Worldwide Golf February 2015 by Worldwide Golf

The Middle East's No.1 Golf Magazine

Worldwide

EST. 1999

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GOLF

KNOCK IT CLOSE

COACH TO THE STARS, PETE COWEN, SHOWS YOU HOW AND TALKS ABOUT WHY THE GAME NEEDS TO CHANGE

MASTER THE TRAPS DAVID HOWELL LEADS THE WAY

FEB. 2015

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COLUMNISTS I GARY PLAYER I GREG NORMAN I DAVID HOWELL Official magazine of the EGF & the Arab Golf Federation

Official Media Partner to the European Tour in the Middle East

WESTWOOD

ON FITNESS, HIS GAME AND HOW HE GOT BACK IN THE FAST LANE

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GARY PLAYER – EXECUTIVE EDITOR SINCE 1999

The Value of Good Course Management

J Gary Player – The 9-time Major Champion and 9-time Senior Major Champion who has witnessed and been a part of some of the most historic and memorable golfing occasions, reflects on the game today.

UDGING from the events of last month, 2015 seems like it will be a very interesting and entertaining season. There have been so many ups and down it has been difficult to keep track. Several tournaments proved my long-standing point on just how important good course management is. I’m tired of hearing people saying this guy or this boy or whoever, can hit the ball 350 yards or more. I’d rather hear how good his short game is and how good his mindset is in terms of concentration on the shot in hand. It was difficult for me to fathom that Charl Schwartzel could shoot 68-69-66 then drop four shots over the last five holes for a 74 at the South African Open Championship to finish on 11-under with England’s Andy Sullivan and then lose at the first hole of the play-off. I found it equally difficult to comprehend that Martin Kaymer could take a six-shot lead going into the final round and be 10 shots clear of the field at one point at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship only to end up in third place, two shots behind the

winner, Frenchman Gary Stal and one shot behind runner-up Rory McIlroy, who closed with a 66. What made it all more surprising was that Martin had won the event three times before and knows the Abu Dhabi Golf Club course like the back of his hand. I’m a huge fan of Martin, who’s a wonderful person and an immensely talented golfer. Martin had been the youngest winner of the tournament until Stal, aged 22, took that record from him.

Amazing Record If Charl and Martin could have applied some sensible course management they could have eased their way over the line to a comfortable victory. At the other end of the scale I was delighted to see Branden Grace get his campaign off to such a fine start with a win in South Africa in December, just before Christmas, and a second victory in the Middle East in January. Considering that Branden only came through Qualifying School on The European Tour for the second time, in 2011, his achievement in 2012 in becoming

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the first player on The Tour ever to win four titles in the same year was an amazing record. He didn’t add to his four wins during 2013 and 2014 but his fifth and sixth European Tour titles in 2015 have come in quick succession and in spectacular style. He scored a seven strokes victory ahead of Louis Oosthuizen in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club at Malelane, then followed up with an astonishing victory in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club where he had a back nine of five under par 31 with an eagle on the 16th and a birdie on the last to finish one shot ahead of Marc Warren. That’s some finish. Branden, who is far from being among the big-hitters on The Tour, has either led or been in a share of the lead in every one of his six European Tour wins so far, which shows that he’s learning how to use his course management to his best advantage. His wins put him well on the way to beating his record of four Tour wins in a season. It will be interesting to follow his progress during the season. n

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CONTENTS 02/15 40

34 Features

Style

Abu Dhabi Invitational 24 The WWG reports from the Abu Dhabi Invitational at WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET LOOK OUT for these icons throughout Worldwide Golf as you will be able to view the features and instructional videos online at www.wwgolf.net

ISSUE No. 167, FEBRUARY, 2015 Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd Published in Dubai by: Prografix, PO Box 24677, Dubai, UAE (Tel) +9714 340 3785

Printed by: Raidy, Dubai

YasLinks won by Darren Fichardt. The prestigious Pro-Am raised a record of more than $500,000 for charity.

Westwood - lean, mean winning machine 34 Lee WWG catches up with Lee Westwood as he

Luke Sport

Driving Range

outlines his ambitions for the season, how his family have settled in Stateside, and how a new fitness regime has got him back into top shape.

Cowen 40 Pete The legendary coach to the world’s best tells

WWG how to save the modern game and explains how wedges have improved in the last couple of decades and why he sees Dubai and the Middle East as an important destination for golfers of all levels.

Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore Executive Editor: Gary Player Editor: Alex Gallemore alex@wspglobal.com Publisher: Mike Gallemore mike@wspglobal.com

Editors: Todd Staszko, Mohamed Suleiman

General Manager Dubai: Richard Bevan rick@wspglobal.com

Editorial Panel: Gary Player, Mike Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Richard Bevan, Todd Staszko

Marketing & Advertising Director: Chirstopher Sargeant

High-end golf course fashion from the United Kingdom hits the UAE fairways.

Dubai Duty Free offers you the chance to win an Audi A8 for the winner of their WIN a Luxury Car competition. Visit dubaidutyfree.com for details. The all-new 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee – everything an SUV should be.

Tee Times

Four of the finest watches come under the spotlight including Sergio Garcia’s OMEGA Dark Side of the Moon.

Photography: Getty Images Feature photography: Joanna Eardley

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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CONTENTS 02/15

48 GEAR P54 TAYLORMADE R15 TITLEIST 915 CALLAWAY 815 DRIVERS TESTED P59 2015 TITLEIST PROV1 UNVEILED P60 CALLAWAY XR IRONS - REVIEW P63 ECCO HYRBID 2 P64 LATEST LOWER SPINNING G30 AND MORE FROM PING P67 NEW SCOTTY CAMERON MODELS P69 WIN A SET OF MACK DADDY 2 WEDGES FROM CALLAWAY

STEPHEN GALLACHER ON THE R15. WHAT are the characteristics of the R15 that make it better than the SLDR? “THE SLDR is a great driver. With the R15 I’m getting the same characteristics, the same launch but the spin is down and the ball speed is up. So for me, I’m hitting the ball further. Driving these days is all about length so I’m certainly not complaining. I’m gaining up to 2 mph more ball speed and that could be anything from 1012 yards more distance. Today on the range was the first time ever that I carried the ball 300 yards. My driver is set to a degree less than my SLDR so it’s down to 10 degrees. We had a big breakthrough when we moved the weights out wide to give it a more stable feel. When I hit it off the middle it felt really strong and you could see with the ball flight how good the strike was. I kept it on a neutral setting and I was able to shape it either way – high, low, right to left.”

TaylorMade returns with the R brand name that served them well in the past with the R15 driver. The larger profile of the R15 quickly sets it apart from the taller and more compact SLDR, even though both are 460cc heads.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

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USE_Gear.indd 53

Regulars Starter 16 The All the latest happenings in the world of golf.

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Columnists

Greg Noman and Gary Player shoot the breeze about the latest goings on in the game; David Howell reports on the luxurious Abu Dhabi Desert Classic

Arabian Golf

Tribute to Ashok Bahshi, former Captain of Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, plus all the latest news from the leading clubs in the region.

Tour News Year, New Winners 20 New The verdict on the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

World Round Ups

Reports, quotes and results of the recent events on The European Tour and the US PGA Tour.

30/01/2015 22:49

Gear

Instruction

Howell bunker tips 48 David Winner of the 1999 Dubai Desert

Driver Test

We get the TrackMan out to test the latest Titleist 915 D3, Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Double Diamond and the TaylorMade R15.

Pro V1 and Pro V1x for 2015 59 New Titleist have made the No.1 ball in golf even better.

XR Irons 60 Callaway’s 360 Face Cup technology from the Big Bertha in a workable cavity back iron.

64 ECCO Biom Hybrid 2 have made their bestseller even better.

unveil new 2015 line-up 67 Ping Cadence TR Putters, Glide wedges and a new member of the G30 driver family – all under the spotlight.

Scotty Cameron Mallets 63 New Scott Camerons unveil his new GOLO mallet putters for 2015.

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Classic and European Tour stalwart David Howell passes on his experience and advice on how to escape those awkward traps.

Grip Can Alter Everything! 50 The Alastair Brown, Senior Golf Professional at Emirates Golf Club explains why grip position can greatly influence the right movement of the backswing and, more importantly, deliver the club correctly through impact.

Competition a set of Mack Daddy 2 wedges 69 Win Go to wwgolf.net and win three wedges by answering the question: Which Callaway Player won the Commerical Bank Qatar Masters?

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Rory’s Classic delight and Tiger’s fright!

F proof were required to verify global recognition that Rory McIlroy is fast becoming the new Tiger Woods then The European Tour’s Desert Swing has provided the evidence beyond any doubt. Our regular Columnists, Gay Player, Greg Norman, Pete Cowen and David Howell are unanimous in predicting that in a little over two months’ time Rory will win The Masters to complete the Grand Slam of all four Majors and go on to greater glories. There’s no doubt in my mind either, that Rory is taking up where Tiger left off, which is good for the game. We need a figurehead to boost interest in golf. Woods’ reputation used to add thousands to the crowds at tournaments he played around the word and multiply the global television viewing figures. That’s exactly what Rory is destined to do. It’s an appropriate and revealing comparison that while Rory was wowing the galleries at Emirates Golf Club, Woods was exiting the Waste Management Phoenix Open. His second round 82 was his highest single round score in 1267 rounds as a professional. He missed the cut and finished tied in last place. Tiger

is now out of the top 50 in the World Ranking and will have to battle to make the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Trump National, Doral, Miami – a tournament he won just two years ago.

Fear Factor It’s looking unlikely that Tiger can add to his Major haul but if anyone can better Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 Majors then that person has to be Rory. When Woods was in his prime it was the fear factor among his challengers that always gave him the edge. He had a habit of playing his way into the lead and staying there, right through to the final putt. He had an air of invincibility – and that’s what the young Irishman is perfecting. Course management is essential if you’re going to be a multiple Major winner and McIlroy’s master class in winning the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic was sheer perfection. He took a four shot lead into the final round, shooting 66-64-66, and his lead was never seriously challenged, finishing three shots clear. He produced three birdies in his final round at a crucial time and, remarkably, dropped

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only two shots all week. Rory is a naturally adventurous, aggressive player who likes to hit the ball a country mile but he’s learned over the last few years that when you’re ahead, playing no risk golf, hitting fairways and greens, is what pays dividends and what wins you trophies. He’s come a long way since he selfdestructed at the 2011 Masters. He’s learned that when you’ve got a comfortable lead you keep it and let the challengers come to you. On the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club he played the percentages at every shot. There were a number of challenges but Rory was unmoved. Martin Kaymer scored a scintillating best round of the day 64 to be an early leader in the clubhouse on 15 under 273 and finished tied fourth with Morten Ørum Madsen, Gary Stal, Andy Sullivan and Bernd Weisberger. Alex Noren came back from his almost career-ending tendonitis injury to be runner-up on 19 under 269 and defending champion Stephen Gallacher was third on 16 under 272. McIlroy has become the people’s champion. He demonstrated his easy-going character by playing in the Abu Dhabi Invitational on the Sunday in the run up to the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic and gave the huge charity fundraising Pro-Am a wonderful boost. That, as much as anything, showed what he’s all about. n

The

COURSE California's coastal dream A FAMOUS venue which is synonymous with hosting the biggest names in golf in spectacular surroundings, Pebble Beach Golf Links is consistently name-checked as one of the world’s most beautiful layouts. After it opened for play in 1919 it welcomed the US Amateur to its shores just ten years later. From then on it continued to take centre stage for the US Amateur Championships for men and ladies until finally, in 1972, it got its first taste of Major Championship golf when the USGA took the US Open to the famed links. It was at that tournament that Jack Nicklaus hit one of golf’s most iconic shots, a laser-like 1-iron to within tap-in distance on the lengthy par-3 17th for a memorable birdie which led to a three-stroke win. Other US Open winners at ‘Pebble’ include Tom Watson (1982), Tom Kite (1992), Tiger Woods (2000) and Graeme McDowell (2010) while Lanny Wadkins won the US PGA Championship when it was held there in 1977. If that roll call of winners isn’t enough, Jonny Miller was victorious on the course in four different decades, beginning with the California State Amateur in 1968 and ending with his last PGA Tour title in 1994. Meanwhile the likes of Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Hale Irwin, Payne Stewart, Ben Crenshaw, Mark O’Meara and Paul Azinger all won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the US PGA Tour on these hallowed shores.

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STARTER

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Kaymer’s Abu Dhabi Collapse – one of the worst of all time? AS THE stars of The European Tour gathered in Abu Dhabi to shake away the off-season rust, one man looked to be in the form of his life as he raced clear of the world-class field. Martin Kaymer, three times an Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship winner, stormed ahead after three days and after four holes of the final round he was 10 shots clear. But after collapsing to a 75 to allow Frenchman Gary Stal to claim his first European Tour title, Kaymer said he was “shocked” at what had happened – but where does it rank on the list of biggest, most heartbreaking chokes in the game? Let’s have a look at the contenders...

US RYDER CUP TEAM, 2012 THE US Ryder Cup team of 2012 was in cruise control, heading towards what looked like an easy victory. Requiring just four and a half points from 12 singles matches on the final day, they proceeded to lose the first five. Then crucial late matches turned Europe’s way with only Zach and Dustin Johnson and Jason Dufner winning their matches. Tiger Woods’ generous half with Francesco Molinari handed Europe the Cup outright, 14½ – 13½.

DOUG SANDERS, 1970 OPEN POOR DOUG. Just a couple of feet stood between Sanders and Open Championship glory. Hunched over the putt for what seemed like an eternity and after replacing something which blew onto his line, Sanders stabbed the ball hopelessly wide of the cup. He lost the play-off to Jack Nicklaus the following day.

ADAM SCOTT, 2012 OPEN BOGEYS on the final four holes at Royal Lytham & St Annes cost the likeable Aussie his first taste of Major glory. A case of poor course management in relatively benign Open Championship conditions were to blame.

THOMAS BJORN, 2003 OPEN DENMARK’S most decorated player was within touching distance of lifting the Claret Jug in 2003 but he took three strokes to get out of the greenside bunker on the 16th at Royal St Georges. His slip allowed American rookie Ben Curtis to take the title.

JEAN VAN DE VELDE, 1999 OPEN THREE clear with one hole to play, what could possibly go wrong? Answer: almost everything. He pushed his tee shot and then pushed his second which ricocheted off a grandstand into the thick stuff. In a terrible lie he hacked it forward – straight into the burn. After a long delay while he de-shoed to assess the situation more closely he dropped his ball and hacked it forward into a bunker. He then needed to hole it to win or get up and down to tie. Almost 25 minutes after his tee shot, he splashed out and rolled the putt in to seal his spot in the play-off which he subsequently lost to Paul Lawrie.

PHIL MICKELSON, 2006 US OPEN

RORY McILROY, 2011 MASTERS THE youngster had Augusta National in the palm of his hand for three and a half days but came unstuck on the 10th hole during his final round. A triple bogey, followed by a double bogey on the par-3 12th saw him fall out of contention and he finally had ro sign for an 80 and a share of 15th place.

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LEFTY needed only to par the last to win his home Open but went way left off of the tee. Rather than play safe he went for broke and hit a tree. He wound up with a double bogey and missed out on a play-off by one stroke. “I’m such an idiot,” he lamented.

STARTER TIGER TOOTHLESS ON THE SLOPES GOLDEN BEAR TURNS 75 Jack Nicklaus's Top Six highlights: 1986 Masters - Wins the Masters aged 46. Nicklaus produced a memorable back nine as he produced a late charge, derailing Seve Ballesteros, to win his sixth Green Jacket and his 18th Major. 2005 – Bidding farewell to The Open at St Andrews. Although he wouldn’t make the cut, he had one last birdie chance on the 18th – and he duly sank it, raising his putter with tears glistening in his eyes. 1966 – Completes the Grand Slam for the first time. Nicklaus needed one last piece of the jigsaw to complete the Major set and he found it at Muirfield to win the Open Championship from Doug Sanders and Dave Thomas.

