCE. SANDY RESPECTS ME AND I RESPECT SANDY AND WE LIKE EACH OTHER. I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD CHANCE TO GET THE RYDER CUP COMING HERE AND CERTAINLY THE COURSE IS DESIGNED FOR THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF GOLF. IT’S AS GOOD AS IT GETS IN TERMS OF SHOT-MAKING AND SHOT VALUE IN PARTICULAR AND I THINK WE’LL HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING THE RYDER CUP. BECAUSE THEY WILL BE BRINGING IT TO THIS REGION AT SOME POINT, IN MY OPINION, IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE, AND WE WILL HAVE THE BEST COURSE BY FAR. SO I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD CHANCE.
Pictures:Helen Shippey,Sherif Karas.
WWG: What came first your love of
the game or the business of golf?
DONALD TRUMP: I love building
beautiful things and I’ve built some of
the great buildings of the world; New
York has many of them. The architectural
critic on the New York Times, Herbert
Muschamp, always used to treat me so
well and give me such great reviews.
I was always very conscious of
architecture. I love playing golf, I enjoy golf.
I’ve been a good golfer over the years and
I’ve won a lot of club championships.
I love the beauty of golf, I don’t think in
terms of the business of it. I do the best job
with it and the finances and the money
comes but I don’t really do it for that.
There’s a beauty to building these great
golf courses. There’s a great beauty. I don’t
think of the numbers. I build the best
and then the numbers work out great.
Golf is not my main business by
any means, it’s just a relatively small
part of my overall business, but I really
enjoy it. I think, more than anything
else, I love the beauty of golf, there’s
something very beautiful about it.
WWG: What is it about Dubai that made
you want to build a course here?
WWG: How did the business
relationship between you and
DAMAC Properties come about?
DONALD TRUMP: Through reputation
we knew each other. DAMAC wanted to
do something and they knew I wanted
to do something here so we somehow
just got together. We determined that
although you can just do an average
course – and it’s much less expensive – we
wanted this to be a world-class venue
and course – and that’s what we did.
I can tell you that Hussain Sajwani,
Executive Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, DAMAC, moved buildings because
when Gil Hanse got involved we had a large
area laid out but Gil liked certain areas.
In fact, on the 18th hole, he said, ‘could
you move the buildings back a couple of
hundred yards’ – and they did! It showed
that the priority is building a great course
– it would have been tougher otherwise.
I have tremendous respect for DAMAC
and, hopefully, they have great respect for
us and when we formed this partnership
it just worked out to everybody’s benefit.
Hopefully, the biggest beneficiary will
be Dubai - I think they’re going to be
very proud of the end product.
Our Trump International Golf Course
at Akoya by DAMAC is very, very special.
We’ve done many special projects around
the world. In Dubai we’re setting a standard
in the Middle East that’s never been set
before and that’s going to be very exciting.
WWG: You already own highly esteemed,
established courses such as Doonbeg
in Ireland and now Turnberry in
Scotland as well as your courses in
America – is this a different challenge,
creating something from scratch
that can match those courses?
DONALD TRUMP: A recent statement was
made by one of the great photographers
of golf. He said that I have the greatest
collection of golf courses ever assembled
by one person. That's a great compliment.
We’ve got Turnberry, which is an Open
Championship venue and we just got
the PGA Championship at Bedminster
in New York, which is the youngest
course ever to get a Major – and we’ll
have the US Women’s Open at the same
venue. We’ll also have the Senior PGA
Championship at our course in Washington.
I have great courses. I don’t want courses
that aren’t great. If they can’t be the best
I’m not interested. I think this course will fit
that mould so it’s sort of interesting. I just
left Turnberry, which is very old and has
tremendous history having hosted many
great championships. I was very lucky to
get it and this development in Dubai is
very new but I think at the end it’s going
to be equally great. We’ll make sure it is.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 31
Donald Trump pictured with Hussain Sajwani, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DAMAC, on the 11th tee at the Trump International Course at Akoya by DAMAC.
“HUSSAIN SAJWANI, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DAMAC SAID TO ME ‘DONALD, I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE GREATEST GOLF ARCHITECT IN THE WORLD, WE’RE GOING TO BUILD A COURSE THAT’S NOT GOING TO BE JUST THE BEST IN THIS AREA, DUBAI AND THE MIDDLE EAST, WE WANT ONE OF THE GREAT COURSES OF THE WORLD."
DONALD TRUMP <<
TOP: Niall McLoughlin, Senior Vice President, DAMAC, introduces Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and Hussain Sajwani, to the assembled media.RIGHT: Donald Trump nails a long drive off the 11th tee during the Press Conference at Akoya by DAMAC.
– DONALD TRUMP
DONALD TRUMP: The people at
DAMAC are great people, just amazing
people. It’s a vibrant group headed up
by Hussain. You only need to look at his
numbers. He's just done such a great
job and it started off with very little.
They’re amazing people at DAMAC.
It’s just a very vibrant company and
that would be the word, vibrant – the
people and the area. Dubai is big and
it’s bold and it’s moving forward.
The emirate is doing well and I
think it’s going to continue to do well
for an awfully long time. This project
is going to be a tremendous success
and I think Dubai has a tremendous
future, a really tremendous future.
WWG: You were going to begin a project
in Dubai a few years ago before the
global recession hit. What is it about the
economy this time around that makes
you think there wont be another dip?
WorldwideGolf -June 2014 | 33
DONALD TRUMP: : It’s a lot different
today than it was when the recession
hit and the world went bad. It wasn’t
Dubai that went bad – it was the entire
world, whether it was New York or Los
Angeles or any place you can name.
The world crashed. We were going to
do something in Dubai that would have
been very good but we were fortunate
because we didn’t start it. Therefore
nobody got hurt. Other people started
building and they did get hurt. We had
the sense not to start and that was a very
good thing for everybody involved.
We would have done a nice project
with nice people but we never got
it started because of the fact that
world had crashed and Dubai had a
much different persona at the time.
I always wanted to come back and I
think it’s a great tribute to Dubai that we’re
here. We just never forgot Dubai. It was
just always some place that we wanted to
be and now we’re here in a very big way.
WWG: What do you predict for the
real estate sector in Dubai?
DONALD TRUMP: Real estate in Dubai is
going one way – and that's up. The current
prices are much lower than the numbers
from years ago prior to the crash. These
numbers have a long way to go before
they catch the numbers from many years
ago. Now they have tremendous controls,
tremendous checks and balances. I think
Dubai has actually become very conservative
from a financial standpoint and I think
there’s a tremendous upside to buying in
Dubai. I would not have said that years ago.
WWG: What effect do you think
your project in Dubai can have
on tourism in the region?
DONALD TRUMP: In Scotland I built a
course in Aberdeen and because of what
I did, there are people coming from all
over the world. It’s been adjudged as one
of the greatest golf courses ever made. It
was done by a fabulous architect, highly
recommended by the Royal & Ancient, and
we have the largest dunes in the world.
The bottom line is it was very tough
getting it approved but we got it approved,
we got it built, and it’s doing record business.
It’s packed from morning till night and what
happens is the overflow of that business is
going to the hotels, it’s going to the other
courses. They had an article on it last week
in Scotland's main paper calling it the ‘Trump
Factor.’ That's because of the tremendous
success of the course, other places are up 50-
60% and they’ve never seen anything like it.
You’re going to have the same thing
here, you’re going to have a huge ‘Trump
Factor’ here in Dubai. It’s going to have
a tremendously positive effect.
I’D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU, BECAUSE I’VE READ YOUR WORLDWIDE GOLF MAGAZINE MANY TIMES AND IT’S TERRIFIC, IT’S REALLY GOOD QUALITY. THERE’S SO LITTLE QUALITY AROUND AND YOU DO QUALITY LIKE I DO QUALITY - WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. SO I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND THANK YOU.
DONALD TRUMP <<
ABOVE: Ivanka Tump, Hussain Sajwani, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DAMAC, and Donald Trump look over the model masterplan of the Trump International Golf Club complex.
BELOW: Mike Gallemore, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Worldwide Sporting Publications/Worldwide Golf, talks exclusively to Donald Trump about golf, Dubai and the Trump international GC.
34 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
WITH A MAIDEN EUROPEAN TOUR WIN FINALLY UNDER HIS BELT, DUBAI-BASED GEORGE COETZEE SPOKE EXCLUSIVELY TO WORLDWIDE GOLF ABOUT WHAT’S CHANGED IN HIS GAME, WHY HE LIKES PLAYING GOLF IN THE MIDDLE EAST, LIFE IN DUBAI AND FOLLOWING LIVERPOOL FC
COETZEE LOVING DESERT LIFE
TWO years ago GAC, a Dubai based logistics
company, signed up George Coetzee as
their brand ambassador, a partnership
that he says is flourishing and helped him
become the latest South African winner on The
European Tour, at this year’s Joburg Open.
“It’s turning out to be more of a family thing
than a corporate deal,” he says. “The added bonus
is that they sponsor Crystal Palace and I like my
football. I follow Liverpool and I got a chance to
watch them at Palace recently but sadly we drew
3-3 which ended our chances of winning the title.”
But how did the 27-year-old come to support
Liverpool having grown up in Pretoria? “I remember
growing up watching a game of football with my sister
and she asked me which team I thought would win –
and I said it would be the team in red,” recalls Coetzee. “I
didn’t know it at the time, but the team was Liverpool.
I remember watching one player with a plaster across
his nose and I didn’t really know what that was all
about. A few years later I realised that the player was
Robbie Fowler. Liverpool gradually became my team.
“In 2005 I was competing at Royal Birkdale in the
British Amateur and it just so happened that Liverpool
were playing Milan in the Champions League Final
in Istanbul. Birkdale is in Southport but only about
20 miles north of Liverpool. I was surrounded
by Liverpool fans and so I ordered a beer – even
though I knew I shouldn’t because it was during
tournament week. We were 3-0 down at half time
and so I put my beer down and said, ‘I’ll never drink
again if we win, just please let us win’. We ended up
sneaking the most amazing win that anyone can
remember. It was a great night, one I’ll never forget.“
Success for Liverpool in 2005 didn’t come easily
and it certainly wasn’t easy for Coetzee as he made
his initial steps on The European Tour in 2010.
He earned his European Tour card after going
through Qualifying School in 2009 but a disappointing
first season, which included just two top-10 finishes,
forced him to return to Q-School to get his card back.
“I had more of a John Daly approach in my first
couple of years on Tour,” Coetzee says. “I realised
I wasn’t going to keep my card and knew I had
to change somehow and keep my belief up.”
He returned to the Tour in 2011 and began climbing
up the leaderboard at events, losing in a play-off to
finish second at the Johnnie Walker Championship at
Gleneagles and recording three third-place finishes,
along with eight top-10 finishes overall. He ended
the season ranked 26th in The Race to Dubai.
The next year he reached the top 50 of the Official
World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career
and also finished 21st in The Race to Dubai.
But despite the steady improvements, things still
weren’t feeling quite right for the likeable 27-year-old.
“At the end of last year I realised my form was kind of
too up and down,” he says. “I never felt like I was in total
GEORGE COETZEE <<
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 35
This summer, escape the heat and enjoy the atmospheric experience of playing golf any night of the week on the
To book your round call 04 380 1234, email [email protected] or visit www.dubaigolf.com
on Tour, Coetzee says he can now afford
the luxury of picking and choosing which
events he wants to play and which ones he
doesn’t, allowing him to avoid burning out.
“I always try to look at the bigger picture,"
he says. "I try to work out my schedule
so I don’t fall into the trap of playing just
because it’s a good opportunity to win.
“I like to play a lot and then rest a
lot. I don’t like playing every two weeks
the whole season. I like to take a good
break every now and then because I can
feel myself burning out sometimes.”
'I really enjoy Dubai'
Since his recent move to Dubai Coetzee
says he feels “very comfortable”. During the
off-season he brings his family to Dubai to
enjoy the emirate and, when the Rugby
Sevens is in town, to support the Springboks.
“I really enjoy Dubai,” he says.
“There are a lot of nice bars and places
to go to have a good party.”
With less than six months to go until The
European Tour rolls into Dubai again for
the grand finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates
George Coetzee is already be licking his
lips at the prospect of having another
go at conquering the Earth course.
control of my game. Even when I was playing
well I didn’t feel like I could perform under
pressure because the errors in my swing
were still causing me to lose tournaments.”
Coetzee went on to change his
coach, a move he says helped him get
the mental side of his game on track.
“I joined a new coach who’s very
technical but I enjoy the technical side of
the game a little more,” he says. “I feel more
comfortable with my game and I’ve got
back some of the self-belief I had the year
before and a bit more of that confidence.”
'I feel very much at home'
Having been knocking on the door
several times over the last few years, Coetzee
finally made the breakthrough his talent
deserved winning his maiden European
Tour title at the Joburg Open in February
when he came from behind at to card a
final-round 66 for a three-stroke victory.
He’s right on track to join the best players
on The European Tour in the DP World Tour
Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates
in November for the fourth consecutive
season, currently sitting comfortably
in 14th place on The Race to Dubai.
Coetzee says that having grown up in
a hot and humid city like Pretoria, playing
golf in the Middle East reminds him of
home with the similar weather conditions.
“The weather back home is almost like the
Middle East summers and the golf courses
are set-up the same way as the courses in
South Africa,” he says. “So I feel very much at
home when I play in the Middle East. The
people are very generous and kind. It’s just
got a nice vibe to it when I play there.”
Leading up to his first European Tour
win in Johannesburg, Coetzee had a rich
run of form in the Middle East, finishing
in the top five in Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
“The putting is the thing that makes me
perform pretty well when it comes to Middle
East events,” he said. “Putting has always been
a strength for me. I feel like I can read the
greens pretty well and if I can keep the ball
in play I believe I’ve always got a chance.”
Also regarded as one of the bigger
hitters on Tour, Coetzee feels that the
length of the courses in the Middle East
suit his style of play. After a string of good
finishes in the region, he believes that
a win in the desert isn’t too far off.
“All of these courses play into the hands
of the long-hitters and if you look at the
winners over the last couple of years in
the Middle East, they’re all long hitters and
they’re all pretty good putters,” Coetzee says.
'I can definitely win it'
Like most of the players on The European
Tour, making it to the DP World Tour
Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates
is one of the main goals on Coetzee’s
agenda. The Earth course is also one of
his favourites layouts on Tour, and one
that he thinks he has the measure of.
“One of these years on that damn golf
course, I’m going to do very well, if not win
the tournament there,” he says with a laugh.
“I feel that the Earth course suits my
irons very well – I can fly most of the
bunkers, I can go for the green in two on
the par fives and I feel like I can read those
greens pretty well. I think if everything
comes together that week in the next
couple of years I can definitely win it.”
As he becomes a more settled member
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 37
TOP: George Coetzee and Gary Player walk together during a practice round prior to the start of the 2013 Masters Tournament at Augusta .
Above: Mpho Franklyn Parks Tau, Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, presents George Coetzee with the trophy after winning the Joburg Open in February this year for his maiden title on The European Tour.
GEORGE COETZEE <<
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 39
Gary Player
Colin Montgomerie never managed to
fulfil his ambition of winning a Major
championship in his long and illustrious
career on The European Tour but he
finally achieved the Major he so richly deserved
last month with victory in the Senior PGA
Championship on the Champions Tour.
Monty won a record eight Orders of Merit on
The European Tour, seven of them in consecutive
years between 1993 and 1999 and the eighth
in 2005. He’s also won a record 31 titles on The
European Tour.
Monty won his first tournament as an over-50
on the European Senior Tour at the Travis Perkins
Masters at Woburn Golf Club last August and his
victory at Harbor Shores, Michigan, was his first title
on the US Champions Tour. It was also his first win
in an official event in the United States.
