Worldwide Golf June 2017 by Worldwide Golf

Worldwide Golf The Middle East’s No.1 Golf Magazine

RORY McILROY

HOW TAYLORMADE STOLE MY HEART

JUNE 2017, ISSUE 193

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

TO REMAIN DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP HOST VENUE UNTIL 2020

US OPEN PREVIEW

18 YEARS SINCE PAYNE STEWART LIFTED THE TROPHY

TIPS

COMPENSATE FOR

DRIVER WEIGHT PITCH WITH

PRECISION PETE COWEN

HOW I CURED POULTER’S SHANK!

MIND OVER MULLIGAN

PRACTICE WITH

PURPOSE

Bob Parsons GEAR

F7 ONE LENGTH

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A TECH BILLIONAIRE AND FORMER MARINE STARTS A GOLF COMPANY?... PXG

ISBN 978-9948-15-427-3

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

Executive Editor

Gary Player The Players shouldn’t ever become a Major

HAT a wonderful achievement it was for 21 year old Si Woo Kim to win The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass last month, following in the footsteps of fellow South Korean K.J. Choi, who won the tournament at the age of 40 in 2011. I predicted in Worldwide Golf many years ago when the Korean ladies began to dominate ladies golf that it wouldn’t be long before the men started to catch up and make their mark on the game. Y.E. Yang made the breakthrough by becoming the first Korean to win a Major, in 2009, and Sang Moon Bae is a two-times winner on the US PGA Tour. Earlier this year 21 year old Jeunghun Wang won the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in a three-man play-off in his

debut at the event. Si Woo Kim triumphed at Sawgrass in some style. He closed with a threeunder-par 69 to become the youngest winner of the tournament, which featured 48 of the world’s top 50 players. His score of 10-under 278 was three strokes better than Ian Poulter and Louis Oosthuizen. It was Kim’s second win on the US PGA Tour, having won the Wyndham Championship last year. He comes across as a very likeable young man but if he isn’t able to speak good English he will find it difficult to make the most of his undoubted talent as a highly-marketable up-andcoming star. It always annoys me when I see The Players Championship being referred to as golf’s ‘Fifth Major.’ The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Florida is a fine course and the tournament is

well contested, but there are just four Majors. It’s not merely the course or the prizemoney that defines a Major – it’s the history that surrounds it. The Open Championship, for me, is the most prestigious of the four Majors, due to the well established links courses that host the event and the fact that The Open is steeped in tradition as the oldest of the four. If a fifth Major were ever to be introduced it would totally ruin the history of the Majors. No doubt a sixth and seventh Major would soon follow and the Grand Slams would lose all significance. As for prizemoney, I see that the winner of this year’s US Open Championship will pick up $2.1 million. I don’t begrudge the enormous prizemoney players can earn in today’s game but wouldn’t it be good if a percentage of their winnings

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was used to fund a ‘Young Man’s Tour,’ enabling promising youngsters to have the money to cover their living costs while competing at a high level? I was pleased to see Ian Poulter playing so well at The Players Championship and his runner-up finish will certainly give his confidence a boost. He was a very happy man before heading for TPC Sawgrass having been informed that he had not lost his Tour card on the US PGA Tour as he first thought. Fellow Tour player Brian Gay had discovered that a mathematical mistake in the points calculations meant that both he and Ian retain their fully exempt status for the remainder of the 2016-17 season. What a relief it must have been for one of the heroes of The Ryder Cup and one of the game’s great personalities. ■

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June 2017

CONTENTS

Cover feature: Bob Parsons

The Starter

46 78 26

WWG meets Bob Parsons, the man behind the brand that’s taking the golfing world by storm – PXG. He tells his story from humble military beginnings to building a billion-dollar empire and making his move into the golf industry.

This month’s focus is the season’s second Major – the US Open – with the world’s best presented with a new course as the state of Wisconsin hosts its National Open for the first time. PLUS we look back at Payne Stewart’s memorable US Open win at Pinehurst in 1999, preview the action this year and take a look at what else has been happening in the game.

Alex Levy feature

After wrapping up his fourth European Tour title with the Volvo China Open, making the team for The 2018 Ryder Cup in his homeland is firmly in the sights of the outgoing Frenchman.

Sebastian Heisele feature

The 6’ 7” three-times former Emirates Golf Club Champion and graduate of the EGF Junior Development Programme is making inroads in his rookie campaign on the European Tour this year – and he’s determined to do it the hard way.

Tour News

A round-up of the recent events on the European and US PGA Tours and a look at who’s hot and who’s not on the Race to Dubai and the Road to Oman. PLUS: The DP World Tour Championship announces an extention to remain at Jumeirah Golf Estates until 2020.

Columns

21 23

Pete Cowen

PGA Master Professional Pete Cowen talks about his role in Ian Poulter’s recent resurgence after making a small tweak to his backswing.

David Howell

European Tour veteran David Howell praises the inaugural GolfSixes event and hopes it can inspire a fresh generation to participate in the game.

Rafa Cabrera Bello

Ryder Cup star Rafa Cabrera Bello gives us an insight into his experiences on Tour this year.

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June 2017

CONTENTS INSTRUCTION

PRACTICE PRIORITES

Alex Riggs, PXG Middle East Brand Ambassador, discusses three essential elements to focus on to get the most out of your practice session.

PITCHING – STABILITY AND ROTATION THE KEY

Michael Sweenie, Head Golf Professional at Dreamland Golf Club, shows us five key ways to improve your pitching technique.

USE THE WEIGHT CORRECTLY

Stephen Deane, Head Golf Professional at Emirates Golf Club, explains just how the weight of the club can have a dramatic impact on the swing and impact.

EFFECTIVE COURSE MANAGEMENT

Michael Bolt, PGA Professional at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, highlights how good course management can improve your scores.

GEAR

RORY’S NEW TAYLORMADE DEAL

We take a look at the new clubs in Rory McIlroy’s bag after signing a huge deal.

ONE LENGTH - ONE VISION

eGolf Megastore’s custom-fit guru Jason Ashley gives us the insider information on the new Cobra F7 One Length irons.

ARABIAN GOLF

All the latest goings on around the region.

DIAMOND COUNTRY CLUB

The latest in our series of European Tour Destinations, Diamond Country Club on the outskirts of Vienna, Austria, comes into focus.

