Worldwide Golf January 2022

T H E M I D D L E E A S T ’ S N O .1 G O L F M A G A Z I N E

EST

1999

Worldwide Golf

JANUARY

2022

VIGGO SORENSØN

HOW A WAKEBOARD ACCIDENT CREATED ONE OF DUBAI’S BEST AMATEUR GOLFERS

FEATURE

FOCUS

CHARLIE WOODS

CAN HE BECOME THE FIRST SIBLING TO BREAK THE MAJOR CURSE?

TYRRELL HATTON

THE CHAMPION RETURNS TO ABU DHABI BUT THE COMPETITION IS FIERCE.

Worldwide Golf is the Official Media partner to the European Tour Group in the Middle East and the official magazine of the Emirates Golf Federation

+ LYDIA KO – THE KEY TO WINNING + SQUARE THE FACE FOR CONSISTENCY + TAYLORMADE STEALTH UNVEILED

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CONTENTS

18

TYRRELL HATTON

The Englishman, who has picked up four Rolex Series titles, looks ahead to defending his title in Abu Dhabi.

FEATURES 24 LYDIA KO

The former World No.1 reveals the secrets about her return to the winner’s circle after ending a three-year trophy drought.

28 VIGGO SORENSØN

24

The reigning EGF Order of Merit champion talks us through his journey into the game and his future plans.

32 SASI SAVTHIVELU

We catch up with Saadiayt’s Player Assistant, who has gone from caddying in Sri Lanka to a scratch handicapper with dreams of making it as a pro.

PETE COWEN Brooks is the player to watch Master PGA Professional Pete Cowen believes Brooks Koepka is the most likely to get closer to Jack Nicklaus’ Major record.

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DAVID HOWELL Not the start we wanted for DP World Tour

CHICKS WITH STICKS Changing the game, one Chick at a time

David Howell looks back at the covidstricken South African Swing after making history at the Joburg Open.

Jenny Hennessy, Founder of Chicks With Sticks, gives us an insight into her motivation in starting the allgirls golf group.

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CONTENTS 42

SWING

Pete Cowen analyses Charlie Woods’ swing after the youngster teamed up with his father at last month’s PNC Championship.

40

SQUARE IT UP Stephen Deane, Head of Academies at Dubai Golf, walks us through a simple tip on how to square the club face correctly at impact.

GEAR

47 TAYLORMADE STEALTH The latest all-carbon driver was used by Tiger Woods at the PNC Championship - will it pack a punch when it’s released in the UAE?

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50

PXG 0311 X DRIVING IRON How did PXG’s latest offering perform against the 0311 P irons?

CALLAWAY APEX UTILITY Callway’s newest utility wood grabbed our attention when it was released, but how it perform?

LOCAL STORIES

52 ABU DHABI PRO-AM After a year’s hiatus due to the pandemic, the Abu Dhabi Pro-Am is back, and better than ever.

51 SHOTSCOPE V3 This budget friendly caddy on your wrist could be an ideal companion out on the course with it’s vast range of features.

TRAVEL

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ABU DHABI AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP Josh Hill booked his spot in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with victory at the prestigious WAGR event.

EAGL CORPORATE INVITATIONAL PROVES A BIG HIT Key UAE businesses went head-to-head live on TV in another groundbreaking event for the EAGL.

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62 RUMANZA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Pakistan is set to get it’s first Championship Course with a helping hand from golfing icon Sir Nick Faldo.

EDITOR’S LETTER

NEW BEGINNINGS It’s an honour to be the new Editor of Worldwide Golf

I

t is an honour to be writing my first Editor’s Letter for Worldwide Golf, the magazine that gave me my big break when I first came to Dubai almost five years ago.

In that time, I have covered almost every event in the Middle East, from the season-ending DP World Tour Championship to the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final, as well as the numerous amateur events up and down the country. I would like to pass on my thanks to our previous editor, Alex Gallemore, and the whole team at Worldwide Golf for giving me this fantastic opportunity and I know that they will continue to be a pivotal part of the success of the Middle East’s Number One golf magazine.

EXCITING TIMES AHEAD As we swing into a new year, I am sure we can all agree that exciting times are ahead after the European Tour evolved into the DP World Tour, which will kick off properly with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship this month after the South African Swing was interrupted by Covid. That tournament will be followed by the Dubai Desert Classic, which has been

elevated to Rolex Series status for the very first time, and we look ahead to both of them in the starter section.

Away from the professional game, the local golf scene is thriving with rounds across the Emirates at an all-time high and we speak to a number of local players in this issue, including reigning EGF Men’s Order of Merit champion Viggo Sorensøn and Dubai born star Josh Hill. I’m also delighted to welcome our brand-new columnist, Jenny Hennessy, who has introduced over 160 ‘chicks’ to the game since launching the womens-only golf group, Chicks With Sticks, last year. It will be great to get Jenny’s perspective on both the local and international women’s golf scene as well as learning more about the growth of Chicks With Sticks – of which she has very big plans. Finally, I would like to wish all of our readers a very Happy New Year and we look forward to providing you with the latest local and international golf news, both online and in print.

Thomas W ragg

ISSUE No.242 JANUARY 2022 • Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd • Published in Dubai by: Prografix • PO Box 24677 • Dubai, UAE (Tel) +9714 340 3785 Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore • Executive Editor: Gary Player • Editor: Thomas Wragg (tom@wspdubai.com) Publisher: Mike Gallemore (mike@wspglobal.com) • General Manager Dubai: Richard Bevan (rick@wspglobal.com) • Editors: Todd Staszko, Ashraf Ahmed • Production/Design Editor: Thameem Rayyan • Editorial Panel: Gary Player, Mike Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Richard Bevan, Thomas Wragg • Photography: Getty Images • June 2009 SSN 1- 46805671 • Approval UAE National Media Council: Ref.816 30/5/2007 Trade Licence No. 1/104375/15280 • 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.

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Printed by: Raidy, Dubai Distributed by: Al Nisr Distribution LLC, PO Box 6519, Dubai, UAE

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COU X T R E M E

1 9 T H

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T H E

W O R L D ’ S

Located at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort in the Entabeni Safari Conservatory in South Africa, the jaw-dropping Xtreme 19th is a whopping 400-metre high, 395-yard long par 3, which has a green that is shaped to resemble the continent of Africa.

This unique golfing experience requires more than just a golf cart with players taken to the tee box, which sits high above a sheer cliff of Hangklip Mountian, via a helicopter.

Once there, the spectacular views are second to none, but be careful as there isn’t a whole lot of room between the tee box and the 1,400ft drop to the bottom! Once you’ve overcome your fear of heights and made your drive, the ball can take longer than 20 seconds to actually hit the ground, and, hopefully, near the hole with the prize for a holein-one set at a tasty $1 million – a feat yet to be achieved.

The first birdie at the Xtreme 19th was recorded by former Barbados cricket star, Franklyn Stephenson, who sunk a 7m putt after his bombing drive landed on the green.

Only 13 others have followed in his footsteps with a birdie, while notable par scorers include Padraig Harrington, American actor Morgan Freeman and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

The Xtreme 19th costs around AED 1500 per four ball, which includes the helicopter ride, souvenir cap and glove pus a DVD of you playing the hole.

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L O N

URSE G E S T

A N D

M O S T

T E R R I F Y I N G

P A R

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19 Before they reach the Xtreme 19th, golfers can take on the Signature Golf Course, which was designed by professional golfers, including Pádraig Harrington, Trevor Immelman, Sergio García, Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Justin Rose, Vijay Singh, K. J. Choi and Retief Goosen. After a round, guests can also experience the African bush on a safari in a 22,000 hectare safari conservancy where the Big 5 roam wild and free. Hundreds of species of animals, plants, birds, reptiles and amphibians are just a game drive away.

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ABU DHABI HSBC CHAMPIONSHIP KYLE PHILLIPS

YAS LINKS T SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE FIRST ROLEX SERIES EVENT OF 2022

he iconic Yas Links course heralds a new chapter for the 17th edition of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship as the first Rolex Series event of the season moves away from its previous home, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, for the first time in its history. On a recent visit to the course for the ceremonial tee shot ceremony with local dignitaries, we witnessed the team at Troon Abu Dhabi already hard at work to ensure that those visiting will enjoy the best possible experience, while those efforts also extend to the golf course itself, which was designed by Kyle Phillips. The man tasked with ensuring the track is up to Tour standard is Golf Course Manager, Corey Finn.

“

The build up to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is always very exciting but this year will be even more special with a brand-new venue for us to sink our teeth into,” said Finn. “Many of the European and PGA Tour players will kick-start their competitive year in Abu Dhabi hoping to tame our notoriously tricky coastal course. Working closely with the European Tour creates a special environment and this will be no different in terms of working with a new team at Yas Links Abu Dhabi, as we are all working towards the same goal; making the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship even bigger and better than what’s come before.”

“I’ve always loved starting my season here in Abu Dhabi, and to now add my name on that trophy with so many great champions before me is a huge honour.”

– Tyrrell Hatton, 2021 Champion Worldwide GOLF 14

2011

Although McIlroy finished as runner-up, he was a whopping eight strokes behind champion Martin Kaymer, who became the tournament’s first back-to-back winner while setting the Championship record score of 24 under par.

2014

CAN RORY FINALLY GET OVER THE LINE? Rory McIlroy returns for a 12th appearance as he chases a maiden Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship victory, having come close on numerous occasions – the 32-year-old boasts four runner-up finishes as well as four third-placed finishes. A win this year would see him become the first man to complete the UAE hat-trick after winning both the DP World Tour Championship and Dubai Desert Classic earlier in his career. “I have many happy memories of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and once again look forward to starting my year at this wonderful tournament,” he said.

“Yas Links is a spectacular course and is going to provide a new challenge but one all players will enjoy. Obviously, I have come close a few times at this event in the past, and I’m hopeful I can be in with a chance of picking up that trophy for the first time come Sunday.”

Another rules violation cost McIlroy victory in 2014 after he was given a two-shot penalty in third round after being reported by Dave Renick, Ricardo Gonzalez’s caddy, in not taking ‘full relief’ from a spectator cross walk. The Ulsterman would go on to lose out by a single stroke to Pablo Larrazábal.

2012

The Northern Irishman finished one stroke behind champion Robert Rock, who held off the challenges of both McIlroy and Tiger Woods to secure a second win on the DP World Tour. It could have been so different for McIlroy had he not incurred a two -stroke penalty for brushing sand off his line during the second round.

