Despite what has been a turbulent twelve months since last January, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club was once again delighted to hold the OMEGA Dubai Creek Men’s Amateur Open this weekend. The demand for a slot in this year’s event was exceptionally high, receiving over 160 entries. We had to limit the field to 105 and run a handicap ballot for the reserve list. Our entrants came from all over the world with 11 overseas entrants heralding from nations such as Malaysia, the USA, the UK and Ireland. As such, the caliber of golfer was impressive and 34% of the field played from a handicap lower than scratch with the lowest, Toby Bishop, playing off +4.6!

Players arrived on Friday morning to see the 747’s taking off from DXB Airport into the south east signaling a switch in the wind from its prevailing direction. The rough was juicy, the air cool and the pins lurked on the edge of the greens – even the most experienced Creek regular would struggle with the conditions…

Many faltered, some prevailed.

Winning best net on day one with a score of 71 (E) was Christopher Cornwall and winning best gross was Bradley Mogire with a 72 (+1). At the end of play on day one, the leaderboard was topped with the hugely impressive -4, 67 of Zubair Firdaus.

A closely fought tussle between the top four ensued over the final nine holes. We had a new leader after every hole and Bayhaan Lakdawala set +1 as the target in the clubhouse. All three players in the last group were on the green in two after a variety of drives, but Christopher Rahm’s approach to three feet stood out from the rest. A tap in for birdie for Rahm and a three putt bogey for Miki Mirza gave Rahm a one shot lead heading into the notoriously difficult last hole, framed by the low evening sun. Firdaus and Rahm found the waste on the right with their tee shots but flat lies in the sand posed no trouble to their superior skills. Rahm found the first cut pin-high left, Firdaus found the front portion of the green and Mirza’s ball lay just beside Rahm’s after his shot from the centre of the fairway. Mirza made a five and Firdaus a four, but it would not be enough. With cool confidence, seemingly unperturbed by the occasion, Rahm chipped to three feet once again and delivered his winning putt with ease, securing his title at Champion of the OMEGA Dubai Creek Men’s Amateur Open 2021 after rounds of 70 and 72 for an even par finish. Behind Christopher, the field remained tightly packed with Bayhaan Lakdawala in second (+1), Zubair Firdaus third (+1), Max Burrow fourth (+4) and Miki Mirza fifth (+4). Congratulations to Christopher for a brilliant performance over the two days!

The overall net prize was won by Bilel Belaid (E) followed by Raghav Gulati (+2) and Shezad Lakdawala (+5). The best net score of day two was Anders Khron (+1, 72) and the best gross on day two was Niklas Korjonen (-2, 69).

After the price giving ceremony, in which winners were awarded with OMEGA hospitality tickets to the Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club later this month, Golf Services Executive, Thomas Hall commented, “This event was a delight to run as always and we love to see the golf course in its finest condition holding firm against some great golf. A huge thank you goes to our sponsors OMEGA for their continued generosity and support. Congratulations to all of our winners and we look forward to welcoming you all back next year!”

(Dubai, UAE) – March 6th, 2020:  This past weekend there were some talented juniors battling it out on the fabulous Fire Course to be crowned junior champion.

Viggo Sorensen was victorious following a playoff after finishing on a five-under-par 67 which was equaled by Natali Gupta, the duo went back to the 1st on the Fire course and it took four attempts of hole 1 for Viggo to be crowned champion holing a birdie putt with barely any daylight remaining.  Winning the boy’s best gross was Bonnen Clark closely followed by Josh Bibby. The boy’s net prize was won by Jay Chinchankar with the net runner up Emanuel Gallepini.

The girl’s gross winner was Natali Gupta with 67 followed by Sakura Kawakami on 70. Net Champion with a score of 72 was Kate Bibby

The final awards went to Chantal El Chaib for her efforts on the 2^nd hole with nearest to the pin leaving Natali Gupta with nearest to the pin on hole 11.

Stephen Hubner Quote “Junior golf is an integral part of golf within the UAE. We are delighted to see Viggo Sorensen crowned as our 2020 champion. The playoff was nail-biting and exciting and there was some excellent golf from all the juniors who participated. We are so proud to see this level of golf this year”

(Dubai UAE) – Craig Vance was victorious in the Men’s Amateur Open over the weekend following a playoff with Jay Mullane, both golfers were tied on a score of 145 (+1) after the regulation 36 holes but with Craig making par on 1^st playoff hole he was crowned JGE Men’s Amateur Open Champion for the second time at JGE. Jay Mullane despite missing out in the playoff deserved of second place following a closing round of 70 (-2). In third place was Ahmad Skaik with a total of 146 (+2) having been tied for 1^st place after day one. Chris Alderman with 148 (+4) placed fourth with Nathan Fisher taking fifth place on 149 (+5).