I’ve said many times in this column that the
gap between the players on the regular Tours and
the Senior Tours is almost non-existent. It proved
my point when Miguel Angel Jimenez won the
Spanish Open on The European Tour last month
and both he and Bernhard Langer finished in the
top 10 in the Masters in April.
Put yourself in a bubbleMonty made an interesting quote after winning
the US Senior PGA Championship, that he had
“learned today to concentrate on me, and possibly
I haven’t in the past.” You’ve got to put yourself in
a bubble and shut out everything else going on
around you if you want to win the game’s biggest
tournaments. Monty, aged 51, shot a final round
6-under 65 for a four-stroke victory over 64-year-old
Tom Watson. Tom also closed with a 65. Jay Haas
and Bernhard Langer tied for third at 7 under. Haas
had a 67, and Langer shot 70.
Monty acknowledged that he’d had a few
close calls in Major championships over the
years and said, “it’s great to finally win, never
mind a Champions Tour event but a Senior PGA
Championship event.”
Monty also made his name as a Ryder Cup
player and victorious Captain at Celtic Manor in
2010 and Watson will captain the US Ryder Cup
Team at Gleneagles in September, and it was a
two-horse race between the two down the home
stretch until Tom missed a four-foot birdie putt
at the short par-5 15th hole which ended his
challenge.
I HAD the pleasure of returning to Saadiyat Beach
Golf Club last month. I always love going back
to Saadiyat Beach. I regard it as one of the best
designs I have done anywhere in the world. The
course is in excellent condition and I’d love to see it
host the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority have done a
wonderful job in promoting and publicising the
emirate as a top-class golfing destination and I
think that Saadiyat Beach has got that WOW factor
that would appeal to international golfers.
Golf at Saadiyat Beach, along with Yas Links, Abu
Dhabi Golf Club and Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, are
at near capacity in terms of annual rounds and this
is just further evidence that their golf tourism and
growth of the game initiatives are working. The
opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is now in sight
and the museum will be an extremely exciting
addition to the region. Gary Player Design also
attended the HSBC Golf Business Forum at Abu
Dhabi which was once again an outstanding event,
discussing the future of golf. Congratulations to
IMG/HSBC and Troon for hosting such a successful
conference.
Golf has got a wonderful future in the UAE in
particular and in the Middle East in general. There
are some fantastic courses, including Saadiyat
Beach, and having heard the exciting news of
the Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, project
among a number of new golf developments in the
area, it shows that golf is very much on the move
again in the region.
Donald Trump is a great promoter of golf around
the world and I’m sure the Trump International will
be a welcome addition to the golf scene in the
UAE.
MONTY FINALLY BAGS A MAJOR
<< WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST
Located just over an hour from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, the course that has hosted the MENA Tour Championship for the last 3 years is closer than you think and the dryer
summer heat here in Al Ain makes it a perfect place to play.
Tel: 03 - 702 6 400 | www.aesgc.ae
Both specials include our club burger and a drink of your choice for each player, shared golf cart and range balls. Rates available until the end of September
Combine a night’s stay with our hotel and golf packages starting from 550AED
Please contact our reservation team for bookings or further information through [email protected]
Advance bookings required for green fees and hotel and golf packages.
Quality does not have to come at a price
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 41
Greg NORMAN
WHAT a great way to stamp your first
week as World No.1, with a win. Well
done to my mate Adam Scott who
collected his 11th PGA Tour victory by winning
the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial on the
PGA Tour.
I had heard earlier in the week that Adam
added this event to his schedule as he wanted to
experience playing while ranked No. 1 in the world
and enjoy it for at least a week. Thanks to his seven-
foot birdie putt on the third play-off hole, he will
get to experience playing as the world’s top ranked
golfer for more than just a week.
I know that Adam has worked very hard to get
to this position and, in a lot of ways, this victory
really validates his position atop the Official World
Golf Ranking. Adam is only the second Australian to
become No.1 in the world and it’s great to see an
Aussie back on top for the first time since I last held
the ranking in 1998.
Fun to watchRory McIlroy has been close all year long, posting
a top-10 finish nearly every time he plays, and he
was finally able to make it over the hump and into
the winners’ circle at The European Tour’s BMW PGA
Championship, where he fired a 32 on the back
nine on Sunday. McIlroy came from seven shots
back to win his sixth European Tour Event. It was
his first win of 2014. His last win happened to be at
the Australian Open over Adam Scott in December
of 2013. Now these two players are peaking just in
time for the year’s second Major at the US Open at
Pinehurst. It should be fun to watch.
Speaking of the US Open, I will be heading to
Pinehurst to begin working with my new partner
FOX. The network won the broadcast rights to the
US Open in the United States and I will be working
alongside Joe Buck to anchor their coverage of the
tournament starting in 2015. I will be meeting with
FOX and the USGA in preparation for our coverage
of next year’s Open at Chambers Bay. I’m excited
about this new partnership with FOX and looking
forward to next year.
It will be interesting to see how the newly
redesigned Pinehurst No.2 course holds up to the
world’s best golfers this year. The last time the US
Open was held at Pinehurst was in 2005 when the
rough was up and only nine out of 156 players
broke par in the first round. While I have yet to see
PROUD OF SCOTTY BECOMING NO.1
WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST <<
the revisions, I have heard that there will be no
rough whatsoever. This is the first time that I can
remember a US Open with no rough and it may
open the door for some of the longer hitters, like
Adam and Rory, or a Phil Mickelson who has had
several close calls at the event.
Speaking of golf course design, I recently opened
my newest design in Vietnam, The Bluffs at Ho
Tram Strip. This is undoubtedly one of the two best
pieces of property I have ever had the pleasure and
opportunity to work on and this course has turned
out to be really special. The links-style seaside
course meanders through towering natural sand
dunes along the South China Sea and will likely be
considered as one of the best new courses in the
Asia Pacific.
Adam Scott pays tribute to Greg Norman after capturing the Masters at Augusta last year and again on becoming World No.1:
Part of the glory is for Greg because he’s given me so much inspiration and belief.
He has devoted so much time to myself and other young Australian players who
came after him. I feel I can follow in Greg’s footsteps as far as his achievements.
I feel that’s kind of a goal of mine. Greg has a charisma about him and an aura
that he carries and I don’t know if that comes with success or if you’ve just got
it. My goal is to achieve Greg’s feats so I’m on my way. I’m going to take some
confidence for being World No.1. Happiness and confidence is based on our
results and how we’re playing – and I know I’m playing well.
“
“
42 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
David Howell
I am writing this article, having just missed the
cut in the BMW PGA Championship for the
third year running, so it is through gritted
teeth that I wish to focus on The European Tour’s
flagship event this month.
Sometimes it’s all too easy to focus on the
negatives in life, and certainly The European Tour
has, at times, come in for some criticism over the
last few years. For that reason, it’s all the more
important to give credit where credit is due and I
have to say that everyone involved with the BMW
PGA Championship deserves a huge pat on the
back.
It’s also easy to bill something as your number
one event, but living up to that reputation is
another matter entirely. However, as I played in the
celebrity Pro- Am at Wentworth earlier in the week,
it dawned on me that a truly big sporting event has
evolved.
I’ve played in tournaments all over the world, but
other than at a Major championship, I have yet to
see as many as 10,000 people turn out to watch
a Pro-Am event anywhere before. In all honesty, I
would say the Wednesday crowd at this year’s BMW
PGA Championship was bigger than that of all but a
handful of Sunday crowds for the rest of the year.
Enjoy the experienceFor any event to work there always has to be a
number of things that come together to make it
work. At Wentworth this year we had everything in
place: A stellar field, playing at a superb venue and
hosted by a forward-thinking title sponsor in BMW,
who have backed the event to the hilt. The result
was a huge event, to which close to 100,000 people
came to watch, even if the changeable weather
over the first three days let the Championship down
a little.
The European Tour themselves stage the event
and year on year things just seem to improve, and
in close consultation with BMW they host a high-
class event indeed. The crowds really do seem to
enjoy the experience and they keep coming back
to Wentworth in greater and greater numbers to
watch the best that The European Tour has to offer.
Long may it continue.
Strangely, over the last few years many of the star
names have struggled around the newly laid-out
West Course at Wentworth but this year most of the
star performers got themselves nicely in the mix
going into the weekend. The great Dane, Thomas
Björn, led the field all week after an incredible
opening round of 62 but in the end, with a sprint
finish, it was the golden boy of The European Tour
Rory McIlroy who took the glory. What a glorious
effort that was in the circumstances.
Rory started the week in the papers for all the
wrong reasons with his personal life making the
headlines on the front pages – and ended the
week on the back pages with his professional
achievements once again writing the headlines.
It will be a while before you see a more popular
winner.
As for me, things are not going the way I had
hoped so far this year, and missing the cut in both
of my home events, the Dubai Desert Classic and
The BMW PGA is just horrible. However, things
can turn around pretty quickly in golf and the run
into The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool
could well define my season. There is no doubting
that the arrival of our twin boys last December has
brought a whole new understanding of the term
‘time management’ and that, together with
a back that has been feeling every day of its
30 years playing golf, and you may well have
a straightforward answer as to what’s been
going awry so far this year.
On a positive note however, I feel I have, just
this week, pinpointed a couple of things that
could help me to start shooting the right side
of 70 again. If that proves to be the case, it
could well be a very enjoyable summer. With
some great venues just around the corner,
notably the Irish Open back at Fota Island in
Cork and the Scottish Open moving to Royal
Aberdeen for the first time, the run up to The
Open at Hoylake is looking pretty spectacular.
More good decisions that have been made
by The European Tour and its partners and, bit
by bit, the Tour is starting to look a whole lot
healthier again.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EUROPEAN TOUR
<< WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST<< WORLDWIDE GOLF COLU
#1 ON TOUR FOR YEARS. YET WE CONTINUE TO EARN OUR STRIPES.
The new JAILBIRD from Odyssey utilizes double
Versa Technology to further highlight face angle
at address, through the stroke and at impact,
to improve concentration and make more putts.
Innovation like Versa Jailbird makes us the
#1 putter on Tour. See the difference Jailbird
can make in your next round at odysseygolf.com
©2014 Callaway Golf Company. Odyssey, the Swirl Device, Versa and #1 Putter in Golf are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Callaway Golf Company. #1 Putter in Golf and #1 Putter on Tour claim based upon combined usage across the 6 Major World Tours from 2004-2013. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Phil Mickelson plays a Versa #9 putter in competition.
FIND US:DUBAI MALL
FIND US:SUPERSTORE
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
مارينا دبي قلب في مارينا" رزيدنس بلو "راديسون فندق يقع فقط دقائق مسافة ويبعد الجميرا شاطىء من بالقرب
بالعالم. التسوق مراكز أكبر الى المترو أو بالسيارة
بالرفاهية واستمتع شقتك واحجز االن اتصل المميزة. والخدمات
LOCATED IN THE HEART OF DUBAI MAR INA AND NEAR TO THE BEACH FRONT, JUST FEW MINUTES BY CAR OR METRO TO THE WORLD’S L ARGEST SHOPPING MALLS .
CALL NOW TO BOOK YOUR SERVICED APARTMENT AND MAKE YOURSELF
COMFORTABLE .
holds the key to successHYDROTURF and Toro, the region’s leading golf course
maintenance suppliers, organised a seminar at Jumeirah Golf
Estates for all the General Managers and Superintendents
from golf courses across the Middle East to showcase some of
the new products Toro is releasing this year and to show the
golf courses ways of saving water.
Water
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 45
1,500,000 gallons of water are used a day on a typical 18 hole grass golf course in the Gulf.
So every saving counts.
Worldwide Golf Advertorial
Above: Colin Baxter, Managing Director, Hydroturf,
speaks to the assembled Superintendants and Golf
Club Managers at the 2014 Hydroturf Seminar.
SAVING UP TO $500,000 ON WATER WITH THE NEW TORO TECHNOLOGY
46 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
Q: What is the relationship between Toro
and Hydroturf and what role do both
companies play in the golf industry in and
around the Middle East?
Andreas Feichtinger: Hydroturf is Toro’s
exclusive distributor in the Middle East. We
have a very strong, long-term relationship be
it through supplying irrigation or machinery
supply support.
Ken Lovelady: Hydroturf have offices
throughout the Middle East and we stretch to
Egypt through Jordan and right on through
to Pakistan, so it’s a comprehensive market
we look after. I see Toro and Hydroturf as
partners as we work together. We basically
look after the golf market. There are more
than 50 courses in the Middle East and we’ve
been involved in every single one of them,
whether it’s through irrigation, machinery,
pump stations or electric vehicles, in some
form Hydroturf has been involved.
Q: Hydroturf and Toro are getting involved
in projects further afield, away from the
Middle East golfing hub of the UAE – is this
a trend for the future?
KL: Yes, absolutely. We’ve just delivered a big
installation at the Ayla project in Jordan – the
first golf course in Jordan and designed by
Greg Norman. Our goal is to expand in the
market within our territory.
AF: For us, it makes sense to have one large
distributor looking after a good number
of countries, rather than many distributors
across many countries – it’s easier to
maintain our relationship and it’s one of the
strengths of our partnership.
Q: Maintaining golf courses in the Middle
East is expensive because of the amount
of water used on a daily basis. What can
be done to help golf courses cut back on
the costs spent on keeping their grounds
well watered and well maintained?
KL: The biggest cost, of course, is water. If
they can decrease their water requirements
and not waste it – for example by not
spraying bunkers or lakes – then they can cut
their budgets, perhaps up to $500,000 per
year, depending on how much they currently
spend. This is an enormous amount of money.
I think some people will be amazed by the
new Toro technology that can help courses
save water and therefore save money.
Marco Cappelli: It goes beyond just water
though – electricity and fertilizer costs also
add up. It’s not just about saving water.
Often if you use less water you can provide a
better playing surface. So you can have the
best of two worlds – save money and water.
Q: Water conservation has been thrust
into the limelight ahead of this year’s
US Open at Pinehurst where, for the
first time in a long time, there will be no
maintained rough. By removing roughly
40 acres of grass, Pinehurst cut its water
usage on the No. 2 course almost in half.
Is this something that golf courses in the
Middle East should consider?
KL: In the Middle East courses tend to
overseed in winter because the grass goes
dormant and then they over-irrigate in the
summer for it to grow again. But for them
to do what they’ve done at Pinehurst is not
applicable to the courses over here. They
don’t have those problems with extreme
weather conditions at Pinehurst. So in short
the answer is, no.
MC: It’s up to the golf course as to which
areas they wish to irrigate. At the same time
we think you can water the same areas
without compromising the quality. It depends
on the golf course – every one is different.
Q: Tower Links Golf Club was built in 2003
with a special type of grass that survives
the use of water with a high salt content
– meaning the need for expensive clean
water is reduced. Is this something that
new projects in the Middle East should
think about at the development stage?
CB: When Tower Links was built it was the first
course of its kind over here and there were a
lot of doubters, yet here we are 11 years later
and it is still flourishing with 20,000 ppm in
the summer. It’s something that should be
considered around the region with regard to
sustainability.
AF: It should be noted that we are working on
adapting our sprinklers for salty water, so we
Above Colin Baxter Managing Director Hydroturf
Attendees of the Hydroturf Seminar get ready to tackle
the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 47
have ones that will not corrode during use.
Q: Other sports played on grass have
started utilizing artificial turf – Wembley
Stadium’s pitch uses a hybrid of real grass
and synthetic grass. Could completely
artificial surfaces be implemented at golf
courses, such as the tee-boxes or cart
paths, to cut down on the cost of watering
and maintenance?
KL: Definitely. In Egypt we’ve been involved
in a 9-hole project that utilizes astroturf.