2015

Despite a brilliant final round 66, McIlroy had to settle for second place once again as Gary Stal made an unexpected surge to the summit of the leaderboard with a 65 after Martin Kaymer, who had led by eight, collapsed to post a final round 75.

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STARS GATHER IN DUBAI

DUBAI DESERT

CLASSIC

The oldest tournament in the region and the longest running DP World Tour event to be held outside of Europe is back, and better than ever. The newly sponsored Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic has been elevated to Rolex Series status for the first time in its 33-year history with the world’s best golfers set to flock to the iconic Majlis Course in the hope of following in the footsteps of the likes of Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Seve Ballesteros in lifting the Dallah Trophy.

This month’s tournament will also mark the first time the DP World Tour’s star players get a taste of the newly renovated greens following the major upgrade to all 18 last year. The work has brought the greens back as close as possible to the original shape and size, which saw them increase by an average of 40 percent.

In 1989 the prize money was $250,000 this year it is $8,000,000!

“Dubai was an emotional win for me in January. Not only for reaching 15 European Tour wins, but with the history involved, joining such an illustrious list of players who have lifted the Dallah trophy, and it all happening at such an iconic event.”

– Paul Casey, 2021 Dubai Desert Classic Champion Worldwide GOLF 16

THE STARS COLLIDE At the time of going to press, only Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Paul Casey, Sam Bennett and Sergio Garcia have confirmed their participation in the event, but expect a cast of stellar names to follow suit, including Slync.io Ambassadors Justin Rose and Viktor Hovland. McIlroy, who is back at Emirates Golf Club for the first time since 2018 when he finished runnerup to Haotong Li, has an impressive record over the Majlis Course with two wins and a further six top-ten finishes in 11 appearances. “I’m looking forward to getting back to Emirates Golf Club for the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic in 2022,” said the Northern Irishman.

“I have so many wonderful memories from playing in Dubai over the years, and particularly over the Majlis Course, where I’ve been able to win twice. I look forward to coming back to Dubai and aiming to get my hands on that incredible trophy again.”

– Rory McIlroy

BENNETT HOPING TO MAKE HIS MARK Rising American star Sam Bennett will compete in this year’s tournament after claiming a sponsor exemption as the top-ranked player in the PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking.

Renowned for his consistency and fortitude, the Texas A&M senior’s PGA Tour University record includes an impressive seven top-five finishes, three outright victories, and the second-lowest season average (70.53) in Texas A&M history.

“I really wanted to play well in that last fall event to stay at the top because I really wanted to go to Dubai and tee it up at the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic with the best in the world,” Bennett said. “I’m thankful for the Dubai Desert Classic, PGA TOUR University and Velocity Global for helping provide this platform as I further develop into the golfer that I want to be.”

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T Y R R E L L H AT T O N

OUT TO T

DEFEN

HE DP WORLD TOUR IS SET TO RETURN WITH A BANG WHEN THE ABU DHABI HSBC CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS OFF THE 2022 SEASON LATER THIS MONTH, WITH A HOST OF STAR NAMES SET TO CONVENE IN THE CAPITAL IN A BID TO WIN THE FIRST ROLEX SERIES EVENT OF THE YEAR, ALONG WITH THE ICONIC FALCON TROPHY. REIGNING DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER COLLIN MORIKAWA AND FORMER WORLD NO.1 RORY MCILROY ARE THE ONLY CONFIRMED NAMES SO FAR, BUT IT’S ONE OF THE NAMES THAT HASN’T BEEN ANNOUNCED JUST YET THAT WILL BE VYING TO KEEP UP HIS SUBLIME RECORD IN THE TOUR’S GRANDEST EVENTS – TYRRELL HATTON.

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ND Worldwide GOLF 19

Three Times The Fun !

Now @ 3 Locations !

Arabian Ranches Golf Club Umm Suqeim Street

Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club

T

he Englishman surged to a sixth DP World Tour title in last year’s edition after carding a superb final round 66 to pull clear of overnight leader McIlroy and finish the week on 18 under par at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. The victory, which was Hatton’s fourth Rolex Series triumph in his last 20 starts, helped him on his way to finishing fifth in the DP World Tour Rankings as well as making Padraig Harrington’s Ryder Cup Team at Whistling Straits.

“It was a special week, to kick off the 2021 season with a win was great,” said Hatton at the Audemars Piguet Golf Day at the Els Club following the climax of last season. “I was very fortunate to have a really good run of form over a 15-month period where I was lucky enough to win four times. Sadly, it hasn’t been so great since then, but that win in Abu Dhabi was very special.”

The victory also helped Hatton secure a special something away from the golf course.

“I bought a house in Orlando which we were going through with it at the time,” he said. “I now live inside the gates at Nona, which is quite near to a lot of Tour pros, so it’s a nice place to be.”

Hatton had enjoyed a string of impressive results at Abu Dhabi Golf Club before his victory last season with two top tens and two more finishes inside the top 15 in his six outings at the club famed for its spectacular Falcon Clubhouse. He won’t have the chance to keep up that record this year as Yas Links, Abu Dhabi prepares to host the tournament

I

was very fortunate to have a reay good run of form over a 15-mon period where I was lucky enough to win four times.

Sadly, it hasn't been so great since en, but at win in Abu Dhabi was very special."

for the very first time in what promises to herald a new era for the Championship.

The Kyle Phillips-designed masterpiece is set to offer a whole new challenge to some of the biggest names in golf – something Hatton has mixed feelings about. “I have never played there, I’d say that I’m disappointed that it’s moved,” he said. “I enjoyed the week, I like the golf course as I’d start my season there and in the Middle East and it has always been enjoyable. I hope I like the new course, I’ve heard fairly good things about it so time will tell.”

Whatever his feelings on Yas Links, it will tick off another course in the Middle East for the 30-year-old, who first played in the region at the Challenge Tour Grand Final in 2013.

Since then he has been a regular performer at some of the region’s best golf courses,

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including the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates and the famed Majlis at Emirates Golf Club, where he has finished inside the top three at both courses at the DP World Tour Championship and Dubai Desert Classic respectively.

“The region has been such a big part of the DP World Tour,” he said. “I enjoy coming out here ever since I played the Challenge Tour Grand Final at Al Badia, so I’ve been coming here for the past eight years and I enjoy it every time I come.”

We’re sure a first visit to Yas Island and its abundance of world-class entertainment and thrill-seeking outlets, along with one of the finest golf clubs on the planet will ensure Hatton has another memorable trip to the UAE.

CLUB

CONFIDENTIAL Worldwide Golf: How often do you change your wedges and do you vary the loft and balance according to the courses that you play in?

Tyrrell Hatton: I probably shouldn’t change the wedges as much as I do, certainly the lob wedge, I get far too much spin, and I think there’s something quite nice about having new grooves that for me personally isn’t great certainly with the lob wedge and hitting that 70 yard shot.

We play a lot of courses where the greens are quite soft now and I get way too much spin, so that’s probably something I should look at.

WWG: Do you collect any clubs?

TH: No, not really. I keep the ones that I win with like the irons. They are nice mementoes for winning tournaments.

WWG: Have you ever lost your clubs on Tour?

TH: I think it was at the US PGA actually in 2016, I was on a flight and they lost the clubs so for the first few practice days I didn’t have my usual setup, but thankfully they arrived just before the start of the tournament so it was fine during the event but it wasn’t ideal preparation.

WWG: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to an amateur trying to lower their handicap?

TH: I’d work with a coach, the best thing I can do is know how far they hit the clubs, normally amateurs think like ‘oh yeah, I hit it this far’ and realistically they don’t not, not even close.

What's it like to be part of e AP family?

What's your favourite AP watch?

It’s a great team to be a part of, the sponsor days that we do are good fun and pretty relaxed which is always nice and just easy to work with. When we do days after the tournaments it’s nice to be around good people and they certainly know how to run an event.

The Royal Oak Offshore. I’ve had this one for about 14 months now and I just love the black textured rubber strap with the rose gold, it’s beautiful!

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QUICKFIRE What’s your favourite car?

Lamborghini Aventador What’s your favourite club in the bag and why?

My putter,

What’s the one thing you won’t leave home without?

My headphones

I’ve gone through a few editions of it but it’s the same shape I’ve used since my first DP World Tour win in 2016. I’ve been using it for quite a while and I had some nice results with it.

What’s your favourite course that you play on either Tour?

TPC Sawgrass or Wentworth Golf Club Last film you watched

Red Notice Last holiday you took?

Dublin, plenty of Guinness was consumed!

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LY D I A

K O

Between 2012 and 2016 she dominated the LPGA Tour and was crowned World Number One at just 17. She looked unstoppable with two Majors to her name and then all of a sudden the well ran dry.

A brief spell of form returned in 2018 with victory at the LPGA Mediheal Championship before the winless draught returned. Determined to get back on top she teamed up with Tiger’s old coach Sean Foley and went to work in the gym, harder than ever in a quest to become the best once again. 2021 was another turning point with two victories and her 18 birdies in 36 holes during the Saudi Ladies Invitational showed the hard work was paying off. We caught up with Lydia at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club to find out more.

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LYDIA KO How have you been able to find your winning form again this season?

Lydia Ko: Last year during the pandemic we had a solid six or seven months off during the season, and our off-season is usually around two months and that’s not really a lot of time to rest and get ready. Obviously it was not the most ideal circumstances with people being affected by Covid, but it was a time for me to reflect, take a step back and assess where my game was at. I was working with Sean Foley and he was able to clear some of the questions in my head and I played pretty consistently in the four months that we played after the restart.

We worked on the same things, kept things simple. When you put yourself in contention and you have more good rounds under your belt – golf is a very ‘rhythm’ game and you’re able to feed from that. I played really well at the ANA Inspiration and I was able to feed off the good energy that I had, and that led into the week in Hawaii.

Is it fair to say that you had maybe been over-thinking things and putting too much pressure on yourself?

LK: Yeah I think so, I put a lot of expectation on myself and at the same time was losing a lot of self confidence and belief.

I think as I began to play a bit more consistently that helped. Winning in Hawaii gave me the confidence that I can get back in the winner’s circle. So, it was more about proving it to myself than to anyone else.

Sean Foley is a technical coach, with TrackMan and using statistics. Is he like that with you?

LK: I think that is how some people from the outside looking in might see it, but for me, we have not been that technical at all. Obviously we do look at numbers when we’re looking at club adjustments because some things you can’t see on video or with the naked eye.