THE ski slopes can sometimes be a dangerous place for recreation, but Tiger Woods found out that spectating on the piste can be just as hazardous as ski-ing. Woods was well wrapped up and well-disguised as he watched his girlfriend Lyndsey Vonn ski-ing in Italy last month when one of his front teeth was knocked out by a photographer's shouldermounted camera. “During a crush of photographers at the awards’ podium, a media member with a shoulder-mounted video camera pushed and surged towards the stage, turned and hit Tiger in the mouth,” said his agent Mark Steinberg. “Tiger’s tooth was knocked out by the incident.” Vonn said: "I felt so bad because he flew all the way over there for a matter of hours, and someone manages to deck him with a camera and knock one of his front teeth out,"

1962 – Clinches his first Major, the US Open, defeating The King. The fresh-faced 22-year-old had only recently turned professional and found himself in a play-off with local favourite and past winner Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus won the 18-hole play-off at Oakmont by three strokes.

WESTWOOD SAVES A MAN FROM DROWNING

WEBB SIMPSON BEGINS SEASON WITH SHORT PUTTER FORMER US Open Champion Webb Simpson admits he broke his old belly putter over his knee before beginning his 2015 season with a short putter and a share of 13th place at the Sony Open in Hawaii. The American won both his two professional titles with a belly putter and with one year to go before the anchoring rule comes into force Simpson thought the time was right to make a permanent change to the shorter flat-stick. “In front of my wife, I snapped it over my knee,” said Simpson after his opening round 62 in Hawaii.

LEE Westwood reportedly saved a man from drowning in the Atlantic Ocean while on holiday in Barbados last month. The former World No.1 was alerted to the calls from Colin Davies, a British millionaire who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease. He had waded into the water when his legs locked up. Davies was unaware who his saviour was among all the commotion until a bystander told him. “If there is a power looking over us,” Davies told the Birmingham Mail newspaper, “I hope he takes note and delivers three Majors to this kind and gentle human being.”

1961 – Second career US Amatuer win. Nicklaus underlined his huge potential with a massive 8 & 6 win in the US Amateur at Pebble Beach. Two years earlier he had won the title at Broadmoor GC. 1980 – Jack is back. Nicklaus hadn’t won a Major on US soil since The Masters in 1975 and the golfing public were beginning to wonder whether he would ever win again. He had won the 1978 Open at St Andrews but he showed his class in front of the American galleries at Baltusrol, New Jersey, with an opening 63 to win in the US Open. He won the US PGA Championship the same year.

FOWLER BACKS COUPLES FOR 2016 RYDER CUP CAPTAINCY RICKIE Fowler placed his vote firmly in the Fred Couples’ camp when he wasrecently asked who he would like to see as America’s 2016 Ryder Cup Captain. “I would love to

play in The Ryder Cup with Freddie as Captain,”said Fowler. “He's a guy I have looked up to for a long time. I love the way he handles himself. He seems as though he doesn’t really show too

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much care about anything – he just goes out and has a good time. We have lost quite a few of the last Ryder Cup matches so something has got to change if we are going to win it back.”

Tour News Gary Stal became the 14th different Frenchman to win on T h e E u r o p e a n To u r.

Stal nips in as Kaymer slips up in Abu Dhabi GARY STAL clinched his maiden European Tour title in bizarre fashion as three-time former Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship winner Martin Kaymer let slip a six-shot overnight lead. Stal shot a superb final round 65 to finish on 19-under-par which was good enough to finish one clear of Rory McIlroy with Kaymer in third after a closing 75. Kaymer was 10 shots clear at one point but it was soon squandered through a double bogey on the ninth and a triple on the 414-yard par-4 13th.

TOUGH START

THE first three holes of the Peter Harradine-designed National Course are regarded as comprising one of the toughest starts on The European Tour. The opening par 4, ranked the 7th hardest of the week, while the 600-yard par-5 second hole ranked ninth. Hole 3, which is 439 yards, played to an average of 4.04 yards and was the fourth most difficult hole.

“It's really crazy and I’m very happy to win this tournament. When I saw my name on the leaderboard, I started thinking, well, don't get excited, but I'm very happy, obviously. It's an incredible feeling. For the four days, my attitude has stayed the same. I told myself at the beginning of the tournament that I wouldn't get upset, and it paid off. I thought if I could putt well, if I could play it shot by shot, it would pay dividends. Therefore, I just kept the same way, the same attitude.”

WHAT'S IN THE BAG? Driver Fairway Wood Hybrid Utility Iron 4 - PW Sand Wedge Lob Wedge Putter Ball

THE FRENCHMAN HAD POSTED JUST ONE TOP TEN IN 2014 – A SHARE OF EIGHTH PLACE AT THE IRISH OPEN. THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP HE FINISHED TIED FIFTH IN SOUTH AFRICA.

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STAL’S WINNING STATS:

Greens in Regulation 79.2% (13th)

Driving Accuracy 66.1% (16th)

Stroke Average 67.25

Driving Distance 277.8 yards (53rd)

Putts per Round 27.3 (5th)

Tour News GRACE ON TOP IN QATAR AFTER LATE FLOURISH BRANDEN GRACE clinched his second title of the 2015 season, with a blistering late charge to claim his first win in the Middle East, at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. The likeable South African had scored a seven-shot victory ahead of Louis Oosthuizen in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek on home soil in December. It was his first Tour win since 2012 when he became the first player on The European Tour ever to score four wins in the same year. Grace turned on the style at Doha Golf Club with a fastfinishing back nine of five under par 31 with an eagle at the drivable par-4 16th and a birdie on the closing hole that saw him seal a one-stroke win over Scotland's Marc Warren. Grace got off to a flying start, opening up with a 5-under par 67 and then posted back-to-back rouds of 68 before his closing 66 saw him clinch a memorable victory at the Peter Harradinedesigned course. Grace, who now has six wins on The European Tour, becomes the first multiple winner of the season.

“It was a great day, a great week, and it’s another trophy to put in the cupboard,” said Grace. “I’m going to thank Callaway again – that driver got me to four feet on 16 – without that it wouldn’t be possible. The form has been there. I played great and I managed to get on top. The Middle East is one of the places I've always wanted to win. I've thought my game suits these type of golf courses, and I always play well when I come here."

WHAT'S IN THE BAG? Driver Fairway Wood Utility Iron 4 - PW Wedges Putter Ball

Big Bertha Alpha 815 DD – 8.5° Big Bertha V Series – 3 Apex UT – 18° X Forged 13 Mack Daddy 2 – 56°, 60°, 52° Odyssey, Versa WBW V-Line Callaway SR3 S

BIG THREE

Branden Grace maintained his 100% record of winning all of his six European Tour events when leading or sharing the lead going into the final round.

Only three players managed to eagle the risk-reward par-4 16th. Grace hit a perfect drive that landed just on the green and rolled up to within four feet of the pin.

Grace is the fourth South African to win the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, following Darren Fichardt (2003), Ernie Els (2005) and Retief Goosen (2007).

GRACE’S WINNING STATS:

Greens in Regulation 83.3 (2nd)

Driving Accuracy 45.2% (65th)

Stroke Average 67.25

Driving Distance 291.2 (17th)

Putts per Round 28 (12th)

The World's Finest Play on the Middle East's Finest...

2015

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arren Fichardt produced a classy display in blustery conditions to win the 2015 Abu Dhabi Invitational at Yas Links last month. The 2003 Qatar Masters winner was in top form as he rattled off nine birdies on his way to an 8 under 64, which was good enough to win the individual professional section of the event by a stroke from Thongchai Jaidee, Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Ross McGowan. “It’s been a fantastic day played in great company. It’s an unbelievable event on a great golf course,” said the South African, a four-time winner on The European Tour, who won US$100,000, US$50,000 of which will be distributed to charity through The European Tour Tournament Players Foundation – with the ADI raising in excess of US$500,000 for good causes overall. “When I initially got asked to play this event I thought, ‘It’s just a Pro-Am’ but I must say from the moment we arrived the people have been unbelievably hospitable and accommodating. They’ve put us up in a fantastic hotel, the Yas Viceroy, and we were brought to the course in a Bentley! It’s been a really fantastic experience and the course is in wonderful condition.” The 39 year old was delighted in producing some sparkling form having endured a frustrating time at the

‘Fantastic’ Fichardt Abu Dhabi Invitational the winner

Commercial Bank Qatar Masters last week. Starting on the 10th hole, he reached the turn in 2-under before a scintillating performance saw him play the front nine in just 30 blows with six birdies and no dropped shots. “This has given me a huge boost of confidence,” said Fichardt who came close to making aces on both the eighth and the 17th, which would have won him a Bentley Continental GT Speed and a Sunseeker Manhattan 63 luxury yacht, respectively. “Yesterday in Qatar I shot level par in the final round and made one birdie and one bogey. It was a mess and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. So coming here and shooting 8-under to win this beautiful event, it’s definitely done a lot for my confidence.” The ADI was making an eagerly anticipated return to the Middle East golf calendar after a three year break and Mohammed Farooq, who co-Hosted the event along with Founder Abdullah Al Naboodah, was delighted with its success.

Host Mohammed Farooq and Host/Founder of the ADI, Abdullah Al Naboodah present the magnificent Roberto Coin-designed trophy to Darren Fichardt.

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ABU DHABI INVITATIONAL

World No.1 Rory McIlroy shows why he’s on top of the world as he hits an approach shot at Yas Links. Below: Winners of the Team Event at the ADI, legendary Argentinean footballer Gabriel Batistuta and Thongchai Jaidee.

‘Charitable Aspect’

“I’m very happy, especially with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council giving us a big hand, supporting us and believing in this tournament,” he said. “It’s great that Abdullah gave us the chance to bring the event back and we’re looking forward to growing this tournament even more in the coming years and hopefully raising more money for charity. “The charitable aspect is a huge part of the Abu Dhabi Invitational – to give back to people who are in need. It’s also about getting people from all over the world together here in the UAE to see Abu Dhabi, Dubai and all the other great cities here. To get them to interact with each other and get to know each other.” “Abu Dhabi Sports Council is committed to supporting the tournament for five years and we’ve got a big job to do next year to build on what we achieved this year. We’d like to turn the Abu Dhabi Invitational into a proper four-day tournament in the future. “We’re very grateful to The European Tour sanctioning the event and I believe there’s nothing stopping us turning it into a full European Tour event in the future. Why not?” Farooq was paired with Stephen Gallacher in the same group as World No.1 Rory McIlroy and his dad Gerry with the World No.1, predictably, followed throughout the day by a huge gallery as the Northern Irishman finished in a share of 25th place with a 2 under 70.

‘Having a Laugh’

“It was an enjoyable day, and it was nice to play 18 holes,” said McIlroy who had a mixed bag of a round with five birdies and three bogeys. “I haven’t actually played 18 holes since the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship so it was nice to get back on the course. “I’ve played Yas Links before and it’s a great course. I think they’ve done a really good job in making a links course on the edge of the desert. “It’s great for the amateurs, getting to play with us in events

like this. There are a lot of guys we know already from the Pro-Am circuit so it’s good to catch up with them. You always enjoy it more when you play with people you know and who you can have a laugh with. “You’re always trying to play well and shoot the best score you can but you’re trying to have a bit of fun out there at the same time – especially playing out there with my dad, and Mohammed who’s become a pretty good friend over the past couple of years.” McIlroy also came close to a hole in one on the 17th, knocking a six iron that came to a stop just two inches right of the hole. “I was nearly there,” he smiled. “That would have been nice, to go way with a little yacht for my troubles!” In the team section of the event it was the pairing of Thongchai Jaidee and Argentinean football legend Gabriel Batistuta who came out on top after a wonderful combined performance that saw them shoot 11 under

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61 to win by one shot from Rafa CabreraBello and Dino Varkey, of GEMS Education, one of the sponsors of the ADI. “I really enjoyed the event, I played it about five years ago and it’s great that it’s back,” said Jaidee. “The course is fantastic and my playing partner, Gabriel, was really good.” Batistuta, Argentina’s all-time leading goal-scorer, a five-handicapper, added: “I love to win in any sport I play. It’s a great sensation to win because I’ve fallen in love with golf and I try to get better every day. I never imagined I would be able to go on the golf course with these Tour guys and win a tournament. Thongchai was great. “I knew him from watching him play on TV but it was the first time I had met him in person and he’s a good guy, we had a good time. “This is a lovely event – it’s the best tournament I’ve ever played in and I’d love to come back again. I hope they continue to grow it because it does a great job in raising money for charity and the whole atmosphere of the event is really nice.” In additional to the Pro-Am event there was a hotly contested Am-Am in which Thomas Jermoluk was crowned individual champion and the pairing of Miki Mirza and Matt Boucher won the Team tournament. All involved, both professionals and amateurs, were delighted to have the much loved Pro-Am back on the UAE calendar and the message went out loud and clear – the Abu Dhabi Invitational is here to stay. THE Abu Dhabi Invitational is supported by Host Partner, Abu Dhabi Sports Council; Founders, Al Naboodah, and Farooq Investments; Premium Partners Bentley, Ilyas & Mustafa Galadari Group, GEMS Education, International Petroleum Investment Company; Official Partners Luke Sport, Yas Links, Invest Africa, Hublot, Yas Viceroy; Support Partners San Pellegrino, Roberto Coin, Links Insurance Brokers, Golf Gamebook and Titleist; Media Partners Sport 360, Worldwide Golf, Golfing World and Event Partners IMG and The European Tour. n

OVER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS RAISED FOR CHARITY T

HE Abu Dhabi Invitational not only produced a stunning spectacle of golf, it also raised in excess of US$500,000 for good causes. Darren Fichardt may have taken the individual professional title but charity was the real winner at the star-studded event. “The money this tournament raises for charity is fantastic,” said the South African. “There are a lot of charities that need help out there in the world and we’re glad to be able to give something back. The huge support that this event gets with big players like Rory playing, sports celebrities like Dwight Yorke and Gabriel Batistuta and big businessmen, is breathtaking, and if it helps raise money for good causes that’s wonderful.” At the centre of the charitable efforts of the event was the Official Charity, the Rashid

Centre for Disabled, a local organisation providing quality education and therapy services to children with Special Needs. The Rashid Centre will receive significant funds from the event to continue the event’s fabulous charitable legacy in the UAE. Over US$400,000 was raised through a live and silent charity auction at the red carpet Gala Dinner that took place at the magnificent Yas Viceroy after play finished. Among the most popular lots, was a portrait painted by a resident ‘speed artist’ of two-time Major champion Sandy Lyle, to which the Scotsman added a once in a lifetime opportunity to play a round with him at Augusta prior to this year’s Masters Tournament. The fabulous prize fetched a winning bid of $115,000. In addition, a quarter of the event’s

SOCCER STARS GIVING BACK AT YAS LINKS

US$500,000 prize fund, is to be awarded to the chosen charities of winner Fichardt and joint runners-up Thongchai Jaidee, Rafa CabreraBello and Ross McGowan via the charitable arm of The European Tour, the Tour Players Foundation. European Tour Charity Executive David Park said: “The Abu Dhabi Invitational is a wonderful event for the players to play but also for the work it does for charities both in the UAE, supporting the Rashid Centre for Disabled and also internationally with its support of the Tour Players Foundation. “We’re very pleased that the event was such a success from a charitable perspective and the amount raised is fantastic. We look forward to being involved in the event again in the future.”

SOCCER superstars Dwight Yorke and Gabriel Batistuta gave children from the IPIC School of Football the thrill of a lifetime by challenging them to a foot-golf target challenge, along with European Tour players Simon Dyson and Lee Slattery, on the par-three course at Yas Links during the tournament. Batistuta, Argentina’s all-time leading goal scorer, and Yorke, the former international Manchester United striker, passed on some of their football knowledge while the Tour players gave some chipping tips before the group challenged the children to try and chip golf balls and footballs into a selection

of targets. “This is a charity event and it’s important to give something back,” said Yorke who partnered Slattery to finish 23rd in the Pro-Am with a round of 6 under 66. “It’s good to see the kids coming out and supporting the event. “What we did was just to bring some fun into the game – showing them the basics of how to kick a football and Lee was definitely showing them a thing or two on the golf front. It’s nice for the kids to come and along and enjoy themselves and the event.It’s been a great experience.” The session was one of several community outreach initiatives that took place during the tournament.