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Editor’s Letter

By Alex Gallemore

Pundits need CV check before pontificating

an Poulter is one of those individuals you either like or he just rubs you up the wrong way. What you can’t take away from him is his character, something the game needs desperately. When I say his ‘character’, I don’t mean the lavish Ferrarifuelled lifestyle he leads. I’m talking about the way in which he’s always up for the challenge on the golf course and his determination and desire to mix it with the guys deemed to be more talented. This is the Poulter that appeals to me. There’s no finer example of the former market trader pulling his way out of the streets of London when he was recently on the brink of losing his US PGA Tour card. With his wife and kids settled into the American way of life, The Ryder Cup stalwart was on the edge of having to travel the golfing globe once again to snap up vital Official World Ranking points in a last ditch effort to stay afloat. Unbeknown to many of us, Poulter has been working hard on the range with Pete Cowen for the past couple of months to remove his dreaded shank. Read Pete’s column on page 21 to find out more. It was his tied-eleventh finish at the RBS Heritage at Hilton Head that, ironically, earned him his card, thanks to Brian Gay’s questioning of the US PGA Tour’s points misscalculations. You’ve got to take your hat off to Poulter. The Players Championship, known as golf’s fifth ‘Major,’ was the perfect occasion for him to announce that he was back in business and not just by the skin of his teeth but to mix it up at the top of the leaderboard. This is where the American TV pundits jumped on him, saying Poulter wasn’t prepared to go for the win and instead played safe over the closing holes. At the start I said you are either for or against Poulter and

unfortunately TV pundit Brandel Chamblee had the knives out. He was outraged that Poulter bailed out on his approach to 16 and played safe on the island hole instead of going for birdie and putting pressure on the leader who was in the group behind. We all like dramatic finishes but it was in Poulter’s best interest to find the greens in regulation and look to hole the putts instead of pushing hard and running the risk of dropping valuable shots and, ultimately, his 2018 Tour card. As for Chamblee, he’s not exactly a Jack Nicklaus or a Sir Nick Faldo. Pundits should be taken seriously based on their own experiences on the course, when they are able to reflect accurately on the subject in hand. Chamblee’s only win was back in 1998 at the Greater Vancouver Open and he eventually lost his Tour card in 2003. He’s never made a Ryder Cup team and his highest finish in a Major was tied 18th at the 1999 Masters Tournament. So when he talks through the camera about Poulter ‘not being remembered as a great player,’ I’m pretty sure he would trade his golfing achievements for Ian’s in a heartbeat. I understand that he’s trying to be controversial for the sake of it and emulate Johnny Miller to a degree but his golfing pedigree lets him down. Poulter is a good role model in many ways. His self-belief and his passion to succeed when the chips are down is a great example, not just for golfers looking to reduce their handicaps but for the challenges we face every day. OK, I’m a Poulter fan and I believe he’s earned the right to be respected for his achievements in the game and not targeted by an attention-seeking pundit attempting to boost his ratings. ■

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ISSUE No.193 JUNE 2017. Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd.

Published in Dubai by: Prografix, PO Box 24677, Dubai, UAE. (Tel) +9714 340 3785.

Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore. Executive Editor: Gary Player. Editor: Alex Gallemore. alex@wspglobal.com. Publisher: Mike Gallemore. mike@wspglobal.com. General Manager Dubai: Richard Bevan: rick@wspglobal.com. Editors: Todd Staszko, Scott Grayston, Ashraf Ahmed. Production/Design Editor: Thameem Rayyan. Editorial Panel: Gary Player, Mike Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Richard Bevan, Todd Staszko. Photography: Getty Images June 2009 SSN 1- 46805671 Approval UAE National Media Council: Ref.816 30/5/2007 Trade Licence No. 1/104375/15280

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

Erin Hills The US Open comes to the state of Wisconsin for the first time.

HE stunningly calm rolling track at Erin Hills will play host to Major Championship golf for the first time this month when the US Open rolls into town. It is the second US Open in three years to be held on a course hosting the event for the first time, following Chambers Bay in 2015 where Jordan Spieth was victorious. Erin Hills has only been open since 2006 but has welcomed the US Amateur Championship in 2011. When the course’s owner Bob Lang was tasked with drawing up a list of golf architects to design the championship layout he passed over the big names in the industry and opted for the relatively unheralded trio of Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry and Ron Whitten. Lang wanted a golf course that would be open to the public and be tough enough to bring the US Open to the state of Wisconsin for the first time. He bought the former cattle farm and its land, situated in the town of Erin, around 35km from Milwaukee, in 2001. It opened in 2006 and four years later it was announced as a future US Open venue. Glaciers from prehistoric times had seemingly moved the land in all the right places, leaving behind natural corridors, gentle hollows and conical mounds – perfect for a golf course. A fleet of bulldozers couldn’t have made a better job of it. Indeed, Erin Hills is the complete opposite of Chambers Bay, where 1.4 million cubic yards of dirt and sand were removed from the site and then returned to sculpt the course. There are similarities with Oakmont, the site of last year’s US Open where Dustin Johnson became a Major winner, in that the course is inland but looks like a wide-open links course with very few trees. Built amid quiet farms and country roads, Erin Hills’ topography has a certain rhythm that will almost certainly be a hit with the players. Now, can you pick a winner? ■

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Course Notes At 7,693 yards this year marks the first time since Pebble Beach in 1992 that the US Open will play to a par-72 set up. The actual yardage of the event will change from day to day due to tee box positions. The ‘black tee’ option on the course’s scorecard logs a 7,800 total yardage, with all four par-5s measuring at least 607 yards.

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However, USGA CEO Mike Davis said: “It might be slightly longer than the 7,963 yards on the scorecard but it might also be slightly less. We really don't figure out exactly what we're going to do until the day before – or even the day of the event, once we know what the wind conditions and the firmness is going to be.”

Spin Back1999 Every month we trawl the archives for a memorable moment in golf

HE 1999 US Open Championship will go down as one of the most memorable and popular tournaments in recent history as Payne Stewart overcame Phil Mickelson to win his third and final Major. A year earlier Stewart held the 54-hole lead by four strokes at the Olympic Club but fell away, shooting a 74 as Lee Janzen stepped in with a 68 to win by one. In preparation for the 1999 US Open Stewart missed the cut in Memphis the week before, but took advantage by heading to Pinehurst early and getting in four full days of practice.

In The Mix It paid off as Stewart got in the mix and birdied the 18th on Saturday to take a one stroke lead over Mickelson into the final day. Mickelson was on high alert all week as his wife, Amy, was due to give birth to their first child at any stage. The tension throughout that wet and misty Sunday was palpable and after Tiger Woods

lipped out on the 17th it was clear the winner would come from the final group. Level going into the par-3 17th, Stewart knocked it to within seven feet. Mickelson followed up to around eight feet and the crowds erupted. Mickelson missed his birdie putt and Stewart drained his to take the lead heading down the last.

Worst Lie All Week But there were to be more twists to come. Stewart’s drive found the rough – his caddy calling it the worst lie they'd had all week – while Mickelson found the fairway and hit an 8-iron the right side of the green to give himself a birdie opportunity. After laying up, Stewart pitched on to the green and left himself an uphill putt for par from around 16 feet. Mickelson’s putt looked good but stayed high leaving Stewart the opportunity to clinch his National Open for the second time. He rolled it up to the hole – and in it went – as he punched the air with that trademark

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stance and high-fived with his caddy. He then shook hands with Mickelson and put his hands on his head and said: “I’m so happy for you – you’re going to be a father!” That he had the presence of mind to think of Phil and all that was going to happen in his life, Stewart endeared himself to golf fans around the world. His untimely death just four months later was a shock to the golfing word and it accentuates not only his final winning act but his whole career, which was built on respect and decency.

2017 US OPEN PREVIEW THE US Open steps into the unknown once again this year as Erin Hills makes its debut as a host and the USGA will be hoping that the course will be received more positively than the last debutant – 2015’s Chambers Bay. Two years ago the greens were ‘like broccoli’ according to some players and Gary Player skewered the set-up calling it one of the worst he had ever seen for a Major championship. This year, in the rolling farmlands in the heart of Wisconsin, the USGA are confident the course will produce a tough test and a worthy winner and that the conversations afterwards will be on how well the course played rather than how lousy it was for a national championship.