So it’s good to have technology. But he hasn’t been overly technical with me. We always do alignment stuff, which is golf 101. But those are the basic things that need to be right so you can set up for the rest of the swing.

He has helped me with the technical side but at the same time a lot of the stuff that goes on between the ears and clearing out some of the questions in my head.

Sometimes when I don’t have that self belief he is the one that puts the belief back in me. His perspective has helped a lot. When things are not going well, he will say things like ‘maybe it just needs time for you to get used to it, we’re not quite there yet’, so I think it’s good that I have someone on my team that I really trust and I believe in. He helps me stay grounded and has definitely been more than just a technical swing coach.

He’s definitely the best-groomed golf coach I’ve ever seen.

LK: He is always dressed very sharp. I wish I could look as good as him!

PXG – you’ve been loyal to them, have you changed any gear in the last 12 months or so?

LK: I have a new putter which went in the bag a couple of weeks ago. Apart from that, my iron model and wedges, hybrid, drivers and woods – I haven’t touched that set up in almost two years, though I have changed around with the

ball. I used a different Titleist model, but other than that I have the same stuff. I love my PXG 5-wood, I think I’ve had that close to three years. I have a new, unused version of it, but even though my older one is scratched I love it so much that I haven’t changed it. Sean calls it the money-maker!

What advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time?

LK: I would say to be patient and I would suggest some advice that I got from Stacey Lewis early in my career – she said ‘don’t try and be the person you are at your best, you need to be the best you can at this exact moment’.

That was pretty monumental for me. I think sometimes you can compare yourself to others. But you go through so many experiences and you develop. You can’t ever be the same person. You just need to be the best version of yourself in the present moment and don’t try and chase or become your past.

You won in a Hawaii by seven shots - how did that victory differ both mentally and physically compared to lifting your first title on the LPGA in 2012?

LK: Right now I probably hit my driver around 15-20 yards further than back in 2015/16, when I was playing some of my best golf. It’s great to be hitting it longer, but when I was struggling my ball striking wasn’t as good as in the earlier years. Now I have worked on that area over the last year, which has helped with my overall confidence in my game, especially when the striking isn’t perfect.

How hard is to win multiple events in a season compared to your 2012 to 2016 reign?

LK: It’s different in that there are so many top players. Nelly Korda had an amazing year with three wins including a Major and then won the Gold Medal at the Olympics.

Ko Jin Young, who won five times, including four in a three-month span between September and November. So it’s hard with how dominant both those players are.

At the same time, it is really hard to win anyway. There are so many girls playing great golf week in-week out, and that’s why there hasn’t been too many multiple winners this year, because it is that much harder to win.

The Aramco Series – what does it mean to have a sponsor like that bringing big money to the women’s game, not just in America but around the world?

LK: It’s a very different format, playing in Saudi Arabia; London; Spain and New York.

So they obviously trust and have the belief in growing women’s golf. It is great Aramco want to be a part of this empowerment of getting more juniors into the game, more women involved and showing the power of women. Hopefully many other brands and people in different industries will take interest in women’s golf and it will keep developing and growing for the next generations.

How did you find playing in Saudi Arabia?

LK: Royal Greens is a great course. The wind plays a huge factor around there. In

the morning it is very calm and very saunalike, hot and sticky. But when the wind picks up and comes off the Red Sea the temperature drops and you have to adjust The wind can really affect the yardages,as some holes become very short with the tail wind, while others into the breeze can play two clubs or more compared to still conditions. So the wind plays a huge factor around there, especially on the last few holes when the water comes into play and you really have to focus and trust your game.

What would you do to change the women’s game to make it more appealing to youngsters?

LK:I don’t know about changing, but I would like to add different formats to the game. Whether it’s match play like the Solheim Cup, or a mixed team event like Henrik and Annika’s event in Sweden, we need to appeal to the non golfer to get them interested. As four solid rounds of stroke play can be boring if you don’t understand the game. Also, the golf industry is big, but it could grow more by having people from different industries taking interest in it.

Sports fans are use to supporting teams.

The Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup receive the highest following of non golfers than any other events on tour. So more team formats around the world would be a great way to drive interest. Why not have teams from every continent compete against each other. It would be great one day to see a Middle East team take on Asia or Europe.

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S

VIGGO SØRENSEN

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VIGGO SØRENSEN Worldwide Golf: Where did you first learn to play golf?

Viggo Sørensen: I was born in France but shortly after we moved to Africa, which is where I first started playing golf with my dad every once in a while. I had one little club and it was tiny 7 iron and I played a bit just for fun.

We moved back to Denmark before making the move over to Jumeirah Islands in Dubai, which isn’t far from Emirates Golf Club. That was the first golf club I went to in the UAE, so I would go with my dad there from time to time. Then I had a hip injury so I stopped wakeboarding because it wasn’t good for me and then I really just concentrated on golf.

What’s the story with your wakeboarding injury?

Viggo: I did a lot of wakeboarding when I was growing up, I was second in the nationals one year for the under-10 category. I was doing quite well but then I had the operation on my hip and the doctor said I shouldn’t continue competing in impact sports. I have this growth disorder called slipped capital femoral epiphysis, basically the cap on your femur slips down because the femur grows faster and you have it pushed back up in place and they put a big screw through your leg. It kind of hinders my golf but I just work around it.

How old were you when you realised that you were pretty good at golf?

Viggo: Not long ago, I think it was just three years ago.

I played a season of junior events just for fun and then I did another season and won the EGF Junior Order of Merit so I thought that I could probably do well at this! The year I won the Junior Order of Merit I started off with a win in the first event and that just gave me a load of confidence to keep pushing on. I obviously played well throughout the season and got the points to finish top of the pack.

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The following season you entered the men’s version and won that as well. How did that feel?

Viggo: Before that season I realised that not many of the players were going to be playing the juniors again because basically all the boys were 16 or 17, so I decided to challenge myself and compete with the men. I won the first event at Montgomerie and I thought that I could go for this; I managed to get points on the board at every event after that, played well and got the win.

You seem to get on well with the likes of Josh Hill, Arjun Gupta and Toby Bishop. How important is it for you to have a friendship group like that to keep pushing each other out on the course?

Viggo: It’s great! Off the course, we have so much fun and it’s really good that we’re able to compete with each other and push each other. Obviously, when we get on course it’s a bit different but we’re still good friends. I think it’s just a great group, we always respect each other.

Who are you coached by in Dubai?

Viggo: I’m coached by Michael Sweenie (Senior Teaching Professional at the Peter Cowen Academy). I think it’s our third season working together and he’s a great guy. I wouldn’t call him a ‘swing coach’, he’s more like a performance coach. For him it’s about focusing on scoring rather than how it looks on the course, it’s all about getting the score as low as possible and making sure that my practices are specific to what I want to improve in my game.

What is the strongest and weakest part of your game?

Viggo: I’m very strong off the tee, my putting is pretty solid as well. My weakest point would be my short game, it used to be pretty good, but I had a growth spurt and I have been struggling with it.

I’ve worked really hard with my coach on it and I think it’s getting to a level where it’s quite acceptable now.

Aside from playing in the UAE, do you travel to play across the world?

Viggo: This year I’ve started travelling a bit more to play events. I flew to Bahrain twice and the last two summers I played a bunch of events in Europe, including the German Boys and a couple more tournaments in Denmark. The German Boys was tough, it was a long course at that time for me and I just wanted to get three solid rounds under my belt. We played one course twice and the other once, I didn’t really fancy the course that we played once in, I was 5 over par on the second day, but on the last day I managed to get one under par bogey free.

I think that was the second-best round of the day. I don’t think I ended it well but I was pleased with how I played in my first proper amateur event, it was a very good experience What are your targets for the next couple of years?

Viggo: I hope to go to the university next season (2022) in the States and hopefully when the MENA Tour opens I’ll play in a few events on there. This season I want to get a WAGR Ranking, it’s one of my big goals just to help me secure a good college. I’ve played a couple of those events this year including the Bahrain AM where I finished second, but you need to win the event to secure

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ranking on the WAGR, so hopefully I can tick one off soon.

Do you think you’ve got the game to compete with some of those guys on the MENA Tour?

Viggo: I think I’d be up there, but it’s more about getting the experience and playing in the same conditions as to what I hope to play in the future, be more competitive and get to play on some really nice courses. Of course, you’d want to perform as well as possible, but it’s just to get experience and try to compete for three rounds.

Your recently played in your first professional event at the King Hamad Trophy – how did you find that experience?

Viggo: It was amazing. It’s a different sort of pressure because it’s a pro event, you could feel the atmosphere with all the pros, it was mixed with a few amateurs but the course was really good, and everything is serious from the get-go.

It just puts a lot of pressure on you but I think I did well and I was proud of myself.

How far do you think you can go in the game?

Viggo: I want to turn professional one day in the future. Hopefully, if things go well then I think that’s what I want to do as a career. I’d like to get into a good university, do well there, build a lot of experience and get to the point where I feel like I’ve got the tools to do it. Away from golf, I’m quite good academically, I think I want to do finance or economics at university just as a backup if anything goes wrong, but I think the main goal is golf for the future.

Climbing the

mountain

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SASINATHAN SAVTHIVELU Imagine going to the driving range, smashing 50 or so balls then having to go and collect them all – it certainly wouldn’t happen at one of the prestigious clubs in the UAE, but for Sasinathan Savthivelu it was part and parcel of playing golf in Sri Lanka as a youngster. The 27-year-old now has the luxury of using the best facilities at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, where he works as a Player Assistant, which has helped him become a scratch golf and edged him closer to achieving his dream of becoming the first Sri Lankan to secure a DP World Tour card.

Worldwide Golf’s Thomas Wragg caught up with Sasi to get an insight on his golfing journey and what the future holds for the big-dreamer.

Worldwide Golf: How did you first start playing golf in Sri Lanka?

Sasi: I used to be a caddie at my local club in Kandy and I fell in love with the sport as I watched the players take on the course. One of the guests then gave me a golf set to play myself, I played more and more and really enjoyed it. When I was young I didn’t have anything to help me learn the game so I watched people playing and then I just started hitting balls like they do in cricket, before another guest gave me a mobile phone to watch YouTube. I would watch clips of players hitting the ball – that’s basically how I learned the game. In Sri Lanka I never had a coach or took any lessons, I just learned the game from picking up bits and pieces from player’s swings online and down the golf club.

Is there anyone in particular that you’d watch on YouTube?

Sasi: Rory McIlroy is my favourite golfer so I’d usually watch him, but I started off watching the great Butch Harmon.