ABU DHABI INVITATIONAL

WARNE BOWLED OVER BY ABU DHABI INVITATIONAL CRICKET legend Shane Warne was among the celebrity sportsmen making up the amateur side of the draw and the former Australian spinner enjoyed a great day alongside Simon Dyson as the pair finished eighth on 9 under 63. SHANE WARNE: It’s great that the Abu Dhabi Invitational is back. All the amateurs certainly enjoyed it and I think the pros enjoyed it too. It’s a great format. There were a few of us out there who play the Dunhill Links Championship and it’s a very similar format to that so it was great fun. This part of the world is fabulous for golf and this is a fantastic course. The field is magnificent in this event so it was a pleasure to be invited and an honour to be here again. There are probably about 15 or 20 of us who occasionally get together at these tournaments so it’s nice catch up with everyone and there are always a few late nights, talking about the putts we should have holed. The course is in magnificent condition and I was very fortunate to play with Simon Dyson who was magnificent. We had great fun, although we left a few shots out there. We were 7 under after seven holes, and finished 9 under so that was a little bit disappointing but I hit the ball pretty well and was happy enough with the way I played. I’m off 12 at the moment, the lowest I’ve been is seven, but that was about 10 years ago. I started playing golf around the age of 16 or 17 and then when I was playing cricket we used to play a fair bit when we were on tour. I absolutely love the game and wish I could play it more. I’m very lucky that Titleist have looked after me for the last 20 years! I’m a really lucky guy.

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne pictured at Yas Links during the ADI: “It was a pleasure to be invited and an honour to be here again.”

Worldwide GOLF Columnist

David Howell

Making Dreams Come True

OLF really is different from so many other sports in that it has the best handicapping system of all, allowing players of all abilities to play alongside and against each other. The UAE is also different from many other countries in having the biggest dreamers in its midst. Not your lazy, day-dreaming sort of people but those individuals in positions of power and influence, who dream big things and then follow them through to fruition. I felt like I was immersed in both of these worlds during the Abu Dhabi Invitational Pro-Am tournament on the middle Sunday between the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic. Playing on Yas Links is always a pleasure, especially on a picture-perfect day, which is exactly what we had on January 25. We had the privilege of seeing the dolphins swimming in the turquoise-coloured bay from the picturesque 14th tee, as we waited for the green to clear up ahead of us.

Golfing Philanthropists

We also had the pleasure of watching Argentina football legend Gabriel Batistuta tee off. World-class footballers are about as rare as bottle-nosed dolphins in the shallows but at the Abu Dhabi Invitational it’s just the way things seem to be. I’ve played in the event in previous years, including the 2012 tournament at Yas Links, and I can vouch for the fact that this is one of the game’s most fun, enjoyable and outstanding charity fundraising Pro-Ams. A star-studded field of European Tour players and celebrities were assembled, including cricketers Shane Warne and Mark Boucher and Manchester United’s former striker Dwight York, not to mention the world’s best golfer popping along for a game with his Dad, Gerry. Fair play to Rory McIlroy for pitching up at a Pro-Am that has charity at its heart. Of course, these events are supported by a host of sponsors. Among them were some of the world’s great golfing philanthropists, the band of gentlemen whose success in the

business world allows them to indulge their passion for the game of golf. They are happy to be rubbing shoulders with the best players in the world for a day or two, whilst digging deep into their own pockets to benefit those who are considerably less well off. Mind you, this is one of the most prestigious and enjoyable events of its kind. Donate a generous playing fee for the charities; then be lavished with return flights to Abu Dhabi from wherever in the world you were coming from; stay in the magnificent, luxurious Yas Viceroy hotel (where else?); play on the Middle East’s most outstanding links; be entertained at the red carpet Gala Dinner while participating in the charity auction - and be treated throughout in the style you have become accustomed to. Quite a simple philosophy, all in all, and one that seemed to work perfectly to everyone’s satisfaction. The Abu Dhabi Sports Council hosted this year’s event with Partners Abdullah Al Naboodah, who founded the Pro-Am which he launched back in 2007, and Mohammed Farooq, who were the inspiration in bringing the tournament back to life. Both keen golfers, they also took part in the Pro-Am.

Bentley Courtesy Car!

The bar was raised yet again this year. I would have to say, climbing into your Bentley courtesy car is not a bad way to start the proceedings. It’s certainly guaranteed to make quite an impression on most people, even on those who own a Bentley. As for the Hole-in-One prize of a luxury Sunseeker yacht, are you serious? It turned out the Galadari Group, who donated it, certainly were. Alas my 6 iron came up short and left, so no lounging around on the upper deck as we scythe through the Arabian Sea for me this year. However, I did have the pleasure of playing with Arif, a lovely guy from Pakistan, who runs a bank for the government of Abu Dhabi, which no doubt funded the creation of Yas island in the first place. I have yet to visit the neighbouring Ferrari World but have heard

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mixed reviews, if I’m honest. However, I have never heard a mixed review of Yas Links. It truly is a wonderful golf course. It seems to blend into its surroundings like an old Scottish links, which was no mean feat for designer Kyle Phillips, who manufactured his masterpiece by dredging the mangrove swamps and using what he took out of the Gulf in creating the dunes and undulations – and a shoreline. The afore-mentioned theme park that sprawls across acres of man-made island like a giant red spider’s web, somehow doesn’t detract from the experience at all. It merely reminds you that, in fact, nature hasn’t made this course possible, or this whole island for that matter – it’s those people of power and influence with the big dreams who have made it possible. We mustn’t forget the engineers who are so incredibly clever that any insane plan,

“This is one of the most prestigious and enjoyable events of its kind. Donate a generous playing fee for the charities; then be lavished with return flights to Abu Dhabi from wherever in the world you were coming from; stay in the magnificent, luxurious Yas Viceroy hotel (where else?); play on the Middle East’s most outstanding links.”

however fanciful, can be brought to fruition. Out here, even the impossible is possible. So, in many ways the Abu Dhabi Invitational sums up what golf in the UAE and the Middle East is all about - high quality people having fun in high quality surroundings. It also sums up what the UAE itself is all about – making dreams come true The most high quality and rewarding aspect of the whole event’s reason for it all, is to help those people who can only dream of doing such things. The midnight auction at Yas Viceroy meant that those dreams will be just a little closer for a few deserving, less fortunate people and that can only be a great thing. So I say well done indeed to everyone involved in bringing the Abu Dhabi Invitational back into the Middle East golfing calendar. Its comeback seemed to be a resounding success for all the right reasons. n

Above: Host Mohammed Farooq tees off with World No.1 Rory McIlroy and his father Gerry on the first hole at Yas Links. Below: Former Miss Australia Jessica Kahawaty pictured alongside one of the Bentley courtesy cars.

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Tour News Date: Jan 08 - 11 Event: South African Open Championship Venue: Glendower Golf Club, Gauteng, Johannesburg, South Africa Winner’s Cheque: €158,500

Date: Jan 05 - 12 Event: Hyundai Tournament of Champions Venue: Kapalua Resort, Hawaii Winner’s Cheque: $1,140,000

PATRICK REED ON TOP IN PARADISE

SULLIVAN BIRDIE BRINGS MAIDEN WIN

PATRICK Reed finished with two birdies and an eagle to climb into a play-off with Jimmy Walker at the Hyundai Tournament of Championship and a two-putt birdie on the first extra hole was enough to clinch his fourth victory on the US PGA Tour. Reed joins elite company – Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia – as winners of four PGA Tour titles before reaching the age of 25.

ENGLAND'S Andy Sullivan clinched his maiden European Tour title after a remarkable birdie gave him a play-off victory over Charl Schwartzel at the South African Open Championship. The two had finished level after contrasting rounds – Sullivan with a 67 and Schwartzel with an error-strewn 74 – and after both players missed the fairway on the 18th in the play-off it was Sullivan who conjured up a bit of magic, swiping his ball from under a tree to within 12 feet before sinking the putt.

“Everyone is trying to get to be the best in the world. But that’s going to take a long time. Nothing happens overnight.”

“I was delighted just to hit the green and have a chance to win and I’m just glad I took it. I didn’t want to give Charl a second chance so I'm absolutely delighted.”

Pos. Name 1 2 T3 T3

Patrick Reed Jimmy Walker Jason Day Russell Henley

Country

USA USA AUS USA

R1 R2 R3 R4 Total -21 -21 -20 -20

67 67 70 65

69 68 69 70

68 67 71 70

67 69 62 67

271 271 272 272

Pos Name 1 2 3

Andy Sullivan Charl Schwartzel Lee Slattery

Country

Eng RSA ENG

R1 R2 R3 R4 Total -11 -11 -10

66 70 74 67 68 69 66 74 70 74 65 69

277 277 278

Date: Jan 15 - 18 Event: Sony Open in Hawaii Venue: Wailalea CC, Honolulu, Hawaii Winner’s Cheque: $1,008,000

Date: Jan 22 - 25 Event: Humana Challenge In partnership with Clinton Foundation Venue: PGA West, La Quinta, California Winner’s Cheque: $1,026,000

WALKER WINS BY NINE STROKES

HAAS BACK IN THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

JIMMY Walker eased to his fourth win on the US PGA Tour with a massive nine-stroke victory over Scott Piercy at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Flawless weekend rounds of 62 and 63 saw him vault through the field and into the winner’s circle, one week after losing out to Patrick Reed in a play-off.

BILL Haas completed a one-stroke victory over five players at the Humana Challenge for his sixth US PGA Tour title and his first since 2013. Haas suffered a wrist injury in April last year and struggled to find any form. He put in very little practice over the winter break and was making his first start of the season. Matt Kuchar, Charley Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Steve Wheatcroft and Sung Joon Park tied for second.

“After the play-off the week earlier I was wondering how things were going to go. I came in and just continued to do what I did which was hit it really good, and I putted even better this week.” Pos. Name 1 2 3

Jimmy Walker Scott Piercy Matt Kuchar

Country USA CAN USA

-23 -14 -13

00 | WorldwideGolf - May 2014

“I came out here and worked hard, so I was doing my best to be sharp, but to get into position on Sunday and then execute down the stretch is a great feeling.”

R1 R2 R3 R4 Total

Pos. Name

66 66 62 63 67 67 66 66 65 63 68 71

1 2 2

257 266 267

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Bill Haas Charley Hoffman Brendan Steele

Country USA USA USA

R1 R2 R3 R4 Total -22 -21 -21

67 63 69 67 71 63 69 64 67 68 68 64

266 267 267

EXCLUSIVE

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LEE WESTWOOD

LEAN MEAN WINNING MACHINE

LEE WESTWOOD AND DUBAI GO BACK A LONG WAY. THE ENGLISHMAN FIRST PLAYED IN THE DESERT CLASSIC BACK IN 1994 WHEN EMIRATES GOLF CLUB WAS A SOLITARY GREEN OASIS SURROUNDED BY ACRES OF EMPTY DESERT. SINCE THEN HE’S SEEN THE EMIRATE TRANSFORM INTO THE THRIVING BUSINESS AND TOURISM HUB IT IS TODAY. HE HAS ALSO WITNESSED THE GOLF SCENE IN THE REGION TAKE OFF.

E’S enjoyed strong results in all of the Middle East events – three times runner-up in the Desert Classic, runner-up in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, third in the Qatar Masters. His crowning moment of desert glory, of course, came in winning the inaugural Race to Dubai by romping away to a six-stroke victory in the inaugural DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates. He’s played in nine Ryder Cups, seven of them on the winning team, and has amassed 41 victories including 23 on The European Tour and two on the US PGA Tour. Last

year was a quiet one by his standards on The European Tour, with a solitary win at the Malaysian Open in April his only success of the season. Unhappy with his game and his physical condition, he hooked up with a new fitness trainer last summer, who has been putting him through his paces in the gym and has whipped him into terrific shape. He signed off on 2014 by picking up his second Thailand Open title, on the Asian Tour, and he’s ready to roar again in 2015 as he sets out to become the the lean, mean winning machine we all know and admire.

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EXCLUSIVE

RYDER CUP HEROES

Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson teamed up to win both of their foursomes together at Gleneagles.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE LAST SEASON? Lee Westwood: A little bit inconsistent. I didn’t play as well as I would have liked. There was a win in Malaysia and around that period of the year I played some decent golf. I had a top 10 in The Masters and in The Players Championship. But there was some inconsistency in there as well. Part of my game has been a little bit scrappy. I haven’t been pulling everything together, certainly not making the putts. But overall I’m pleased with how I’m starting to hit the ball and it was nice to end the year with the win in Thailand. HOW IMPORTANT IS FITNESS IN THE MODERN GAME? LW: I think it was something that has been overlooked. My generation overlooked it when we were coming through but the kids of today are working on their fitness from a very young age – and now they have a big advantage. When you look at how strong and athletic some of the players are today and how far they’re hitting it, there’s obviously a big need to be fit. I know it doesn’t suit everybody but with career longevity in mind it’s certainly essential and that’s really part of the reason why I’ve taken the fitness route. I’m 41 years of age and I want to keep playing at a high level for as long as I can. I want to be fit and strong and injury-free.

WHAT DID LAST YEAR’S RYDER CUP WIN MEAN TO YOU AND WHAT DID McGINLEY’S CAPTAINCY BRING TO THE EVENT? LW: The Ryder Cup is always a highlight whether you win or lose. Just playing in the event is a real thrill. Last year the crowd was incredible. The atmosphere on the first tee was as good as any Ryder Cup I’ve played in. Paul did a fantastic job. He left no stone unturned. He really made the players just go out and play as well as they could. He didn’t make any notable mistakes but if he did he kept them covered up from the players and just let us go out there and do our thing. I think he was an outstanding captain. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON DUBAI AND PLAYING GOLF IN THE REGION? LW: I’ve always enjoyed coming to Dubai. My first trip here was in 1994 and, basically, we stayed at the airport and it was a 25 minute drive out to the Emirates Golf Club. There was nothing there. I think there was maybe one hotel down by the beach and nobody even stayed in there. In 20 years Dubai has shot up incredibly. You wouldn’t have believed it from 1994 to where it is now. There’s so much to do in Dubai and I think there’s something for anybody. The golf courses are great and I’ve always played pretty well in this part of the world. I won The Race to

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“I’ve always enjoyed coming to Dubai. My first trip here was in 1994 and basically we stayed at the airport and it was a 25 minute drive out to the Emirates Golf Club. There was nothing there.”

LEE WESTWOOD

Westwood’s Desert Delights:

Dubai in 2009 but lost in a play-off at the Desert Classic and have come second on a number of occasions since then. All the tournaments in this region are terrific. I’ve played Abu Dhabi in the past and Qatar as well, so it’s a good place to come and play golf. YOU LOOK IN GREAT SHAPE - WHAT KIND OF WORK HAVE YOU BEEN DOING PHYSICALLY? LW: I got to The Open Championship last year and I wasn’t playing particularly well. I wasn’t too athletic so I started working with a new trainer, Kevin Duffy, and we worked really hard together. We’ve been doing double sessions some days as well trying to get some of my weight off and I generally don’t have any problem putting myself through my paces once I start working out. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE GOLF COURSE IN THE REGION? LW: I like the Majlis at the Emirates Golf Club. I think that’s a great golf course and a really good test. It gives you a lot of opportunities to make birdies but if you get it wrong you can make bogeys. YOU’RE AN AUDEMARS PIQUET BRAND AMBASSADOR BUT PERHAPS NOT KNOWN FOR YOU ON-COURSE STYLE AS MUCH AS YOUR FELLOW AMBASSADOR, IAN POULTER! IS IT SOMETHING THAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU?

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2009: Westwood wins the inaugural DP World Tour Championship, romping to a six-stroke victory on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The Englishman was on top of his game as he carded rounds of 66-69-66-64 to finish on 23-under-par. 1994: Makes his Middle East debut at the 1994 Dubai Desert Classic, finishing 57th. He missed the cut in the next three editions before posting three top tens in succession, including a runner-up finish in 1999. 1997: Finishes under par at the Desert Classic for the first time and hasn’t finished over par since. He has an accumulative score of 137-under-par in 19 events (results do not include the 2015 tournament). 2010: Misses out to Miguel Angel Jiménez in a play-off at the Desert Classic and two years later was again second, losing out to another Spaniard, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, by one stroke. 1998: Westwood is part of the field for the first Commecial Bank Qatar Masters in 1998, finishing in 21st place. 2008: Makes his debut at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, finishing runnerup to Martin Kaymer. Middle East career earnings: Abu Dhabi earnings: €147,282 Qatar Masters earnings: €242,227 Dubai Desert Classic earnings: €935,324 DP World Tour Championship earnings: €1,452,561

Total Middle East earnings €2,777,394

W W G O L F. N E T

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LEE WESTWOOD

LW: Generally, I just try and look smart when I go out on the golf course. I don’t really lay everything out the night before and match it all up like Ian does, and he does it well. He does look good on the golf course. I’ve been with Audemars Piguet for 10 years now. They’re a very distinctive brand and very exclusive. I have a great relationship with everyone at Audemars Piguet and I love wearing their watches. They’re the best really. They’ve got a lot of different ambassadors and I’ve done corporate days for them when I’ve been on my own. The clients they bring along are great. They’re from a very wide variety of different ways of life and from different places around the world.