2011 US Amateur Competitors who will tee it up: While Erin Hills makes its debut as a US Open venue there will be at least three players who have played it before in competition. Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Emiliano Grillo all teed it up at the 2011 US Amateur and are all fully exempt for the year’s second Major. Kelly Kraft won the title while Spieth advanced to the quarter finals. Other notables from the 2011 tournament include 2015 US Amateur winner Bryson DeChambeau, European Tour winner Peter Uihlein and US PGA Tour winner Harris English. Just like Kraft, they will all need

1895

to get through qualifying to earn their spot in the US Open field.

Hale Irwin is the oldest ever US Open winner. He was 45 years old when he defeated Mike Donald in a play-off to win at Medinah in 1990.

US OPEN FORMBOOK

The US Open began in 1895 with just 11 players competing in a 36-hole stroke play tournament at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island. England’s Horace Rawlins won with a 173 total, two shots clear of Scotland’s Willie Dunn. Rawlins won $150 and Dunn received $100.

SERGIO GARCIA ripped up the script to become a Major champion for the first time at this year's Masters, aged 37, and in doing so continued the run of first-time Major winners dating back to Jason Day at the 2015 US PGA Championship. We take a look at the form of some of the game's big-hitters heading into this year's US Open. Dustin Johnson missed The Masters through injury but returned to action a month later with a runner-up finish at the Wells Fargo Championship. Curtis Strange (88-89) was the last player to win back-to-back. Phil Mickelson still hasn’t won since his 2013 Open Championship triumph at Muirfield. He's been runner-up six times in the US Open – the only Major he needs to complete his career Grand Slam.

PLAY-OFF The US Open remains the only Major that retains a full 18-hole play-off the following day should there be a tie at the end of 72 holes. The last play-off was back in 2008 when Tiger Woods famously downed Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines. Prior to that, Retief Goosen won in a play-off with Mark Brooks at Southern Hills in 2001. Dating back to 1901 there have been 32 US Opens settled in a play-off.

Rory McIlroy is newlywed and suffering from niggling rib injuries that forced him to miss the PGA Championship. His new TaylorMade clubs and ball may take some getting used to – his switch to Nike equipment in 2013 saw him win only once that year in Australia. Adam Scott has been relatively quiet since he won The 2013 Masters. His game is trending nicely after a T9 at Augusta and then a T6 at The Players. Jordan Spieth is having an up-and-down year. He won at Pebble Beach but his demons from the 12th hole at Augusta got the better of him again as he wound up 11th. Missing the cut at The Players isn’t the best preparation for the next Major.

The USGA received 9,485 entries for this year’s US Open. The full field of 156 is whittled down through local and then sectional qualifying.

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Jason Day signed off with a final round 80 at The Players but bounced back with a runner-up finish in Texas. Slowly starting to find his form after a sluggish start to 2017. Justin Rose will have to combat the disappointment of losing out to Sergio at Augusta. The 2013 US Open winner at Merion will need to be on top of his short game at Erin Hills. Sergio Garcia is still riding the crest of a wave as the newly-crowned Masters champion. Can let it all ride out and be aggressive now he has a Major in the bag.

STARTER PRESIDENTS CUP GOING BACK TO MELBOURNE

DALY WINS FIRST SENIOR TITLE

Royal Melbourne will host The Presidents Cup for the third time in 2019 with the International team hoping the course will be a good-luck charm. The Internationals haven’t won since the course first hosted the event in 1998. The United States have dominated, winning the last six editions. Later this year Steve Stricker captains the United States Team for the first time while Nick Price leads the Internationals for the third successive time later this year at Liberty National in New Jersey.

GARCIA USES TOUR WINNER FOR CADDIE Sergio Garcia made his return to action after winning The Masters with a new man on his bag – former European Tour winner Jose Manuel Lara. Garcia’s regular caddie, Glen Murray, is having time off while his wife gives birth to their second child so Garcia arranged for the two-time champion Lara to carry his bag. “We’ve always had a great relationship,” Garcia said, “so I thought, 'Who better to have on the bag than a good friend?'” Lara picked the right club for Garcia at the 17th during the first round as he made an ace – only the eighth in championship history at the hole.

Wild Thing John Daly won his first professional title since 2004 with a breakthrough victory on the PGA Tour Champions at the Insperity Invitational last month. The 51-year-old sealed a one-stroke win over Tommy Armour III and Kenny Perry in Texas and received a dousing in Champagne from his friends on Tour.

WILLETT’S LONG-TIME CADDIE LEAVES HIM

KIM WINS IN MEXICO

Korea's Sei Young Kim collected her sixth LPGA Tour title with a 1up victory over Ariya Jutanugarn in the final of the Lorena Ochoa Match Play tournament last month.

Danny Willett has split with caddie Jonathan Stewart just over a year after he pulled off one of the biggest Major upsets when he walked away with the Green Jacket at The Masters. The pair have been friends since they were teenagers but an argument during April’s RBC Heritage event has ended their memorable partnership, with Willett missing the cut. “Things are a bit stale and kind of fizzled out,” said Willett. “It's a shame. But things happen and change. Everything happens for a reason.

BY THE NUMBERS

It’s been 22 years since a slowplay penalty was handed out on the US PGA Tour. The team of Miguel Angel Carballo and Brian Campbell fell foul of officials during the New Orleans Classic – the first time since Glen Day in 1995.

Haru Nomura and Cristie Kerr played the par-5 six times in a play-off to settle the LPGA Tour’s Texas Shootout. It took them two hours. Nomura won.

The Players' field was chock full of stars with 48 of the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking teeing it up at TPC Sawgrass. Winner Si Woo Kim was ranked 73rd.

Despite the world-class field 69 balls were hit in the water on the 17th at The Players. Zac Blair dunked three in the pond during the second round. Ouch.

MONTH-BY-MONTH ANALYSIS AS ANDREW ‘BEEF’ JOHNSTON TACKLES THE US PGA TOUR On course Beef is yet to make a dent in any leaderboards on Tour so far. Off course he's still living the high life. He played golf with tennis legend Serena Williams at a sponsor's day in Florida after missing the cut at the Wells Fargo Championship. Keep your chin up, Beef.

BEEF

WATCH

MAKING SUMMER GOLF GREAT AGAIN! MEYDANGOLF

28 May

Columnist

Pete Cowen Backswing change key for Poulter

HERE has been a lot of talk about Ian Poulter in the last couple of weeks but we’ve been working hard on eradicating the shank and it’s great to have him back in the fold. It came as no surprise to see him up there at The Players Championship as it’s a course that suits his eye and we mustn’t forget that he finished runner-up to Stenson at TPC Sawgrass back in 2009. Ian has a tendency to be too deep on the backswing but then he has to return to get into the back of the ball. Sometimes he goes back so far he pushes his arms away and presents the hosel to the ball. You can’t stop that movement, you just have to put something in place to prevent it from happening. So we’ve worked on making the backswing more efficient and that’s the key to it all. Ian’s been working hard on the range and we started to see things pay off at Hilton Head. He drove and struck the ball great all week and if he had putted well he could have won the event. Ironically, with all the confusion about Ian retaining his US PGA Tour card it was his result at Hilton Head that really changed his fortune. Going forward, I believe that Ian is now hitting it better than ever but will we see the young Poulter performing well again on the greens? Even if he manages to putt reasonably well he will still win the odd tournament but if he gets the short stick working like it did in the early days, he will be right up there in the big events.