I’d watch all the tournaments that Rory was playing in and pay attention to his chipping, putting and full swings. My favourite thing about his game was his driving, I love watching him smash the ball down the middle of the fairway!

What are the quality of the golf courses like in Sri Lanka?

Sasi: It’s not like here, if you hit 50 balls then you’d have to bring the 50 balls back to the pro shop! That’s why many Sri Lankans won’t head to the range, we’d rather just get out on the course as you could spend hours trying to find you ball if you went wayward off the tee. The golf course I played on was very narrow so you had to hit it straight every time, if you go right or left then you’d lose the ball, so the players wouldn’t use a driver, they would use irons and 3 woods to keep the ball on the fairway.

When I came to the UAE I could see a big difference; you use the driving range, you don’t need to bring the balls back as there are people who would do that and the golf course is always in amazing condition. Back home you don’t see ‘tournament condition’ golf courses while in the UAE you always see the courses in perfect shape, even if you play a normal game you feel like you are playing in a tournament so that improves your game.

How did you get the job at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in 2015?

Sasi: While I was caddying in Sri Lanka my friend messaged me on Facebook saying that he got me a job in Abu Dhabi and I accepted immediately because I’d have the opportunity to play lots of golf, it’s very expensive back home and if you’re a caddie you don’t make much money to live there. The salary is good but most importantly I get to play golf, I can play at all the courses in the UAE, so I’ll be working as a staff member and I can play at any golf course if I ask the managers to book the tee time. Back home you could only play three golf courses while in the UAE you can play at more than 20 courses.

How much has your game improved since moving to Abu Dhabi?

Sasi: When I was back home I was playing off 10, I came here and I saw the course and the facilities and I told myself that I need to work hard to get my handicap to scratch. During the first year I just hit some balls and got to know a few people, then I met Martin Robinson who’s the first coach I had in my life.

Jaco Stander also gave me a hand and told me that I don’t need lessons and that I’m hitting the ball straight every time but I told him that I want to improve more, so he just gave me tips about the backswing and the swing path. Then later on I got to know more people who work in Saadiyat and they helped me with my long and short games, they gave me free lessons so that encouraged me to work more and play golf, and then I started playing in tournaments where I managed to get my handicap to +1.

Now you’ve got your handicap down, what is your next goal?

Sasi: My goal remains the same and that is to become a professional golfer – that’s what I told myself when I left Sri Lanka. Nobody knows what is happening with the MENA Tour next year, but I want to play a schedule on there as an amateur to get more tournaments under my built and learn from some of the professionals on there. I’ll also be entering the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship once again, I had to miss last month’s edition but I’m looking forward to playing next year and hopefully earning a spot in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship where I could potentially meet my idol Rory McIlroy.

How supportive have Troon and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club been of your goals?

Sasi: They have been so great in helping my trying to achieve my dreams. When I’m not working I’m out on the driving range or playing one of the courses and everyone is always there to lend a hand. I couldn’t have asked for a better club to work at, so I’ll always be eternally grateful of everything they have done for me.

If you were to make it as a professional, where you would you like to play your golf?

Sasi: We have four Sri Lankans playing on the Asian Tour so that is definitely an option but I want to become the first Sri Lankan to secure a DP World Tour card. I know there’s a lot of hard work needed to achieve that goal, but I will do everything in my power to make that happen.

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PETE COWEN COLUMN “Nicklaus’ 18 Major titles still makes him the man to beat and that’s what will drive the next great player!”

Desert Swing

L

The game needs a dominant figure

ast month’s PNC Championship where you got to see some of the game’s greats play with a family member was fun to watch. It is a fun format, though competitive, and attracts viewers that might not watch a traditional stroke play event. Obviously, the event received a huge boost with Tiger and his son Charlie in the field.

It’s great for the younger generation to get involved in the sport as the new wave of golfers needs to be found. The Tiger appeal is certainly still there and who knows what the future brings for Charlie. He might only be twelve years old, but Tiger is certainly getting him use to the pressure, in a similar way he was brought up by his father Earl. The pressure will be even harder when you consider that no great golfer’s son has gone on to win a Major title. Let alone the son of one of the greatest golfers of all time. Tiger had his own path to walk and had no shoes to fill. This will be equally as difficult for John Daly’s son, where comparisons with his farther will be made every time he picks up a club.

This time it might be different as there are more great tour players kids with potential. It’s not just Tiger and John Daly with talented sons. Two of my own players, Stenson and Poulter, have young sons with their father’s natural gift. So, who knows, it would be great to see that myth over-turned.

The hard part, not just the player’s kids, but for young talent in general to become a great like Tiger is to remain focused. I’ve seen talented tour pros come into the game with tremendous potential and even win Majors. But the moment the money comes in, the effort to become great starts to fade. It’s not just golf but all high paying sports where the money takes away that drive and hunger.

If you want to be great at anything, you have to put 100% effort in all the time. Tiger was unique but his

focus was surpassing Jack Nicklaus’s total of 18 Majors. As long as Tiger still believes he can overtake Jack, he will be giving it 100%. Though the injuries he sustained in the car crash and the serious amount of talent teeing it up in Majors these days makes the goal of 19 Major victories even harder. He has silenced the critics before when he won the Masters Tournament in 2019 and lets hope for the game he can do it again.

The game needs to get away from money

We do not grow the game enough internationally as the players can only play a certain number of events.

You can understand it from a player’s point of view in terms of travelling as it has become so difficult due to Covid. If a player has banked $100 million it is very difficult for them to maintain that hunger. You will need a Tiger-like mindset to become the greatest ever golfer and Jack Nicklaus will still be a role model for that golfer. Though who can challenge 18 Majors when there is some much talent teeing it up each week.

Nicklaus realistically only had five or six top players to beat in his prime - that is not the case these days. To become the dominant figure in today’s game you have to consistently win Majors and not allow for the well to run dry. Koepka won four Majors in two years, he finished second to Tiger at the Masters; finished second to Woodland and this year he finished second to Mickelson. He could quite easily have seven Majors to his name and be the dominant figure right now. We all know he’s been battling with injury but still managing to play good golf. He’s back on track and hungrier than ever to win Majors. Everyone is looking towards Morikawa, Rahm and Rory but Brooks is the player that I feel stands the best chance of getting that Major total increasing closer to Jack and Tiger.

Brooks will do whatever it takes to be the best and fully fit he is a difficult player to beat! ■

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All the players love the Dubai Desert Classic and say it has got one of the best atmospheres on the DP World Tour. They all look forward to the tournament and now it is a Rolex Series event the high prize money will attract a very strong field. The Majlis greens will be firmer and more undulating which means players that struggle to find the fairways will find it hard to hold the greens. There will be flying rough, as you don’t need deep knee high rough. Rough that prevents players from controlling the spin is all you need.

Before the Classic we have the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links for the first time. A great course but like all links you need the wind to make it challenging for the players. If we have still conditions for all four days, with the calibre of field that has entered, expect the scores to be very low. McIlroy and Morikawa will just be throwing darts round there if the breeze doesn’t get up.

Morikawa in action at last year’s Dubai Desert Classic.

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DAVID HOWELL COLUMN

Al Hamra gets in the Swing A

s false starts go the launch of the DP World Tour would have to be right up there with the most disappointing in recent memory, all involved would have hoped for so much better than what ensued at the Joburg Open in late November. The dastardly Omicron variant laid waste to the end of year South African swing, causing chaos for all involved, all apart from Thriston Lawrence who ran out the worthy thirty-six hole champion.

I was honoured to be in the first group off with local star Dean Burmister and the recent winner of the Challenge Tour Markus Helligkilde, but sadly after one round, like many of the British contingent teeing it up in the season opener, I felt I had no option but to withdraw on Friday morning in a rush to beat the red listing of South Africa by the UK government.

What ensued will be forever known on tour as the great escape, with players and staff trying to find all manner of ways home before hotel quarantine became the only option. I made my escape via Ethiopia and then Turkey, not that my golf clubs made the same trip, they stayed on in Addis Ababa for an extended two week break it seems.

On landing it became clear that heading home was not an option, as my family would have had to isolate with me, so I stayed in my first Airbnb, in my home town of all places. Still I can count myself lucky I guess. Many involved in the Tour over the last eighteen months have had far greater hardships in terms of time spent alone. What a strange new world it is that we all inhabit.

Hopefully 2022 will start off better than last year ended. With our fingers crossed the DP World Tour will get off and running for real

once again in the Middle East. What a huge role this golf loving part of the world now plays in the success of our Tour, with no fewer than five events once again to be played in the perfect weather of the Gulf region.

A new comer to the scene next year will be the Ras al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital on the wonderful Al Hamra GC, an event that I hope will be my first of the new year. Having spent a few days on holiday there a few years ago I am looking forward to the new challenge. Talking of new challenges it will be interesting to see how the best players in the world fair on the Middle East’s most scenic golf course, which is of course Yas Links, where the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will take place for the first time, at the first Rolex Series event of the year.

Time for a change

After a decade or so at the National Golf Club, the move a few miles away to the turquoise blue shore lines of the Kyle Phillips designed links, will hopefully bring a little pizzazz to proceedings. For sure the television pictures will look sensational, hopefully the wind will blow and a true links challenge will be presented to the stars of world golf. Ferrari will certainly be happy, with their theme park in constant view and who knows the winner might well just think of investing a portion of his winnings on a prancing horse adorned two seater.

It is a shame we will not be visiting Oman to play at Al Mouj Golf this year. Renowned on Tour as one of the best tests of golf but hopefully we will be back there in years to come, in fact it reminds me of Yas Links in many ways and I truly hold it up as one of the best in the Gulf region.

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Return to Doha

Qatar are hosting their Championship once again and we move back to Doha Golf Club, where we always receive a most warm welcome. With relaid greens and surrounds I’m sure this championship test will be as strong as ever. Taking over from Education City GC Doha where it has been staged for the last two years, Qatar now has two championship courses to shout about.

Thats a 100% hit rate as far as I know, being the only two courses in the country.

With everything that has happened, it will be fitting to get the DP World Tour off and running in the style everyone would wish for.

When the Tour first visited Dubai for the Desert Classic some thirty or so years ago it would have taken a wise person to visualise what a huge role the region now plays in world golf, but it really does go to show what having a forward thinking vision can do for a country.