HOW HAS THE MOVE TO AMERICA SUITED YOU? LW: The family seem to be enjoying it. We’ve settled in well and made friends. It’s obviously a new chapter in our lives but the people in the area have all made us feel very welcome as well, so that’s nice. I’ve gotten into American sports a little. When I first moved there I watched the NFL and stuff like that. But you tend to get more into the college stuff. You’re bombarded with that and the college sports fascinate me – the football and the basketball. If you pick a team there’s so many games going on at the weekend that sometimes you just end up glued to the sofa. My basketball team is the New York Knicks – they’re struggling a little bit at the moment. My football team is the 49ers and they’re doing all right. The culture and way of life in the States is very laid back and relaxed. The people are nice and everybody is very positive. The weather is fantastic as wel,l so that’s always great. LEE WESTWOOD is an Audemars Piquet Ambassador and was speaking to Worldwide Golf exclusively at an Audemars Piguet media event.

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EXCLUSIVE

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PETE COWEN

Wedge it closer and speed it up LEGENDARY coach Pete Cowen has spent his entire life immersed in the game of golf so there are few more qualified opinions than his on the current state of the game. WWG caught up with him on the range at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and talked about his involvement with Callaway and the perils that golf faces in this ever-changing, fast-paced world.

WORLDWIDE GOLF: What kind of work do you do when you’re out on the range at a European Tour event? PETE COWEN: First and foremost I’m with my players but every now and again I’ll have a friendly chat with one or two lads who I don’t coach about the game – if I like them. I like Justin (Rose), he’s a nice lad and I’ve talked to him quite a few times about the golf swing and he gets it, understands it – it’s as simple as that. I only offer a bit of friendly advice here and there if I like the player as a person. There are a lot of nuances in the golf swing. Everyone wants to get better and they want an edge so somettimes players come up and ask me things.

WWG: Callaway are in the throes of releasing a lot of new equipment – how come some of the top pros are still using older technology from maybe 5 years ago or even longer? PETE COWEN: They get comfortable with a club and they know what they can do with it. It’s like having a nice pair of shoes, you don’t want to get rid of them, even though you’ve had them for a long time, because they’re comfortable. The players know what it does and get comfortable so they stick with it – it’s a trust thing. An average player will benefit from the new equipment, whereas the very top players might only gain two or three yards, so it’s really not worth it.

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What advice can you give amateurs on wedge play? PETE COWEN: Get a wedge that’s versatile. Try a 54° and make it work for you. People tend to get a 58° and just bash it. But get a wedge in the mid-range level of degrees, work with it, get comfortable with it and you can’t go far wrong.

EXCLUSIVE

WWG: How large is your stable of players, are there any new clients on the horizon? PETE COWEN: IT’S plenty large enough, thanks. I’m not going to be taking on any new faces in the near future. I’m comfortable with the players I’ve got and if when they start to leave me I won’t go looking for new players to replace them. I’ve had the Belgian lad, Thomas Pieters, since he was a kid and Seve Benson I enjoy teaching. But I’ve promised my players and myself that I’m not going to take any new players on. As a side note, this young Italian, Renato Paratore, looks very good, and he’s only 18.

Above: Pete Cowen working with one of his star pupils, DP World Tour Champion Henrik Stenson, on the driving range at Emirates Golf Club prior to the start of this year’s OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

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PETE COWEN TURN OVER FOR PETE’S TOP CHIPPING TIP

WWG: What is your personal involvement with Callaway? Pete Cowen: I’m only an ambassador really. I talk to Roger Cleveland, the Chief Designer, about the wedges about my personal preferences – that’s about it. Roger does all the design with the clubs and I tell him whether I like it or I don’t. The equipment Callaway is producing at the moment is fantastic. The whole range is good. WWG: How have wedges improved in the last 15-20 years? Pete Cowen: They’re more precise. If it says it’s got 12° of bounce then it’s probably got 12° of bounce. They can shape it to how you want it, so the look and feel of it is correct for you. I’ve still got some great wedges from the 60s – some of the Wilson Staff wedges were brilliant. Seve used them for a long time. I enjoy getting them out from time to time and using them but the grooves are illegal now. WWG: How often do the top pros change their wedges? Pete Cowen: Pros change their wedges every six weeks but amateurs don’t use them enough to justify changing them that often. For grooves – the amateurs can still use the old grooves, which is great. I would do that if I could. Unless they’re good players and they’re hitting it brilliantly, re-grooving isn’t that necessary. I can spin it without grooves. The only reason for grooves is for better contact out of bad lies in the rough or wet lies because it disperses water between the clubface and the ball. But if the grooves are worn down a little then it’s a good idea to get new ones – it’s easily done with one of those sharpening tools.

the average player looking for a good golfing holiday? Pete Cowen: Since I’ve been coming to the region the infrastructure has got a lot better. Everything ‘around’ the golf is better, but this is a place for the young – not the old. It’s a busy place and everything is fast-paced. Dubai is massive and is a great place to visit. It’s vibrant. It’s a great place to go for a winter break – the golf is great, the weather is fine and the beaches are great. I still holiday in Dubai even though I’ve visited hundreds of times. The facilities are superb out here. We could do with a slightly better chipping green at Emirates GC but apart from that it’s fine. They’ve got all the facilities up at the European Tour Performance Institute at JGE and you can see why so many Tour players come out here a little earlier before the tournaments to practice. In the winter ‘off season’ break the only other place where the facilities and weather are as good, is Florida – but that’s a long way to go for a lot of players. WWG: How ould you speed up golf? Pete Cowen: I would make every putt count a quarter of a shot. People take too long on the greens. It’s a problem within the game. There are too many people falling out of golf. America has lost 20% of golfers in the last ten years. I would estimate that Britain has lost around 30%. People just aren’t playing golf – it takes too long. So we’ve got to try and make it interesting. We’ve got to find away to change this game. It’s too slow and, unfortunately, it’s turning people off.

WWG: How important is the ball? Pete Cowen: The most important thing is that you need to use the ball that suits you best. So many amateurs are playing a ball that isn’t correct for their swing speed. Swing speed is massive but so is loft. If you’re not swinging above 100mph you need at least 15° of loft on the driver. WWG: In your opinion, what is the toughest course in the Middle East? Pete Cowen: There are so many great courses out here but the difficulty level depends on how it is set up with the rough. Abu Dhabi can be very tough if it has thick rough – almost like a US Open-style. The Majlis at Emirates Golf Club is a classic course – a real classic that you wouldn’t want to ‘trick up’ too much. Doha Golf Club is difficult but the wind conditions dictate just how tough it can be. I haven’t seen many more. The Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates can be difficult but only if the greens are rock hard. WWG: What is it about the Middle East that makes it such an attractive destination, not only for top European Tour pros but for

WWG: How can it be turned around? Pete Cowen: It’s all about getting people involved. We’ve got to get their input – why are they getting turned off. I would suggest that something like three loops of six holes is enough, people can play six holes and be done in an hour-and-a-half and be off. The world has changed but golf hasn’t. People think golf will be all right but it won’t. This game could quite easily die off if people say: “We can’t play because it takes too long.” WWG: It not only takes too long, it’s also very tough for beginners. Pete Cowen: Very true. People often say it’s too hard. So as coaches we have got to make it easier to understand and show them how to get better. Look at tennis as an example. You can get someone to bounce the ball and hit it over the net, and then when it comes back you can hit it back. It’s a simple game and it doesn’t take too long. But you try and get someone playing golf quickly – it’s impossible. You’ve got to start them young otherwise they’ll never take it up. Something like Adventure Putting - something for the parents to take their kids to. You’re there for an hour, it’s cheap, they can play competitively and it’s another route into golf. With computer games it’s easy. They’re in their own house and comfortable and they get better every day. In real golf you will not get better every day. The real game of golf suffers because of this. It isn’t instant like most things in life are nowadays.

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“WHAT happens with most players who struggle with their short game is they don’t take into consideration how much natural forces have an effect on it. If you actually swing a club up and let it fall, what happens? Everything falls to the ground. It naturally wants to fall to the vertical. Every club in the bag wants to fall to the vertical.” – PETE COWEN

“With most people, one of the more common faults is that they stand too far away from the ball and try to chip with a lot of rotation in their arms and hands, instead of using their arm and the shaft as a constant so that they can really just let the club flow.” – PETE COWEN

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PETE COWEN IF I stand close to the ball, I get a natural force helping me to deliver the blow. But if I stand too far away, the club is getting further away from the ball and it wants to fall away from the ball. So I have to work a lot harder to get back to the ball if I have too much angle in the shaft or I’m standing too far away from it.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

So with most amateurs, I’d much rather they get the shaft as near to the vertical as they can, even if they’ve got to hold further down on the grip nearer the steel shaft. Take whatever loft you want and make sure you get in tight to the ball. It doesn’t matter if the heel is off the ground. Let your arms hang. What that gives you is a constant radius, an arm-length radius. Your club is not going to get longer and your arms aren’t going to grow either. From there, virtually all you need to do is allow the club to flow back and from that position, the club will naturally want to fall back to the ground. If I swing it more around myself, the club wants to naturally fall away from the ball.

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INSTRUCTION

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DAV I D HOWE L L B UN K E R T I P S - P 48 GRI P & M OV E M E N T - P 5 0

INSTRUCTIONS

BUNKER TIPS

Many amateurs are scared out of their living daylights when they’re faced with the prospect of getting the ball out of the sand: The trick is that you’ve got to change your attitude just a little bit. If you do the basics right, the bunker shot can be one of the easiest shots in golf. Get the basics right and you’ll be regularly getting out of the sand and on to the green for a par or bogey putt. All you’ve got to do is hit the sand before the ball and followthrough. Forget the ball, forget the pin. You’ve just got to work out how hard you’re going to hit it. I like to think sometimes that all I’m trying to do is move the sand and get some it from the bunker and out onto the green. If you do that – move some sand out onto the green – I can promise you that the ball will also come out onto the green as well. • THINK ABOUT ‘MOVING THE SAND’ • HIT THE SAND BEFORE THE BALL • FOLLOW-THROUGH

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DAVID HOWELL

THE BASICS OF BUNKER PLAY

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WATCH DAVID HOWELL’S BUNKER TIPS AT WWGOLF.NET

PLAYING OUT OF A STEEP-FACED BUNKER IT’S important to remember that if we want the ball to go high, we need plenty of loft on the club. The trick in playing out of a steep bunker is ensuring that we get the clubhead past our hands as soon as possible. We really want the clubhead accelerating past our hands. As with any bunker shot, we’ve got to hit the sand first but I know you’ve got to be really brave when you want to hit this particular shot.

WATCH DAVID HOWELL’S BUNKER TIPS AT WWGOLF.NET

LOFT

To give you an idea of how much loft you’ll need to put on the club, you should be able to place a ball on your clubhead without it falling off. It should be practically pointing directly towards the sky. You might not think you’ll be able to hit the ball with that kind of club position but because we’re striking the sand first, we can get away with that much loft. When you’re addressing the shot, remember to stand so that the ball is nicely forward in your stance.

Wayne Johnson, Director of the European Tour Performance Institute, demonstrates how to get the clubhead past the hands as soon as possible.

• OPEN UP THE FACE VERTICAL TO THE SKY (BE BRAVE!) • HIT THE SAND FIRST • GET THE CLUBHEAD PAST THE HANDS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. BE ALMOST ‘FLICKY’ WITH THE HANDS • LET THE CLUBHEAD GET PAST YOUR HANDS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE

W W G O L F. N E T

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A L A S T A I R B R O W N | S EN IO R GOLF PROF F ESS IONAL | EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

GRIP & MOVEMENT The Grip Position, Grip Pressure and How It Can Affect Club Movement

HOLDING the club the correct way can greatly influence the right club movement on the backswing and therefore put the club into the correct delivery position. Having too strong a grip with the right hand under the shaft, as shown right, puts the hand pressure under the grip in the fingers and can lead to the club being pulled away from the ball. In this case, the clubhead will be moved behind the handline. Notice the fold in the right elbow and how it positions behind the body, requiring an outward movement of the club handle to get back to impact travelling away from the body. This will generate either a sliced shot if left to continue outward or the alternative evil is to flip the hands and produce a hook. Keeping the right hand more on top of the handle, as shown, will allow the grip pressure to stay over the handle in the section above where the thumb and forefinger meet. This makes it easier to keep the club moving around and up into correct position outside the hands the entire way. Notice how the club is set and the right elbow is much straighter and more in front of the body. This will make it easier work delivering the handle of the club down on the handline and therefore the clubhead will meet the ball on the target line.

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EXERCISE

TO GAIN a feel for this, use your alignment sticks or two golf clubs to set out both your handline and target line for your clubhead to rest on. Watch how the clubhead moves along the target line and around the hands up onto the handline into the set position as shown below. Let the club fall down on the handline and notice how it naturally returns squarely into its original position.

WHEN the club can stay more on line during the backswing, we can focus more on downforce on the handle on the through swing. When you are using correct downforce you will naturally have a square club face relative to the arc which will result in shots that go straight. When you have the club too much behind you on the backswing, you need an outward path on the through swing. We will need to manipulate or save the shot in a split second and therefore get a lot of side twist on the shaft, resulting in curvature on your shots. This curvature can be to the right or left depending on how you use your hands.

Keeping the right hand more on top of the handle, as shown above, will allow the grip pressure to stay over the handle in the section above where the thumb and forefinger meet.

Having too strong a grip with the right hand under the shaft, as shown above, puts the hand pressure under the grip in the fingers and can lead to the club being pulled away from the ball.

WATCH ALASTAIR SHOW YOU HOW TO CORRECT YOUR GRIP Subscribe to www.youtube.com/WorldwideGolf Or like us on www.facebook.com/WorldwideGolf

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RAK LADIES 9th AMATEUR OPEN 7th of March, at Al Hamra Golf Club

Open to any lady golfer holding a recognized national handicap. Rates Al Hamra Full Member Al Hamra Five Day Member NEWLP EGF/VIP Card Holder Non-Members Juniors

Starting Time: AED 150 AED 375 AED 395 AED 445 AED 495 AED 325

Tee times will be from 9am onwards

Entry Closing Date: Monday 2nd March

Rate include green fee, shared golf cart & prize giving buffet

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An EGF Ladies Order of Merit event

GEAR P54 TAYLORMADE R15 TITLEIST 915 CALLAWAY 815 DRIVERS TESTED P59 2015 TITLEIST PROV1 UNVEILED P60 CALLAWAY XR IRONS - REVIEW P63 ECCO HYRBID 2 P64 LATEST LOWER SPINNING G30 AND MORE FROM PING P67 NEW SCOTTY CAMERON MODELS P69 WIN A SET OF MACK DADDY 2 WEDGES FROM CALLAWAY

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

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GEAR

2015 DRIVER HOT TEST

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

FOR most players, the driver is the most important club in the bag. If you can be confident with the big dog in your hand then navigating the par-4s and par-5s becomes far easier. Step onto the tee with a driver that you’ve got doubts about is asking for trouble – trouble that can be found left or right of the fairway. The top pros take their time in chosing the right driver for their arsenal and so should you. Callaway, TaylorMade and Titleist are three of the biggest and most popular club makers out there so we thought we’d test their top-of-the-line ranges to find out how they stack up against each other. Former World No.1 Adam Scott and recent US PGA Tour winners Jimmy Walker and Bill Haas carry the Titleist 915 in their bag while the TaylorMade R15 is the driver of choice for Jason Day, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia. Players who weild Callaway’s Big Bertha Alpha Double Diamond include Phil Mickelson, big-hitting Gary Woodland and Patrick Reed to name just three. In our test we’ve got Jason Ashley, Golf House Custom Fit Specialist, who was working hard on the range with the Tour players at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic to evaluate the feedback on the TrackMan system. Our tester is Scott Sullivan, scratch golfer and General Manager at ProGolf. With an average swing speed of 111+mph these three Tour drivers should be perfect for Scott but like all amateurs he doesn’t hit the centre consistently enough and this is what we are looking to find out.