‘You can’t immedately stop what’s going wrong’ Another of my players who has fired back into form is Louis Oosthuizen. We’ve not worked on his swing but we’ve built in some new short game shots. We also reaffirmed what we worked on years ago, making sure he stays in position and doesn’t lose it. Ian and Louis came close at Sawgrass but I was delighted also to see Alex Levy win the Volvo Championship in China. He’s only been with me since the start of the year. After the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, he came over to the academy in Rotherham for six days prior to flying out to China. He knew he was playing great but I just made sure he understood what he does well. People would point out to me what he was doing wrong in the swing. That’s not necessarily the problem. He’s just got to learn to make an action stop the reaction. You simply can’t just immediately stop what is going wrong, you’ve got

to go back two or three steps before you can halt the poor movement just like we did with Ian Poulter. We had to wind up his backswing better and stay in balance, so he doesn’t get into that bad position that leads to a poor shot. With Alex I just worked on explaining how his body works in the golf swing. In the golf swing the body does three things: ● The body is the engine. It helps to load the power and position the club on the backswing. ● Then the body helps to reposition the club for the delivery, relative to the shot you want to play. ● Then the body has to keep moving to stabilise your impact conditions. This is what we’ve got to teach all players. The difference with Tour players is they are hugely gifted, naturally. Many have unbelievable hand and eye coordination. So they can make the smallest adjustments subconsciously to manipulate their body to strike the ball in the centre of the club. What I try and do with the players is explain that, OK you can win an event through manipulation, but wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to rely on it. It should be regarded as a bonus and not a necessity. The one player I coach who doesn’t manipulate is Thomas Pieters. He’s not been in action recently as he’s not a big fan of the events in Florida. He’s got a game plan and he’ll stick to it. He will not play any event just for the sake of it. He’ll merely enter the events he wants to play. I see Rory has pulled out of a few events as a result of his re-occurring rib injury. People have asked if I think it’s down to spending too much time in the gym like Tiger did. There’s obsession and there’s dedication. I think Rory is trying to be totally dedicated to golf and sometimes it’s easy to cross that line into obsession, which then becomes the problem. If you are into pushing hard in the gym you are definitely going to get injured at some stage. These guys are competing against Dustin Johnson, who is in his prime. As far as athleticism goes, he’s the Usain Bolt of golf. So if you are training hard in the gym to find that small percentage gain to compete, I will never knock players for trying to get better. But they should remember, it’s a fine line between dedication and obsession. ■

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Columnist

David Howell GolfSixes was great entertainment

HOT clocks, sponge pointy fingers for the kids, comperes in the grandstands plus a music and smoke-filled entrance for the players on the first tee in the style of a world boxing championship. These were just a few of the innovations trialled at last month’s GolfSixes at the Centurion Club at St Albans, outside London. I wasn’t playing, unfortunately, but I did end up commentating for Sky Sports, which was a pretty good place to view this brave new format for professional golf. I’m a pretty old fashioned type of guy when it comes to golf. I just like the sport for what it is but I’m not against anything that might bring the game to more people. Therefore I was intrigued to see how the event would pan out. The format was 6 holes, greensomes matchplay, in national teams of two, which took just over an hour to complete each match. Fast and furious golf action - that’s the premise. By and large, I think it was a successful first foray into the world of golf as a purely entertainment product. Any time you can get children to be enthusiastic about sport is a great thing in my book and the novelty of being encouraged to be as loud as possible rather than stony silent was great for all who came along. The 1st tee entrance was straight out of a world championship darts or boxing match. It was fun, lively and enthusiastic, and a boo here and a cheer there, at times made it quite funny. So plenty to like in that department. The naysayers will argue that it was contrived, but even the best talk shows have a warm-up artist to get the audience in the mood – and what’s wrong with cajoling people to lighten up a bit.

‘Fun-filled day for all the family’ With a little more warmth in the air and a longer lead-up time to encourage the crowds to roll in, I believe the GolfSixes has the potential to be a really fun-filled day out for all the family, with some great golf thrown into the mix to boot, and that’s exactly the space it needs to fill. The most important TV image I saw was one of the grandstand with three generations of a particular family enjoying their day out. The grandparents, parents and the grandkids all enjoying something together was brilliant to see. This is what golf can offer, both as a spectator or playing the game itself. What other sport can be played competitively amongst three generations? We hear so much talk about the decline of golf with participation numbers going down and so forth, that I fear we can easily talk the sport down too much. Sure, attention spans have dwindled, the youngsters are

glued to their phones (aren’t we all?), so pressure to spend time with the family has increased (rightly so in many ways) but I strongly believe that golf, albeit a game that takes four hours to play, still has so much to offer. People who like golf, generally like the whole ethos of the game. The etiquette of the game, whilst at times a little antiquated, has a connection to the past in a good way: you tidy your mess up as you go; you dress appropriately; you abide by the rules even if some of them may be ridiculous, although many are being changed for the better. When you crush a drive you may end up in a sanded divot. How utterly unfair, just like life in general. So it’s not a sport for everyone. It’s inherently annoying, enormously time-consuming and, at times, it’s too expensive, but boy, can it be rewarding. It’s a social game unlike no other. It’s addictive and the joy of a beautifully struck five iron that lands close to the hole is still a marvellous thing for me after 35 years of playing the game. In fact, that reminds me, smashing a golf ball and watching it soar into the air is just a fun thing to do. I’ve yet to see anyone hit their first really nice golf shot and not smile. I fear the attitude surounding golf is becoming a little negative. ‘It takes too long,’ I here people say all the time. But look at it another way: four hours spent with friends is four hours well spent. Or spend it with your parents or your kids. What’s not to like? It’s no bad thing to make time for something as wholesome as a round of golf. GolfSixes can fill a certain void in the TV market. It offers a great family day out. It might also inspire newbies to try the game. This is exactly what it is aimed at and it might raise the profile of some of the lesser known players on our Tour. But for me, it’s what we can take from the Sixes and bring to our normal events that I find more intriguing – a more lively atmosphere, a little more hustle and bustle, more interaction from the players both with the TV mics and the crowd, a little more pizzazz. Then we’re onto something. Finally, just to stand up for golf. If I had to choose a sport for my children to play and to learn about life, I would choose a sport that would teach them about patience; determination; acceptance; the moral compass; etiquette; good manners; public speaking; self-reliance, being part of a team environment. You can get all this from the game of golf and that’s why I still love it. I would recommend it to all parents to let their kids have a try. ■

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Columnist

Rafa Cabrera Bello

ROCK N ROLL GOLF AT THE STADIUM COURSE

s you may know, I’m splitting my schedule between the European Tour and the PGA Tour this season and I’m currently in the middle of the longest run of events I’ve ever played in the USA. I’d still have to say that at the moment, the European Tour remains my favourite Tour because it’s my home Tour and I’ve played on it for many years, so I have many close friends there. I’ve made lots of new friends on the PGA Tour too but of course they’re not as good friends yet as those I have in Europe. However, I do enjoy the USA a lot and what I’ve been really impressed with is how much they love the game of golf. Every venue we travel to, whether it’s on the east coast or the west coast, we play on incredible golf courses in front of a massive crowd week in, week out.