There is no doubt this wonderful game has weaved its way into the fabric of a large part of society in the area, not only professionally but as a way of life for so many people to play socially. In fact bearing in mind the vast array of nationalities that now live and work in the region I would hazard a guess it may now be home to the most cosmopolitan golfing population in the world, which just about sums up the UAE as a whole, which is something to be very proud of. ■

CHANGING THE GAME, ONE CHICK AT A TIME

By Thomas Wragg

T

he whole team at Worldwide Golf is delighted to welcome our newest columnist, Jenny Hennessy, on board to give our readers an insight into women’s golf both locally and internationally.

Before you read Jenny’s first column, I just wanted to provide an insight into what she has achieved since moving to Dubai in September 2020. The first time I met the Irishwoman earlier this year she told me ‘she wants to change the game, one chick at a time,’ which has been her go-to motto since founding golf group ‘Chicks With Sticks’ after discovering many like-minded young women wanted a route into the game that they often thought was as an old, rich man’s sport.

The Dubai-based Chicks With Sticks group has grown from strength to strength since the first 30 members took part in an introduction to the game earlier this year. Just two months later the programme had trebled in size with close to 100 Chicks taking up the game while the group currently boasts over 160 Chicks taking part in weekly sessions at the Claude Harmon III Performance Golf Academy.

This isn’t just your standard coaching sessions, though. It’s a low-cost entry point to golf in a fun, social and relaxed setting, with the Chicks enjoying a catch up over a glass or two of bubbles after the coaching session.

In late November last year, Hennessy expanded the group to Abu Dhabi with over 50 newcomers taking part in the first taster session at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Hennessy has plenty of plans in place for the future to expand the group and reach further women and girls who are looking to take up the game, which we’re all looking forward to hearing about in future columns.

Welcome on board, Jenny.

If you’re looking to join Chicks With Sticks, please contact Jenny through the Chicks With Sticks Instagram page or email chickswithsticksdubai@gmail.com

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Chicks With Sticks

A Pink Golf Travel Bag, Myself and I

JENNY HENNESSY The 28-year-old is the founder of Chicks With Sticks, an all girls golf group that launched in Dubai in March 2021.

H

ello golfing world. Welcome to my very first column for Worldwide Golf Magazine. My new monthly column will update you on all things golf, here in the Middle East and around the world. Before I go any further, let me introduce myself.

My name is Jenny Hennessy, I am a Primary School Teacher and avid golfer from Co. Clare, Ireland. I am the founder of the allfemale golf group in Dubai, named Chicks With Sticks.

September 2020, a new chapter begins. I relocated to Dubai to begin a new teaching role in an International School. Having previously lived abroad whilst studying in the US, the Middle East was next on my radar to explore. I arrived at Dubai International Airport with my extremely overweight suitcase and my golf travel bag (both pink, of course).

The temperature was a new extreme, a level of heat that I had never experienced before!

I knew absolutely no girls who played golf in Dubai, so I spent the first few months teeing it up with ‘the lads’. I must admit, I always took absolute full advantage of playing off the ladies tees, generously located halfway up the fairway on most courses in Dubai! I guess most were unaware that I was a 1 handicap player, hence most playing partners quickly regretted being so generous with the tee

“

I knew absolutely no girls who played golf in Dubai, so I spent the first few months teeing it up with ‘the lads’. I must admit, I always took absolute full advantage of playing off the ladies tees” choices after about the 4th hole! Young female golfers were clearly a rare entity in Dubai. I hadn’t felt so popular since being selected as a captain in my primary school physical education classes!

At work and out socialising, many young female professionals expressed their interest in taking up the sport. The high cost and lengthy duration of preexisting golf programs in Dubai were turnoffs to the expat population. It quickly became apparent to me that there was a large gap in the market for a fun, social and affordable female golf group in this bustling Middle Eastern city. Thus, my vision for a new golfing platform was born. In March 2021 Chicks With Sticks had its inaugural golf meeting at the Claude Harmon Golf Academy. Thirty females attended and immediately

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signed up for Season One, this being a five-week lesson package with slightly larger group sizes, making it more appealing and affordable to the expat community. The second season began in May, by now we had trebled in size. We broke for the summer to hide from the heat. In September the group had almost doubled in size again, and now my golfing tribe includes over two hundred members in Dubai alone.

Join me in next month’s column as I dive deeper into the structure and future plans for Chicks With Sticks, as well as sharing some of the many funny stories from our golfing adventures. It has been a dream to introduce all these ladies to golf, a sport that has given me so much joy. I am extremely excited to see what 2022 has in store for Chicks With Sticks.

SQUARE IT UP

CORRECTLY! H

ey everyone wishing you a great 2022 ahead. This month I’ve covered a quick tip on how to square the club face correctly at impact.

BY

STEPHEN DEANE,

HEAD OF ACADEMIES, deanopro DUBAI GOLF

League at topgoLf dubai Worldwide GOLF 40

INSTRUCTION

I see lots of players who get the club face into a good delivery position (the club’s position pre impact) but unfortunately try and square the club face with either too much body rotation, which usually results in an open club face at impact, or with too much hand and arm rotation which usually results with a closed club face at impact! Both not very

SQUARING ROTATIONALLY: You can see how my right side is high and steep as I’ve lost control of the club head, hands, arms and body.

desirable when you’re striving for a consistent ball flight.

Ideally we’re trying to square the face in a down force which stabilizes the club and also encourages the correct body rotation and stretch through impact. This gives us a much more desirable and consistent ball flight and start line.

SQUARING IN A DOWN FORCE: You’ll notice how the face has stabilized, the shaft has naturally steepened and my left side (lead side) has stretched up. Much improved club, hand, arm and body control!

For more information please watch the attached tuition video or visit personally at the Peter Cowen Academy.

LOOK OUT FOR THE VIDEO AT WorldwideGolf Worldwide.Golf

get your best team forward to win topgolfdubai.ae/leagues topgolf dubai Worldwide GOLF 41

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SWING Charlie Woods

By Pete Cowen

I

t’s great to see Tiger hitting balls again and even more enjoyable to see him playing in the first event back from injury his son Charlie at the PNC Championship. Though Tiger has admitted that he will never be the same again after the car crash, the determination during his rehabilitation to tee it up with Charlie at the Ritz Carlton Club Orlando would have been pushing him on just ask much as any Major. It’s great to see the pair on course having fun, as that is what the game is really about. It comes as no surprise to see that Charlie has a true gift for the game. I will point out in the following pages some of the key elements from his swing other junior golfers could benefit from.

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2

1 1. Charlie has a really nice set up as you would expect from copying his dad over the years.

He looks comfortable over the ball. The arm and shaft alignment is good along with his hip position.

2. He sets the club early with the wrists but the club is slightly over rotated and you can see more of the back of the left hand in the early part of the take away and the right hand is a little bit under. This movement is going to create a little more speed but not as much accuracy, but at his age it’s all about speed which is good to see.

Face over rotated

Great arm and shaft alignment

3. Now he’s starting to let the wrist hinge and cock at the same time. The left arm is parallel but with some players you might see more of a vertical shaft in the wind up but Charlie has still been able to load the shaft.

7

6

4. This looks like a three-quarter swing but he has a full 90 degree arch between his left arm and the shaft. For a young lad he has a very strong lower body.

5. Here Charlie has driven the legs down and his right knee has turned under the right hip which is allowing the left side to get a little stronger and leaving the arms back.

6. His left arm and shaft are still at 90 degrees and he has pushed the right knee further under with the left leg moving back on itself to create a little more speed in the hips.

7. The arms are now coming down with a little bit of lag in the left arm and shaft, which always looks like it is deflecting, but we know that is the camera work.

The lag

Right knee getting under

8. The body is really working well by moving back on itself but he has lost the stability in the club face which has been created by the grip. With a little manipulation through impact Charlie is still probably hitting good shots.

But manipulation will always be required from frames seven to 8 due to the lack of face stability.

11

9. A really strong left leg, with the hip moving back and the arms moving freely.

10. The free flowing arms continue through to a strong finish in frame 13.

CONCLUSION

You can see from the footwork in frame 6 through to the finish in frame 13, that the left leg has generated quiet a bit of extra speed and that is why the left foot spins on the ground.

This is something that you rarely see in a junior Charlie’s age and it is something that Tiger has been working on in his own game.

Left foot spinning

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12

4

3

Strong lower body

Wrist hinge and cocked

Legs working down

9

8

Grat hip work

Face manipulation

5

10

Arms flowing freely

13

CHARLIE HAS A REALLY NICE GOLF SWING FOR A YOUNG LAD BUT YOU WOULD EXPECT IT FROM TIGER’S SON. THOUGH THE PRESSURE IS ON WHEN YOUR DAD HAS WON 15 MAJORS!

Great finish

Worldwide GOLF 45

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DUBAI TEEN LIVING THE DREAM

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GEAR TaylorMade Stealth

Tiger Woods showcased the latest all carbon driver at the PNC Championship last month.

It is due to hit the stores in the UAE next month and we will be putting it up against the SIM2 to see if the Stealth packs a punch.

It’s signature red face will be easy to spot and we will soon see which staff players such a McIlroy and Morikawa put it in the bag in Abu Dhabi later this month.

Full carbon heads have been produced in the past but they’ve never been a retail success due to costs and lack of performance. So we can’t wait to get our hands on the Stealth and put it through its paces. It certainly has the looks but does it have the performance to match?

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GEAR TEST

PXG 0311 X DRIVING IRON

THREE IRON MUSCLE OR MORE? $275 RRP*

For years the fairway wood and hybrid have brought the downfall in driving iron sales. Lee Trevino once joked: “If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron.” Joking aside you will rarely see a driving iron in many bags these days as despite their technological advancements to become easier to hit, they remain a specialist iron.

My current gamers are the PXG 0311 P irons so it made sense to test their latest 0311 X driving iron to see not just how it performed but where it sat in terms of gapping and where I would put it in play.

Picking the right set up This is very straight forward; the 0311 X comes in one loft as standard at 18 degrees but you can custom order two degrees weaker or stronger depending on how you want to flight and gap your set.

Shafts It makes sense to match your current iron shafts, as I prefer the consistency on the eye just as much as the shaft weight. There is an option for custom shafts and lengths. But if you start making it longer for speed gains you run the risk of trying to build a hybrid replacement and will miss the key benefit of the 0311 X head.

Head In line with the 0311 iron set it is packed with PXG’s latest technology: • 5 x Forged – to prevent face wear • XCOR – polymer insert for enhanced feel and forgiveness.

• Ultra thin face – paired with the XCOR polymer gives excellent energy efficiency at impact. So, more forgiving.