TaylorMade R15

Replaces the outgoing SLDR and is claimed to be longer and more forgiving. Ticks all the right boxes!

How do they stack up when the strike isn’t perfect?

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Callaway 815 Alpha Double Diamond

AN upgrade of the Big Bertha Alpha this is Callaway’s most adjustable and lowest-spinning driver.

Titleist 915

LAUNCHED in November 2014 it is Titleist’s lowestspinning driver to date. It’s been a big hit on Tour with non-staff players, which is always a good sign

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GEAR

Jason Ashley: The three factors we tend to look at when we’re choosing a driver is launch angle, spin rate and ball speed. We’ve set these drivers up quite close to what Scott is used to so it should be interesting to see how he goes on!

Scott Sullivan

Jason Ashley

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Titliest 915 D3

THE 915 D3 produces less spin and a lower ball flight than the D2 model and its head is 20cc smaller, which encourages improved workability. It features a Radial Speed Face, which helps provide forgiveness in off-centre hits, thanks to thinner heel and toe sections. The Active Recoil Channel also means the centre of gravity is low and deep which produces a higher moment of inertia and even more forgiveness.

Scott Sullivan: I was a little surprised at the sound it makes. It was a little more tinny than what I’m used to with my usual golf club. I think the spin-rate was a little better and it is definitely an improvement on the 913. I didn’t feel that the ball came off as quickly as what I’m used to with previous generation Titleist drivers. Jason Ashley: One thing we see is that perception and reality can be different. Different sounds can have an influence on what you actually feel. The ball speed was a little bit down on the other drivers. The Double Diamond was substantially faster off the face than the other drivers. Instead of changing the loft on the club, I’d want to reduce the spin rate by changing the shaft. Accuracy-wise it went pretty straight.

Distance: 291.4 yards Carry: 272.5 yards Spin rate: 2,631 RPM Club Speed: 110.1mph Ball Speed: 162.1 mph Height: 105.3 feet

TaylorMade R15

THE R15 promotes higher launch and lower spin thanks to a lower and more forward centre of gravity. It has a Front Track system which reduces spin and increases the size of the sweet spot and the 4º loft sleeve and new sliding split weights, which each weigh 12.5g, make customising your tee shots easy. The weights slide to the centre for maximum distance or to the heel or toe for maximum draw and fade respectively. Scott Sullivan: I must say I’m not used to white drivers. It definitely makes the golf club look bigger and perception-wise the footprint is bigger than the other two. I think the contrast between the white and the clubface is pretty good. I get to see the face quite nicely. It does seem a little shut to me. I don’t know if that’s just to do with the setting but it appeared to come out a little left. But overall, I felt the ball came off the face nicely. For me, the ball felt heavy off the face in the previous SLDR driver but this one just had a bit of spring to it.

Distance: 293.8 yards Carry: 271.2yards Spin rate: 2546 RPM Club Speed: 112.2mph Ball Speed: 161.1 mph Height: 102.2 feet

Jason Ashley: When we look at that one you certainly were hitting it a little left. When I looked at it, it did seem a little closed but your numbers were actually pretty good for this driver. When we’re looking at this from a fitting perspective we’d play with a few settings to get that left ball flight out of the equation. If you are hitting it left we’d want to get as much weight to the top of the club as possible so that the head is slightly heavier and the toe is staying open a lot longer through the shot. I might play around a little with the loft and bring it down a touch.

Big Bertha Alpha 815 Double Diamond THE Big Bertha Alpha Double Diamond is the lowest-spinning driver Callaway has ever made and has eight-way adjustability for loft, lie angle and Draw and Neutral CG settings. It features a compact head shape and a deeper face for a better look and feel at address and weight is moved away from the face to give a lower and more forward centre of gravity for even more speed.

Distance: 300.9 yards Carry: 278.4 yards Spin rate: 2592 RPM Club Speed: 111.6mph Ball Speed: 165.4 mph Height: 103.2 feet

Scott Sullivan: The Double Diamond sounded great and was hot off the face. It was slightly longer than the other two but I would take a quarter of an inch off the shaft.Jason Ashley: I really like the numbers on this one. The launch rate and spin rate were pretty good. The key factor that stood out to me was the ball speed. It gave Incredible ball speeds, even on the off-centre hits. What I’d look at doing is getting the differential in weight between the heel and the toe a little bit more neutral.

Conclusion Jason: “All-in-all, all three clubs are pretty close to the optimum but a little bit of tweaking could make them all the better. If we look at overall distances, there’s not a massive difference between the drivers. There’s a three-four yard difference in carry and the overall total difference.”

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Scott: “All three brands make great golf clubs. They all performed really well and were similar in certain aspects. If I had to nit-pick I would say the tinny sound on the Titleist put me off a little although the look of it is really good. I was quite surprised with the ball speed of the R15. It felt quite fast off the face although the shaft didn’t feel stiff enough.In terms of sound and feel, I would pick the Callaway.

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GEAR

TITLEIST

NEW PRO V1 AND PRO V1X PASS THEIR TESTS WITH HONOURS

APPEARANCES can be deceptive, they say. Well, in the case of the Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x, that’s certainly true. When the ProV1 was launched 15 years ago, within weeks it had soared to the top of the pile as the biggest-selling ball in golf. Despite the ball remaining market-leader over that period the R&D boffins at Titleist continued to try to improve on perfection. Last October the new Pro V1 and the Pro V1x balls were introduced to more than 100 golfers from the world’s best to amateurs of all levels for testing purposes. Titleist’s Golf Ball Research and Development and Operations Team believe that the two new balls provide significant benefits, offering improved short-game control with an even softer feel. The new Pro V1 has slightly more long game spin and a penetrating trajectory for a more shallow angle of descent, giving more roll. The Pro V1x has a firmer feel, lower long game spin with a higher launch and a steeper angle of descent. Bill Morgan, Senior Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball R&D, explains: “The original Pro V1 was certainly revolutionary but we’ve learned a lot in the last 15 years and these new Pro V1 models are certainly the best we’ve ever made. “We’re giving golfers everything they’ve previously had with the Pro V1 but with some enhancements. They’ll get the extraordinary distance and ball flight they’re accustomed to but they’ll also get the softer cover which adds more spin control and feel around the greens. The feedback that we’ve received since last October from Tour players, club pros and amateurs tells us that they are benefitting from this improved performance.”

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JIMMY WALKER, who used the new Pro V1 in his 9-stroke victory in the recent Sony Open, commented: “I love the performance of the ball. It has the perfect flight I seek – nice and tight off the driver, fairways and long irons and very comfortable off the wedges.”

JORDAN SPIETH, after his recent Emirates Airline Australian Open 6-shot victory, used the new Pro V1x in shooting the ‘best round I have ever played,’ in his final round 8-under 63. “It obviously performed well. I used the same ball all day and it still flew perfectly.”

GEAR

FACE CUP 360 FACE CUP 360 Technology was first introduced in the latest Big Bertha irons. The XR irons have a slimmer, cavity-back profile however, and the XR Pro irons are even slimmer, posing an even greater challenge for the Callaway engineers.

INTERNAL STANDING WAVE Both irons use Callaway’s Internal Standing Wave – a weight pad that better positions the irons’ Centre of Gravity (CG). The Internal Standing Wave is unattached to the iron’s face, and gives the face the freedom to flex more than Callaway’s previous irons.

UAE FIRST

CALLAWAY XR RANGE

Makes it’s World Debut in Dubai on February 14th

WITH the Orlando Golf Show over and done, we can all get set for an avalanche over the next six months of the latest gear that will save us valuable shots and, you guessed it, more distance and forgiveness. This year Callaway have been quick out of the blocks to reveal the XR iron, a direct replacement of the X2Hot and Dubai will be the first place in the World to launch the iron! To be honest, the X2Hot never took off, as the XHot was such a tough act to follow. So, will the XR restore the evolution balance? As readers, you will be aware of the latest high performing and

very forgiving Big Bertha iron from Callaway with its Cup 360 Technology and its long performance. However, it’s a little bulky and for the player who prefers a traditional look and more feel off the face the introduction of the latest XR iron is aimed to restore the balance, and position itself between the Big Bertha and their forged Apex range. So have they achieved it? Well pretty much. The inclusion of their Internal Standing Wave allows more of the face to flex at impact and reduce any vibration from misshits. It also gives you a softer feel through the strike, not quite like a forged iron

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but it does provide a remarkable amount of feedback through the hands. So, just how long is it? Callaway claim during robot testing against the X2Hot 7-iron with the equivalent loft and shaft the XR saw an average gain of 12 yards. I n the real world we are all different. Some of you will quite possibly gain even more distance, while some might find only a slight increase in length. After hitting the club I was 7 yards longer than my XHot pro 6 iron and just behind on carry from the Big Bertha iron we tested recently.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

On the range in Dubai with the Callaway XR Pro JASON ASHLEY, Golf House Custom Fit Specialist and Scott Sullivan, General Manager ProGolf get the TrackMan out to see what all the fuss is about

EDITOR’S VERDICT

COMPARED to the Big Bertha iron it’s probably not as forgiving but you do gain more workability and feel. The offset in the XR is confidenceinspiring but it does limit the manoeuvrability of the pro model. So, if you have a slight fade or heavy draw, but you want a few more yards and forgiveness over your current iron, the XR would be well worth trying. If fitted correctly they will certainly boost the features the club offers. Would I buy them? The Pro model will certain be replacing the old XHots in the bag. Who would say ‘No’ to more yards and forgiveness? With more of a traditional look and paired with all the benefits of the XR, I will, hopefully, have found a club that bridges the gap between performance clubs and forged blades. For the mid to low handicapper who still tries to work the ball, this is always the ultimate combination we are looking to find.

Jason Ashley: This is an interesting iron and it’s something we’ve been waiting for. Similar to the Big Bertha we’ve got the Cup 360 Face Technology in this iron. You’re going to get increased ball speeds and distance control, not only from a centred strike, but also on off-centred hits. The XR Pro has a great shaft as well with the JBS Tour V 90 and I think this is going to be a club that a lot of midhandicappers to lower handicappers are going to use. It really is going quite a bit further. Scott Sullivan: I’ve hit a few shots with this and I really like it. The top line is a bit thicker than what I’m used to and a little bit more offset than my current forged irons. But the XR Pro is alot more forgiving and I need all the forgiveness I can get these days. For me, it’s all about the face. It’s not something you can really see and the 360 Cup Face Technology delivers a noticable punch on the TrackMan data.

XR Pro TrackMan Stats

XR shaft: True Temper Speed Step 80 XR price: 1695AED

Distance: 183.2 yards Carry: 176.3 yards Spin: 6114 rpm Club Speed: 93.5 mph Ball Speed: 124.9 mph Height: 104.3 feet

XR Pro shaft options: KBS Tour V-90 XR Pro price: 1695AED

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GEAR

Hydromax-treated upper for water and stain resistances, keeping leather soft, supple and breathable

Ecco-Dynamic Traction System outsole. Direct injected, two component, transparent coloured TPU with approximately 100 moulded traction bars with 800 angles for excellent grip.

ECCO

BIOM HYBRID 2

LAST year the Biom Hybrid were ECCO’s best selling golf shoes. For 2015 they’ve received something of an upgrade in the form of the Biom Hybrid 2. The new shoe has a thinner midsole to help improve stability and comfort while giving it an overall sleeker look. The ECCO-Dynamic Traction System features a durably TPU sole with shaped traction bars for better grip throughout the motion of the swing. The highlight of the Biom Hybrid 2 is the premium Yak leather (three times stronger than regular cow hide) which is then lined with a cushioned, breathable textile and an insole with silicon printing for added grip. All this comfort and traction make them the ideal choice for comfort and playing golf and they’re 15% lighter than the originals. Any doubt that spikeless shoes don’t perform as well as regular cleats will be washed away within a few holes with the Biom Hybrid 2 on your feet. REVIEW: The original Biom Hybrid was such a trendsetter that there was no real need to give it a redesign or change too many aspects. All ECCO have done is tweak a few things here and there. These hybrids are perfect for season-long use throughout the warm climate of the Gulf.

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“ECCO has clearly struck on the winning formula. They make shoes that look great, are incredibly comfortable, can be worn almost anywhere and offer the kind of stability a guy like me really needs on the course.” – Ernie Els

“For casual rounds at Lake Nona or even hanging out at Nona Blue it’s the BIOM Hybrid 2 all the way for me,” - Graeme McDowell

GEAR

PING

G30 LS TEC

THE ‘LS Tec’ in Ping’s new addition to the G30 family stands for Low-Spin Technology and the club offers a combination of low, stable spin with a high moment of inertia for added distance and control. Turbulator Technology in the crown improves clubhead speed while the centre of gravity is back and low (slightly more forward than the standard G30) is said to deliver 400rpm less spin than the standard G30 driver. A lightweight but extremely strong T9S titanium face is thinner to help optimise face deflection, which in turn leads to faster ball speeds and longer drives. Like the standard G30, the LS Tec gives players 2º of adjustability. “The G30 LS Tec driver complements our industry-leading G30 driver family and is a great fit for golfers looking for that elusive combination of low spin and forgiveness,” says Ping Chairman John A. Solheim..

You might not see them from this angle but the iconic Turbulators are there to reduce drag and improve clubhead speed.

PING

GLIDE WEDGES

The new Dyla-wedge grip which features on Ping’s new Glide wedges is ¾ of an inch longer to help encourage players to grip further down on the shaft for added control while the CFS shaft is optimised in weight, balance and flex to help produce lower, more penetrating ball flight. There are three choices for sole width – standard, wide and thin – which offers players the opportunity to be fit for their personalised angle of attack and the turf conditions that they’re most likely to find at their local course. It features lofts from 47º through to 54º while Gorge grooves have a 16º sidewall to maximise groove volume. The chrome-plated stainless steel head keeps moisture at bay to help create more friction for improved spin and consistency in wet lies – both tight and in the rough. “Our Glide wedges have several innovations to make it our most versatile and consistent wedge line ever,” says John A. Solheim.

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Ping’s True Roll putters feature a variable-depth-groove insert that improves ball-speed consistency for unmatched distance control.

The blue face is the standard weight, while the black face indicates it’s the heavier version.

PING

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FACE! PING MATCH YOUR TEMPO WITH WEIGHTS TO HELP YOU SINK MORE PUTTS

Cadence TR Anser W This blade is best suited to those whose putting stroke arcs slightly.

Cadence TR Tomcat Centre-shafted, this smaller mallet is a bit of an all-rounder – it’s for straighter but still slightly arced strokes.

NEW for 2015, Ping’s Cadence TR putters utilise different weighted face inserts to fit golfers for their stroke tempo and feel preference. Ping say that tempo is the ratio of the time it takes for a player to make a backswing compared to a downswing. Paul Wood, Ping’s Director of Innovation, says research has shown that players who have a slower tempo seem to achieve better results with a heavier putter while those with a faster tempo tend to putt better with a lighter putter. In the Cadence range, the traditional-weight inserts (blue) typically fit mid-tofaster tempos and can help improve lag putting while heavy inserts (black) match slower strokes which can achieve better results on shorter putts. The traditional weights are aluminium and the heavier weights are steel and weigh between 25g and 33g depending on the putter model. Ping’s True-Roll Technology grooves vary in width and depth from the centre of the face and produce ‘normalised’ ball speeds from strikes across the face. A higher moment of inertia increases accuracy and unmatched consistency on putts of any distance.

Cadence TR B65 Another blade, but this one is aimed at putters with a straight stroke.

Cadence TR Rustler A larger mallet-style putter, best for players with an arc in their stroke.

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There are eight models, including three new designs – Tomcat C (centre shafted), Rustler (mallet) and the Anser W (blade) and a counter-balanced option (Anser 2CB) and they are all available to fit all stroke types (Straight, Slight Arc and Strong Arc).