At the moment the technology isn’t
completely there to make it practical to build
a golf course out of astroturf, but there are
companies trying to develop it to be spongy
enough or to ‘give’ enough for the clubhead
on impact and decrease the shock in your
wrists. The thing with astroturf is that it still
needs watering to get rid of dust etc, but on
the flipside it doesn’t need mowing.
MC: You always risk looking like a fool when
you try to predict technology! Everything
adapts and changes and moves forward
but it’s too soon to say if artificial grass will
ever replace real grass when it comes to golf
courses. Still, this is a fascinating industry to
be involved it.
Q: How fast does technology involving water efficiency and
desalinization move? Are there things Toro and Hydroturf can offer
golf courses in the region now, that you couldn’t 4 or 5 years ago?
Andreas Feichtinger: It moves very quickly and it has accelerated a
lot in the last 4 to 5 years. For example, we can offer new sensors to
measure humidity, temperature and salinity of soil. New software allows
us to analyze irrigation matters deeper than we’ve ever been able to
before. This is important to get the water exactly where you want it,
when you want it and not waste any.
The simplicity in the new technology is the key. If it’s not simple to use
then the greenkeepers won’t use it and that’s one of our strengths – our
technology is simple and very easy to understand.
kle
es.
WAYNE'S WORLD MIKKO ILONEN
48 | WorldwideGolf - June 20
FINN-TASTIC
Wayne Johnson, Director of Instruction at the European Tour Performance Institute, Jumeirah Golf Estates, talks to Finland’s most successful golfer, Mikko Ilonen.The Scandinavian became the first player from Finland to win a European Tour title when he claimed the Indonesia Open in 2007 and he made it a year to remember when he added the Scandinavian Masters later that season. He had to wait six years for his next win but it came at the same tournament when he beat Jonas Blixt by three shots in Sweden last year. The cool Finn started this season in fine form as he came agonisingly close to claiming the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters before being edged out by Sergio Garcia at the third hole of a play-off at Doha Golf Club. After finishing tied 38th in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth he is currently 26th in The Race to Dubai with €432,577 in prize money.
WAYNE'S WORLD
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 49
MIKKOILONEN
Born: December 18, 1979Height: 187 cmWeight: 83 kg
Residence: Lahti, FinlandCoach: Timo Rauhala
Physical trainer: Pierre JohanssonHobbies: Billiards,
snowboarding, skiing.
Mikko Ilonen can be
described as Mr. Golf in
his native country and
has been the number
one golfer in Finland
since 2001, longer than
any other European
Tour player in their
respective countries.
Mikko Ilonen’s career as a
professional golfer began in
2001. Before that, in June 2000,
he became the first Finnish
golfer to win the Amateur
Championship at Royal
Liverpool Golf Club, venue
of this year's Open
Championship.
MIKKO ILONEN
Wayne Johnson: What made you want to visit the
EPTI and Jumeirah Golf Estates?
Mikko Ilonen: They have simply great facilities here to
work on my game and Dubai is easy to get to and it has
a really good climate to practice in.
WJ: Which parts of the facility have you used and
which are your favourites?
MI: I’ve utilised all the areas at the ETPI and practised on
both the Fire and Earth courses. The practice range and
short game area is my favourite part.
WJ: How much help is a facility like this, in a location
like Dubai, for international Tour players?
MI: It’s crucial, especially for me who does not
have facilities like this at home. Plus we have four
tournaments in this region which make it a great
stopover location to practice with easy air links.
WJ: You’ve been coming to Dubai for many years –
how has the game changed in the region since you
first played the Desert Classic in 2001?
MI: Obviously it’s grown a lot, more new courses, a
lot more players than before and what I like most is
meeting more local UAE junior golfers.
WJ: You’ve enjoyed some good results on Middle
East golf courses – what do you like about the
courses here, and how do they suit your game?
MI: I like the fact that they are not just target golf-style
courses. In calm conditions any course plays easier, but
here the wind factor always makes it challenging and it
requires good imagination and shot-making to score
well.
Prince Daniel, Duke of Vastergotland, the husband of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, presents Mikko with the 2013 Nordea Scandinavian Masters trophy at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club.
WAYNE'SWORLD
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 51
WJ: You were so close to victory in the
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters this year – talk
about that play-off with Sergio, we thought they
were going to have to finish on Monday as there
was just nothing to separate you both.
MI: I fought hard to make the play-off. I made
a silly three-putt on 13 but bounced back with
several closing birdies to make the play-off. It was
disappointing to lose but looking back to Qatar
to have got going so well with my game so early
in the season is great. It was also good to make
ranking points early on and build towards my
target. I was really comfortable playing there!
WJ: Last season was a great one for you, with
your first win in a few years – how is your game
feeling now and what have you been working
on?
MI: My game feels fine. I don’t see any reason
why I can’t do well in the next few events and
have a good season.
WJ: You played in the DP World Tour
Championship for the first time last year – what
was that experience like and how important is it
for you to try to qualify again this year?
MI: It’s the goal for the whole season – the DP
World Tour Championship is where you want to
end up playing. I would like to make top 20 in
The Race to Dubai not just top 60. It would be
the perfect way to end the season – playing on a
great course with great facilities all round and a
great field. This is where you need to be!
Ilonen shakes hands with his caddie after losing on the third play-off hole to Sergio Garcia at this year's Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Mikko Ilonen plays his tee shot at the par 3, seventh
hole watched by his playing partner Tiger Woods during the third round of the 2014 Omega Dubai Desert Classic
FTF ™ FIT-BEDFine Tuned Foam for
optimum comfort & support.
CHROMOSKIN™ LEATHEREngineered for lightweight
performance & feel.
3D FOAMCOLLAR™
Moulds to provide a precise fi t.
SNUGFIT TONGUEAdvanced design envelops
the top of the foot.
NITROTHIN™ TPU OUTSOLEStreamlined design & enhanced stability.
THIS IS D.N.A.FEEL ADVANCED
footjoy.co.uk/dnawww.prosports.ae
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 53
LAST month saw the second
qualifying round of the BMW
Skills Challenge hosted by the
European Tour Performance Institute
at Jumeirah Golf Estates and walking
away with the top honours was the
Essex Boys team, captained by Eli
Mashmoor.
Only 13 points separated all the
teams that took part on the day and
Mashmoor’s team, completed by Matt
Blom, Ed Finch and John Cross, scored
127.6 points to carry off the second
qualifying round with a seven point
victory. As a result the foursome win
BMW Driving Experiences and advance
to the semi-finals which are scheduled
for October.
“It was great to take part in this event,”
smiled Mashmoor after the victory
was confirmed. “It was a team effort.
Everyone played well and it turned out
to be a really fun day – the victory was
the icing on the cake.”
The event is open to all UAE amateurs
and the entry fee is just AED 500 per
team of four. The next event takes place
on Saturday 6th June.
The Essex Boys clinch Round 2
The BMW Skills Challenge is partnered by Jumeirah Golf Estates and AGMC, the official BMW Group Importer
for Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates.
The Challenge is a year-long event with a series of eight qualifying rounds for up to 10 teams of four amateurs
leading to the semi-final in October 2014.
The tests include: Pitching Skills; Bunker Skills; Chipping Skills; Putting Skills; Driving Accuracy and Length Skills.
The Grand Final will be held on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates immediately before the DP World Tour
Championship on November 20-23.
The cost of entry is just AED 500 per team. For further details, contact ETPI on 04 433 7777 or email
BMW Skills Challenge
The Essex Boys: (left to right) Eli Mashmoor,
Matt Blom, Ed Finch and John Cross.
Todays touring professionals are renowned for their ability to get the ball up and down from seems to be anywhere. Sometimes they almost prefer to be in the sand and just off the green. The key to gaining that all important confidence in the bunker is to be able to get out consistently. To do this you need to be able to control 2 things:
1 Where the club hits the sand. 2 How fast the club is moving.
MATHEW PARKER SENIOR TEACHING PROFESSIONAL PGA EUROPEAN TOUR PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE
TOUR STANDARD BUNKER SHOTS
To control where the club hits the sand, you need to build the following key set up points. The lower body must remain still during a bunker shot, to get the lower body in the right position follow these steps:
1 Set your feet apart so that the middle of your stance is where you want the club to hit the sand. (roughly 3 inches behind the ball)
2 Turn your front foot about 45 degree toward the target.3 Push your Knee forward to point over your toes.4 Dig your feet in.
54 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
BY- Bryan Smyth, Golf Professional at Emirates Golf Club
Once you have this in place the key swing thought is to rotate. Working on the idea that the speed at which you turn controls the speed of the club head, try hitting some shots with the same amount of backswing but vary the speed of the turn in the downswing.
Practice this set up and swing thought and you should be looking forward to the next time you need to make a sandy par.
One final point to take note of is the line from my chin to my belt buckle.. notice how that is pointing at the middle of my feet. This helps to also control how deep the club goes into the sand.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 55
Summer Packages with The Academyat Emirates Golf Club
INSTRUCTIONJONATHAN CRADDOCK PGA PROFESSIONAL EMIRATES GOLF CLUB
PREPARATION IS KEYWITH THE PRE-SHOT THREE-PHASE APPROACH…
I often hear stories where players have rushed a shot and said afterwards, “I knew that was going to happen.” Developing a pre-shot routine will give you the opportunity to execute the perfect shot, time after time. The best way to prepare is by using the three-phase approach.
PHASE 1: Pre-shot planning
This phase is prior to your actual pre-shot routine. Time here will be spent gathering data for the shot: lie, distance, external influences, wind etc. It is important here to use your time wisely. Some information may be gathered before actually reaching your ball. For example, as you are walking towards a green, the slopes may be easier to spot.
PHASE 2: Pre-shot routine
A pre-shot routine is a consistent and systematic procedure that is executed prior to hitting a golf shot and is instrumental in the focus and relaxation process. Jim Flick’s book “On Golf” has an excellent description of pre-shot routine and demonstrates that “Every Shot Must Have A Purpose.”
I IMAGINE when playing on the course that there is a
white line in between myself and the ball. I have placed
a white alignment stick on the ground. Standing behind the
stick is the time to think about your technique. Once stepping
over the white line it is time to simply execute the shot.
1
TIME If you take a look at all top golfers and time their
movements, especially Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in
their prime the time would be pretty much identical. Annika
Sörenstam is another great player who had a pre-shot routine
that lasted exactly 24 seconds every time.
VISUALISATION It isn’t about just seeing, it is more of a
feeling with your eyes. Sam Snead said that he would paint
a picture in the sky of the shot he planned to hit. Jack Nicklaus
would clearly see the shot shape, trajectory and even how the ball
would react when landing before he made his swing. His putting
often took a little too much time as he would repeat his practice
stroke until he was convinced he would hole it. He was seeing the
ball go in the hole but also feeling the movement he would need
to replicate to achieve his goal.
3
TRIGGER is the moment you place yourself in a state of extreme
concentration where all thoughts are going into firstly creating the
imagery, secondly feeling the movements required and thirdly executing the
desired shot. Many professionals do this in differing ways. My trigger to start
my pre-shot routine is to fasten my glove. If the glove is open, I am open to
chatting and taking in the surroundings. Once the glove is fastened that’s my
cue to grip it and rip it.
4
SEQUENCING THE ABOVE EVENTS Behind the line we would begin
with the trigger, followed by the imagery, seeing and feeling the shot,
completed by the execution. I like to think of the preparation coming from an
adult mind and the shot coming from a playful child not thinking about the
consequences. In a nutshell, you want to be doing as little thinking as possible
when it comes time to your swing.
5
PHASE 3: Post-Shot Routine
I can count the number ofplayers who use a post-shot routine on one hand. My post-shot routine is to hold my finish and watch the ball come to rest. Following this I unfasten my glove and continue to take in the surroundings.The last thing on your mind should be the golf shot played or the golf shots to come. Just stay inthe present.
2
Iron Man
TaylorMade
Tour Preferred MC Irons
Precision-engineered cavity
design for the perfect blend of
feel, workability and stability.
Speed Pocket™ in 3-through
7-irons increases ball speed
low on the face to deliver more
consistent ballspeed and launch
conditions across the entire face.
Grooves milled to exact
specifications to promote more
spin and control from the rough.
Forged short-irons for
optimum feel, spin and control
where players need it.
RRP: 3,995AED
TOUR IRONS by Craig Vance
58 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
PING S55
This compact, multi-
material players’ iron
provides added distance
with control while
increasing workability and
forgiveness.
A tungsten toe weight
stabilizes the face to
improve accuracy, and a
vertical stabilizing bar offers
distance control.
The custom-tuning port is
made from a thermoplastic
elastomer for a soft feel and
sound at impact.
RRP: 5995AED
MIZUNO MP-54
A deep Milled Pocket Cavity
(3-7 iron) delivers stability from
off centre hits, while a heavily
bevelled sole ensures cleaner turf
interaction and the workability to
take your ball striking to the next
level.
One piece Grain Flow Forged
1025E Mild Carbon steel
construction is heightened
through a Step Muscle design that
retains thickness behind impact.
Modified ‘hosel blend’ that creates
the illusion of less offset for
greater left / right workability.
RRP: 3495AED
3-PW 3-PW 4-PW
ChallengeBrought to you by
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 59
CALLAWAY APEX
The 1020 Carbon Steel
forging gives Apex Pro the soft,
responsive feel that the best
players in the world demand.
Tungsten-weighted inserts in
the soles of the long irons make
these irons incredibly easy to
hit, and deliver Tour type launch
conditions.
High performance-wide
grooves aim to produce more
consistent spin and control out
of whatever lie you’re playing
from. You get distance. You get
consistency. . .
RRP: 5600AED
TITLEIST AP2
The multi-material forged irons
offer distance with trajectory
control and forgiveness with
workability in a solid feeling
Advanced CG height progression
creates higher launching long
irons and flatter launching short
irons for more carry distance with
outstanding control.
Precisely-placed high density
tungsten-weighting in the long and
mid irons produces higher MOI
for consistent distance without
sacrificing workability.
RRP: 5195AED
3-PW 4-PW
TOUR IRONS by Craig Vance
TRADITIONALLY, Tour professionals
have always opted for a forged blade
with no off-set. Distance was never the
main focus back in the days of 6,000
yard championship courses but feel and
workability were.
Times have changed, and there has been
a shift away from the blade culture as the
courses continued to grow in length.
The professionals now seek more
distance and forgiveness from their
irons as off-centre strikes still need to go
unpunished.
There remains a handful of players who
opt for a blade but these guys tend to be
the elite – Woods, McIlory and Scott are
just a few names that come to mind. But
these guys don’t really have to worry about
distance do they!
The main trend now is a blade style with
a cavity back that reduces in size from the
long to short irons.
The result is more distance when
you need it plus forgiveness, while still
maintaining the ability to shape shots.
Ironically, these clubs aren’t just in high
demand from the Tour pros but the low
to mid handicappers are also getting the
benefits.
In this test we’ve got the TrackMan out to
find out how the numbers from the leading
manufacturers stack up.
THE Callaway APEX is a great looking Iron with strong features and WOW
does it fly off the clubface. The penetrating flight makes playing into a head
wind considerably easier and with this being a Callaway slightly off-centre
strikes still manage to make the required carry. The crisp strike off the face
makes it seem like the ball is sat up on a tee peg every shot and because of
this the distance control I have with this club is unbelievable! Each ball lands
within 2 to 3 yards of the other. In addition, I found this club made it quite
easy to manipulate the ball flight without losing control.
Club speed: 87.2mph Ball Speed: 123.9mph Spin Rate: 4,836rpm Height: 88.2Feet Carry: 181.5 yards Total: 192.8 yards
Stats average calculated from 5 shots
Callaway Apex Pro KBS Tour V
Shaft
The Test:
All brands submitted a six iron
with the corresponding shafts and
unchanged lofts.