What PXG say about the 0311 X Low spin; Low launch; Fast ball speed; Penetrating ball flight; Tight dispersion; Optimum Forgiveness; Outstanding feel and sound.

The Test The 0311 X standard loft is 18 degrees , the same as the PXG 0311 P 3-iron, though the X has a slightly longer shaft at 401/8.

The X produced slightly faster ball speeds but the shaft length would have been more of a contributing factor than just the head variation.

Considering the lofts were the same, the X was on average 12 feet lower but carried just 4 yards shorter than the 3-rion. Though the lower spin rate meant the X gained close to more than 15 yards on overall distance.

Who is this club for?

Even though this driving iron is remarkably forgiving, it will be aimed at the better golfer with a high swing speed that wants the ability to work the ball. In windy conditions you could see players of a certain calibre switching out a hybrid for the 0311 X. The club is ideal for chasing a shot onto the green or just split a fairway for position, but you will need a high ball speed to produce that low penetrating flight that still carries far enough.

THE VERDICT PXG are correct in promoting the low spin; low launch; fast ball speed, plus the feel and sound were excellent for a driving iron.

Though the minimum offset and slightly longer shaft meant I struggled with dispersion and forgiveness compared to the standard 3-iron or a hybrid with more loft. Plus my poor strikes struggled to get the ball airborne.

* Price taken from PXG.com Worldwide GOLF 49

www.pxg.com/en-us/clubs/irons/0311-x-gen4

GEAR TEST

CALLAWAY APEX UTILITY FAIRWAY FIRE POWER $299 RRP

How many of you find a fairway wood hard to hit off the deck? Well, I’m one that has always struggled with anything lower than a five wood and that’s as a single figure handicapper. That is why in recent years I’ve opted for a hybrid off the fairway when playing a long-range approach shot. The only issue is, as my ball speed has dropped over the years, the hybrid is starting to come up short. Playing a lower loft might gain extra yards in over all distance but the reduced spin and lower height means I’m struggling to hold greens.

What is the solution?

I guess a better diet and gym routine might help but I want a quick fix. Plus, what time I have spare needs to be on the course. So, when I heard Callaway had brought out a new utility wood it drew my attention instantly.

The Apex Utility Wood At first glance it sits between a fairway wood and hybrid in terms of size and appearance. Fairway woods tend to have a draw bias unlike hybrids which have neutral flight bias. So if you are trying to hold a green from 220 plus yards, a ball with a fade or slight cut will pull up faster than a draw. So, it was reassuring to see Callaway has given the Apex utility wood a neutral bias in line with a hybrid Technology Jailbreak A.I. Velocity Blades have been used to increase vertical stiffness near the sole of the club, creating more speed low on the face where players often mishit their hybrids and fairway metals. These blades allow the Face Cup to flex on the crown for better spin rate consistency, and the bars are spread to enhance torsional stiffness, leading to more forgiveness across the face.

Every loft is uniquely designed using advanced A.I. This proven ball speed technology puts an even greater emphasis on centre and offcentre ball speeds. The A.I. face is forged using a high strength C300 Maraging Steel for speed and spin consistency across the face.

The Test The shot scenario is a carry of 220 yards to a 25-yard long green with

bunkers short and left, with deep rough through the back. My five wood is too long and my 19-degree hybrid would need to be perfectly struck to even carry the front bunker and then I doubt it would hold the green. I tested the Apex Utility in both 19 and 21 degrees in mind, as that was the loft I would opt for in the hybrid.

The Result Starting with the 19 degree Apex Utility head with a Hzrdus Smoke Black RDX 70g stiff shaft you can instantly see the difference in distance between the hybrid in the same loft. On the TrackMan the numbers backed it up. The hybrid carried on average 211.8 yards and the Apex Utility was 227.3 yards. There was also more than 15 feet difference in height in favour of the Apex.

Out of the five test shots hit with each club I lost three left of the target with the hybrid and only one with the Apex Utility. Switching to 21 degrees, as you would expect, the height was increased and the carry distance averaged 219.1 yards from five shots.

The issue Though this club had the input from Phil Mickelson and comes in 17, 19 and 21 degree lofts only the 19 is available to left handers. ,

THE VERDICT Going all out with my hybrid to carry 220 yards produced a higher swing speed but I lost control as my hands became too active.

The first shot with the 19 degree Apex Utility carried 235.2 yards as I was fresh off the back of testing the hybrid. Dropping the swing speed to a controllable level I was able to carry the distance consistently but equally as important I didn’t lose a shot left.

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GEAR TEST

SHOT SCOPE V3

THE CADDY ON YOUR WRIST $195 RRP Many professionals improve their game by analysing shot data on course to get an honest view of where things need work. There are plenty of Apps and gadgets that can provide essential data for amateurs, it might not be to the same level as the PGA TOUR’s Shotlink system, but enough to see roughly what is going on with. In this issue we look at the latest Shot Scope V3, the GPS watch with dynamic yardages and statistic platform.

It’s the slimmed down version of their V2 which was great at providing distances and tracking shots, but it was a little on the bulky side.

The V3 benefits At just 10mm thick and 60% smaller than the V2 the new compact design is more like a compact smart watch. The rubber strap and buckle does not dig or rub when playing, neither does it slide and you can easily forget you are wearing it!

GPS Setting up First you need to download the App and select the course you are playing. Thankfully there are 36,000 courses on the system , so you would be pretty unfortunate to find one not on the list, especially in the UAE. Be patient for the course to load.

The yardages are accurate and easy to read but the V2 provides the distance to both the front and back of both greens and hazards.

This is an excellent feature, as range finders just give you an single number. Knowing what number you need to lay up to or clear is a huge bonus. Equally some greens in the UAE can play two clubs different depending on the pin position. So the same calculation can be applied to approach shots.

Shot tracking feature The V2 comes with 16 plugs to screw into the top of the grip on each of your club. Each plug is individually etched so you can align it to the

correct club. The fitting is a little awkward depending on the grip but pairing each club to the App is straight forward.

On course tracking Once you have selected the course all you need to remember is to hit PinCollect as you pick the ball out of each hole, as this is how you record the pin position for each hole.

It then tracks all your shots, scores and data with each club used during the round.

Data You can go crazy analysing every aspect of your game after each round and just see where things need some improvement. It’s best to play a number of rounds to get series of averages to work on. I found it interesting to see that out of all the fairways I missed 83% were lost left. I also made par more from 150-120 yards than I managed from 120 and 50!

THE VERDICT At the price of just $195 this is a great piece of kit and simple to use. It’s just a quick effective guide and though the yardages are probably not as pin point accurate as the leading range finders it’s certainly good enough for me. The key feature is the distance in regards to the front and back of fairway bunkers. It sometimes fails to pick up on every shot, so don’t rely on it for a scorecard. So make sure that pencil is in the bag!

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TROON ABU DHABI PRO-AM RETURNS

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A

FTER a break in 2021 due to the Covid 19 pandemic the highly popular Troon Abu Dhabi Pro-Am is back for its fourth edition from January 31 to February 3.

The event has become one of the highlights of the UAE golfing calendar. Played over three stunning venues – Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links Abu Dhabi – with accommodation at a choice of stunning hotels – Crowne Plaza Yas Island, W Abu Dhabi Yas Island and Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, the four-day festival of golf also sees competitors treated to a wonderful offcourse programme including a much-loved Go Karting Experience at the Yas Marina Circuit.

“We’re very excited to have the Troon Abu Dhabi Pro Am back,” said Group Director of Golf Matthew Waters. “It’s been almost two years now since we welcomed the 25 teams that we had in 2020 in Abu Dhabi. This is an event that we focus on as a team to try and showcase what the golf clubs have to offer as well as the destination of Abu Dhabi itself.

We have about 28 teams so far signed up so we hope we can hit that 30 mark and make it a huge event, attracting many people from around the world, and we look forward to showcasing the destination to them.”

The previous two editions of the tournament have been won by English professional Robbie Busher, who claimed the 2020 title in particularly dramatic fashion, rallying from a four-shot deficit on the final day to secure victory.

There aren’t many destinations that have three very different and welldesigned courses to enjoy within a 30-minute drive, and in between that drive there are hotels, attractions and Yas Island which is the up and coming entertainment destination.”

Matthew Waters

Group Director of Golf: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Yas Acres Golf & Country Club

“The pros really enjoy it because it’s three competitive rounds across three different venues,” continued Waters. “They get to play with their sponsors, friends or amateurs that they bring with them. So it’s competitive in that respect, but the amateurs also have a great time; they enjoy great food beverage after every round, they get to enjoy the golf courses in a relaxed format and environment and then get to go and spend the evenings in Abu Dhabi.

“We also have the go karting on one of the nights which is always pretty good fun.

Overall, it’s just a great week that we look forward to and we’re excited to welcome everyone back soon!

The players really do get spoilt when it comes to the quality of the golf courses the Troon Abu Dhabi Pro Am is played on.

Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National Course –

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home for 16 years to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship; Gary Player’s masterful Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, with its abundance of wildlife and fauna; and the spectacular Yas Links Abu Dhabi, the renowned Kyle Phillips design recognised as one of the top 50 courses in the world which will be in impeccable condition having just hosted the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship two weeks previous.

“There aren’t many destinations that have three very different and well-designed courses to enjoy within a 30-minute drive,” said Waters. “And in between that drive there are hotels, attractions and Yas Island which is the up and coming entertainment destination.

We work closely with the stakeholders to ensure that everyone has a seamless experience. The hotels we have on board this year; the W Hotel, the Crowne Plaza and the Hilton, all on Yas Island.That’s going to really help us create this hub for the players to enjoy outside of the tournament hours and then be able to get to the courses very easily. So it’s going to be a good, fun week for everyone and we’re look forward to it.”

With packages starting from AED 7,700 per person, entry is open to teams of four comprising of three amateurs and one professional.

To register your interest or for more information please contact Daniel Richards drichards@aldarleisure.com.

HILL SET FOR DP WORLD TOUR TEENAGE SENSATION

D

ubai golf sensation, Josh Hill, added another sizeable scalp to his already bulging collection when he secured a wire-to-wire victory at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.

The win - his second in the prestigious event - means he bags a spot alongside the stars of the DP World Tour in the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, taking place at Yas Links from January 20-23.

The triumph was by no means a walk in the park for the 17 year old English hot shot. He was level with Denmark’s Frederick Birkelund standing on the 54th and final tee but kept his cool to secure the title with a par while his playing partner could only muster a bogey.

Thomas Wragg caught up with Hill to discuss his latest success in the event he won for the first time in 2019.