THIS IS D.N.A. FEEL ADVANCED

SNUGFIT TONGUE Advanced design envelops the top of the foot.

3D FOAMCOLLAR™

CHROMOSKIN LEATHER ™

Moulds to provide a precise ﬁt.

Engineered for lightweight performance & feel.

NITROTHIN™ TPU OUTSOLE

FTF ™ FIT-BED

Streamlined design & enhanced stability.

Fine Tuned Foam for optimum comfort & support.

www.prosports.ae

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footjoy.co.uk/dna

GEAR

TITLEIST

SCOTTY CAMERON’S NEW GOLO IS ‘SIMPLY BETTER’ Modern mallets with innovative face-sole core design deliver stability and forgiveness with a soft, seamless feel

ALTHOUGH Titleist’s GOLO putters have been around for the past three years Master Craftsman Scotty Cameron has come up with a new line of GOLO mallet putters. The new Scotty Cameron GOLO putters are advanced and innovative with multi-material designs featuring a lightweight aluminium face-sole core, surrounded by a stainless steel frame that delivers improved Moment Of Inertia for increased stability and forgiveness. The steel frame is seamlessly connected to the aluminium face-sole core at five key points, with new vibration-dampening technology that delivers the softest feeling Cameron putter in recent years. Scotty Cameron putters have been the choice of champions on the PGA Tours since they were launched back in 1997. The steel body has a Silver Mist finish that elegantly contrasts with the dark anodised aluminium face-sole core that pops through the top to create a sightline field on the back flange for easy alignment. Four-way relief on the sole prevents snagging for a smooth takeaway. Scotty Cameron explains: “The GOLO line has won a lot of golf tournaments with some of the best players in the world but there are always ways to learn and do things better. We’ve moved on in today’s technology, machining and computer systems and taken everything we’ve learned on Tour to create an even better GOLO. “The new models have better feel, better sound, better alignment and better overall performance. It’s the next wave of construction technology – and, simply, it’s just better. Nobody else has done what we’ve done with this line.”

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AVAILABLE in golf shops from April, the new GOLO line includes four models, allowing players to choose their preferred appearance: n GOLO 3 a mid-mallet with a heel shafted flow neck; n GOLO 5 an angled back mallet with a crisp single bend shaft (GOLO Dual Balance is also available for players who require maximum stability in their stroke; n GOLO 5R a rounded back mallet with a crisp single bend shaft; n GOLO 6 a B-back mallet with a crisp single bend shaft. Scotty Cameron concluded: “With this new line we feel we have developed innovative putters for all mallet fans. Whether you’re a line guy, a round guy, a square guy, a soft guy, a heel-shafted guy – we’ve got it.”

THE BALL THAT CHANGED THE BALL. INTRODUCING CHROME SOFT 1.16.15

There’s never been a Urethane Tour ball with an extremely soft, low-spinning core that also generates tremendous ball speeds. Now there is. The new SoftFast Core™ is exactly that, incredibly soft and extremely fast. Chrome Soft has changed the ball.

#SOFTFASTCORE ©2015 Callaway Golf Company. Callaway, the Chevron Device, Chrome Soft and SoftFast are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Callaway Golf Company. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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GEAR COMPETITIONS

Win a set of three Callaway Mack Daddy 2 wedges worth

WIN $357

FORGED from 1020 carbon steel, the Mack Daddy 2 wedge line features two groove patterns. The lower-lofted wedges use a narrower groove for control on full swings, and the higher lofts have a larger groove – pushed very close to the USGA’s limit – for more spin from the rough or bunker. Wedges with lofts of 56, 58 and 60 degrees have Callaway’s V5 grooves which are 38% larger than the grooves on the 2011 Forged wedges. Callaway’s design chief Roger Cleveland says these grooves produce roughly 8590% as much spin as wedges created before the USGA’s groove ruling of 2010 and up to 25% more spin out of the rough than earlier Callaway wedges. Designed with the help of short-game master Phil Mickelson (indeed, the wedges are named in his honour as he proclaimed “Those are my Mack Daddy Wedges!” after he span the ball 30 feet using a prototype of the larger grooved model), they feature Laser Milled Micro Grooves to increase surface roughness for more spin and control. “The grooves we released weren’t quite as a aggressive as the ones Phil tried back then,” said Roger Cleveland, “but they push right up against the USGA limits.” Henrik Stenson is a fan of the Mack Daddy 2 wedges, playing them for the last half of 2014 including his DP World Tour Championship win.

How to enter To win a set of three Callaway Mack Daddy 2 wedges go to wwgolf.net/competition

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ENGINEERED FROM GRIP TO SOLE. Glide™ wedges ensure short-game performance and trajectory control on shots of every distance. The Dyla-wedge grip, CFS wedge shaft and head design combine to deliver our most versatile and consistent wedge line ever. Three bounce widths (TS, SS, WS) in multiple loft options are designed to fit your angle of attack and turf conditions. Get fit today or visit ping.com. You’ll be better for it.

DYLA-WEDGE ™ GRIP A

–longer grip with markings at gripping down for trajectory control and versatility.

CFS™ WEDGE SHAFT Optimized in weight, flex and balance for improved control, feel and stability.

MOISTUREREPELLING FINISH Chrome-plated 431 SS head improves spin and consistency in wet conditions.

THIN SOLE Shallow attack angle & divots.

STANDARD SOLE Moderate attack angle & divots.

WIDE SOLE Steep angle of attack & deep divots.

LOFT-OPTIMIZED GORGE ®GROOVES FULL SHOTS 47° - 54° A 16° sidewall is optimized to maximize spin consistency for control on full shots.

Worldwide GOLF Columnist

Greg Norman My Predictions for the Year Ahead

HIS year has already got off to a great start and there are so many exciting things on the horizon. I turn 60 this month, and I have honestly never felt better. I’m extremely happy with my life and where my business, Great White Shark Enterprises, is tracking to. With my new role at Fox Sports as a golf analyst, I’ve spent some time thinking about the year ahead and what we can expect to see on the golf course.

Major predictions WITH The Masters only two months away and my Major commentating debut to look forward to, it has got me thinking about who will be the main contenders this year on golf’s biggest stages. I believe that 2015 will be very much like the past six years. Since 2008 when Tiger won his last Major, each year has seen a very diversified and often unpredictable group of winners. In that period we have witnessed 28 Majors, yet there have only been five players with more than one Major win. This speaks volumes for the health of the game and the broad assembly of so many extremely high-quality players globally. Included in that group of winners are a number of international players from Australia to South America, to South Africa to Ireland, and to South Korea. Although the media attention is naturally only focused on the winners, there are a plethora of many more great players that you may not know of, who have the capability and belief to win their first Major. I am confident that 2015 will be a great year to see just that happen.

Tiger Woods ‘Comeback’ OF COURSE everyone is interested in yet another “comeback” story from Tiger Woods. But in my opinion I believe he will continue his winning ways in regular events throughout the season and he may even capture one more Major win in the years ahead. However, I do not see him dominating the game as he has done in the past, for several reasons. First of all, he is not as intimidating as he once was. The number of powerhouse players in their 20s and 30s including the likes of Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler, may look to Tiger as an inspiration, but no longer as a threat. These young players are competitive and energised and will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the Majors. One of the most vital assets you can have as a great player is that all-important intimidation factor, regardless of whether it’s golf tennis, basketball or any sport. Right now, Tiger has lost that significant edge which enabled him to dominated golf. Now the younger players are beating him on a consistent basis. Secondly, Tiger is getting older and the signs of wear and tear on his body are getting more exposed as each year rolls by. The older he gets, the younger the younger players get. The gap widens with each year. Another problem he faces is that his nerves are nowhere near where they were when he was in his prime in his 20s and 30s. He continues to miss more short putts and his chipping is clearly showing signs of weakness.

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Lastly, unfortunately, time is not on his side. The longer he goes without winning a Major, the harder it will be.

The Presidents Cup WITH all the drama of last year’s Ryder Cup we can start looking ahead to this year’s Presidents Cup in South Korea. Nick Price and Jay Haas will be the two team captains for the International side and the USA team respectivley and I am thrilled about the level of competition that will take place with such a strong international field. Australians in particular will continue to be a force, no matter where they play or who is on their team. Our country should be extremely proud of the quality of individuals with superior playing skills that we continue to produce.

Prospects of playing golf again THERE has been a lot of speculation regarding whether or not I will be able to play golf again. I successfully played in two pro-ams at the end of last year and the season ahead looks promising. I still have some numbness, but I should have the full feeling back in my hand and wrist within the next five months so the plan is to continue to play. In the meantime, I am focused on my announcing duties with Fox and looking forward to all of the upcoming USGA events in 2015. I have embraced my task to date and will continue to expand my comfort and knowledge level of this new and exciting space. n

Worldwide GOLF Columnist

Gary Player

Rory will win The Masters and complete the Grand Slam

ORY MCILROY came close to winning his first event of the 2015 European Tour season but had to settle for second place behind surprise winner, France’s Gary Stal, in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship with a fast-finishing final round 66 – and he’s my choice to win The Masters and complete the Grand Slam of all four Majors. The Augusta National course is absolutely made for Rory’s game and I truly believe he’ll win it this time. In 2011 he took a four shot lead into the final round, having shot 65-69-70, but his hopes of victory ended dramatically with a snap-hook drive at the 10th hole which de-railed his hopes of victory. He came home in 15th place with a final round 80, ten shots behind the winner, Charl Schwartzel. But that was four years ago and since then he’s matured to become the No.1 golfer in the world. He’s won four Majors during the past four years, winning The Open Championship, the US Open Championship and two US PGA Championships. He’s also been the European talisman in their two Ryder Cup victories over the USA in 2012 and 2014 at Medinah and at Gleneagles respectively. Back in 2011 Rory was far from the finished product but he’s proved since then that he can take on the best in the world and defeat them. He’s destined to complete the Grand Slam and it will be a great boost to the game if Rory can succeed. Every sport needs its heroes and golf needs Rory to take up where Tiger Woods left off. Only

time will tell whether Tiger can ever get back to his best but I’m told that he’s got a new coach and that he’s going back to basics. That may be a case of paralysis of analysis. His swing has got worse and worse. I believe that if Tiger had never had so much coaching he’d have won 20 Majors by now.

Callaway a class apart IT NEVER ceases to amaze me what my friends at Callaway continue to produce through new technology. I’ll be travelling to the Callaway headquarters in a couple of weeks’ time to meet with the team at the Ely Callaway Performance Centre and I’m looking forward to testing their newest innovative technologies. With a little help from my friends there I could be shooting my age for many years to come.

Follow the Sun and the Stars AS WE know, The European Tour’s International Schedule follows the weather around the world and what a wonderful start The Tour gets from the South Africa and Middle East events. In December the Nedbank Golf Challenge opened The Tour’s new International Schedule in South Africa, followed by the Alfred Dunhill Championship and then the South African Open in January. With the weather at its best, the Middle East becomes the centre of attention for world golf with the Desert Swing beginning in the UAE with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, followed by the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters

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at Doha Golf Club and ending with the Dubai Desert Classic on the Majlis course at The Emirates Golf Club. I love to watch the best golfers in the world competing in the Desert Swing. It’s wonderful to see the great interest and passion there is for golf in the Middle East and these high-stakes tournaments certainly attract the big names. The UAE especially is a great catalyst for the growth of golf with so many spectacular courses including the Saadiyat Beach course I designed in Abu Dhabi. There are several courses under construction in the UAE and golf in the emirates is certainly on the move again, particularly with the two DAMAC/Donald Trump courses underway, designed by Gil Hans and Tiger Woods, at the Trump International and the Trump World Golf Club Dubai. Our Gary Player Design continues to expand its global footprint with 360 courses in 35 countries worldwide. We have just signed a new deal in Vietnam to design our first golf course in the country. It’s good that I can still celebrate ‘firsts’ in my life so I’m also looking forward to designing our first course in the Republic of the Congo. It’s very rewarding to help develop courses in emerging golf markets like Eastern Europe, Africa, South America and Asia, which continues to expand at a rapid rate. I’m looking forward to many forthcoming trips to China, Vietnam, Honduras, Gabon, Italy, Cyprus, Montenegro and Peru among our many projects around the world. n

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Arabian

GOLF

Desert Classic Pro-Am cancelled after death of former EGC Captain

THE Pro-Am ahead of the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic was cancelled after a Founding Member of Emirates Golf Club and former Club Captain, Ashok Bakshi, died while warming up on the range. The 75-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest and was air-lifted to Rashid Hospital but was declared dead after treatment. “Ashok Bakshi collapsed on the practice range early this afternoon and was immediately attended to by The European Tour’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Roger Hawkes, as well as the local paramedic team from the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Service, who are based at Emirates Golf Club during the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic. “ After initial stabilisation on the practice range, Ashok Bakshi was transferred by air ambulance to Rashid Hospital, where he had further treatment but unfortunately passed away,” read a statement from the tournament organisers. Bakshi was Club Captain in 2002 and tributes poured in from people who knew him. Joseph Andrade, a former Captain of the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht club, said he was one of the first Indian captains at the Emirates Golf Club, adding: “Ashok was a good friend to me Ashok Bakshi, pictured playing his and I will miss him very much. beloved game of golf and (top) He will be remembered by as Captain of Emirates Golf Club everybody. He was one of the in 2002. pioneers of golf clubs in Dubai and always extended a helping hand to junior players.”

Tour stars take time for schoolkids at ADI TEN children from the Abu Dhabi Invitational Official Charity, the Rashid Centre for the Disabled, were given an introduction to golf by former Dubai Desert Classic winner Rafa Cabrera-Bello while Oliver Wilson gave a clinic to students from GEMS School. “I don’t mind at all giving up some time to things like this,” said Wilson (pictured left, in green), who won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October to gain automatic promotion back to The European Tour from the Challenge Tour. “It’s really important to get more kids and more schools involved in golf as we need more people playing the game. I just showed them how to hit a few different kinds of shot and tried to simplify everything.”

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Arabian Golf DUBAI CREEK GOLF & YACHT CLUB

www.dubaigolf.com

Youth Triumphs Over Experience Once Again THE newly-founded

DCGYC Generations Day tournament

Stephen Hubner (Director Of Golf, Dubai Creek), Paula Savage (Lady Captain, Dubai Creek) and Alan Mackenzie (Club Manager, Dubai Creek), with the victorious Youth Team members.

enjoyed a second successful year as the age-old battle between Youth and Experience played out once again at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. In the end it was the Youth team who once again proved that it’s not all about age and experience as they cruised to an emphatic 10.5 - 2.5 victory. With the Youth team retaining the main trophy and renewing their bragging rights, the Experience

team’s only chance of victory came from the various on course competitions. Ishwar Jodha, Subhojit Biswas, John Fellingham and Imran Qayyum were all Nearest the Pin winners for their shots into the par 3, 5th, 8th, 14th and 16th holes. Ashok Sindhu continued his winning ways and won the Longest Drive prize on the demanding final hole while Paul Sebial won the Straightest Drive competition on the equally demanding 17th.

Warren Panting and Vanessa North get 2015 off to a Winning Start Warren Panting and Vanessa North took top honours in the first event of 2015 as they won their second Creek Pairs title by carding a superb score of 6 under par net 65. Another sub-par score on the day came from Mark Joliffe and David Gowans who finished runners-up after carding 67.

DCGYC

Rashid Hamood (Golf Experience Manager, Dubai Creek), Vanessa North (Champion), Harini White (Ladies Captain, Dubai Creek), Warren Panting (Champion), Luke Tidmarsh (Golf Operations Intern, Dubai Creek

After the prize presentation, Dubai Creek’s Golf Experience Manager, Rashid Hamood, commented: “A warm welcome to you all, and a happy new Year. It’s great to see everyone enjoying this fun and social event and I think we can look forward to its growing success over the coming months”.

Singh Snares JW Marriott Ladies Stroke Play Event DCGYC The January JW

Marriott Ladies event marked the start of the 2015 season for the ladies of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. It was also the first event for the newly appointed Lady Captain, Harini White. In the end, it was Swati Singh who recovered from a shaky start to finish strongly on the inward half to card a net 68 and take top honours. After being presented with her prize, Singh commented: “It’s a really good feeling to

get my first win. I have come close quite a few times but never achieved that elusive victory. I want to thank all of the ladies who are always a pleasure to play with, and everyone at Dubai Creek and JW Marriott for putting on such a fantastic event.

positive start with a level par net 72 to claim third place.