60 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
DDATATA
The Titleist AP2 has the classic look that only Titleist can produce; the
clubhead sits perfectly behind the ball and promotes confidence to attack
the shot. The distance and carry on the shots seem about average for a six
iron, even the odd off-centre strike makes the minimum carry expected. The
model I’m trying today has the new Lighter shaft which seems to increase
the spin rate on the ball, making it a little harder to control than the previous
AP2 I tried a few weeks ago. The strike on this AP2 gives you a phenomenal
feeling, the ball seems to glide off the face with ease, making this the ‘best-
feeling’ club I’ve put though its paces for a long time.
Club speed: 88.3mph Ball Speed: 122.6.8mph Spin Rate: 5,112rpm Height: 85.6Feet Carry: 177.2 yards Total: 188.1 yards
Stats average calculated from 5 shots
Titleist AP2 XP 95 S300
Shaft
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 61
Craig VanceWorldwide Golf
Equipment Editor
Jason AshleyThe Golf House
Custom Fit
Specialist
All of the clubs are geared for the better golfer but I just can’t get away from
the distance gained and penetrating ball flight of the Callaway Apex Pro.
After the TaylorMade it produced the tightest grouping which was a surprise,
considering it was the longest, as you normally get more of a dispersion with a hot-faced club. The Titleist AP2 gave the
best feel off the face but the Apex Pro was the clear winner in this test .
TEST WINNER: CALLAWAY APEX PRO
CONCLUSION
The Ping S55 is an attractive-looking iron with bold features. The average
distance with this model is on a par with my current average 6 iron length
but I struggled to keep the distance consistent. The spin rate off the face
seemed to be a little higher than other models trialed today, which has given
the ball a towering flight that I was struggling to control. However, with this
higher spin rate I was able to manipulate the Draw/Fade shots a lot easier.
Club speed: 89.1mph Ball Speed: 122.4mph Spin Rate: 5,596rpm Height: 91.2Feet Carry: 174.7 yards Total: 183.9yards
Mizuno MP-54s are possibly the best looking clubs on the market! Having
said that, everything about the performance of the club was average, the
ball flight was average, distance was average, dispersion was average, even
the strike was average. That said, the weight of the club was much heavier,
making it extremely easy to maintain the clubhead speed while making a
controlled swing.
Club speed: 88.4mph Ball Speed: 121.4mph Spin Rate: 5,590rpm Height: 90.3Feet Carry: 173.2yards Total: 182.5 yards
The TaylorMade TP MC irons are comparable to the Ping S55 irons. Although
they turned out to be the most consistent out of the bunch, with extremely
tight grouping, they also proved to be the shortest with the highest spin rate.
The ball had a towering flight with plenty of spin that would make the carries
to tight pins a little less daunting. However, playing into a strong wind would
be difficult to control. These irons definitely have the softest feel out of the
bunch which makes the three-quarter shots feel like they would stop on a
sixpence.
Club speed: 90.6mph Ball Speed: 122.0mph Spin Rate: 5,867rpm Height: 91.9Feet Carry: 172.8yards Total: 181.3 yards
DDATATA
Stats average calculated from 5 shots
Stats average calculated from 5 shots
Stats average calculated from 5 shots
Ping S55 CFS
Mizuno MP-54 Dynamic Gold S300
TaylorMade TP MC KBS Tour Stiff
Shaft
Shaft
Shaft
TOUR IRONS by Craig Vance
62 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
ADVANCED PERFORMANCEFOR YOUR GAME.
LONGER FLIGHT. INCREASED FORGIVENESS. SOLID FEEL.
INTRODUCING NEW AP1® AND AP2® IRONS.
New Titleist AP irons are precision engineered to make
long irons easier to hit high and short irons easier to fl ight
low, while delivering more distance and shot-stopping
control throughout the set. Both models feature increased
forgiveness from high density tungsten weighting and
a progressive design that aligns the CG closer to
where you hit the ball for solid feel. To experience the
new AP irons for yourself, contact your local golf shop.
Visit titleist.co.uk to get more details.
prosports.ae
64 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
Ever wondered why there are so many different styles?
There are only a few names in the golf manufacturing business that carry more weight than Scotty Cameron. So, when he announced the launch of two new ranges of putters, the golf industry took note. At the 2014 PGA Show, Cameron unveiled his latest Scotty Cameron editions, the Select and GoLo models.His ”Select” range began in 2008 and has been upgraded each season since then and for 2014 he has upgraded the looks and colour of the Select putters, and added a couple of new models.
SCOTTYCAMERON
A CUSTOM FIT SCOTTY CAMERON PUTTERWINTo enter go to: http: //www.wwgolf.net
Scotty Cameron: “My team and I are focused on
one simple goal, designing and producing the
finest putters in the world. The new Select and
GoLo families, in addition to our high-MOI Futura
X models, take us to the next level of performance
and pure putting confidence.
“Every day, we strive to learn more about how
the ball, the putter and the golfer work together,
and how we can improve that connection. We’re
continually experimenting with new designs, new
materials and technologies.
“After using one of our putters, golfers sometimes
tell me, ‘I don’t know why I like it, I just like it.’ That’s
where the attention to detail comes in, making
sure there is complete harmony between how it
looks, how it sounds and how it feels.”
STUART TAYLOR
PGA PROFESSIONAL
PROSPORTS INTERNATIONAL
WORDS: ALEX GALLEMORE
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 65
PERFECT FIT
Getting the correct length of putter is pivotal in creating the correct posture to make a good, repetitive
stroke. The length of the putter will dictate the eye line at address. The ideal eye line is over the neck of
the putter. If the putter is too long the eye line will generally be inside the line of the putter, therefore
the putter gets taken away too far inside on the way back. If the putter is too short the eye line will
fall too far over the putter head line and vice versa, the putter head will start too far out side.
Ideally, the eye line should be over the neck of the putter at address to create the correct stroke and arc.
The arc type can be different for every player. Therefore, it’s important to get a putter that suits your
arc. The Scotty Cameron range has different styles created to match the player’s arc of the stroke. The
stronger the arc of stroke the more ‘toe hang’ is needed in the putter to help square the face at impact.
So if you have a stroke with less arc you need a putter with less ‘toe hang.’ It becomes very important to
match the putter style to the stroke-type to help each player become more consistent in returning the
blade to square at impact.
LENGTH
ARC
Rashid Hamood
Handicap: 1
Club: Dubai Creek
Golf & Yacht Club
MAX TOE HANG LESS TOE HANG FACE BALANCED
“I have always been a fan of
Scotty Cameron putters as
the feel is second to none.
Aesthetically, the new Scottys
look great and the new bolder
inserts really help with my
alignment. The fitting helped me
start the putts more in line with
the target and also improve my
strike – therefore I felt I could
control the pace better.”
– Rashid Hamood
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 67
CHALLENGE TOUR RANKING AS AT 20TH MAY, 2014
FTER learning his craft on the
European Challenge Tour in
2006, last month Martin Kaymer
joined the esteemed company
of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson
and Adam Scott as winners of a Major, a WGC
event and The Players championship thanks
to his victory at TPC Sawgrass.
Rewind the clock to 2006 and the
German won twice in eight events on
the Challenge Tour to finish fourth on
the ranking and earn his European
Tour card. From there his CV has grown
impressively and includes the 2010 US
PGA Championship, the 2011 WGC-HSBC
Champions, two Ryder Cup appearances,
The 2010 Race to Dubai and three Abu
Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship titles.
“Everything happened so quickly for
me,” recalls Kaymer. “My plan was to play
on the satellite EDP Tour in Germany for
one or two years and then the Challenge
Tour for two or three years because I didn’t
really know how everything works on
Tour, and then make my way on to The
European Tour – but I did it all in one year.
A
“To win the first Challenge Tour
event I played in was huge. From
there I gained status and won
again in France and finished in
the top four, four more times.
That gave me the feeling of
confidence that I knew I could win
tournaments, and that definitely
helped me when I made the
step up to The European Tour.”
68 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
WWG: With Al Badia hosting the Challenge Tour Grand Final and Jumeirah Golf Estates staging The European Tour’s season-ending climax, November is an exciting month for Dubai and for The Tour. James Shippey: When we first started our discussions with the European Challenge Tour we were looking at exploring different options and finding out what was available tournament-wise and most met with our key objectives.
We wanted a high stature event but at a level that was a little bit more true to the real life golfer in Dubai, who could relate to golf professionals beginning their careers. It was a big step for us as a club to dip our toe in the water to see how we liked hosting a tournament without committing to a fully-fledged European Tour event. The Challenge Tour Grand Final had a high enough stature that brought a high amount of media value and it was just a great fit for us.
We have an excellent reputation for being a great facility but there are other clubs in Dubai that have a higher profile because they’ve staged a main Tour event. We wanted to position Al Badia Golf Club in the marketplace of being a great golf club capable of holding a world-class event.
We’ve obviously gained a lot of media recognition since we held the tournament. The feedback from the players was amazing. We’ve made some slight modifications to the golf course for the second staging this year, namely new tees on holes 11 and 17, but it was good to hear from the players that we already have a world-class product that the players appreciate and enjoy competing over.
WWG: When The European Tour is considering venues for other events, because of what you did last year, Al Badia should automatically be in the frame. JS: Our team at Al Badia is high quality. They’re
all very passionate people, who all want to deliver the best results for our owners, provide a great member experience for our members, giving visitors a great day’s golf and provide some of the region’s finest food and beverage. All in all, we strive to exceed all expectations in everything we do.
We didn’t have long to prepare for the 2013 tournament and it showed what we could deliver in such a short space of time. Obviously, for the 2014 staging, we’ve had -12months to prepare and we’ll definitely deliver something
that will impress a lot of people.
WWG: Do you think the fact that you have a facility that very few other clubs in Dubai have got, gives Al Badia an advantage? JS: Dubai Festival City is a great location. We have three amazing hotels – the InterContinental Hotel and the Crowne Plaza and InterContinental Residence Suites, which are serviced apartments managed by the InterContinental.
It’s a fantastic destination. We have some beautiful real estate around the property and it really is the finished article. We have beautiful landscaping which gives you a great visual experience
when you’re arriving at the golf club. Yes, you’re in Dubai, yet you’re in the middle of the desert.
It’s a very tranquil place, out of the hustle and bustle of Dubai city, in a quiet, peaceful, relaxing environment. Water plays an important part with water features coming into play on 12 holes. We’re well established now and the wildlife we have on the golf course is amazing – a wide array of birds and all the waterways have nice aquatic life in them as well. It’s an oasis in the middle of the city.
WWG: It’s good that a lot of the players who played here last year have gone on to make a name for themselves on The European Tour and it’s good to follow their progress.
JS: It’s good to see them playing well on The European Tour. Among the players who qualified here at Al Badia last year, the Challenge Tour Grand Final winner, Shiv Kapur, is performing well and Marco Crespi has already won an event on The Tour. As a club it’s gratifying to see people who have graduated through the Challenge Tour playing well.
When you look at the stars on the world scene now, the likes of Kaymer, Poulter and Rose just to name a few – they’ve all earned their place through the Challenge Tour and that will continue. It’s a great breeding ground for future players on the world stage.
WWG: Having done such a good job last year creating such an outstanding event, how do you improve on that this year and the following year?JS: From the golf course side we’ve made a couple of alterations just to make it a little bit more of a challenge for the players. We’re aiming to raise the profile to make the event more of a family affair. We’ve been coming up with some nice initiatives to bring the golfers down to watch the golf but also the families as well.
Maybe the golf isn’t their primary reason for coming to Al Badia but just to enjoy a nice day out with the family. One of the things we’ve managed to arrange is that this year’s event will finish on a Saturday. With Friday and Saturday as the tournament’s final two days, which is our weekend in Dubai, it will give families the opportunity to spend the weekend here and see the tournament finish on a weekend rather than on a workday.
WWG: The impressive thing about last year’s event was that everything you did was top quality. It was a fitting Grand Final for the Challenge Tour.JS: That comes down to the team we have here – dedicated professionals who strive to achieve excellence in everything they do.
Having world famous players here at Al Badia was an inspiration to see how far we could push as a team to excel and even Shiv Kapur in his speech mentioned how great the food was.
James Shippey (right), Manager of Al Badia Golf Club, talks to Worldwide Golf about the second edition
of the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final from Wednesday, November 5 to Saturday,
November 8 and says that the success of last year’s tournament will be a hard act to follow.
Follow That!
2013 winner, India’s Shiv Kapur.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 6
We’re certainly much more than just a golf club – we’re a great food and beverage destination with a team that can deliver some great products.
It was a fairly simple thing for us to manage because everybody knew what they were doing, and they just did it with a lot of passion and with a smile on their face. We have a very friendly team here and it shows.
WWG: One thing that struck me was that Al Badia is a sponsor’s paradise. You’ve got all the amenities in place, the quality of the location itself, the staff, the food – everything. JS: With having such high quality facilities at the club, sponsors know that they’re guaranteed an experience that is totally unique. One of our key benefits at Al Badia is our corporate hospitality area, which, during the tournament is outside on the lawn overlooking the golf course. We’re blessed with great weather in November so it’s an
ideal location to sit back, relax and watch the golf.Certainly for some of our sponsors, such as the Al Futtaim Automotive Group, it’s a great opportunity for them to become involved and have one-to-one interaction with the future stars of the game.
It’s all about building relationships in the early stages that could flourish for 10-15 years, creating long-term brand ambassadors.
We always wanted to become involved in tournament golf and we’re really fortunate to get such a high-profile event. We’re fully committed to delivering on our three year agreement. Whether we continue to host the European Challenge Tour or perhaps move to a European Tour event remains to be seen. But the opportunity is there and the appetite is there to be involved with the big events. The feedback we got from the Tour, the players, and the general public, was music to our ears.
R&A LEVEL TWO RULES SCHOOL COMES TO THE UAEALL the Golf Federations and Associations in the region, plus golf professionals, club officials and individuals are invited to join the R&A’s Level Two Rules School when it comes to Al Badia Golf Club later this year.In what will be a significant event for golf in the region, the two-and-a-half-day school, run by the R&A, will be attended by Christopher Hilton, Chairman of the R&A Rules of Golf Committee, Shona McRae, R&A Assistant Director – Rules, and Kevin Barker, R&A Assistant Director – Rules.This Level Two school is more than the Level One Introduction Rules School and is potentially followed by Level Three – the Tournament Administrators and Referees School, which is a three-day school which includes sessions on course set-up, pace of play, suspension of play and Temporary Immovable Obstructions (TIOs). This Level Three School is held annually at St Andrews in Scotland and is by invitation only.
Date: Monday 3rd – Wednesday 5th November, 2014.
Venue: Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinental, Dubai.
70 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
WWG: What are your earliest memories of golf?
David White: Playing on the sand course at
Dubai Country Club and taking my first golf
lessons there. Although I was born in England
my family moved to the Middle East due to my
father’s work commitments when I was only
a year old and I grew up as an expat. I moved
away from the region to attend university and
to do my PGA training. I returned to the Middle
East in 2011 and joined Muscat Hills Golf Club,
originally as the Operations Manager, moving
into a Sales & Marketing role two years later.
WWG: How did you get into golf?
DW: I first started playing golf and learning the
game with my parents. I began to get serious
about the game when I was around 14 years
of age. Back then I had a dream of making it
as a Tour player. I turned professional when I
started my PGA training. I played the majority
of my amateur golf in Dubai as a junior golfer
and got down to a 1-handicapper.
WWG: What are your greatest memories of golf
either playing or watching?
DW: Muscat Hills were fortunate enough
to have Colin Montgomerie play there a few
years ago in the HSBC Golf Day. Colin sat down
having lunch with us talking about his Ryder
Cups and golf in general and it was a surreal
experience to be sat next to one of the game’s
greats!