Worldwide Golf: Congratulations, you’re the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship winner once again! Just talk us through about how you’re feeling?

Josh Hill: I’m pretty happy to be off the course now, it was a good battle out there with Fredrick, he came back at me but I managed to hold it in there and get the job done in the end. I hit a pretty poor tee shot (on 18) after seeing Frederick hit a good one.

It wouldn’t have been too bad a shot but I had a little bit of tough grass behind it so I had to hack it out, and I hacked out pretty

I think I’m a better golfer now - I swing it better and I have a lot more control of the ball so that excites me to see where I am at against the best players in the world.”

JOSH HILL

well to put the pressure on him. I thought I holed the putt, I’d prefer to hole the putt than him missing it, but a win is a win.

WWG: It’s your second win in this championship, what does this event mean to you?

JH: I’d like to thank the DP World Tour and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council for giving us the opportunity to play for a spot. Playing the Home Championship where I have lived my whole life is pretty massive and it means a lot to us juniors and everyone that lives here so it’s a great tournament to come back to every year.

Worldwide GOLF 54

ABU DHABI AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Josh Hill won the tournament for the second time at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club

Matthew Waters, Group Director of Golf: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club,

Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Yas Acres Golf & Country Club

Fredrick Birkelund has to settle for second after making bogey at the last

WWG: This year the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will be at Yas Links, what are your thoughts on the course?

JH: I played there before, I’m pretty interested to see how they set it up, I heard it’s in good nick at the moment. I’m looking forward to seeing it and playing it.

WWG: You seem to like the beautiful Saadiyat Beach Golf course, why do you think it suits your game?

JH: I think you can just hit it harder off the tees - depending on where the tees are, you can have wedges or you can have long irons in. I think that helps that my all round game is pretty solid, so, no matter where they put the tees, I feel that it can give me an advantage.

I think that is what suits me best here.

WWG: You played in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2020, what have you learned from that going into next year’s event?

JH: I think I’m a better golfer now - I swing it better and I have a lot more control of the ball so that excites me to see where I am at against the best players in the world. ■

Worldwide Golf: It’s the fourth time you have hosted the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship here, how proud are you with the development of the tournament and players keep coming back?

Matt Waters: It’s awesome! 2018 was the first time we hosted it, we had a big vision for this event to be one of the leading international amateur championships in the world and I think we’re getting close now. We’ve got a few players in the top 200 playing and Josh has won it two years out of the four. It’s been great to really see the field getting stronger and players travelling from all over the world to come and play a Gary Player designed masterpiece.

WWG: What do you make of Josh Hill’s six under par win in this year’s event?

MW: It’s quite impressive for a young guy to really go out there and hold his nerve. Like last year he was unfortunate to fall just short against his good friend Arjun Gupta, so it’s nice to see him seal the deal and hopefully we will see him do well at Yas Links.

WWG: The tournament has WAGR points on offer, how significant is that for the players?

MW: It’s really important for us to give a different twist to the event so it’s unlike a normal open tournament in the region.

It makes it a little bit more prestigious and gives the players more points to make progress in WAGR Ranking is really important. Josh is currently 206 in the world so hopefully this will help him get into that top 200. Next year, when we

Worldwide GOLF 55

have a bigger field, that strength of depth in quality will increase further as well.

WWG: There’s a record for the number of nationalities taking place this year, that must be a very proud moment.

MW: Yes we had 21 nationalities. We are trying to attract elite golfers from across the world. Covid has impacted us over the last two years as it has many people and tournaments, so for us it’s just going to be building on this now. Having the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship spot up for grabs is a huge attraction for these players. Our goal is to give this platform to the players so that they can go on their next step and become professionals on Tour. In that sense, we have got to thank the Abu Dhabi Sports Council for their support and the DP World Tour for giving that spot up as well as the team that we have here, managed by Troon, who just allow us to present the golf course to a championship standard which makes it perfect for us to host this tournament.

WWG: The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has moved to Yas Links, how excited are you seeing the top professionals battle it out there?

MW: We can’t wait! There is a lot of work that’s going into us hosting the event there and working with the DP World Tour to make it a huge success for the first year. There’s going to be a lot of changes to the way that the event is presented and the course is presented being a new golf course. It’s going to be fun to see them battling it out on the Yas Links designed by Kyle Phillips, a course that’s in the top 50 in the world.

Wealth of Wellness were crowned champions with a score of 115 points

WEALTH OF WELLNESS TEAM TAKE TOP HONOURS IN EAGL CORPORATE INVITATIONAL Lorenzo Lironi shoots the lights out to win EAGL Junior Championship Hosted by Shiv Kapur

T

he eagerly anticipated inaugural Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL) Corporate Invitational proved to be a hotly contested affair at The Track, Meydan Golf on Saturday as the Wealth of Wellness team emerged victorious with a score of 115 points.

“I’m absolutely delighted for the guys in the getting the win out there today,” said Kalani Lal, Chairman of Wealth of Wellness, whose team won a golfing holiday to the Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort in Bulgaria, while his company took home the coveted EAGL trophy and will receive a ½ page advert in a national newspaper.

“This really is a unique event that gives players a pro-like experience for the day, so I’d like to send my thanks to Sudesh Aggarwal and the whole team at the EAGL for putting on a fantastic day that not only takes care of the players, but also gives businessman like myself the chance to connect with other like-minded people.”

The event - the latest edition of the

Lorenzo Lironi was crowned EAGL Junior Championship hosted by Shiv Kapur champion Worldwide GOLF 56

EAGL series which has taken the UAE amateur golf scene by storm and the first of a planned EAGL Business Series – saw nine eight-person teams representing some of the region’s foremost businesses go head to head over the Peter Harradine designed 9-hole course in a Stableford format with each individual’s score counting towards the team total.

Emirates NBD, Bentley Emirates, WoW (Wealth of Wellness), Three Comma – Capital Advisors Limited, Shapoorji Pallonji, Satoshi FX, Atari Chain, GRP Industries and Just Golf were all represented while emerging top of the pile in the individual stakes as Most Valuable Player was Rohit Gupta who carded an impressive 21 points.

“I’m thrilled to finish the day as the MVP,” said Gupta, who was representing the Emirates NBD team. “There were some fantastic players competing for this title, so to get the win and help my team finish runner-up overall is a great achievement.”

The Emirates Amateur Golf League, which

EAGL CORPORATE INVITATIONAL was the brainchild of local businessman Sudesh Aggarwal, has raised the bar for amateur golf in the region by providing a pro-event style experience for its players and sponsors. Standout features include live TV coverage – provided by Dubai Sports TV – sponsor-branded team uniforms, personalised lockers and caddies provided for all players. All competitors, stakeholders and sponsors of the EAGL Corporate Invitational were also treated to a luxurious pre-tournament ‘dinner at the races’ event at the Meydan Hotel on Thursday.

“I’m very proud at the end of the day we have concluded a successful event,” said EAGL Chairman Aggarwal. “When you’re planning such an event, you have many challenges which you must overcome to see everything falls in place. The live broadcast has been the biggest challenge because you don’t have very experienced teams to cover golf here, but overall, we have managed to overcome the challenges and I’m very happy to deliver the event.

“All the sponsors have been here today and they’re very upbeat about this fantastic event, they have never seen an amateur golf event like this happening before and they all want to support whatever event we’d come up with in the future.”

Preceding the EAGL Corporate Invitational was another first in the form of the EAGL Junior Championship, which was hosted by European Tour star and EAGL Ambassador Shiv Kapur as part of the organisers’ goal of creating unique playing opportunities for younger players in the UAE. Thirty-nine players representing Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, Emirates Golf Federation, EAGL Team, Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Address Montgomerie and The Els Club all competed in Emirates Golf Federation-sanctioned event.

Coming out on top with a sensational gross round of 5-under-par 31 was Lorenzo Lironi of Emirates Golf Club while the EGC team of Lirono, Victor Kofod Olsen, Joshveer Chadha and Vidant Pal also took the team prize.

In the net category Tiaan Labuschagne of Al Ain Shooting, Equestrian and Golf Club, took the spoils with a round of 2-under 34 while Vivaan Chibber from The Els Club took second and Ananya Sood, also representing The Els Club, took Best Girl Net with a level par 36.

Kapur, who conceived the junior event, said: “It’s very important to give back to the game. Golf and the city of Dubai have given me so much so I thought, what a great way to kickstart the EAGL Corporate Invitational by hosting a junior event beforehand. The kids who came here played for free and the standard of golf

Rohit Gupta got his hands on the MVP trophy after carding an impressive 21 points

“We had about 6.5km of cabling, we got about 16 cameras on course, about 12 RF cameras, 70 to 80 crew members just from Dubai Sports TV working on the TV coverage. This is not a professional event, it’s an amateur golf event but the TV, service, and everything else has been professional standard and I think it went very well.”

Priyaa Kumaria

EAGL League Administrator

Thirty-nine players took part in the inaugural EAGL Junior Championship hosted by Shiv Kapur was exceptional – just look at the winning of 31 over 9 holes! I’m really happy to see the standard of golf in Dubai and how it’s growing around the UAE. I hope we can make this the first of many in the Junior Series.”

EAGL League Administrator Priyaa Kumaria added: “The event went very well, we started off on a great note with the EAGL Junior Championship Hosted by Shiv Kapur. I think the pace of play was great and everyone is happy with the coverage and top-notch TV. “We had about 6.5km of cabling, we got

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about 16 cameras on course, about 12 RF cameras, 70 to 80 crew members just from Dubai Sports TV working on the TV coverage. This is not a professional event, it’s an amateur golf event but the TV, service, and everything else has been professional standard and I think it went very well.”

To register your interest in the Emirates Amateur Golf League as a player or sponsor, please visit: www.eagl.ae

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LOCAL TALK

Mike Pugliese Guest Columnist

The Tiger Effect: More Than Numbers

In the first of our series of columns from members of the GCC golf community Trump International Golf Club, Dubai member Mike Pugliese discusses the enduring impact Tiger Woods still has on the game.

T

ake a moment and think of your most cherished Tiger memory. What is it?

I would wager that most of you have thought of something that Tiger Woods did that was simply incredible. Was it the famous chip on 16 of Augusta? Tiger storming to his first Masters by a staggering 12 strokes? Tiger forcing a playoff in the 2008 U.S Open and winning with a broken leg? Tiger returning from spinal fusion surgery to make a Sunday run at the Open Championship, win the Tour Championship and then going on to win the Masters?

I could tell you exactly where I was when I watched every single one, but one is more important than all the others.