Different Experience Altogether The most exciting experience of my current stretch in the USA was at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. I played there for the first time last year but I missed the cut. This time it was a different experience altogether. The Stadium course is set up for spectators with many bleachers and grassy mounds for the fans to sit dotted all around the course which makes for a great atmosphere. The event is unofficially known as the ‘fifth Major’ and it definitely has the feel of a grand slam event but I couldn’t have predicted the excitement of what happened to me over the final three holes of the last round. I was in a decent position and chasing down the leaders but to be honest I thought that there was a little too much left for me to do to win the tournament. I hit a good drive at the 523-yard par-5 16th, around 337 yards to the right-hand side of the fairway to leave myself with 181 yards to the hole. I selected an 8 iron and struck it really well. It took a big kick off the slope at the front of the green, rolled on, hit the flagstick and

dropped in the hole for the first albatross at the 16th in the history of the tournament. I couldn’t believe it. There were around 30,000 fans located around the 16th green and 17th tee and they went mad! I joined in, throwing my club into the air in celebration which landed in the lake beside me! I then instinctively ran down the fairway giving high fives to all the fans on the way to the green in a pure adrenaline rush. It was one of the most enjoyable moments in my career.

Difficult Position After such emotion, it is easy to get ahead of oneself and now I was faced with course designer and golf masochist Pete Dye’s most famous, and one of golf’s most notorious, par 3s. On Sunday the pin was tucked in a difficult position on the back right hand side of the green bringing water into play if you attacked the pin. I had to try hard to calm myself down on the tee of the next hole, the famous 17th Island green. I concentrated on my breathing and on slowing everything down again and when I was ready, hit my tee shot. It was another good one and it found the centre of green, with around six feet left to the hole. I sunk my putt for birdie and the roars from the gallery started up again. On the last hole, I thought that my luck had run out when I hooked my tee shot into the water. After taking a drop I played my approach to just off the edge of the green. I had a huge 40-foot putt left in order to make par but I struck it really nicely and it went in which sparked even more cheering from the crowd. I couldn’t help joining in again. It was the most incredible finish to a round I’ve ever had. I didn’t win the tournament, but I finished fourth which I was very happy with considering the circumstances. It’s called the Stadium Course and now I know how a rock band or a soccer team playing in a cup final in a big stadium in front of such wild fans must feel. ■

Visit golfindubai.com to enter a competition to win a VIP golf trip to Dubai including a place in the Pro-Am of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

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RAFA CABRERA BELLO IS A JA RESORTS & HOTELS AMBASSADOR.

Tour News Date: April 27 – 30 Event: Volvo China Open Venue: Topwin Golf & Country Club, Beijing, China

Date: April 27 - 30 Event: Zurich Classic Venue: TPC Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana

SMITH & BLIXT WIN THE ZURICH CLASSIC

LEVY WRAPS UP WIN No.4 Alex Levy clinched his fourth European Tour title with a play-off win over Dylan Fritelli at the Volvo China Open. The Frenchman, who won his first European Tour title at the event in 2014, calmly rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt to deny Frittelli a maiden Tour title. Levy had begun the day seven shots back but shot a 67 to set the target at 17-under-par. Frittelli stumbled down the stretch and made par on the par-5 18th when a birdie would have won him the tournament outright.

The team of Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith clinched the new Zurich Classic – the first team event on the US PGA Tour since 1981 – on the fourth play-off hole, against Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown. The format saw the teams play alternate-shot on the first and third rounds and betterball for the second and fourth rounds. The play-off was played in the same format as the final round and Smith hit the decisive shot – a 58-yard wedge to within three feet for an easy birdie putt.

Pos. Name 1 2 3

Alexander Levy Dylan Frittelli Pablo Larrazábal

Country

Total

Scores

Total

Pos. Name

Total

Scores

Total

FRE RSA ESP

-17 -17 -16

63 70 71 67 70 63 64 74 64 66 70 72

271 271 272

1 2 3

-27 -27 -23

67 62 68 64 70 64 67 60 71 63 70 61

261 261 265

Date: May 6 -7 Event: GolfSixes Venue: Centurion Club, St Albans, England

Blixt/Smith Kisner/Brown Kraft/Tway

Date: May 4 - 7 Event: Wells Fargo Championship Venue: Eagle Point Golf Club, Wilmington, North Carolina

HARMAN STEPS IN TO WIN DENMARK WIN INAUGURAL GOLFSIXES The Danish team of Thorbjørn Olesen and Lucas Bjerregaard brought home the inaugural GolfSixes with a hard-fought win over the Australian team of Scott Hend and Sam Brazel. The European Tour was breaking new ground with a format that saw 16 teams of two start the weekend and battle it out in group stages before a knockout stage over six holes in greensomes. Denmark had finished second in Group A and then wins over France and Italy took them intothe final.

Brian Harman sank a sublime 28-foot birdie putt on the final green to win the Wells Fargo Championship by one from World No.1 Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez. Harman shot a final round 68 to seal his first win since the 2014 John Deere Classic and end Johnson’s winning streak of three tournaments in a row, which dated back to March. Pos Name 1 Brian Harman T2 Dustin Johnson T2 Pat Perez

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Country

Total

Scores

Total

USA USA USA

-10 -9 -9

71 69 70 68 70 75 67 67 72 69 70 68

278 279 279

WORLD ROUND-UPS Date: May 11 - 14 Event: Open de Portugal at Morgado Golf Resort Venue: Morgado G&CC, Portimao, Portugal

Date: May 11 - 14 Event: The Players Championship Venue: TPC Sawgrass, Pontre Vedra Beach, Florida

KIM CLAIMS THE PLAYERS

WALLACE WINS PROMOTION IN PORTUGAL MATT Wallace earned an automatic promotion to the European Tour with a breakthrough win at the Open de Portugal at Morgado Golf Resort – a tournament co-sanctioned with the Challenge Tour. The 27-year-old completed a wire-to-wire victory in sublime style with three bogey-free rounds, winning by three strokes ahead of American Julian Suri with France’s Matthieu Pavon two strokes further back. Pos. Name 1 2 3

Matt Wallace Julian Suri Matthieu Pavon

Si Woo Kim won the biggest title of his career with a superb threestroke victory over Louis Oosthuizen and Ian Poulter at The Players Championship. The Korean carded weekend rounds of 68-69 to post a 10-under-par total for a comfortable win. Rafa Cabrera Bello made the tournament’s first albatros on the par-5 16th as he moved up six places into a share of fourth place.

Country

Total

Scores

Total

Pos. Name

ENG USA FRA

-21 -18 -16

63 66 73 69 67 68 74 65 68 69 70 69

271 274 276

1 Si-Woo Kim T2 Louis Oosthuizen T2 Ian Poulter

Country

Total

Scores

Total

KOR RSA ENG

-10 -7 -7

69 72 68 69 69 66 73 73 72 67 71 71

278 281 281

Date: May 18 - 21 Event: The Rocco Forte Open – Verdura, Sicily Venue: Verdura GC, Agrigento, Sicily, Italy

Date: May 18 - 21 Event: AT&T Byron Nelson Venue: TPC Four Seasons Resort, Irving, Texas

ALVARO QUIROS ENDS LENGTHY DROUGHT

HORSCHEL DOWNS DAY IN TEXAS

Alvaro Quiros clinched his first title since the 2011 DP World Tour Championship with a play-off win over Zander Lombard at The Rocco Forte Open – Verdura, Sicily. The Spaniard lost his European Tour status and was focusing on the Challenge Tour this year but after this win he is back on the European Tour. It was a nervy victory as Quiros’ s five-stroke lead evaporated on the back nine before he won with a par on the second play-off hole.