WWG: What would be your perfect fourball?
DW: My dream fourball would be Sergio
Garcia, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke – I
really admire their charisma on the golf course
and their golf swings. All of them are different
personalities with extremely functional and
repeatable swings.
WWG: Do you have any other hobbies or past-
times?
DW: I have started to get into Kick
Boxing, primarily to keep fit and I also like
snowboarding. Every time I visit Dubai I always
try and get some lessons at Ski Dubai in the
hope of getting better!
WWG: What do you think of the quality of the
Challenge Tour players?
DW: The Challenge Tour players are fantastic
golfers and many of them have already
played on The European Tour. Last year’s
National Bank of Oman Golf Classic winner
(Roope Kakko) shot an impressive 14 under
par around Almouj Golf Course which is
WHITE ON CUEDAVID WHITE has taken up the position of Event Coordinator for the National Bank
of Oman Golf Classic that takes place at Almouj Golf The Wave Muscat, on Thursday,
October 30-Sunday, November 2. After three and a half years at Muscat Hills Golf
Club he is making the move into tournament organising. The likeable 29-year-old
talks to Worldwide Golf about his background and the challenge of organising the
Sultanate’s flagship professional golf tournament.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 71
What are your goals and targets for the
National Bank of Oman Golf Classic?
My primary goal is to encourage
the community in Muscat to
attend the event, especially
children and families, to help
develop the game in Oman,
along with creating a strong
brand awareness for National
Bank of Oman locally and
internationally.
WWG: What did you think of last
year’s National Bank of Oman Golf
Classic?
DW: I thought it was a great
tournament and a great opportunity
to get up close to the Challenge
Tour players. The hospitality tent was
probably one of the best I have seen
in terms of the sea front location
overlooking the 18th Green of
Almouj Golf Club.
WWG: What are you most looking
forward to in being Coordinator
for the National Bank of Oman Golf
Classic?
DW: I am looking forward to seeing
who will win the event as the
National Bank of Oman Golf Classic
is the last event before the Dubai
Festival City Challenge Tour Grand
Final so there will be lots to play for
and the standard of golf will be as
high as ever.
WWG: Do you think Oman is getting
close to becoming a genuine golf
destination?
DW: There has been a lot of growth
in the game of golf over the past
three years that I have witnessed
here in Oman. There is no doubt
that Oman is becoming a tourist
destination for golf. However, there
needs to be more hotels built, along
with a tourist infrastructure to assist
the game in Oman.
WWG: Do you believe golf is growing
among the younger generation?
DW: There is certainly much
more interest in golf than when I
first arrived in Oman and there is
always an abundance of enquiries.
Converting the younger generation
to play is the hardest challenge,
primarily due to time commitments
and cost. The National Bank of
Oman Golf Classic will certainly
continue to create more interest
from the younger generation.
WWG: What do you think can be
done to help grow an interest in golf
among Omanis?
DW: I believe you need to take
golf out of the clubs and into the
Omani Schools, and promote it in
the shopping centres and places
of interest. People in general need
to have things brought to them
and by taking the game to the
population is a good way to grow
the game.
2014 NATIONAL BANK OF OMAN GOLF CLASSIC
exceptional low scoring on such a challenging
links course, so the standard is extremely high.
WWG: What is the funniest thing you have seen
on a golf course?
DW: I was playing with the pros in a match
play competition at Muscat Hills against
some members of Muscat Hills with our Head
professional. On the 12th Hole we all got to
talking about how people crash golf carts
and why we all thought it was a hard thing to
do. On the very next hole our playing partner
drove too close to the greenside bunker and
the golf cart toppled into the trap with the
member still sat in the cart! Fortunately, to our
surprise he ended up landing on his feet in the
middle of the cart between the roof and the
seats. Everything seemed to happen in slow
motion and fortunately no one got hurt.
72 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
ON July 31-August 3 the tournament will
showcase ‘the Land of Fire’ on the 2014 European
Challenge Tour Schedule to the world and
entice international golf tourists to sample
an outstanding golf course and the many
attractions the region has to offer.
About the clubIT MAY be the country’s first golf course, but
The National Azerbaijan Golf Club has been
created to the most exacting standards and
represents an audacious and ambitious
foray into the sport for an emerging golfing
nation. Positioned within 75 hectares of
idyllic Azerbaijani topography, the undulating
fairways of this par 72 golf course, stretching
over 7,000 yards, creates a lasting impression
on the eye.
Imaginatively, and despite its championship
credentials, landing zones, approaches
and greens remain accessible, leading to a
‘look hard, play easy’ feel which maximizes
enjoyment amongst all players.
The Presidential opening last September was
a ground-breaking achievement for this proud
nation, which demonstrated their desire to
create a golfing destination for international
visitors.
The National Azerbaijan Golf Club is a semi-
private facility with an element of daily fee play,
allowing players of all levels the opportunity
to learn and play the game. The combination
of the pristine golf course conditioning,
personalised service levels, amenities and
attention to detail has made this facility one
which Azerbaijan can be very proud of.
Jon Hunt and the International Design
Group, were the architectural experts behind
the project from golf course and landscape
design, to creating a clubhouse which is
boutique in style, yet accommodating to every
player’s needs and wants. The warmth and
hospitality of the region lies at the heart of this
Scandinavian Arctic-style clubhouse, and with
a terrace overlooking the 18th hole it gives a
tranquil and beautiful setting for memorable
dining as well as an unforgettable Shisha
experience.
The resort boasts a luxury 5-star hotel,
managed by world-renowned hotelier Rixos,
featuring 200 bedrooms, luxury villas, an
amusement park, spa centre, and its notable
restaurants, the Challette Steakhouse with
its mountain views and Le Coquet restaurant
beside the lake.
The facility is managed by Troon Golf, the
leader in upscale golf course management,
development and marketing, who
strengthened its international portfolio in 2012
by adding The National Azerbaijan Golf Club
Land of FireLeading the way for the
FOR a country’s first and only golf course to step onto golf’s world stage to host a professional golf event is a courageous move, particularly considering that few people know where that country actually is. Yet The National Azerbaijan Golf Club in Quba, situated by the Caspian Sea, South of Russia, bravely aims to put the nation firmly on the world golf map in hosting the €300,000 Azerbaijan Open Challenge.
to its extensive worldwide list of managed
properties.
The National Azerbaijan Golf Club will lead
the way in harnessing golf’s spirit of tradition
and innovation in delivering world-class
coaching. The Academy by Troon Golf will
be utilising cutting-edge technology and
techniques, delivered by expert PGA-qualified
instructors to develop players of all levels.
The Academy boasts an immaculate
practice facility that is second to none. The
comprehensive facility has been created
to allow for the practice of all areas of the
long game, via the driving range, while the
extensive short game area, will allow golfers to
develop their skills in golf’s other areas.
In conjunction with the Azerbaijan Golf
Federation the golf club’s major incentive is to
develop junior golf both locally and nationally
throughout Azerbaijan.
The facility is located in Quba, which lies between the coast of the Caspian Sea and the majestic Caucasus Mountains, a 90 minute drive from the capital city Baku, gives lovers of the game an accessible option to a world-class golf resort. Quba, famous for its beautifully crafted handmade carpets, apple orchards and
local cuisine, combined with an International Ski Resort only a short journey through the beautiful mountains, make this a must visit for any tourist.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 73
Arabian
REGISTRATION is now open for the four tournaments across the two courses
at Emirates Golf Club and the Dubai Creek course which make up the Dubai
Golf Summer Series, sponsored by GolfLan. Open to all golfers with a valid
handicap, the competition is an individual Stableford with full course handicap
allowance. Participants are able to enter just one event or all four. However to
compete for the overall prize, a minimum of three scores must be recorded while
individual prizes supplied by Ping, Greg Norman, FootJoy and Titleist will also be
awarded at each event. The player with the highest points tally over their best three
rounds wins the series.
ENTRIES OPEN FOR DUBAI GOLF SUMMER SERIES
ArabianGolf - June 2014 | 75
Al Badia proGraduates 3rdAl Badia pro Kelly Hanwell graduates in third place at the UK PGA annual graduation ceremony.
Pg 78
Faris Al Mazrui clinches the Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup at Emirates Golf Club.
FUTURE STARSUNEARTHED
The opening round of the Troon Golf Inter-Club Junior Series successfully teed off at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Junior Member Sana Tufail wins Ladies Club Championship with a two-round gross 146.
Pg 76 Pg 87 Pg 89
Tufail is Yas Links Club Champion
Al Mazrui winsTHE NATIONALS
one Emirates Golf Club – Faldo Saturday 28th June 5.00pm
Two Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Saturday 26th July 1.30pm
Three Emirates Golf Club - Majlis Saturday 30th August 1.30pm
Four Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Saturday 13th September 1.30pm
To register for the 2014 Dubai Golf Summer Series
please contact [email protected]
or call +971 4 380 1752.
Fixture Location Date Time
76 | Arabian Golf - June 2014
EMIRATES GOLF CLUBwww.dubaigolf.com EmiratesGolfClub
FARIS Al Mazrui clinched the 20th edition of the
Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup which was
played over the Faldo Course with a haul of 34
stableford points.
Forty competitors took to the course to compete
for the prestigious trophy and it was Al Mazrui who
came out on top by just one-point from Ahmed
Skaik.
Al Mazrui, a six handicapper, produced 16 points
on the front nine, including six straight pars from
the opening hole, but the key to his victory was a
fabulous gross birdie on the 429-yard closing hole
which gave him four points.
Although Skaik was denied the main prize he did
take home the junior trophy while Khalid Yousuf
shot a gross 77 to collect the overall gross prize.
Commenting on the UAE Nationals Cup, Salah
Tahlak, Senior Vice President - Corporate
Communications of Dubai Duty Free said: “This
year marks the 20th edition of the Dubai Duty Free
UAE Nationals Cup and the tournament has grown
more and more popular among UAE National
golfers since its launch in 1995. Our thanks to all
our participants and to my team at Dubai Duty
Free and to the Emirates Golf Club for their efforts
in ensuring a great day was had by all.”
FARIS AL MAZRUI TRIUMPHS IN DDF UAE NATIONALS CUP
Dubai Duty Free officials headed by Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin; Vice President for Corporate Communications, Salah Tahlak and Sinead El Sibai, Vice
President for Marketing, along with Emirates Golf Federation Board member, Rashid Al Jarwan pictured presenting the trophy to Faris Al Mazrui.
DYBALL AND BREEN WIN THE LADIES NATIONS CUPTHE Celtic team of Christine
Dyball and Margaret Breen scored
a stunning betterball tally of 50
Stableford points to take home
the Ladies Nations Cup last month.
A total of 24 teams representing
countries from all over the world
set out in a quest for glory and
the winners’ scorecard consisted
of four net eagles and seven net
birdies as they beat the German
team of Sabine Choudry and
Sabine Kielmann while third place
went to the Japan team of Lady
Vice Captain Mitsuko Emmerson
and her playing partner Yasuyuki
Fujitani after they lost out to
Germany on a countback.
Margaret Breen collects the prize from Lady Captain
Barbara Head.
SHEWAKRAMANI AND SINDHU CLINCH THE HANKOOK GREENSOMES SURESH Shewakramani and Ashok Sindhu triumphed in
the Hankook Greensomes Championship recently with a
winning tally of 12-under par over 36 holes.
The duo found themselves in the last group for the
final round on the Majlis course following an opening 64
(8-under par) over the Faldo course and they were joined
by Yvette and Neil Heywood who were two strokes back.
With three holes to go at least four teams had the
chance to win but it was Shewakramani and Sindhu
who finished strongly with a gross birdie for a net eagle
on the par four 17th followed by a net birdie on the
final hole. They combined superbly in the Greensomes
format to post rounds of 64 and 68 for a 132.
Emirates GC members Karam Sehmi and Ninu Smith
represented their home club admirably with rounds of
67 and 67 for a 134 total for second place while Gaurav
Verma and Shreyans Khemka shot up the leaderboard
into third place thanks to a superb second round 63.
CHRIS DYBALL TRIUMPHS IN LADY CAPTAINS DAYBARBARA Head started her Lady Captain’s Day with the opening
tee shot and great fun was had by all across the modified
Majlis course. Various alternative versions of the holes were put
together, including a Nearest the Pin with a throw on hole 7 and
‘green keepers revenge’ with tractors in the middle of the fairway
on hole 10.
Taking the top honours in the popular event was Chris Dyball
as she put together a superb tally of 42 points, one clear of
Veronica Elias and Janet Curtis who needed a countback to
separate them. Second place was eventually handed to Curtis
due to her performance on the closing nine holes.
CONTACT:Tel : +9714 380 2222
E-mail: [email protected]
BARBARA HEAD LEADS HER TEAM TO VICTORY OVER MITSUKO’S IN THE BATTLE OF THE CAPTAINSLADY Captain Barbara Head led her side to a 5 ½ - 3 ½
victory over the team led by Lady Vice Captain Mitsuko
Emmerson on the Majlis Course in the recent Battle of
the Captains.
Most matches went all the way down to the
final few holes and could have gone either way but
Barbara’s team held their nerve to clinch the win.
There were four Nearest the Pin prizes on offer and
walking away with the prizes were Janine Dols, Ingrid
Sjodoff, Fiona Berry and Carolyn Thompson while the
two Longest Drive prizes were won by Elaine Belcher
and Viv Caley. Lady Vice Captain Mitsuko Emmerson is
puctured left presenting Lady Captain Barbara Head
with the Battle of the Captains trophy.
www.themontgomerie.com theaddressmontgomeriedubai
THE ADDRESS MONTGOMERIE DUBAI
CHRIS Alderman held his nerve to win the Club
Championship recently after defeating defending
champion Charlie Simpson in a play-off.
The pair both finished with a two-round tally of gross
156 but it was Alderman who prevailed on the second
extra hole odf a play-off to take the title.
Barbara McBean won the Ladies Championship for the
third time in her career with an emphatic 14-stroke win
while the Net Division ‘A’ winner was Gina Guillamon with
a 151 tally while Juangok Youn sealed Division ‘B’ on 134.
The men’s Division ‘A’ went to Malcolm Gray with a
143 while Myoung Kyu Shin took the spoils in Division
‘B’ with a 132.
ALDERMAN CROWNED NEW CLUB CHAMPION
A TOTAL of 82 members took to the course to play
in the Captains Trophy last month which saw
Kevin Thorley hand over the reigns to Alex
Andarakis and Fiona Linn to Frances Westwood.
The format for the tournament was a Blind
four-person team event, with two of the team
members being split up from their other two
team members and then combining both team
scores to determine the winners of the day.
Winning the event with a score of 118 points
were Alex Kuk, Valerie Zabrodin, John Brash and
Stephen Steyn, two points clear of second-
placed Baljit Kaur, Satnam Kaur, Liam Burns and
Carol Burns.
A special mention goes to Chris Ridley for
hitting a hole-in-one on the par-3 sixth.
CAPTAIN’S TROPHY WELCOMES IN NEW REIGN
MASOUD Sobati and Joon Eun combined
superbly to win the recent Rivoli Citizens and
Guests tournament with a score of 79 points –
six clear of Muzaffer Hamid and Sajjid Hamid.
In Division ‘B’ Jong Hun Mun and Gi Chun
Kang scored 64 points to take the title by five
points from John and Debbie Murray.
SOBATI AND EUN WIN RIVOLI AND GUESTS
CONTACT:Tel : +971 4 390 5600
Arabian Golf - June 2014 | 77
IT was an historic day at the University of Birmingham recently as Al Badia
Golf Club’s pro Kelly Hanwell was amongst the top three golfers at the UK
PGA’s annual graduation ceremony.