My most cherished memory of Tiger was his

first Masters victory. My grandfather, who watched golf religiously, brought me in from playing outside and said “you need to watch this.” So, we sat, we watched, and now I remember.

My grandfather suddenly passed a few months later.

What is the Tiger Effect? Many argue that the Tiger Effect is simply higher television viewership and ratings when Tiger plays, which is correct but shallow. It doesn’t tell us why so many more people stop what they are doing, clear their calendars and sit down for hours on end to watch Tiger 24 years later.

So then, why? Because the Tiger Effect is more than viewership. It is the opportunity for many of us to create memories with family

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and friends; it is the opportunity for us to witness something extraordinary; it is the opportunity for us to feel like a part of history “because we were there.”

How else can you explain the fact that the PNC Championship, a parent-child scramble event played over 2 days draws more viewers (2.3 million) than the 2021 Open Championship (2.1 million).

Because for those of us that know, the Tiger Effect is more than numbers- it is unique and personal to every single one of us.

If you’d like to contribute a guest column please email editor@worldwidegolfme.com

DP World Tour spot up for grabs at Arab Golf Championship

T

he upcoming 40th edition of the Men’s Arab Golf Championship, being held at the Dreamland Golf Resort in Cairo, Egypt, will offer the winner the tantalizing prospect of a place alongside the stars of the DP World Tour at the Ras AlKhaimah (RAK) Championship presented by Phoenix Capital in early February.

Fourteen Arab Golf Federations and 52 players will compete for the coveted spot in the inaugural event taking place at Al Hamra Golf Club from February 3 to 6 2022.

Representing the United Arab Emirates at the 2021 Men’s Arab Golf Championship will be the number 539 amateur in the world Ahmed Skaik, team captain Khalid Yousuf, Abdulla Al Qubaisi, and Obaid Al Heloo.

“The Emirates Golf Federation and the Arab Golf Federation are extremely happy to receive this invitation from the DP World Tour. As golf continues to grow in the region this partnership between the United Arab Emirates, the DP World Tour, and the Middle East will push the development further for all Arab players. It’s an exciting time for us in Arab golf and we are looking forward to 2022, said Adel Zarouni, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation.

The Men’s Arab Golf Championship is run over four rounds, the best three scores in a team of four are counted toward each round.

Individual scores of players from each country are also recognized for individual Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals.

The UAE Team will be accompanied by, H.E. Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi (Emirates Golf Federation Chairman and Arab Golf Federation Chairman), Adel Zarouni (Emirates Golf Federation Vice Chairman and Arab Golf Federation Vice Chairman), General Abdullah Alhashmi (Vice President of the Emirates Golf Federation)and Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi (Emirates Golf Federation Secretary General).

Follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media to get the latest updates and photos from the event.

EGF Vice Chairman, Adel Zarouni and Head of Middle East DP World Tour, Tom Phillips

UAE TEAM 2021

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ARABIAN GOLF EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

MONTGOMERIE GOLF CLUB DUBAI

Moroney on fire at OMA Emirates Monthly Medal

Curtis and co clinch MiDCOM Member Colleague title

Kevin Moroney was the Division A (0-10) winner of the OMA Emirates Monthly Medal with a net 69, while the runner up was Edouard Meyer with a net 70 and third place went to David Moody after catrding a net 72.

The overall winner of the Medal was Tom Lind in Division B (11-20) who shot a net 69 while Raj Janardhan claimed second place with a net 72 (BB6) and narrowly missing out on second place was Deepak Kohli with a net 72. In Division C (2128), Suresh Shewarkrami won with a net score of 78.

Russell Curtis, Matt Swift, Dmytro Shevchenko and Ramesh Shrestha formed a Scramble team that shot a net 51 (BB6) in the MiDCOM Member Colleague Scramble at on The Faldo course, while the second place went to the team of Sanjay Raina, Raj Janardhan, Francis Rodrigues and Surya BK, and in third place was the team Rekha Bandopadhyay, Sonal Gandhi, T. Jega and Nishanthi Balasuriya with a net 52 (BB9).

Team Campbell shines at Members Rivoli Scramble The team of Adam Campbell, Paul Murnaghan, Astri Poulsson and Marije Van Koolwijk were the overall Net Division winner in the Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai’s Members Rivoli Scramble after carding a net 53.1 (gross 58) which included a scintillating back nine of eight birdies, while Karan Singh, June Manoharan, Sajeevahan Manoharan and Zayne Nair came in second with a net 54.4.

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB, DUBAI

Junior PAR 3 tournaments a big success

Slater victorious at Black Tee Challenge Nick Slater won the Black Tee Challenge sponsored by Adidas after shooting a 74 gross, one shot better than runner up Ricky Dominguez, who took home first place in the net

section.

Daisy Tuliao shot a 78 to claim the Ladies Blue Tee Challenge sponsored by Adidas title, while Julie Goodall won the net division

Trump Golf Dubai has been hosting a series of single-day Junior PAR 3 tournaments over the 9 hole Par 3 course.

The first Junior Par 3 event of the season was a field with 27 juniors, and in the ‘10 Years & Under’ category, first Place went to Keiran Gouri while Sven Laurijsen was the runner-up. In the ‘11 Years & Older’ category, Arav Ganguly took first place with

Team Montgomerie Golf Club secures Ladies ICC title Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai and Abu Dhabi Golf Club locked horns along with the Trump Golf team in the Trump International Golf Club

Dubai’s Ladies ICC. The Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai team claimed the title after overcoming the Trump Golf team with a single point.

Thomson retains Ladies Matchplay title Jackie Thomson successfully defended her Ladies Matchplay title with a 5&4 victory over the club’s 2021 Ladies Club Champion Kate Smith.

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Ayaan Khan the runner-up.

The second Junior Par 3 event of the season with 35 Juniors competing. In the ‘10 Years & Under’ category, first place went to Keiran Gouri with Sebastian Crook being the runner-up. Aarav Ganguly and Oscar Nami shared first place in the 11 Years & Older’ category with count back not even separating them, while the runner up was Maxim Pagluichi.

Pakistan SET

FOR

FIRST

World-class Course

“It’s going to be a true championship course, We’d like to attract the Tours or definitely have a national event here.

Maybe the Asian Tour, the DP World Tour or even the PGA Tour will come here, who knows what could happen in the future.”

Sir Nick Faldo Course Designer

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RUMANZA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

P

akistan is about to embark on an exciting new chapter in its rich sporting heritage with the opening of a world-class golf development spearheaded by one of the greatest legends of the game.

Set to open next month (February), Rumanza Golf & Country Club, located in the city of Multan Pakistan, will feature a magnificent 18-hole championship track designed by none other than Sir Nick Faldo.

The course is the centrepiece of a sprawling, luxurious residential and lifestyle community which includes high-end villas, apartments, a 5-star hotel and a range of other sports and leisure facilities. It aims to put Pakistan on the world golf map with the aim of hosting a tour event in the near future.

To mark the club’s official opening next month, Sir Nick will host The Rumanza Inaugural from February 26-27 with the eagerly anticipated event set to feature a host of national sporting celebrities including club ambassador Wasim Akram.

“Rumanza is the first championship signature golf course in Pakistan,” said Faldo.

“I’m really hoping it will be fantastic for juniors - to inspire the youngsters to play golf - and then also for the ones who are already playing golf to be given great facilities.

“The experience for the members and the guests is also very important. I want to create enjoyment, fun and memorability

- if you remember the golf holes then you’ve got something to talk about and other people will come back and play, and that’s the mission.”

The Sir Nick Faldo Signature course measures over 7,500 yards from the back tees while a variety of other tee boxes accommodate players of all abilities. The course promises to be an exciting, challenging, and enjoyable test of golf with a variety of stunning holes featuring, a citrus orchard, date palms, lakes, links-style riveted bunkers and large waste areas.

“It’s going to be a true championship course,” continued Sir Nick. “We’d like to attract the Tours or definitely have a national event here. Maybe the Asian Tour, the DP World Tour or even the PGA Tour will come here, who knows what could happen in the future. I think if we make it grand enough and a great experience, a great test with great facilities, I’m sure the rest of the world will take notice.”

The development also includes a spectacular clubhouse, doubleended driving range, short game area and golf academy which will be used to develop Pakistan’s junior golf programme.

“We’ll have a teaching program so people can come and play a really tough course which will be in line with the rest of the world.

When you’re playing a golf course with those high standards, when you leave Pakistan it won’t come as a shock to how different golf is so that’s one real goal.”

To find out more about Rumanza Golf & Country Club please visit: www.rumanza.golf

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I N

T H E

B A G

W I T H

CRAIG VANCE TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB, DUBAI | COURSE RECORD HOLDER

Who would make up your dream four ball?

Tiger woods

Favourite club in the bag and why?

Has to be my Scotty Cameron Tel 3 Putter.

It’s a thing of beauty and only misbehaves sporadically, unlike the rest of the bag!

Bill Murray

Favourite player?

Jordan

Has to be the GOAT, Tiger woods. No person has impacted the game more and I had the pleasure of watching him in his prime.

(Michael, not the UK Page 3 model)

Callaway Epic Flash driver Callaway Epic Flash 3 wood Callaway Smoke Black Apex Pro Irons Callaway wedges (50/54/58) Scotty Cameron Newport Teryllium 34inch putter

Best course in the UAE?

Best condition course has to Trump GC, it’s a pleasure to play! However, my favourite course to play is Yas Links in Abu Dhabi.

The course is visually stunning and a good challenge when the wind gets up.

Toughest hole in the UAE?

Has to be the 18th at Dubai Creek, it’s punished me multiple times!

Favourite golf event in UAE?

Course you’d love to play?

There are too many to mention! I’ve been fortunate enough to play a lot of great courses over the years, but I’m yet to get to the west coast of the US and play over there, so that’s on the bucket list along with Red Mountain in Thailand.

From the events we play in, the Emirates Amateur Golf League tournaments are great fun and a good experience with them being live on TV, however, my personal favourite would have to be the Dubai Golf Trophy. Nothing better than 12 Amateurs showing 12 pros how to play the game! As a professional event, the DP World Tour Championship is the best for me - great to spectate at and the quality of the field is world-class.

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Favourite clubhouse in UAE?

Design: The Falcon design at Abu Dhabi National is spectacular when playing down the 9th and 10th.

Atmosphere: Personally, I love Arabian Ranches, it’s well known for its social scene and F&B and it’s lively after golf and during quizzes!

Bryson or Brooks?

Brooks!

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