Billy Horschel wrapped up his first win since 2014 with a play-off win over Jason Day at the AT&T Byron Nelson. Horschel’s birdie attempt on the first play-off hole came up agonisingly short from 18 feet. He then stood and watched as Day’s par putt from four feet slid by the hole with too much speed to hand Horschel his first win since the 2014 Tour Championship.

Pos. Name 1 2 3

Alvaro Quiros Zander Lombard HaoTong Li

Country

Total

Scores

Total

Pos. Name

ESP RSA CHN

-14 -14 -13

63 64 70 73 62 68 72 68 64 68 73 66

270 270 271

1 2 3

Billy Horschel Jason Day James Hahn

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Country

Total

Scores

Total

USA AUS USA

-12 -12 -11

68 65 66 69 68 69 63 68 64 70 64 71

268 268 269

The Rolex Series

In Numbers 1

THE EUROPEAN TOUR’S NEW ROLEX SERIES WHICH COMMENCED AT THE BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP AT WENTWORTH LAST MONTH COULD BE THE START OF SOMETHING SPECIAL AND NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED PURSES ON OFFER. GOLF FANATICS WILL BE BROUGHT CLOSER THAN EVER TO THE LEADING PROFESSIONALS ON THE WORLD’S BEST COURSES THANKS TO SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED TELEVISION AND DIGITAL PRODUCTION AS WELL AS INCREASED HOURS OF COVERAGE DISTRIBUTED WORLDWIDE. THIS NEW CONCEPT IS SET TO BE A GAME CHANGER THAT TURNS THE EUROPEAN TOUR INTO A GENUINE ALTERNATIVE TO THE US PGA TOUR FOR THE WORLD'S BEST PLAYERS.

5 7

MINIMUM NUMBER OF EVENTS OUTSIDE THE WGCS AND MAJORS FOR MEMBERSHIP ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR. ON THE PGA TOUR IT'S 15 INCLUDING THE WGCS AND MAJORS.

HNA SPONSORING THE FRENCH OPEN IS THE FIRST TIME A GLOBAL ORGANISATION HEADQUARTERED IN CHINA HAS SPONSORED A EUROPEAN TOUR EVENT OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.

THE ROLEX SERIES WILL FEATURE EIGHT TOURNAMENTS IN EIGHT ICONIC GOLFING LOCATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD.

ALL EIGHT ROLEX SERIES TOURNAMENTS OFFER MINIMUM PRIZE FUNDS OF US $ 7 MILLION, WITH THE SEASON-ENDING DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP IN DUBAI FEATURING A PRIZE FUND OF US $ 8 MILLION.

IT’S KEITH PELLEY’S GOAL TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF EVENTS ON THE ROLEX SERIES TO THIS AMOUNT BY 2018.

"WITH ALL OF US EUROPEANS, WE LOVE PLAYING IN AMERICA. WE LOVE PLAYING IN EUROPE, AND WE ARE USED TO GOING TO ASIA AND AFRICA TO PLAY. BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A COMPETING SCHEDULE LIVING IN EUROPE, BECAUSE I THINK THE TOUR IS GREAT AND I LOVE WHERE THE TOUR IS HEADING.” Alex Noren – 2017 BMW PGA Championship winner.

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THE ROLEX SERIES TEED OFF ON MAY 25 AT WENTWORTH WITH ALEX NOREN LIFTING THE PRESTIGIOUS BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.

BIGGEST ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE EUROPEAN TOUR HAS MADE SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED 44 YEARS AGO.

100

IT WILL NOW BE THE TOP 100 PLAYERS ON THE RACE TO DUBAI THAT RETAIN THEIR CARD, RATHER THAN THE TOP 110. THE NEW ACCESS LIST WILL GIVE 10 OTHER PLAYERS THAT HAVE EARNED THE MOST MONEY OUTSIDE OF MAJORS AND LUCRATIVE WGC AND ROLEX SERIES EVENTS THEIR FULL PLAYING PRIVILEGES FOR THE FOLLOWING SEASON.

ROLEX HAS BEEN THE PROUD PARTNER AND OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER OF THE TOUR SINCE THIS DATE.

1997

2017 DEEMED A “TRANSFORMATIONAL” YEAR FOR THE EUROPEAN TOUR BY KEITH PELLEY AS HE OVERSEES A DRAMATIC RISE IN PRIZE MONEY, PROFILE, AND ENTERTAINMENT VALUE COURTESY OF THE ROLEX SERIES.

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Rolex Events 2017 MAY 25 - MAY 28

BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England

JUN 29 - JUL 02

HNA Open de France, Le Golf National, Paris, France

JUL 06 - JUL 09

Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation, Portstewart GC, Co. Derry/Londonderry

JUL 13 - JUL 16

Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, Dundonald Links, Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland

OCT 12 - OCT 15

Italian Open, Royal Park I Roveri, Turin, Italy

NOV 02 - NOV 05

Turkish Airlines Open, Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort, Antalya, Turkey

NOV 09 - NOV 12

Nedbank Golf Challenge, Gary Player CC, Sun City, South Africa

NOV 16 - NOV 19

DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE

LAST SIX RACE TO DUBAI WINNERS

2016 HENRIK

2015

RORY MCILROY

STENSON

2013

2014 RORY

HENRIK STENSON

MCILROY

2013

2012 RORY

LUKE DONALD

MCILROY Event

2016 Purse

2017 Purse

BMW PGA C'ship HNA Open de France

€5m €3.5m

$7m (€6.25m) 1.25m $7m (€6.25m) 2.75m

Rise (€)

DDF Irish Open AAM Scottish Open Italian Open Turkish Airlines Open Nedbank Golf Challenge DP World Tour C'ship

€4m €3.75m €3m $7m (€6.25m) $7m (€6.25m) $8m (€7.1m)

$7m (€6.25m) $7m (€6.25m) $7m (€6.25m) $7m (€6.25m) $7.5m (€6.7m) $8m (€7.1m)

2.25m 2.5m 3.25m 0.45m -

“The Rolex Series will celebrate the highest quality of golf and the international spirit of the game; values that Rolex and the European Tour strengthen with this announcement. We are tremendously proud to have Rolex as our partner in this exciting new venture and we thank them for their continued support.”

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour.

"I think it's going to be a real boost for The European Tour. You know, Keith Pelley has been a huge part of that, and I think him getting involved and giving The European Tour a bit of different energy has definitely helped. I'm excited obviously that The Irish Open is a part of it. It's a massive thing for The European Tour." Rory McIlroy – Three-time Race to Dubai champion.

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TOUR NEWS

L-R Julian Small (Managing Director, Club Operations of JGE), Abdulaziz Bukhatir (Executive Director – Corporate Services, Jumeirah Golf Estates) and Keith Pelley (European Tour CEO).