The PGA training programme, which was founded more than 50 years
ago, concentrates on all aspects of golf, including business, equipment
technology and repairs, rules and tournament organisation, sports
science, sports psychology and competing in tournaments.
Hanwell, from Northampton, England, has a real passion for the game,
which is evident from her career work history.
Prior to turning professional in 2010 she was also a Regional
Development Officer for the English Golf Union and the English Women’s
Golf Association, which saw her increasing participation and raising
awareness of the game of golf.
Kelly turned professional in 2010 and has been a member of Al Badia
Golf Club’s Academy since the summer of 2013.
“It was a great honour to collect my diploma from Beverley Lewis, who
was the first female captain of the PGA and to be a part of a little piece of
history,” she smiled after finishing third behind Alex Mollin and Emma
Fairnie. “I’ve worked hard over the past three years to complete my
qualification and I am so pleased to have finished where I did.”
AL BADIA’S KELLY HANWELL FINISHES IN TOP THREE AT UK PGA GRADUATION
Leading Ladies: Kelly Hanwell (centre) is pictured with winner Alex Mollin (left) and Emma Fairnie (right).
LEO KAWAKAMI CLINCHES THE AL FUTTAIM HONDA SERIES QUALIFIERLEO Kawakami took the spoils in the recent Al Futtaim
Honda Series Qualifier with a superb haul of 40
Stableford points. The youngster won by two from
George Fitchet while Liz Batson took third place on 36
points
Kawakami also clinched the Nearest the Pin prize that
was on offer on hole 11 while the Longest Drive went
to Yulia Savina on the 4th.Leo Kawakami is pictured with Club Captain Richard Kim and Vice Captain
Colin Cordery.
AL BADIA GOLF CLUBwww.albadiagolfclub.ae AlBadiaGolfClub AlBadiaGolfClub
FORSTER WINS RIVOLI MAY MEDALDAVID Forster was in exceptional form in
winning last month’s Rivoli Medal while Steve
Kelshaw won the Gross prize on the day with
a 74.
David Moore topped the pile in Division ‘A’
with a 68 while a net 69 was good enough for
Noel Connolly to take the Division ‘B’.
The Ladies Division was won by Jacqueline
O’Connor who shot a net 71. There was only
one ‘two’ recorded on the day as Paul Batson
rolled in his birdie putt on the 15th.
Winner David Forster is pictured, centre, with Al Badia Captain Richard Kim
and Vice Captain Colin Cordery. CLOSE CALL IN END OF SEASON OPENTHE scores were tight in the End of Season Ladies
Open last month but taking the spoils with an
excellent score of 60.1 was the team of S.L. Rim,
Yeon Ja Lee, Ji Won Bae and J. Kir. In second
place with a score of 60.5 was the team of Helen
Shippey, Teres Salum and Kristina Degenaist, while
the Nearest the Pin prize went to S.L. Rim and the
Longest Drive went to Michell Hilbert.
78 | Arabian Golf - June 2014
SPORTYEXTERIOR.
Lightweight hosel: Adjustability with no loss of performance.
CUSTOM-ENGINEERED INTERIOR.
©2014 PING P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071
On the outside, the new i25TM adjustable driver says performance and control. Inside, the multi-material driver has the horsepower to match. A CG positioned low and back reduces spin and delivers an extremely high MOI for forgiveness while stabilizing launch conditions to give you the distance you demand. To get the perfect
to help keep you in the fairway. Of course, there’s a lot more to it, so test drive one at your PING Fitting Specialist or visit ping.com.
DUBAI CREEK GOLF AND YACHT CLUBwww.dubaigolf.com DubaiCreekGolf dubaicreekgolfandyachtclub
THE leading 16 EGF Amateurs teed off against 16 leading UAE-based PGA
Professionals in the 15th annual staging of the Dubai Golf Trophy and coming
out on top after two days of superb play were the professionals by a margin of
19.5 to 12.5
The professionals have now won the last six editions and were rarely
threatened over the weekend in the Ryder Cup-style format. After the
opening mornings’ play the scores were level at 4 – 4 but in the afternoon
the pros pulled ahead and led by 11 – 5 ahead of the final day singles.
With a six point deficit the amateurs had it all to do and they gave it their
all under the captaincy of John Fellingham but came away empty handed
once again. Max Burrow produced a fine performance and got the first point
on the board for the amateurs with a 5&3 victory over Luke Plumb and
Rayhan Thomas followed suit with birdies on holes 15, 16 and 17 to beat
Alistair Brown 1-up.
Paul King also managed to earn a point with a 2&1 victory over Al Ain’s
Professional Fraser McLaughlin and there were also wins for Miki Mirza, Bilal
Belaid and Eoin Cunniffe.
However, the professionals proved again to be too strong a match and it
was Anthony Buchanan who sank his par putt on the 15th to seal a 4&3
victory over Hassan Yazdi and get that all important 16th point on the board
for the professionals which ensured their victory.
After the end of play, PGA Professional Team Captain, Steven Munro
commented; “I’d like to thank the Professional team for doing such a fantastic
job today and to Dubai Golf for hosting a superb event once again this year.”
Amateur Team Captain Fellingham said: “I am so proud of my team. They
supported each other and gave it their all as well as playing the game in its
intended spirit. As captain I couldn’t have asked for any more and I look
forward to the Dubai Golf Trophy going on for many years to come.”
After the prizegiving, Dubai Golf CEO, Chris May, commented: “Firstly, I would
like to say thank you everyone who qualified and participated this year. It was,
as always, another great event with some fantastic golf being played. This is a
very special and unique event to this part of the world and Dubai Golf is very
proud to be part of it. We look forward to its continued success.”
PROS TOO GOOD AGAIN FOR AMS IN DUBAI GOLF TROPHY
Chris May, CEO, Dubai Golf, presents the Dubai Golf Trophy to Steven Munro, the Professionals team Captain,
while the victoriousPGA Professional team celebrate their sixth win in a row in the tournament.
SAMUEL D’SOUZA OUTLASTS THE PACKTHE fourth event in the 2014 Dubai Duty Free Junior
Medal Championship took place recently and taking
the spoils on the day was Samuel D’Souza with a
superb tally of 29.5 while Katherina Nielsen won
the girls prize with a score of 37.5. Taking the Gross
honours was Dhruv Nair while the two Nearest the Pin
prizes went to Markus Nielsen and Jennifer Vincent on
holes 5 and 8 respectively.
Samuel D’Souza is pictured with Stephen Hubner, Lady Captain Paula Savage and
Jasmin Valencia, Assistant Sales and Marketing Manager, Dubai Duty Free.
JOSHUA HILL WINS SEVENTH EVENT OF PAR-3YOUNG Joshua Hill lit up the par-3 course as he went round in 23 blows to win the seventh event of
the Dubai Golf Par-3 Series recently.
Joshua was 4-under-par for the day and won by four strokes from Fardeen Meeran while in the
Purple sivision Hoshi Yadav prevailed on a countback ahead of Dilan White with both players
locked on 30.
Aarnav Nath secured the honours in the Blue section with a score of 33, one clear of David
Polo while Sadie Brannock shot a 40 to win the Yellow section by two from Rishi Lolla. Mirwais
Arghanidawal shot a 59 to win the White section.
“It was an excellent day and we are privileged to have some of the finest talent in the UAE,”
said Organising Golf Professional Kenny Monaghan. “The score today from Joshua was first class. I
wouldn’t have fancied taking him on myself! Congratulations to all the players. Some of the youngsters
were playing on the course for the first time. This is valuable experience and, hopefully, great fun for
everyone.”
80 | Arabian Golf - June 2014
CONTACT:Tel : +971 4 295 6000
E-mail: [email protected]
KHODJASTEH CLINCHES THE MASHREQ MEDALSHAHRIAH Khodjasteh clinched the top prize in last month’s
Mashreq Medal Championship with a superb round of 67.
“It feels so good to finally to win one of these events
after many, many years of trying,” he said after receiving
his prize. “I would like to say a huge thank you to the
sponsors of the event and to everyone involved for
putting on such great events for us all, month after
month.”
The Men’s Division ‘A’ title went to Dhruv Chopra with
a solid net 2-under-69, two clear of Mark McCarthy. A
fantastic net 68 saw George Chidiac clinch the title in
Division ‘B’ by one stroke from Christophe Blanc while the
overall Gross winner on the day was Bayhaan Lakdawala
with a confident 1-over 73.
The Ladies Division went to Naema Maya with a net 71
while the same score helped Barry Henderson to victory
in the Senior Division.
THOMAS HOLDS ON TO HIS JUNIOR OPEN TITLEDUBAI Creek Golf & Yacht club
recently hosted the annual Junior
Open – the final event of the EGF
Order-of-Merit Championship – and
coming out on top was defending
champion Rayhaan Thomas, carding
a superb 10-under-par 70.
“I’m really pleased to make a
successful defence of my title
against such a strong field,” smiled
Thomas. “As always I would like
to thank my playing partners
for such an enjoyable game
today and, of course, everybody
involved with the organisation of
the event for putting on such a
great tournament again this year.”
Thomas was in the first group
and set the bar for the rest of the
field at 1-under par and although
fellow Dubai Creek junior Mikhail
Pinto put in an excellent round
to challenge Thomas’s lead it fell
just short.
Pinto’s score of 1-over 72 saw
him take the Boy’s Gross title
while Arabian Ranches junior Kim
Chiang took the Girl’s category
with a 77.
The Boy’s Net title went to Kabir
Nanda with a 65, two clear of
Dhruv Nair, while Aashka Desai
shot a 67 to win the Girls Net title
by eight from Anastacia Bakal.
Arabian Golf - June 2014 | 81
SHARJAH GOLF AND SHOOTING CLUB CONTACT:Tel : +971 6 548 7777
E-mail: [email protected]
www.golfandshootingshj.com Sharjah-Golf-Shooting-Club
THE season-long Tourism Authority of
Thailand Order of Merit came to an
exciting climax on May 9th at the
Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club. With
eight Orient Travel Medals up for
grabs and an all-inclusive golfing trip
to Thailand on offer for the top three
finishers, courtesy of the Tourism
Authority of Thailand, the stakes were
high heading into the final round.
In the end it was Jaydeep Sarkar
who carded a final round score of net
86 to hold on by 1.5 points and claim
his first ever Order of Merit title and a
trip to Thailand.
Mukti Rai, who sat in fifth place
prior to the final round, fired a solid
net 74 to jump up three places on the
standings and finish in the runners-
up spot.
Claiming the last ticket to Thailand
was Mel Stewart who retuned a net
score of 79 in the final round to do
just enough to hold onto third spot
by just three points from Indian golfer
A.E Ravi.
Ravi ended with a disappointing
final round of net 83, pushing him
from second place to fourth place. In
the Gross Order of Merit it was
George Liu who ran away with victory
by a resounding 33 points over golfer
Ramli Sulaiman while Ricky
Dominguez finished in third place.
SARKAR JUST HOLDS ON TO SECURE THE ORDER OF MERIT
A two-under net score of 34 was good enough for
Korean golfer Golden Kim to return to the top of the
Centro Sharjah Rotana Midweek nine-hole Medal. He
carded four back-to-back gross pars to open his round
and ended up finishing one shot ahead of the pack.
Sultan Al Ali took second place with a one-under net
score of 35 which was also good enough to win him the
Division 1 prize. Hyuck Tony Bang took the runners-up
spot in Division 1, recovering from a poor start to finish
on an even-par 36.
In Division 2 it was last month’s Centro Rotana
champion Abdul Latif who finished on top after
recording a two-over score of 38.
Ruhil Baraiga recovered from a poor start to finish in
second spot with a four-over score of 40. He won via a
countback after his father, Larry, and Westley Burke,
recorded identical scores at the end of their nine holes.
KIM TAKES MIDWEEK CENTRO ROTANA MEDAL
Abdul Latif of the Emirates Golf Federation took
the Coral Beach Resort Midweek Bogey
competition with an overall score of three-over
par and no losses. SGSC member Kardibaldi also
ended on three-over par but lost on the
countback after a poor finish on the final hole.
However, there was some joy for Kardibaldi as he
walked off with the Division 2 title.
Englishman Gavin Reed picked up the Division
1 prize after shooting a round of one-over par.
Bogey competition is a format that is played
hole-by-hole. If a player shoots a birdie or better
he wins that hole while a bogey or worse would
result in them losing the hole. A player halves
the hole if they shoot par. The holes that the
golfer loses are then subtracted from the holes
won to come up with a final score.
ABDUL LATIF WINS CORAL BEACH RESORT BOGEY COMPETITON
The scratch team duo of Nathan Fisher and Hassan
Yazdi joined forces to produce two superb rounds for a
combined score of 63.9 to win the BMW Members &
Guests Social event.
On the back of Yazdi’s impressive eagle on the par
five fourth, the duo played in the morning shotgun,
leaving it to the afternoon golfers to try to surpass
their total.
The pairing of Abdul Moiz Khan and Imran Akhtar
finished a close second as they combined for a total
score of 64.5.
Englishmen John Gould and Ian Plant combined
nicely to win the Texas Scramble format in the
morning with a score of 33.7, while the Singaporean
duo of Ramli Sulaiman and Rizal Ibrahim won the
afternoon version with a total of 34.
The back nine betterball medal formats went to
2013-14 SGSC Club Captain J.P. Simon and Luca
Carstanjen for their six-under score of 30 in the
morning, whilst BMW specialists Mike Siddaway and
Brian Sheppherd collected the afternoon version
with a score of 32.
FISHER & YAZDI TAKE BMW SOCIAL
82 | Arabian Golf - June 2014
ARABIAN RANCHES CONTACT:Tel : +97 1 4 366 3000E-mail: [email protected]
www.arabianranchesgolfdubai.com Arabian Ranches Golf Club
Completing his round five-up on the
course, Emmanuel Orim captured the
men’s title at the Individual Bogey
Tournament finishing two ahead of
Matthew Derrick who secured the
runners-up spot.
In the ladies division it was Pauline
Wallace who returned a score of three-
up against the course to take the
ladies title. She posted a total of seven
net birdies on her way to the title,
finishing just one ahead of Sheila
Alban.
ORIM AND WALLACE CONQUER THE COURSE
Matthieu Charnelet was crowned the Men’s Champion in
the tenth edition of the Arabian Ranches Club
Championship. He played consistent golf over the two-day
event to narrowly finish ahead of second-placed Dougie
McLennan.
In the women’s tournament it was Adele McKelvey who
comprehensively won her seventh title to take the
championship by eight shots over runner-up Kim Chiang.
Erik Hartzuiker won the junior championship with a gross
score of 79 while the junior net title went to Marcello
Pereira for his 77.
CHARNELET AND McKELVEY CROWNED CLUB CHAMPIONS
MAGS Feenie will soon have to buy a bigger mantelpiece as she collected yet
another trophy in the form of the inaugural St George’s Day Trophy recently.
Feenie cruised to a four-stroke victory after signing for a 66 in the event,
which is the brainchild of Al Hamra members Clive and Evon Rawlings.
Feenie was in hot form and recovered from a nine on the second hole to
post equal halfs of 33 to win from Peter Mitias with Phil Gardner taking third
place after losing to Mitias on a countback.
The best gross score on the day went to Brian Stewart after he signed for an
80, two clear of John Wilby while the special events on the day went to Ian
Baron, Brian Stewart, Andy Klein and Ash Harris for their Nearest the Pin efforts.
Another special prize went to Ian Midgley who on the ‘best dressed’ award
thanks to his superb Union Jack ‘onesie’.