I would also like to wish our new Captain, Harini White, the best of luck for 2015.” Mini Philip narrowly missed out on top spot and had to settle for the runnerup prize with a superb net 69 while Maureen Platt also got the season off to a

Luke Tidmarsh (Golf Operations Intern, Dubai Creek), Harini White (Lady Captain, Dubai Creek), Swati Singh (Champion), Craig Waddell (Golf Professional, Dubai Creek), Rashid Hamood (Golf Experience Manager, Dubai Creek).

Paula Savage (Lady Captain, Dubai Creek), Yves Aboukhaled (Winner), Tejan Fadlu-Deen (Club Captain, Dubai Creek), John Fellingham (Winner), Stuart Taylor (ProSports Intl).

Fellingham and Aboukhaled Triumph at Captains Day

The annual Captains Day at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club saw the team of John Fellingham and Yves Aboukhaled storm to victory with a superb 45 stableford points. After being presented with their prize the pair commented: “It is always a great honour to play in the Captains Day event and winning this year made it even more special. We combined very well and put together a great score.

DCGYC

Dino Varkey and Jamal Saab also showed great teamwork and combined well to put up a total of 42 points, which earned them the runners-up spot. Finishing just one point behind them was the team of S.G. Nair and the newly appointed 2015 Vice Captain Patrick Morrow, whose 41 points saw them clinch third place.

Bhatia Takes Dubai Duty Free Junior Medal Championship and Tops 2014 Order of Merit DCGYC The 2014 Order of Merit reached

its conclusion with the Dubai Duty Free Junior Medal Championship and after the final calculations were made it was Aarkesh Bhatia who was crowned the 2014 Dubai Duty free Junior Medal Championship Order of Merit winner. Bhatia, who finished off his year in style by becoming the 2014 Dubai Creek Junior Club Champion, continued his fine run of form and put in a solid performance in the season’s

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final event to be crowned the 2014 Dubai Duty Free Junior Order of Merit winner. Bhatia and fellow junior member Punya Khanna were tied heading into the final event of the season but a solid level par performance in the final event from Bhatia saw him claim the best gross prize on the day, and also earned him enough Order of Merit points to overtake Khanna and be crowned 2014 Dubai Duty Free Junior Order of Merit Champion with a season total of 170 points.

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

www.dubaigolf.com

Viv Caley Aces Her Way to Victory The Ladies January Medal supported by JW Marriot Marquis was dominated by Viv Caley who had a holein-one with her very first stroke of the day at the 140 yard 4th hole. Her form continued as she went on to win the Silver ‘A’ division (hcp 0-14) by five strokes after signing for a superb score of net 67. Monica Palao was runner up with a score of net 72.

EGC

Champion Ashok Ahuja with Farhad Irani, Executive Vice President and Head of Retail Banking Group for Mashreq.

Sindhu and Sangani on Top After Grand Finale

In the Bronze Division (hcp 24-42) it was Ninu Smith who claimed first place by signing for a net 76. Natali Gupta took top spot in the Silver ‘B’ division (hcp 1523) with a two under par net 70 while Martha Wong took the runner-up position with a net 72. The prize for the Lowest Gross of the day was won by Mimi Hosking who scored a gross 80.

EGC The Mashreq Gold Cup Grand

Finale was contested by members from both Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. The top 36 players from each respective Order of Merit were invited to the Mashreq Gold Cup Grand Final in association with BMW played over the Majlis course.

Claiming the honours were Ashok Sindhu from Dubai Creek and Jignesh Sangani from the Emirates Golf Club. The Gold Cup itself was a clean sweep for the Dubai Creek members who took the top three places. Ashok Ahuja was crowned winner of the Mashreq Gold Cup Grand Final with a fantastic score of a net 67 while Praveen Kalia took second spot with a one under par net 71. In third place was Ishwar Jodha who secured the last podium finish with a net 72. The three will now be invited to participate in the BMW Golf Cup Qualifier with the possibility of winning a once in a lifetime trip to the World Final, held in Sydney this coming March.

Juniors Reign Supreme at Mixed Christmas Scramble EGC More than 120 players took part

at the Mixed Christmas Scramble and in the end it was the junior quartet of Bradley Mogire, Zubin Chandra, William Thoren and Vaughn Reed who took the spoils with a fantastic net score of 56.4. With a score of net 58, the team of Achal Ghai, Kush Sama, Naresh Handa and Jugwinder Brar finished runner-up. They were closely followed by Gaurav Verma, Ghanshyam Manghnani, Surjit Namli and Nishith Patel who took third place with a net 58.7. The Nearest the Pin on hole 8 was won by Christiane Sprunck while Joan Legnar claimed the other ladies prize on hole 17. The men’s Nearest the Pin prizes were won by Komal Sharma on the 2nd with Morteza Farzaneh claiming the honour on the 12th.

Turliks Take 2015 Scramble EGC Emirates Golf Club celebrated the

first day of 2015 with the annual New Year’s Day Scramble over the Faldo Course where it was the family trio of Chris, Alex and Rosemary Turlik who put up a net score of 57.1 to romp to victory.

Mashreq Medal Championship 2015 Gets Underway EGC As the New Year got underway

competitors took to the fairways of the Majlis course to try and gain an early advantage in the season-opener of the Mashreq Medal Championship. In the ‘A’ Division (hcp 0-10) it was Salem Dasmal who carded a one under par 71 to take the top spot over Humayun Shahryar, thanks to a card countback. Tony Azoulay claimed third place for his efforts in signing for a net 72. Azoulay also took the honours for the lowest gross score of the day for his 75 which included birdies at the 2nd, 10th and the tricky par 3 15th. The ‘B’ Division (hcp 11-20) was won by Imran Qayyum who produced the only sub-70 round of the day with a net 69. The runner-up was Ishu B. Rupani who edged out Sammy Eldin in a card countback after both golfers ended with scores of net 70.

Finishing in the runners-up position were the junior team of Zubin Chandra, Rayhan Thomas, Bradley Mogire and Vaughn Reed who signed for a net score of 58.3. The team of Naresh Bhambhaney, Komal Sharma, Sameer Joshi and Bhupesh Sharma carded seven birdies to post a net 60.1 and claim third place.

Suresh Shewakramani took the spoils in the ‘C’ Division (hcp 21-28) with a score of net 80.

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Individual Memberships ��

Flexible Corporate Rates ��

UAE Residents Rate ��

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Arabian Golf Dirab Golf CLub

ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB

Faisal and Fahad Take Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge Qualifier

Winners Jorn Nielsen and Heath Barlow alongside the winner of the 2010 DP World Tour Championship winner, Robert Karlsson (ARGC Honorary Member, pictured left) and LADY Club Captain Emma Rooms.

DGC Faisal Salhab and Fahad

Almansour won the 12th qualifying round of the Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge at the Dirab Golf & Country Club. Omar Hariri and Chris Maslak, playing in the same group as Salhab and Almansour, were runners-up while third place went to Graham Gunn and David Treadgold.

Campbell, Feigum and Awni Big Winners at Lufthansa Open Golf Mark Campbell took centre stage at the Lufthansa Open Golf Tournament, winning by one stroke from American Kyle Feigum, who had to settle for the men’s First Division (hcp 0-9) crown. Feigum won after a countback while Andrew Brown took third place.

DGC

Ryan Awni won the overall best net title for his round of net 65. Korean Il Jung Kim was the men’s Second Division (hcp10-18 ) winner after shooting a sparkling round of net 66. Nadeem Mirza took the runner-up spot for his round of net 67 while Gary Stobie took third place for shooting 69.

Alban Wins Inaugural Captain’s Cup Sheila Alban returned a round of four under par net 68 to win the inaugural Captain’s Cup by a shot over Elli Oschmann and Markus Hacker.

ARGC

Alban constructed her round with three net birdies and two net eagles on her way to carding a winning score of 68. A countback was needed to determine the runner-up slot and in the end it was Oschmann who took the spoils with a superior performance on the back nine.

Nielsen & Barlow Crowned Audi Betterball Champions Jorn Nielsen and Heath Barlow scored 46 Stableford points to win the Audi Betterball Champions via a card countback over runners-up Adele McKelvey and Rebecca Ward. Nielsen and Barlow dovetailed beautifully to card nines of 22 and 24 points with the highlight being the net eagle by Nielsen on the par five 18th.

ARGC

Third place went to the duo of Emma Rooms and Jamie Rooms for their tally of 44 points.

Birch and Chiang Triumph at Rivoli Monthly Medal Aaron Birch returned a one over par

ARGC gross 73 to win the January Rivoli

Monthly Medal by a shot from Denver Farrell to claim his first win of the New Year. Birch was on song as he put together two halves of 36 and 37 to take the top prize in the Men’s Division. The best net round of the day in the Men’s Division belonged to Division ‘A’ Champion Steve Bennett as he posted a net 71 to win by one shot from Tom Freer. The Men’s Division ‘B’ was another tight contest and in the end it was Tarun Ponwar who prevailed by two shots over runner-up Nigel Fenwick. The Ladies Division saw Kim Chiang make a welcome return to competitive golf as she

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Winners pictured with Club Captains Emma Rooms and Simon McDonald. posted a gross 71 to romp to victory by a resounding five shots. Meanwhile, the Ladies Net division was won by Elli Oschmann as she posted a net 71 to win via a countback from Rebecca Ward.

Arabian Golf Al HAMRA GOLF CLUB Stewart and Robin Take The Cake

Al Badia Golf Club

TERRI Stewart and Annie Robin showed that the ladies mean business in 2015 by winning both Medal categories in the opening Monthly Medal of the New Year.

AHGC

Stewart’s 86 was good enough to snap up the Gross title by one shot in what was a surprisingly high scoring event. Regular gross winner Jake Maki-Petaja had to settle for third after shooting an 87 which was made even worse by the fact that he lost on a card countback to John Wilby who took second place.

Al Badia Professionals get the Better of Captains More than 76 members took part in the Captains’ Drive Day as Men’s Captain Colin Cordery and Ladies Captain Liz Batson locked horns with Al Badia’s professionals as each side chose their teams for a Pairs Betterball Matchplay competition.

ABGC

Annie Robin returned after a long break to pick up pretty much where she left off, carding a 73 to win the net division, by one stroke from Ma Li Min and P.J. Marriott.

New Year Joy for Bird and Stewart CALLUM Bird and Terri Stewart began the New Year in fine style by winning their respective divisions in the annual New Year’s Cup. Bird accumulated a staggering 44 points to win the Men’s Division by eight points from Dave Hoggins, while Stewart took the Ladies Division with a 35-point haul, one clear of Annette Carstanjen and Diana Brown, who took second and third place respectively.

AHGC

In the end it was the professionals’ team who came out on top to record an 11.5 - 7.5 victory and take a 2-1 lead in the overall series. Needless to say, Les Reis and Jacqueline O’Connor, Al Badia’s newly appointed Vice Captains, will have their work cut out for the new 2015 season.

Batson and Ruddy Duo Triumph in Acuma Classic The Acuma Classic saw teams made up of one UAE club professional paired up with an Al Badia member. In the end it was Al Badia’s Lady Captain Liz Batson and Mark Ruddy who emerged victorious in the Pairs Betterball Competition.

ABGC

Dave Lamb and Tom Buchanan finished in second place while Tom Young and Anthony Buchanan finished in third spot. Al Badia’s Gavin Sutherland finished joint runner up in the pro’s individual stroke play competition.

Captain Liz Takes Rivoli Medal Al Badia kicked off the 2015 tournament calendar with the Rivoli Monthly Medal where Lady Captain Liz Batson produced a round of net 70 to be crowned the overall winner. Keith Nann won best gross score plus both the on course competitions while Graeme Sears narrowly defeated Dave Hick on a countback to claim the top prize in Division ‘A’.

ABGC

Colanero Last to RIP CLAUDIA Colanero produced an outstanding display of golf to win the annual member’s favourite Tombstone Classic as she went through 20 holes before eventually running out of holes. Brian Stewart played through 19 holes before

AHGC

he ran out to claim second place and Gary Newell holed out on the 18th before his shots ran out to take third. The fun format sees every player handed a personalised tombstone in which they place on the golf course where their last shot lands after adding their course handicap to the par 72.

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Haridas Kondath managed to see off the competition in Division ‘B’ with a net 71 to pick up his maiden prize in what was his first event at Al Badia. With Batson winning the overall net prize, the way was paved for Yulia Savina to win the Ladies Division.

EMIRATES GOLF FEDERATION

www.egfgolf.com

Fantastic Hamood Clinches January National Monthly Medal in Style EGF RASHID Hamood found

conditions at the Els Club to his liking as he shot an impressive round of even-par 72 to win the December National Monthly Medal. The venue had just welcomed the Asian Tour’s finest for the Dubai Open and was in pristine condition. The event was run on a Stableford format and with an impressive score of 39 points Asaad Al Muharrami was the Overall Winner. There was also a Division ‘B’ (hcp 15-28) and coming out on top was Mohammed Al Musharrekh with 32 points while in the Junior Division Obaid Al Heloo took the spoils. Pictured above: Winners of the National Monthly Medal for December and Awards of Acknowledgement from H.E. Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi.

After the event the EGF held a special Awards Ceremony for the

Golf Orientation for the Naad Al Hamar School Dubai EGF THE Emirates Golf

Federation began the year by hosting a Golf Orientation for the Naad Al Hamar School Dubai. With the help of Reema Al Heloo, a student of Naad Al Hamar School Dubai and a member of the National Junior Development Programme (NJDP), the EGF was able to introduce the game of golf to the Emirati beginners. NJDP Coach Greg Holmes put together a fourhour introduction class at Emirates Golf Club for young

Emiratis that have never played golf before. Al Heloo said: “I was nervous at first to teach my friends, but the more they hit balls the more I found myself

Jumeirah Golf Estate

coaching them. It was great to have the chance to show my friends how challenging and fun golf is to me.” Only 12 years old, Al Heloo has just started playing 18hole tournaments where she looks to improve her game and eventually start representing the UAE on the National Women’s Team. The goal of the NJDP is to identify and develop young UAE National Golfers while building good character through the etiquette and rules of golf.

www.jumeirahgolfestates.com

Perfect Parigis Take Opening Event

2014 achievements accomplished by the National Teams players. Khalid Yousuf received the Silver Medal and an Award of Acknowledgment for his performance at the 2014 Arab Golf Championship where he received the Silver in the Individual Category. Khalid shot 3-over-par for the four-day event. Lastly, the UAE Junior National Team (18-Under) was recognised for their outstanding performance at the 2014 GCC Championship where the team won Gold. Ahmed Skaik and Abdulla Al Qubasi received certificates signed by H.E. Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi and the The General Authority of Youth & Sports Welfare.

Abu Dhabi City Golf Club www.adcitygolf.com

Ewing in command JOHN Ewing produced some spectacular golf as he won round seven of the Peugeot ME Order of Merit event by one point. Ewing posted 38 points on the day, with Steve Wiltshire and Martha Cain narrowly missing out. Second place went to Wiltshire, courtesy of his superior finish with Cain having to settle for third place. Chester Makishchuk took fourth place while Mark O’Sullivan finished fifth.

ADCGC

Junior Al Hajeri makes the UAE National Sqaud MOHAMED Al Hajeri, one of the most talented youngsters in Abu Dhabi, has been selected as a new member of the UAE National Golf Squad.

ADCGC

The opening event of the Ocean View Real Estate Stableford Series was won by the team of Giorgio and Ornella Parigi who posted a fantastic score of 43 points.

Al Hajeri has been working diligently with head professional Steve Johns at improving his game and his determination has paid off.

The runner-up prize went to the team of Hisham Shammas and Haiyan Mujarkech who put themselves in a good position for the rest of the series with a score of 41 points.

Meanwhile, in the first Fast Rent a Car Junior League event for 2014 there were some excellent scores as Pallesh Chavan shot a gross 86 to win the 18 hole event. There were also wins for Heonho Park, Kyle Massey, Peta Isherwood, Fanyi Kang, Noah Sullivan, Zainab Ahsan, Johnny Anderson and Sophie Easton on the day.