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN ‘TELLING DUBAI’S STORY ON THE WORLD STAGE’

olf lovers in the UAE can continue to enjoy one of the world’s most prestigious tournaments on their doorstep for another three years after it was revealed last month that Jumeirah Golf Estates will remain the host venue of the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, until 2020. As recently highlighted in a report by Deloitte, golf has grown into an industry worth $270 million a year to the UAE and the establishment of Falcon Golf last year, with an objective of ‘maximising the benefits the sport brings to the emirate’, highlighted how important it has become to Dubai from an economic and tourism perspective. Hosting the Race to Dubai’s US$8 million grand finale is a huge feather in the cap for Jumeirah Golf Estates, and the emirate as a whole, and Worldwide Golf’s Mike Gallemore caught up with former Wentworth CEO, and now Managing Director, Club Operations of JGE, Julian Small during the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club, to discuss the exciting news. Worldwide Golf: What benefits do the DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai bring to the emirate? Julian Small: The Race to Dubai activation is an important piece in telling the Dubai story. The series is a beating drum that goes around the world and ends up in the UAE and I think Falcon Golf’s commitment to that activation will help to continue developing golf in Dubai.

WWG: How significant is golf to Dubai? JS: Dubai's golf journey is an inspirational one. The game has advanced massively in the region in a very short period of time. Take a look at Jumeirah Golf Estates, for example. It is moving away from the construction phase into the community phase, and through milestones like the European Tour Performance Institute we have witnessed great success in evolving the sport. Golf in Dubai really focuses on all the audiences. You have got the audience that resides in Dubai on a permanent basis and you’ve got visitors and tourists coming to the city from all around the world, which is a vital part of Dubai's growing economy. WWG: What did you bring from your time as CEO of Wentworth Club to your new role at Jumeirah Golf Estates? JS: When I think about what I am bringing to Dubai’s DP World Tour Championship and Jumeirah Golf Estates from the many years I spent at Wentworth, I can relate and look back at the establishment of the European Tour’s Flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship. I was involved in running the event in 1996 and I have seen this championship evolve to something that is absolutely spectacular. I can remember sitting down with the sponsor in 2000 to discuss where we wanted to take the tournament to, and because we had a longterm agreement we were able to do that. One of the big positives of the announcement this week at Wentworth that the DP World

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP:

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Tour Championship will remain at JGE until 2020 is that we have the opportunity to work and plan for the future. I have had meetings with Falcon Golf, Rolex and the European Tour, and I am planning to also meet up with the DP World. I’m asking the same question: "Where do we want to be in 2020?" There are certain new ideas like ‘Park and Ride’ that will be introduced at the DP World Tour Championship so the whole customer journey to the tournament will change. As long as we are continuing to present the golf course well, the golfers themselves will be the stars of the show. What we also have to do is look at how we can continually improve the experience for our spectators and the media as we develop and move things forward. This will help reflect the innovation and spirit of Dubai which is always about pioneering and advancement. WWG: Are there any plans to move the course from the Earth course to the Fire course over this coming period? JS: We have looked carefully at the possibilities of switching the Championship to the excellent Fire course but have decided to keep it on the Earth course. The players themselves regard the Earth course as a world-class challenging course they like to play and one of the finest on the Schedule. Logistically, the layout of the Earth course lends itself to such a prestigious event in regard to the spectators so for a number of reasons it will continue to be played on the Earth course.

NOVEMBER 16-19, 2017

EARTH COURSE AT JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

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Race to Dubai movers and shakers IT’S BEEN a busy few weeks on the European Tour with plenty of players making huge moves in the Race to Dubai ahead of the busy summer period. No-one made a bigger move than Spain’s Alvaro Quiros with his play-off win over Zander Lombard at The Rocco Forte Open in Sicily. The 34-year-old claimed 166,660 points for the win and made a huge jump in the European Tour's Race to Dubai rankings Presented by Rolex, moving from 212th to 67th position, as he targets a return to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai – the scene of his last win on Tour back in 2011. Lombard's runner-up finish gained him 111,110 points and saw the South African climb from 199th to 77th in the Race to Dubai rankings. China's Haotong Li won 62,600 points for finishing in third place and jumped from 65th to 50th, while Quiros' fellow Spaniard Pep Angles, playing in his first season on the European Tour after graduating from last year’s Challenge Tour, secured fourth place - his highest finish of the season so far - to gain 50,000 points and move from 89th to 72nd in the rankings.

ALEX LEVY moved inside the top 15 on the Race to Dubai from 44th thanks to his victory at the Volvo China Open. The Frenchman downed Dylan Frittelli in a play-off to claim 448,183 points to up his season-total to 680,191 and all but secure his spot in November's DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Frittelli's runner-up finish gained him 298,789 points which took him from 57th to 18th place in the Race to Dubai as the Challenge Tour graduate edges to within touching distance of a maiden appearance in the prestigious DP World Tour Championship. Pablo Larrazábal won 168,339 points, rising from 18th to 12th in the rankings while Bernd Wiesberger and Chris Wood shared fourth place to claim 124,238 points each with the Austrian moving up one spot from sixth to fifth and Wood moving from 48th to 30th.

Alvaro Quiros The Race to Dubai trophy Alex Levy holes the winning putt in China.

Zander Lombard

Haotong Li

WITH victory at the Open de Portugal, Matt Wallace earned his European Tour card and took a big step towards a debut berth at this year’s DP World Tour Championship. The 27-year-old won six times on the Alps Tour last year to earn a place on this year’s Challenge Tour, and with his win at the European Tour co-sanctioned Open de Portugal he receives playing rights for the rest of this season. Wallace finds himself in 111th in the Race to Dubai. Runner-up Julian Suri earned 55,550 points to rocket from 212th to 122nd in the rankings while Matthieu Pavon’s third place finish saw him rise from 118th to 98th. Germany's Sebastian Heisele, who won three Club Championships at Emirates Golf Club, shared fourth place with England's Sam Walker to claim 23,100 points each. Heisele shot from 133rd to 114th, while Walker moved from 115th to 101st. For all DP World Tour Championship hospitality enquiries please contact Julie Letherby – Hospitality Manager: jletherby@europeantour.com; +971 5673 59852

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Matt Wallace

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THE PLAYERS' SPIKELESS

EXPLORE FOOTJOY.CO.UK | ADAM SCOTT

Rai wraps up a second win – moving back into the Road to Oman lead

ARON Rai wrapped up his second win of the season with a 2&1 victory over Ireland’s Gavin Moynihan at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9. The Englishman, who won the season-opening Barclays Kenya Open, kept his composure throughout the final day at La Cala Resort, coming through three nine-hole match play fixtures to claim his second title in four starts on the 2017 Road to Oman. “It’s an incredible start and a really nice feeling to play so well at the beginning of the season,” said Rai, who re-took the lead on the Road to Oman. “It puts me in really great shape heading into the rest of the year. Winning, no matter when or where, gives you an

incredible feeling. I think the format this week was very good. It was short enough to make it interesting to watch, but long enough to give yourself a chance of recovering if you don’t get off to the best of starts – so it’s a very good mix. “Gavin came back at me, and even when I went 1-up at the sixth I still felt as though there was a long way to go. “It was a really close match. We birdied six of the eight holes between us, so I knew I couldn’t make any slip-ups over the next few holes. “When I saw Gavin’s putt just miss on the eighth I felt pretty confident. I knew it was for the match, but I just managed to keep my cool.”