FEENIE FIRES A 66 TO WIN THE St GEORGE’S DAY TROPHY
AL HAMRA GOLF CLUB CONTACT:Tel : +971 7 244 7474E-mail: [email protected]
www.alhamragolf.com AlHamraGolfClub AlHamraGolfClub
84 | Arabian Golf - June 2014
AL AIN EQUESTRIAN SHOOTING AND GOLF CLUBCONTACT:Tel : 6400 702 3 971+ E-mail: [email protected]
www.aesgc.com
KIWIS WIN THE ANZACS DAYTHE annual Anzacs match which pits an
Australian team against a team
representing New Zealand took place
recently and coming out on top were the
Kiwis by four shots – thanks in no small
part to Chris Moore who shot a gross 75 for
a net 62 to win the individual prize on offer.
Joe Coppinger was second, thanks to
his net 65, while Mihail Bucataru took
third place with a 67 from his net 77.
In fourth place was Eric Smith who
closely followed with a net 68 while Chris
Grimshaw and Alison Smith were fifth
and sixth in the individual event
respectively as they both scored 71 net
to complete the prize winners. Australia Captain Peter Forrester presents the trophy to New Zealand Captain Susie Norton Westwood.
LEX CASSIERE EASES TO MAY HILTON HANDICAP WINLEX Cassiere made the most
of some great conditions for
scoring as his excellent gross
71 gave him a net 65 for a
one-stroke victory in Division
‘A’ of last month’s Hilton
Handicap. In second place
with a net 66 from a gross 74
was Chris Moore while Mark
Krusemark also signed for a 66
but missed out on a
countback. The scoring in the
top division was superb
throughout as Jim Muirhead
and Tommy Cotgrave also
carded a 66 while there were
67s for Bofdan Schiopu and
Stephen Garbutt.
Division ‘B’ saw Chris
Emmerson blitz the field with
a net 65 from his gross 81, five
clear of Mark Harrower who
posted a net 70 from his gross
87 while third place went to
Michael Truelove who lost out
to Harrower on a countback.
Gerard McGrath returned to
form to win Division ‘C’ with a
68 while the ever-improving
Daniel Whittaker took second
place with a 69 and Andrew
Muirhead third on 71.
CONTACT:Tel : 999 375 4 971+
www.jumeirahgolfestates.com Jumeirah-Golf-Estates
JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES
AS The temperatures soared during last month’s Member and Guest competition so
too did the scores as powerplay pins were in operation on the Fire Course to entice
some risk/reward play.
Many teams took advantage of the double points awarded to those brave enough
to attack these Black flag locations and it certainly showed in the Team Powerplay
Stableford event. Taking the overall title with a score of 110 points were Graeme Doy,
Steve Ramsden, Matthew Wallhead and Paul O’Neil. The quartet blitzed the back
nine with 59 points and over the course of 18 holes they compiled 24 powerplay
points to win by three from Kari Stenman, Aki Kotakorpi, Tomi Karvonen and Kari
Nyman.
Taking third place with 104 points were JGE members, Bob Symons and John
Walsh with guests Mark Jolliffe and John Fish and they were delighted with their
podium finish.
David Haswell won the Nearest the Pin in 2 prize on the first hole and Chris Moore
clinched the same award on the 16th.
SCORES SOAR IN MAY MEMBER GUEST
Register now for this exciting series that takes place on the championship courses at
Dubai Golf Summer Series 2014
YAS LINKS GOLF CLUB CONTACT:Tel : +971 2 810 7777
E-mail: [email protected]
www.yaslinks.com YasLinksGC YasLinksGolfClub
Maroun Yazbeck took the honours at the Yas Links Members
Cadillac Monthly Medal on May 2 as he prevailed in the ‘B’
Category (Handicap 0-12) with a net score of 80. In the ‘A’
Category (Handicap 13-28) it was Art Lehmkuhl who finished
on top after carding an impressive net score of 76.
William Royce recorded the day’s overall best gross round as
he finished with a score of 74 while the best ladies net score
came from Elizabeth Campbell who shot a 75.
YAZBECK PREVAILS IN MONTHLY MEDAL
SANA TUFAIL AND JAMES COOK CROWNED CLUB CHAMPIONS
JEBEL ALI GOLF RESORTCONTACT:Tel : +971 4 814 5555
E-mail: [email protected]
www.jaresortshotels.com JebelAliGolfResortSpa
EUROPEAN Tour player and frequent guest at Jebel Ali Golf
Resort, David Drysdale, took a break from Tour life to hit
the Resort Course in a practice session and shot a blistering
10-under-par round of 62.
After a slow start to the year due to injury the Scot tuned
up his game by playing with regular Resort Course players.
The warm-up did him some good as he recently posted
a share of eighth place at The Championship at Laguna
National thanks to rounds of 68-70-70-65.
DRYSDALE SHOOTS A SENSATIONAL 62
Pictured left: Roy Donaldson, Carl Wherrett and Golf Team members
James Williams and Elliot Rowe watch David Drysdale tee off.
ADRIAN Low collected the
individual prize at the Mole
Patrol Championship at Jebel
Ali Golf Resort last month with
a superb haul of 39 points. It
turned out to be a great day for
Low as he also won the team
prize alongside Karsten Zang
and Ian Everingham with a tally
of 93 points.
ADRIAN LOW DIGS DEEPS TO WIN THE MOLE PATROL
JUNIOR member Sana Tufail compiled
a two-round total of 146 to win the
Ladies Club Championship while
James Cook posted a 147 to clinch the
Men’s title.
Grace Groves sealed the Ladies net
category with a hugely impressive 147
points, four clear of Ying Hoong Fun.
Ryan Hunter, another Junior Member,
took second place in the gross
category behind Tufail.
88 | Arabian Golf - June 2014
SIEGEL AND O’SULLIVAN CROWNED PEUGEOT CLUB CHAMPIONSTWO days of glorious weather and perfect greens
greeted a full field of over 100 players in the
Peugeot Club Championship and coming out on
top were Emily Siegel and Mark O’Sullivan.
Siegel retained her Ladies Champion title
thanks to her two-day tally of 172 while
O’Sullivan clinched the Men’s title with a superb
total of 149.
In the Net prizes Debbie Gibbs came out on
top in the Ladies Division with a 139 total while
the Men’s net winner was Billy Gibb with a 137.
The overall Division ‘A’ winner was Aaron
Schemeck who had two great Rounds of 66
and 71 for a 137 total while in Division ‘B’ Vijay
Ganju took the spoils with the same score after
consistent rounds of 68 and 69.
PROMISING FUTURE FOR BEACH ROTANA JUNIOR LEAGUE PLAYERSTHE Beach Rotana Junior League series came to a climax last month when more than 100 youngsters teed it
up to try and get their hands on some silverware.
In addition to prizes on the day, the Order of Merit awards were handed out and taking the 3-hole
prize was five year old Viraj Bulla with a tally of 113.5 points – a superb achievement as he was
competing against some players who were twice his age. The 8-hole Order of Merit prize went to Lara
El Chaib as she won the final event to come from second place to leapfrog clear of Charles Imbert with
a 122 point tally.
The 18-hole Order of Merit winners were Jake Wilshire in the Gross section and Antel El Chaib in the Net.
Taking the spoils in the 3-hole tournament in the final event were Seung Woo Wang in the Boys
section and Jessica Kelly in the Girls with 14 points each, while the Boys winner in the 8-hole
tournament was Mohammed Al Hajeri with 27 points.
ABU DHABI CITY GOLF CLUBCONTACT:Tel : +971 2 445 9600
Fax : +971 2 443 225
www.adcitygolf.com adcitygolf@adcitygolf
SUPERB SCORES IN FINAL AJYAL GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP PAR-3
ABU Dhabi City Golf Club hosted the grand final
of the 2013-2014 AJYAL Golf Championship Par-3
League recently and members of the Al Heloo family
stole the show.
The league is open to all Emirati junior golfers
under the patronage of the Shiekh Diab Bin Saif
Al Nahyan and taking the top honours in the Boys
‘A’ Division was Obaid Al Heloo with a gross 37,
one clear of Mohammed Al Hajeri with Khalid Al
Mutawa third on 40.
Reema Al Heloo made it a day to remember for
her family by dominating the Girls Division with
a superb gross score of 32, a full 13 shots clear
of Alyazya Al Shehhi. Reema also collected the
Nearest the Pin prize on hole 9.
Division ‘B’ was played over six holes and Alia Al
Emadi took the spoils with a gross 32, four points
clear of Khalifa Abdulla with Adlii Dallal third on 37.
Rhian Lobo, General Manager of Abu Dhabi City
Golf Club, said: “We were very honoured to be
part of such a great event and to accommodate
the grand final of the 2013-2014 AJYAL Golf
Championship Par-3 League.”
UAE National Team Coach Jason Froggatt said:
“The EGF would like to sincerely thank the children
of Sheikh Diab Bin Saif Al Nahyan for sponsoring
The Ajyal Golf Championship. This is the second
season of their support and again we have seen
between 24 - 30 children participate throughout
each event.
“This year also saw our U-15 National Team
win the Gold medal in the GCC U-15 Golf
Championships in Oman. The U-15 team came
through our Development Programme and
Par-3 League. The EGF is looking forward to their
support for next season and to grow the game
through the Emiratis’ particpation.”
ABU DHABI GOLF CLUBwww.adgolfclub.com abudhabigolfclub@ADGolfClub
CONTACT:Tel : 8990 558 2 971+ E-mail: [email protected]
FUTURE STARS UNEARTHED IN TROON GOLF JUNIOR INTER-CLUB SERIES OPENERSEVEN year old Sean Cooper took centre stage at
the opening event of the Troon Golf Junior
Inter-Club season opener at Abu Dhabi GC as he
led his team from The Track Meydan to a nine-point
victory.
The Track team compiled a tally of 79 points to
clinch the win ahead of The Address
Montgomerie Dubai with Sean signing for an
even-par round to lead the way in the individual
section. Taking second place was Jennifer
Buchanan from TAMD while home player Amalia
Arredondo picked up the Nearest the Pin prize.
Danny Jakubowski, Group Director of
Instruction at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Saadiyat
Beach Golf Club, said: “The feedback from the
parents has been overwhelming. They love being
able to watch their kids play, and really
appreciate the fact that we are providing them
with an opportunity to play on Championship
courses and with world class facilities. Most of
them plan on following the rest of the events on
the series, too.”
17 YEAR OLD JUNG BIN KIM WINS THE HSBC CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPJUNG Bin Kim clinched the HSBC Club Championship ahead of a strong field of
60 players recently after two rounds of 77 from the black tees on the National
Course.
Kim plotted his way around the course in superb fashion, combatting the
strong winds with some exceptionally consistent driving and iron play.
Taking second place with a total of 158, four behind Kim, was Sung Jin
Hwang with Bilal Belaid finishing third with a 159 tally.
The Ladies competition was far more one-sided as Paromita Mukherjee
posted rounds of 85 and 79 for a mammoth -13stroke win over Lina Tyson.
In the Men’s 14-0 hcp Division Chris Rossmeisl scored a net 150 to deny
Tariq-El Chaib by two strokes while in the +15 hcp Division Thomas Dauer
was the worthy winner with a 129 total. Cathy Siegel clinched the Ladies
Net prize with a 148.Jung Bin Kim Paromita Mukherjee
Register now for this exciting series that takes place on the championship courses at
Dubai Golf Summer Series 2014
90 | Arabian Golf - June 2014
TOWER LINKS GOLF CLUBCONTACT:Tel : +971 7 227 939
Email: [email protected]
towerlinksgcwww.towerlinks.com
HONG AND PARK COME OUT ON TOPTHE deadly duo of S.P. Hong and J.I. Park
secured victory in the Social Cumulative
Stableford competition recently after
they won a three-way countback. Four
teams signed for a tally of 27 points and
it was Hong and Park’s impressive finish
that saw them take the win ahead of
Justin Clarke and Miller Green with Dave
Oldfield and George Llewellyn finishing
third. Unluckily finishing outside the
medal positions were Leo D’Sousa and
Jeff Baker while the two Nearest the Pin
winners on the day were Mark Reagan
and Dave Faulker.
TOWER LINKS’ REIGN OVER AL HAMRA CONTINUESTOWER Links continued its dominance of Al Hamra
in the annual Interclub Tournament after thrashing
them by a whopping 13 points recently.
Al Hamra held the lead after day one on their
own course by 16.5 – 13.5 but struggled at Tower
Links on day two as they failed to adapt to their
new surroundings. The home team trounced Al
Hamra by ten points on day two to round off a
36.5 – 23.5 final score.
ASHUTOSH AND RUCHI SHUKLA SHINE IN WEEKLY SOCIAL GREENSOMEASHUTOSH and Ruchi Shukla played some superb golf to clinch the weekly social
greensome competition by three points from Liam Walker and Pat Mottershead
with an outstanding score of 24 points.
To succeed in this format it requires both players to perform on the night which is
something that this dynamic duo did with ease. Finishing third were Joe Wivou and
Lanka Uduwatta while George Llewellyn and Gerry Gibson took the two Nearest the
Pin prizes.
MARK REAGAN AND GREG MADDOX STAR IN STABLEFORDMARK Regan and Greg Maddox
topped the standings in the
weekly betterball Stableford
recently with an impressive haul
of 23 points. Leo D’Sousa and
Andy Klein also scored 23 points
but lost out on a countback and
were left to lament a sub-standard
back nine. Joe Wivou and Lanka
Udawatta took third place on 22
points while taking home the
wooden spoon on the night were
Jeff Baker and David Michie who
managed to score 13 points.
SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR WALKERLIAM Walker clinched a two-point victory in the recent Weekday
Social Stableford after a haul of 21 points saw him pip Ruchi Shukla
to the title. Four players scored 17 points and taking third place
outright after winning the countback was Yuki Pellerine. The two
Nearest the Pin winners were S.P. Hong and Walker while Robbie
Cunningham looks like he could do with some golf lessons after
taking home the wooden spoon with just 7 points.
THE husband and wife pairing of Rob and Debbie
Lane posted an impressive two round net score of
140.2 to clinch the title in the prestigious Mixed
Open recently.
A greensomes score of net 70.6 on the final
day’s play combined with their opening 69.6
gave them a clear victory ahead of Dong Min
Suh and Jung Kyung Yoon while taking third
place with a net 144.8 were Phil and Julie Dixon.
ROB AND DEBBIE LANE TAKE MIXED OPEN
Left to right: Phil and Julie Dixon, Mohamed Akeel (from sponsors Coca Cola), Dong Min Suh and Jung Kyung Yoon and Debbie and Rob Lane.
SOUTH African Ryan Wooley became Bahrain’s Junior Open Champion after
coming out on top in the two-day event, thanks to gross scores of 74 and 75.
Wooley’s total of 149 saw him take the title ahead of Sam Hobday by seven
strokes while the overall net prize went to Abdulla Al Qutami with a superb score
of 142.
Nearly fifty youngsters from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom,
USA and South Africa competed in the prestigious competition which
saw some excellent scoring despite the soaring temperatures on the first
day and tough, windy conditions on the second. The tournament,
supported by the Bahrain Golf Association, was split into three main
categories with under21-s and under16-s competing on the
Montgomerie championship course, and the under 12s and beginners
playing on the Wee Monty par3- course.
The under16- competition was closely contested with Yaseen Le Falher
edging out Saud Al Sharif by a single shot while Taimur Malik sealed the
under12- category with a two-round total of 56.
RYAN WOOLEY CROWNED BAHRAIN JUNIOR OPEN CHAMPION
TAYMOUR Scarello won his third of the five events in the Race to The Monty series so far to increase
his lead on the points list. Scarello now sits on 467 points after picking up 140 points for the win,
and is well clear of Sherif Fahmy who finished second in the event. Fahmy’s haul of 126 for finishing
second took his total to 428.75.
Soliman El Assar, who previously won two rounds of the series, can still turn things around
in the next round as his total gross points of 423 puts him within striking distance in third
place.