In the net division, Paul Kistner was crowned Net Winner with a total score of 142 (-2). Two strokes back on 144 (Par) Gavin Ritchie finished runner up following a card playoff over Hisham Shammas who finished in third place.

Stephen Hubner Quote “With a full field of 99 players and both the Fire and Earth courses in great shape we are delighted to have Craig as our Open Champion once again. It is always difficult to lose in a playoff but I have no doubt we will be seeing Jay’s name at the top of many a leaderboard in the future”

Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club played host to the 12^th Men’s Open Golf Championship on the weekend of the 6^th & 7^th December. As ever the event was fantastically supported by some of the best golfers from across the UAE, with a mixture of young guns bidding to put their mark on the event & the seasoned master craftsmen of the game.

The weekend event was hotly contested and the course was in fantastic condition and praised by the competitors. Day one saw both Toby Bishop and Dan Byrne come hot out of the blocks & posted impressive scores of one under par seventy-one. Toby and Dan were closely followed by some big names including SGSC’s very own Nathan Fisher who was a single shot back and EGFs Khalid Yousef just two shots back. Also after a poor first round for his standards defending champion William Ang would feel he wasn’t out of it.

The overnight leaders Toby and Dan were nip and tuck throughout the final round until Dan who plays from the Els club, unfortunately, dropped a few shots late on and had to settle for fifth place. Toby Bishop representing Trump international Golf Club held his nerve on what was a very close affair, he posted a very solid round of golf level-par seventy-two. Adding this level par second round to his first round of one under par seventy-one saw him finish on one hundred and forty-three, which saw him become the 12^th SGSC Men’s Open Champion. The third player in the final group chasing his first Men’s Open title was SGSC member Nathan Fisher and despite having ten birdies over the weekend dropped too many shots and finished in fourth place one over par. The runner up and the third spot came from late charges from probably the pre-tournament favorites William Ang and Josh Hill. William was three-under for his last four holes to post the best round of the weekend five-under-par sixty-six for a level par total and runners up spot. It was a similar story for Josh representing Trump International who posted four under par and equaling Williams total only losing out to second place via countback.

Dan Bryne (TEC) picked up the trophy for Day one’s best score with a score of seventy-one. The Day two best score went to Gordon Munro representing the Dubai Hills Golf Club as he posted seventy-two level par.

The first place net was won by a visitor all the way from San Francisco who said he had the weekend of his golfing life with a staggering net total of fourteen under par winning by a massive twelve strokes. Runner up went to SGSC member Mohan GC who had a very solid weekend of golf finishing on a net total of two under par. Third place went to SGSC member Ravi AE. Picking up the best day one net score was Edoardo Scialanga with a score of seventy-one for the emirates golf club member. The day two best score went to Sharjah Golf & Shooting club member Namir Al Naimi as he showed his experience around the course to post a level-par seventy-two.

The event was played in a great spirit and a record number of competitors for the SGSC Men’s Open and was highly competitive all the way to the last putt.

(Dubai, UAE) – The annual Junior Open was hosted on the Fire course this weekend with 42 of the regions rising stars battling it out to be crowned junior champion and adding to the list of worthy champions. With EGF Order of Merit points up for grabs the stage was set for a fantastic showdown with only 5 more events before the close of the season.

JGE Junior Open Winners

Alexander Hedes was victorious following a playoff after being matched on 74 by Felix Faessler, the due went back to the 18th on the Fire course and it was to be Alexanders day coming off the green as champion. Eoin Freeman secured third place one shot back on 75 having just missed out on the playoff. In the Net division following a card playoff with a superb 69 was Bonnen Clark with Saransh Raina as net runner up.

The girl’s gross winner was Hannah Cheryle Alan with 87 followed by Helena Ludwig on 89. Net Champion with a score of 70 was Lara El-Chaib.

The final awards went to Sam Mullane for his efforts on the 2nd hole with nearest to the pin leaving Adrian Larsson with nearest to the pin on hole 11.

Stephen Hubner Quote “Junior golf really does play such an important role in the future of golf in the UAE and we are always excited to see that talent on display here at the club. The EGF OOM really is getting into the business end of the season now and we wish all of those juniors involved the best of luck for the remaining events”