The battle for 3rd 4th and 5th place came down to four teams who all scored 40 points and in the ensuing card playoff it was Manu Moskal and Davy Blommaert who secured third place.

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Conares Golf Society League Heads Towards Thrilling Finale January saw a lot

SGSC of moving in all four

divisions of the Conares Golf Society League at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club. In the Conares League it was SAGS and DIGS who made large strides up the table with both teams collecting maximum points in round four. Meanwhile, group-favourites Birdie Boys picked up another six points with two convincing wins over the Happy Hackers. Five teams can still qualify in the BMW League as wins for The Goats, MTD and Sport360 opened up the group ahead of the singles. The biggest winning margin of the league came from Sport360 who closed out their match with a convincing 8 & 6

victory. Emirates Golf Society still lead the group but their two defeats versus the Goats in round four gives all the teams in the group a shot going into the final round, which will take place on Saturday, February 21. Meanwhile, the Worldwide Golf League saw Gulf Rock steamroll their way to a vital spot in the quarter-finals. Hot on their heels are SGB and Woestyn Boere Hackers, who are only three points behind the leaders after claiming one win apiece this month. Over in the SNTTA League it is GTI who find themselves at the top of the league once again after jumping over Massin by claiming four points in round three.

Akhtar Seals Orient & Malaysia Title Overall winner

SGSC Imran Akhtar shot

Last year’s winner, Hassan Yazdi and Mukhzar Mehmood.

a flawless round of net 70 to take the fourth Orient Travel – Malaysia Truly Asia Monthly Medal at the Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club. The deserving runner-

up was Filipino Clarence Facun for her excellent round of net 72 while Korean golfer Y. D. Kim secured third spot with a steady round of net 73. Pictured below: Clarence Facun, Imran Akhtar, S.S. SON and Y. D. Kim

Do You Have the Drive and Skills to compete in the Ultimate Pairs?

Kim Chiang Crowned Junior Open Champion

Sharjah Golf and Shooting

SGSC Club has once again

Kim Chiang from Arabian

SGSC Ranches Golf Club came

announced the 2015 edition of the 5th Ultimate Pairs Golf Championship supported by Citi Bank. One of the most eagerly anticipated tournaments of the year will return on the weekend of Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th January 2015 with defending champions Hassan Yazdi and Mukhzar Mehmood both looking to put their name on the coveted trophy again this year after a five shot victory last year.

Jeong Strikes Again

The event will consist of four different formats played over two days under full championship conditions.

In Division ‘1’ it was Ravi AE who shot a net 32 which included five pars and two birdies over the nine holes, while the runner-up was Tony Bang for his score of net 36.

The golfers will be faced with a Texas Scramble, Betterball, Greensomes and finally a Foursomes format. The entry fees for the two-day tournament starts from as little as AED 450.

S.J. Jeong won the January Centro Sharjah by Rotana Midweek Medal supported by Mekar as he shot a superb net round of five under par to be crowned the overall winner of the event by a shot.

SGSC

S.P. Wong took the spoils in Division ‘2’ with a score of net 32 while K.P. Sahadevan took the runner-up position.

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out on top at the 6th Petrofac Junior Open as the teenager finished on 36 Stableford points to win the event by one point. The girls’ net division was won by Natalii Gupta for her 32 net Stableford points. Meanwhile, in the boys’ gross competition it was Aaryan Kumar from The Els Club who took the spoils with 35 gross points, beating Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club superstar Rayhan Thomas by a shot. The overall net division was full of great scores but none better than EGF golfer Khalil Kashwani who took the honours with 41 net Stableford points, while the runnerup spot went to William Thoren from the EGF for his 37 points.

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Bradley Triumphs at Audi Medal The New Year got

YLGC off to a cracking

Nerveless Wivous Seal Narrow Win in Shootout TLGC JOE and Zenia

Wivou scraped through by the narrowest of margins possible to win the ‘Two Player Two Shoot’ event recently after posting an excellent solid score of 32.8 net.

The format, which is made up of three holes of Scramble, three holes of Greensomes and three holes of betterball, tests all three facets of the player’s game and mental stamina and

the Wivous came out on top by just 0.1 of a stroke ahead of Derek Fisher and Dave Michie. Third place went to Greg Maddox and Mark Armitage with a fine score of 33.2 net.

Amazing Anupma makes her points in Stableford ANUPMA Kotwal posted 25

TLGC Stableford points to dominate

the recent weekly social event and earn some much-needed Golfer of the Year points.

start for Randy Bradley as he was crowned the overall winner in Category ‘A’ (hcp 0-12) at the seasonopening Audi Medal. Bradley carded a score of net 71 to edge out Ricus

Lehmkuhl who finished a close second with a net 72. In Category ‘B’ (hcp 13-28) it was Tim Taylor who won top spot as he finished with a very solid score of net 67. Joshua Herron took the runner-up spot for his round of net 72.

Fatani and Shiang’s Etihad Open The Etihad Open Stableford tournament was once again an exciting affair and in the end the top prize in the Division ‘A’ Category (hcp 0-14) went to Ish Fatani who carded a solid 41 points. A card countback between Adrian Creed and Paul Prince

YLGC

was needed to determine the runner-up spot and eventually it was Creed who came out on top. In the Division ‘B’ Category (hcp 15-36) it was Wong Ming Shiang who ended up on top after edging out Teresa Sheepwash while Timothy Taylor secured third place.

Anupma started her round with a net eagle and the points continued to flow, right down to her final hole, where another net birdie made it her fifth of the evening. Lanka Udawatta took second place while Mark Regan finished third with an 18-point haul.

Putts Drop For Park TLGC J.I. Park was as steady

as ever as he clinched victory in a recent midweek social Stableford with a 21-point haul, one clear of Hugo Toledo and Lanka Udawatta. Park’s game is all about fairways and greens, and his consistent right to left draw never failed him as he dissected the course with monotonous regularity and holed his fair share of putts.

Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club

Shanahan Seals the Medal Finals JAMES Shanahan ended 2014 on a high as he sealed a glorious victory in the Medal Finals with a gross 81 for a net 67 and a three-shot victory over Stephen Garbutt.

AESGC

David and Simon on top DAVID Biddlecombe teamed up

TLGC successfully with Simon Payne to ease

to a four-point victory in the recent Two Play Cumulative Stableford competition. The dynamic duo combined for a 38 point haul, four points ahead of Gerry Gibson and J.I. Park in second place, while third place went to Mizu and Ahmad Mustapha.

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Nicolas Poisat also posted a net 70 but lost out on a countback to Garbutt and had to settle for third place. Poisat’s gross 73 was the best of the day and earned him the Scratch award.

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GOLF STYLE

MEET

LUKE ROPER The British fashion designer who is bringing a new look and feel to the UAE fairways talks to Worldwide Golf Style about how it all started and why he’s branching out into golf.

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LUKE ROPER - 94 AUDI A8

- 96

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE - 98 TEE TIMES - 100 GARCIA’S OMEGA DARKSIDE OF THE MOON - 100

LUKE ROPER

BRINGING A FRESH STYLE TO THE UAE FAIRWAYS Worldwide Golf: Tell us about the Luke brand and how it got started? Luke Roper: The Luke brand was born in 2001 but, to be honest, it all started when I was about 12 years old and realised I had a love for sewing machines as well as football and golf. The brand is a practical interpretation of contemporary menswear and I have always seen it as being a modern day take on traditional luxury. Our ethos is to put a fashionable twist on any men’s garment but without overdesigning, to retain a design-led masculine look.

Luke Roper: We are currently working with Mark Foster, Matthew Nixon, Simon Wakefield and Steve Webster with several more to be announced soon. Last season Andy Sullivan wore Luke and we were so proud when he won his maiden victory wearing Luke. We are also proud to have the UAE National Golf Team on board and wearing our brand. I have a great relationship with the guys. We only work with people we like and that’s important to me and the brand as a whole. Luke is one big family and anyone who joins the family needs to buy into what we are about and our values.

WWG: When did you start Luke Sport and what made you want to move into golf? Luke Roper: Luke Sport started in 2012 and was a natural evolution of the brand. Lots of golfers were wearing our classic Williams polo to play golf in. One chance meeting meant we had Mark Foster wearing Luke on The European Tour. He was leading at The Scottish Open a couple of years ago and our phones didn’t stop ringing asking for the golf range when, in reality, it was a golfer wearing our fashion range. From then on the demand grew for a bigger offering for this area and with the bigger offering we thought it deserved its own division. So LUKE SPORT was born!

WWG: What outlets do you have in the Middle East and how important is branching out into this market for you? Luke Roper: With our Middle East partners Blue Salon Group we opened our first of five stand-alone stores in Jeddah last year and have a roll-out plan across the territory within the next few years. It’s a very exciting and important region for us and we are proud to announce Yas Links Pro Shop as our first golf retailer in the region with a view to selected expansion in 2015.

WWG: The golf apparel market is pretty crowded. What makes the Luke Sport brand stand out? Luke Roper: Luke Sport is an all-encompassing line of apparel and accessories which bridges the gap between fashion and sport. We have been able to use our rich heritage as a leading British men’s fashion brand to create a course-ready collection. Each piece in the collection is carefully designed with the help of our professional golfers to ensure maximum usability, while retaining all the classic Luke styling and finishing. With our quirky yet fashionable design ethos, combined with functionality and a high technical specification, we believe the ranges are a breath of fresh air for the golfing world. The extra styling and attention to detail sets Luke Sport apart, with the micro dot print golf ball on the back shoulder being a real stand-out feature! WWG: What’s your favourite item of Luke Sport clothing? Luke Roper: This is a tough question. For me it’s like asking which one of my children is my favourite. The answer is always I love them both exactly the same and they are two different characters. Just like every collection and every style has different characteristics. I believe 100% in every piece or they would never make the range, I love it all! WWG: What golf brand ambassadors currently wear Luke Sport and do you have a good relationship with the guys?

WWG: How did you became a fashion designer? Luke Roper: My mum was a talented dressmaker and I just took inspiration from her. At 15, I was pattern-cutting and making one-off suits and shirts for friends and things just spiralled. I attended Central St Martins and obtained a degree in menswear design and in 2001 hatched a plan with lifelong friends Simon and Deborah Poole to make the best menswear brand in the UK. WWG: What’s your golf like? Luke Roper: Improving! I was once told I stood too close to the ball, after I’d hit it! On a serious note, with the growth of the division we are being invited to play at prestigious events which has meant taking more lessons. WWG: How did you get involved in the Abu Dhabi Invitational? Luke Roper: We have a strong a relationship with James Bowring who did such a professional job in organising the ADI. He brought us into the event and with a fast developing business in the Middle East we thought this would be an ideal place to showcase the brand. The event was a great fit for both parties. WWG: How did you enjoy playing in the Pro-Am? Luke Roper: H.E. Aref Hamad Al Awani and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Mohammed Farooq and Abdullah Al Naboodah put on a fantastic tournament. There was a great atmosphere from start to finish. We were proud to be the official apparel sponsor and hope it’s the start of a long-term relationship between Luke Sport and the Abu Dhabi Invitational.

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F A I RWAY F A S H I O N

Matthew Nixon

Luke Roper

Steve Webster

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Mark Foster

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D R I V I N G RA N G E

A8 CLASS OF ELEGANCE AND PERFORMANCE 2015 AUDI A8L 3.0T IT’S SAFE to say that Audi’s response to the new MercedesBenz S-class is resounding. Luxury sedans don’t come any better than the Audi A8 and the all-new 2015 Audi A8L 3.0T gives us just one more reason why these German über-luxury sedans are so highly rated. Updated powertrains, fresher equipment, and a refreshingly sleek new look are just some of the features of the new A8.

FUEL CONSUMPTION

22 mpg

The supercharged 3.0-litre V-6 engine is frighteningly powerful, jumping from 290 horsepower to 333. Along with a useful self-parking function, the new A8 also includes an Active Lane Assist feature which directs the steering wheel to correct the car should you wander into other lanes. The Audi A8L 3.0T is the perfect clash of graceful elegance and unbeatable performance.

PERFORMANCE

5.7s 0-60

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POWER

333 bhp

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D R I V I N G RA N G E

EVERYTHING AN SUV SHOULD BE 2015 JEEP ® GRAND CHEROKEE The all-new 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee reminds us all, once again, why the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the most awarded and renowned SUV ever. INTERIOR THE cabin is well-trimmed and surprisingly elegant, comfortably fitting five people with plenty of leg-room for all. Jeep’s impressive new Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) system further reduces exterior road noise within the cabin, taking the already magnificent interior to a whole new level. The interior oozes luxury and class with top-of-the-range amenities, including Natura leather seats, exotic open-pore wood trim and unique colour offerings. If you sat in the back of a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, you could be forgiven for thinking you were sitting in a grand living room of an even grander palace.

FUEL CONSUMPTION *

14-24 mpg

SAFETY Safety is a huge factor for any car buyer so it’s no surprise that the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee boasts more than 70 safety and security features, the highest number in its class. The Jeep also houses a plethora of advanced user-friendly technology like the award-winning Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen radio which includes an integrated climate and infotainment controls, making for a commanding and visually delightful user experience. EXTERIOR Jeep is known for not holding back when it comes to good looks and the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee is no exception. This beauty features a refined exterior design complete with bi-xenon headlamps with signature LED daytime running lamps. Throw in the acoustic laminated windshield and the ever-stylish illuminated door sills and you have a true peach of a vehicle both inside and out.

TOP SPEED

258 kmh

POWER

290-360 hp

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Rado Hyper-Chrome Ceramic Touch Dual If ever there was a watch for globetrotters, the Rado HyperChrome Ceramic Touch Dual would be it. The ever-classy ceramic touch technology returns in the five new models of Rado’s magnificent and trusted Hyper-Chrome family. A main dial displays the time where you are now and the small dial at 6 o’clock shows a second time zone, making it the perfect wrist wear for frequent travellers.

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Jaermann & Stübi Time to Play – TD4 With 71 diamonds and one glittering ruby, there’s nothing else you’d want to give your significant other for Valentine’s Day than Jaermann & Stübi’s Time to Play. This stunning time machine contains a stainless steel case and comes with a built-in shock absorber for movement. As with every Jaermann & Stübi timepiece, Time to Play is part of a family of the only mechanical golf watches that display the number of strokes per hole, the hole currently in play and compare your total score with your handicap.

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TEE TIME

OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra Co-Axial This eloquent yet robust time machine is a fitting tribute to OMEGA’s rich maritime heritage. The classy dial design of the OMEGA Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M collection recalls the wooden decks of luxury sailboats. This model features a grey dial decorated with the Teak Concept pattern and a date window at the 3 o’clock position while a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal protects this unique dial. If you’re a sailor, there’s nothing else you’d want on your wrist than this beauty.

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Hublot Spirit of Big Bang All Black Hublot’s all-new Spirit of Big Bang All Black is a dazzling fusion of the unique All Black concept invented by Hublot and the famous Spirit of Big Bang watch. Featuring an elegant tonneau case, the Spirit of Big Bang All Black has all the codes of the Big Bang models from the 6 H-shaped screws through the bezel, the lugs on either side, the two strap attachments and the over-moulded rubber screw-down crown adorned with the iconic letter H. If you dare to wear black, then this watch has your name written all over it.

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TEE TIME

GARCIA ON THE DARKSIDE OF THE MOON WITH OMEGA SERGIO GARCIA, one of Omega’s biggest names in their already glittering list of brand ambassadors, says he couldn’t be happier with what he’s wearing on his wrist at the moment. “My favourite Omega watch is the one I’m wearing right now, which is the Dark Side of the Moon,” Garcia says. “I’ve been wearing it for almost a year now and I really, really like it.” The 11-times European Tour winner had a memorable season last year, locking horns with fellow Omega ambassador Rory McIlroy more than once on the course before the two came together to be part of a memorable Ryder Cup-winning Team at Gleneagles. Garcia says that as a golfer who travels around the world, he can relate to Omega being a global company that has wide-reaching boundaries. “What I like about Omega is that it’s a very global company and as golfers we play all over the world,” says the Spaniard. “It’s nice to be related to a global company that loves to create great watches that are not only fantastic to look at, but also in the way they work. They offer an amazing collection of different types of watches, all of which are very, very sharp and very classy.”

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