The year long challenge began in January and will see a series of 11 events run untill
November. The overall winner in the Gross and Net divisions will receive a three night stay for
two at The Address Montgomerie Dubai, both playing three rounds of golf at the
accompanying championship course, plus return flights. Also included is access to The
European Tour’s season finale – the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
TAYMOUR SCARELLO SEALS ROUND 5 OF THE RACE TO THE MONTY
THE ALLEGRIA CONTACT:Tel 20.12.377.9800+ Fax 2354 880 0122 2+
www.theallegriacairo.com TheAllegria
www.dubaigolf.com EmiratesGolfClub
THE ROYAL GOLF CLUBCONTACT:Tel : 750777 17 973+
www.theroyalgolfclub.com theroyalgolfclub
92 | Arabian Golf - June 2014
KWANG Hung Cho was in hot form as he produced a net 67 to win the Club
Shield on a countback ahead of Benjamin De Poumeyrol. Taking the honours
in Division ‘A’ with a 68 was Duk Bae Kim while Jacky Tan and Richard Bolton
took second and third place respectively. After missing out on the overall
prize, De Poumeyrol settled for the top spot in Division ‘B’ ahead of Shizuka
Ikawa with Ken Hardman taking third place.
KWANG HUNG CHO COLLECTS THE CLUB SHIELD
MIR CAPTURES THE MEDALFAISAL Mir clinched last month’s Guardian Wealth
Monthly Medal courtesy of a superb score of gross
70 which gave him a net 67 and a one-stroke win
over Mikkel Mathiesen in Division ‘A’.
Young Gon Ok took the course apart as he
signed for a net 64 from his gross 81 to win
Division ‘B’ by four strokes from Lewis Affleck.
In Division ‘C’ Jean Dominique Lucas emerged
victorious winning on a countback ahead of
Keiichi Kadowaki and DeWet Espach after all three
had finished on a 67 while the Ladies Division was
wrapped up by Marlene Lebitschnig with a 73.
SARIOWAN AND KELLY ARE THE PERFECT PAIRSIEGFRIED Sariowan and Paul Kelly won the recent
DGC Pairs Challenge with a scintillating low score
of net 62, two strokes clear of Ian McInerney and
Brian Cullen.
The event consisted of two shotgun starts and
the weather favoured the morning players as a
strong wing blew up at lunchtime. Sariowan and
Kelly were grateful for their early tee time as they
came out on top while finishing third were Paul
Virgo and Gerry Price with a 65.
The event was also a qualifier for the Men’s
Doubles Matchplay with the top 31 teams
qualifying for the knockout stages of the event.
The Matchplay will be staged over the year and
will result in one pair being crowned Doubles
Matchplay Champions for 2014.
MARK CAMPBELL CRUISES TO MAY MEDALMARK Campbell romped to a ten-stroke victory in
last month’s medal after a superb net 65 off his 10
handicap saw him finish clear of Paul Rathbone.
Thomas Rathbone took third place after he signed
for a 77.
In Division ‘B’ Osama Al Taher clinched the top spot
with a net 70, three strokes clear of David Brudenall
with S.R. Shashidhar taking third with a 75.
HUMPHRIES CLINCHES THE FED UP CUPBRIAN Humphries took home the inaugural
Fed Up Cup Order of Merit title recently after
three months of consistent play. Humphries
has been one of the big improvers at the
club since investing in some golf lessons
and it certainly paid off in the form of his
victory.
DOHA GOLF CLUBwww.dohagolfclub.com Doha-Golf-Club
CONTACT:Tel : 2277 295 4 971+
RIYADH GOLF COURSES www.riyadhgolfcourses.com
CONTACT:Tel : 9900 739 55 (0) 966+
Riyadh-Golf-Courses
| 93Arabian Golf - June 2014
To find out more contact us at [email protected] for businesses or individuals based in the SEPA region only.
Don’t just change your swing to improve your game... The Game Changing Pre-Paid Multi-Currency MasterCard®
The world’s first prepaid MasterCard to offer 14 currencieson a single card at genuinely spread free foreign exchange rates. Managed online or on the go via smartphone app.Accepted at over 34 million locations and 2.1 ATM’s worldwide displaying the MasterCard Acceptance Mark.
Official sponsors of David Howell Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Winner 2013
The Centtrip Prepaid MasterCard is issued by Prepaid Financial Services Limited pursuant to a license from MasterCard International Incorporated. Prepaid Financial Services Limited is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, registration number 900036.
www.centtrip.com
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 95
GOLF STYLE
DRIVING RANGE
THELOOK
98 104102TEE
TIMES
STEVETHOMPSON
96ENGLAND
RUGBY STAR AT HOME ON THE
GREENS IN DUBAI
| WorldwideGolf - May 2014
STEV
E TH
OM
PSO
N M
BE
GAME OFTWO HALVES
WorldwideGolf - May 2014 |
WWG: You were a hooker on the rugby pitch,
are you a hooker on the golf course?
Steve Thompson: Hooker, slicer, you name
it…whatever can go wrong does go
wrong, but I’m trying to put it right! I love
my golf and the weather out here in Dubai
definitely helps!
WWG: When did your interest in golf begin and
what do you love about the game?
ST: It began 15 years ago, but the
demands of playing in the front row
meant I needed to stop playing as my
body was frequently injured. But now I
have stopped playing rugby, I have taken
golf up again.
WWG: What handicap do you play off?
ST: I play off 22 (bandit) but I’m having to
teach myself how to play all over again
because of my neck injury.
WWG: You broke your neck twice playing
rugby, how has that affected your golf?
ST: It has affected it quite considerably. I’ve
had to teach the right side of my body how
to play again, and Justin Parsons from the
Butch-Harmon School at The Els Club has
been given the daunting task of doing. It’s
been good as I have just started from the
beginning and got the basics right.
WWG: What are the strengths of your game?
ST: At the moment my main strength is
playing with my 8-iron as I can use it out of
the sand on the fairway and in the rough!
WWG: What about the weaknesses?
ST: Playing out of bunkers and my short
game genrerally.
WWG:How often do you play?
ST: ’m trying to play at least once a week
but sometimes I can get out three times
a week (‘networking’ is best word ever
invented).
WWG: Were you able to play much in your
rugby days when you were on tour? Did you
get to play at some nice places around the
world?
ST: I tried to play at least once in each
country I visited, just to say I had, but
because of the scheduling of games and
training it was hard to get out on the
course. The backs were always on the
course when the forwards were training!
WWG: Rugby and golf are pretty different
sports; is golf a popular game among pro
rugby players?
ST: Actually it’s quite similar – it’s a very
mental game where one mistake can cost
you dearly so you need to concentrate. I
just hope I can learn to hit a ball straighter
than I can throw a rugby ball at a line-out!
WWG: Which of your former colleagues did
you play with? Who were the best/worst?
ST: Ben Cohen had to be the worst player
– he had no coordination whatsoever.
Matt Dawson and Mike Tindal were very
good players. Will Greenwood always
talked a good game but the biggest
bandit would have to be Jason Leonard.
WWG: What about the funniest moment?
ST: : I once hit a drive and my driver ended
up in the middle of a pond. I had to wade
in, in my pants, to get it.
WWG: Since you have been in Dubai how
have you seen the game develop?
ST: I’ve only been in Dubai for three years
and already I’ve seen the standard of golf
courses getting better and better. When
you look back over the years Emirates golf
course seemed to be the only course, and
now there are plenty of great courses.
WWG: How significant is the region for
golf with events like the DP World Tour
Championship and the Desert Classic etc?
ST: It’s hugely significant There is a
massive expat community playing golf
here. On top of that, Emiratis are getting
into it, which exposes them to the top
golf championships, giving them the
opportunity to see the great players
playing here on the world stage. I’ve been
lucky enough to go to both of the Dubai
tournaments - you get to see the players
close up and I admire the consistency they
can all play at. They all make it look so easy!
STEVE THOMPSON MBE was a fearless front row rugby player for England
and the British and Irish Lions. A member of England’s all-conquering
2003 World Cup-winning side, he is his national team’s most capped
hooker. He’s lived in Dubai for the past three years where he now runs a
successful interior design business and being based in the emirate has allowed
him to reignite his long-held passion for the game of golf. Steve suffered two
serious setbacks with neck injuries during his rugby career, which ended
his playing days and greatly hampered his ability to play golf. He’s had to
effectively re-learn the game from scratch and helping him do that has been
Justin Parsons, Director of Instruction at his home club, The Els Club, where we
caught up with Steve.
Steve and Justin on the range at The Els Club.
98 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
THE DRIVING
RANGEMcLAREN HAVE BEEN NAMING THEIR F1 CARS BY NUMBERS FOR DECADES.
SO WHY CHANGE A WINNING FORMULA WHEN BUILDING THEIR PROUCTION CARS?
The McLaren MP4-12C was the first in a current line of supercars from the Formula One heavyweight that has taken the retail fight to their race rivals, Ferrari.The McLaren MP4-12C sees the British company slipstreaming the Italians on the road – with a view to overtaking with a new range of spectacularly quick and supremely capable supercars.
McLaren have been here before, of course. In 1993 the McLaren F1 was unveiled to the
world with a three-seater cockpit layout that placed the driver in the centre of the car, a chassis made from the lightweight material the company pioneered in motorsport, carbonfibre, and a V12 engine from BMW.
The McLaren F1 would go on to lay claim the title of the world’s fastest production car for almost a decade, though only 100 were ever built and many of those were for privateer racers. As with the original F1, the MP4 12C plays on McLaren’s grand prix pedigree.
Its shape was honed in the same wind tunnel used to fine-tune the aerodynamics of its F1 cars whose construction centres around a carbonfibre monocoque cell. There’s even technology based on systems banned from Grand Prix racing because it was so effective.
You even have to climb over a high and wide sill to enter the MP4-12C, through lifting a scissor door that opens not by a door handle but by running your fingers along the underside of a protruding door edge.
WORDS BY
RONALD HARVEY
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 99
GOLF STYLE McLaren MP4-12C
ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE TYPE: TURBO MPFI
ENGINE SIZE: 3.8L
CYLINDERS: V8
MAX. TORQUE: 600NM 7000RPM
MAX. POWER: 460KW 7500RPM
PWR/WGT RATIO: 332.4W/KG
BORE & STROKE: 93X69.9MM
COMPRESSION RATIO: 8.7
VALVE GEAR: VARIABLE
DOUBLE OVERHEAD CAM
DRIVETRAIN SPECIFICATIONS
TRANSMISSION7 SP AUTOMATIC
DRIVE TYPE REAR WHEEL DRIVE
McLAREN MP4-12C SPECS
STEERING & SUSPENSION
FRONT RIM SIZE8.5X19
REAR RIM SIZE11.0X20
FRONT TYRES 235/35 R19
REAR TYRES 305/30 R20
WHEEL BASE 2670
FRONT TRACK 1656
REAR TRACK 1583
FRONT BRAKES DISC - VENTILATED
REAR BRAKES DISC - VENTILATED
100 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
Volvo is justifiably proud of its different approach, and the
usable, attractive XC60 is strong enough to stand out in a
very able compact SUV crowd.
For a long time Volvo has been trying extremely hard to evolve
from it’s conservative image. It all started in the late 1990s with
former Volvo design boss Peter Horbury’s sleek C70 coupé, but the
real breakthrough was with the XC60 – the car that the current
crop of Volvos owe their DNA to.
The striking details and flowing curves have set a new image
for the Swedish brand as it’s more of a cross between a coupé, 4x4
and estate.
With a new hood and sporty interior the 2014 XC60 model
has received more of an urban twist. The new XC60 is available
with two engines from the 240 hp petrol turbo T5 to the 304 hp
T6. Power is handled via an advanced Geartronic transmission to
enhance performance and driving pleasure.
Protecting you in a fast-moving world
If the car in front stops suddenly and you don’t react, Volvo’s
innovative, advanced City Safety system will apply the brakes – at
speeds of up to 50km/h. The XC60 also comes with an Active High
Beam which means you can keep your mind on the road and see
further without dazzling other drivers.
XC60 T6 Technical Specs
Six-speed Geartronic transmission 8.1 l/100km
Acceleration (0-100) 6.9 s
Emissions CO2 249 g/km
Fuel Capacity 70 l
Towing Capacity 2000 kg
Total Weight 2440 kg
Roof Max Load 100 kg
THE VOLVOXC60
Intuitive and advanced connection
With three modes to choose from, you can
personalise your Adaptive Digital Display
to suit your mood. Choose our voice-
activated Sensus Connected Touch to
navigate easily, and enjoy a whole world
of internet-based entertainment, plus
improved navigation with 3D maps, local
search, send-to-car remote destination
setting and the optional 3G telematics
option (Volvo On Call), offering a WiFi
hotspot for Internet connectivity.
Starting range price: AED129,900.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 101
UAE toll free: 800-8823
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.volvocarsuae.com
Visit the showrooms
Two main showrooms, one located at Dubai Festival City
and another in Abu Dhabi.
Contact for more information about the XC60 in the UAE:
Ramadan offer: Complimentary 60,000Kms
service contract and warranty up to 5 years.
DRIVING RANGE VOLVO XC60
102 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
TEE
IMESRolex Oyster Perpetual
Sky Dweller
A favourite of many pro golfers who
travel the world on a weekly basis, the
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller
provides the information global
travellers need to keep track of time
at a glance. Launched in 2012, the
Sky-Dweller is a striking timepiece
that perfectly blends mechanical
sophistication and ease of use.
x Oyster Perpetual
weller
of many pro golfers who
orld on a weekly basis, the
Perpetual Sky-Dweller
formation global
o keep track of time
hed in 2012, the
king timepiece
mechanical
e of use.
WorldwideGolf - June 2014 | 103
GOLF STYLE TEE TIMES
Audemars Piguet Millenary Minute
Repeater with AP Escapement
IF you have a spare half a million dollars lying around, you might want to invest
in this stunning Millenary Minute Repeater from Audemars Piguet.
AP is the brand of choice for many of today’s top golfers, including last month’s
Spanish Open winner Miguel Angel Jiménez and it’s easy to see why the
stylish fun-loving Spaniard is attracted to these beautiful watches. The Hand-
wound minute repeater watch features a small seconds dial, Audemars Piguet
escapement and a double balance-spring. It comes in a lovely rose gold case
with a white enamel dial and black roman numerals.
www.audemarspiguet.com
Union-Glashuette - ‘Noramis’
IF it’s the retro look you’re going for, then Union-Glashuette’s
Noramis is the watch you should be wearing. One of the
more reasonably priced timepieces around, the stylishly,
domed dial, sapphire crystals, and attractive numerals
make reading the time on this time machine a timeless
experience.www.union-glashutte.com
Carl F Bucherer–
Patravi EvoTec DayDate
THE Patravi EvoTec DayDate collec-
tion from Carl F. Bucherer provides
the perfect blend of style and ele-
gance. This collection is now available
in a cushion-shaped case with a new
steel bezel and includes a rock-solid
DLC coating, making it several times
harder than steel. The Patravi EvoTec
DayDate is the choice for golfers.
www.carl-f-bucherer.com
104 | WorldwideGolf - June 2014
LTHE
OOKSINCE the 1980s, La Martina has been an internationally
renowned clothing manufacturer famous for their
high quality polo equipment and leisure clothing. The
Summer collection 2014 features two new capsule
collections the ‘Coleccion Privada’ and ‘Royal Box’.
HONMA GOLF CO.LTD.
Honma proudly distributed in the MENA region by First Investments Establishment, T/A Arabian Golf, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - +966546607950
Available at: Royal Golf Club, Bahrain; Riyadh Golf Courses; Dirab Golf Club; Green Sports and Golf House.
UAE Retail Partner
Your address ....Home of the DP World Tour Championship
Contact: 800-Tulip (88547)