Zunic set to hit the ground running on the Challenge Tour

ORMER New Zealand Open winner Jordan Zunic has had a small taste of the big-time with appearances in two World Golf Championships events, but the 25-year-old is fully focused on this year’s Challenge Tour and taking it step-by-step before he reaches the ‘awesome’ European Tour. “I have been building up to this for the last couple of months and the Challenge Tour will be my main focus for the year,” said Zunic, who made his first outing on this year’s Tour at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9 . “My end goal is to get on the European Tour and this is the path to that. I had some experience playing a few European Tour events last year – I’ve had a bit of a taste of what it’s like and I really want to play on that Tour. It’s awesome. I’m now fully focused on playing here for a full season and I’m excited to see how I will match up against some of Europe’s best players.

International where I can get a start through my Australian Tour category. After that I will see where I am at on the Challenge Tour – hopefully I will be in contention so I can really push on between September and November.” Zunic is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour of Australasia and he believes that will stand him in good stead as he makes his way around Europe. He won the New Zealand Open shortly after turning professional in 2015 and last year took the Northern Territory PGA Championship. “To have a good start to my professional career and win early was nice. Obviously, it gave me the confidence to know I’m good enough

to win,” he said, “although there are a lot of good players on the Challenge Tour. It’s very competitive and I saw last year just how good the scoring was. At the end of the day that’s the sort of competition I want to being playing against if I want to get into the top level in the world. ‘Fortunate’ “The Challenge Tour does such a good job with preparing us for the European Tour. If we play well enough to get our card it’s not a shock when we get on the European Tour. “Winning the BMW New Zealand Open in 2015 gave me a four-year exemption on the Australian Tour and from that I went on to finish

‘Perfect’ “There are a few other guys from Australia on the Tour, too, so it’s good to travel around with them.” Zunic is based in his homeland but has scheduled a 12-week stint in Europe before heading back to Australia after The Open and then coming back out to finish the season. “I plan to go home in July but there is Open Qualifying so, hopefully, I can go home after playing in The Open – that would be perfect. After seeing the family I will play the Fiji

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second on the Order of Merit. That got me into some European Tour events last year and I also played the WGC-Cadillac Championship and the WGC-HSBC Champions. I’ve been fortunate to play in some really big events against some of the best players, so to have that experience early in my career is unbelievable. I also played in the Alfred Dunhill Links last year, probably one of my favourite weeks ever. “I’m now into the third year of my pro career. I feel like it has flown by! I’m looking forward to a good campaign on the Challenge Tour and I have no doubt that if I have the opportunity to play a full season I can earn my card for the European Tour.” ■

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performance art 100% MILLED WEDGES Engineered in a range of innovative sole designs, every line, curve and angle are produced to exacting specifications for consistent performance and advanced shot-making. AVAILABLE NOW AT EGOLF MEGASTORE & SELECT UAE & GCC ON-COURSE FACILITIES

PXG.COM Worldwide GOLF 38

FEATURE

BOB PARSONS

an industry where we see giants such as Nike running away from the battle for the hardware, one man, Bob Parsons, founder and CEO of PXG, has joined the fray on the front line with all financial guns blazing. To understand the company and how quickly it has established itself as the top-selling bespoke golf brand in the business, not just in the UAE but worldwide, you need to know the man behind it all. Bob’s a strong character and as tough as they come with a no-nonsense approach to life. These foundations were formed in his childhood days, growing up in a poor area of Baltimore. His parents tried to climb their way out of poverty through gambling, with the inevitable

result of getting deeper in debt. Bob still reflects on that time in his life. “I learned a lot from my parents,” he said. “I learned fractions from my mum in reading the racing form and selecting horses according to timings, distances and bookmakers’ odds. So when I reached school age I was good at two things – maths and gym. “I made the sixth grade by sheer fluke but by the time I made senior year at high school I was failing most subjects, except for gym and lunch! Shame lunch wasn’t graded,” he laughed. So with education coming to its end Bob had no clear path when it came to choosing a career. That’s when everything changed. The foundations of Parsons Xtreme Golf were originally formed, even though Bob and the golfing world were utterly unaware of how things were going to play out in the eventful decades to come. “Two close friends told me after gym one day that they were going to see the Marine Corp recruiter so I joined them. This was at the height of the Vietnam War in 1968. We went on the ‘buddy plan’ and served with the Marine Corp Rifle Company.

As a result of his service in the Marine Corp and the injury sustained in Vietnam, Bob Parsons earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross and the Purple Heart.

“The following year I was in the bush for a month and got wounded by a trip wire bomb while walking point. I was sent on medical leave to Japan but returned to continue my service as a Marine Corp intelligence courier.” FTER Bob was demobbed from the Marine Corp he found a manual job in a steel mill pit. He was still a long way from starting his own golf company but his life experience to date had taught Bob to fight even when the chips were down. “After six months in the pit I decided that this just wasn’t for me, so I went to college,” said Bob in a slightly more serious tone. “At that time there was a programme that provided support for people who had served in the military. Your grades didn’t matter and the government even paid your tuition.” Bob starts to smile to himself and begins to chuckle. “I remember going to the registrar’s office in Baltimore. They asked what I want to major in. I had no idea. I was the first person in my family to make it to college, so they gave me a book and told me to pick a major.

“AFTER SIX MONTHS IN THE PIT I DECIDED THAT THIS JUST WASN’T FOR ME, SO I WENT TO COLLEGE.” Bob Parsons Worldwide GOLF 39

"I REMEMBER HAVING 12 HOURS TO KILL BEFORE THE FLIGHT BACK HOME. I MANAGED TO READ THE WHOLE THING FROM FRONT TO BACK AND WROTE MY FIRST BASIC PROGRAMME ON THAT JOURNEY HOME." Bob Parsons I opened the first page and the first thing that came up was ‘accounting.’ I was asked if I was good at maths. I reassured them that I was good with fractions. Good job they didn’t know why. But hey, if I had opened the book from the back I might have become a zoologist.” Education for Bob this time round was different. The Marine Corp had taught him discipline and purpose. He went on to become a fully qualified chartered accountant and for many this may have been a career for life. Things took a meaningful twist for the better in 1975 when Bob was in California evaluating a company. He called into a nearby bookstore and bought book about basic computer programming. This was at a time when personal computers were just emerging. “I remember having 12 hours to kill before the flight back home. I managed to read the whole thing from front to back and wrote my first basic programme on that journey home,” he said. “The company I worked for had a spare terminal and over a period of time I was able to get my own programme to work. It quickly became my hobby and I found I was quite good at it. In 1978/79 I bought an Apple 2 C and learned to write a programme that would organise my family finances. N 1984 I named my software ‘Money Counts’ and got it good enough to where I could start selling it. From my basement, I started ‘Parson Technology’ with my $15,000 in savings. When you first step into business without any guidance, it’s like walking into jail for the first time. You learn a lot of lessons! I sure learned a lot of lessons – and lost the lot. “The next year I improved my software and managed to get together $25,000. This time I priced it more competitively. Guess what? I lost the lot again!” It was in the third year of trying that Bob finally got his first breakthrough when a small computer magazine offered him the front cover advert at a bargain price.

This time Bob slashed the price to just $12 and wasn’t concerned about copyright infringements, which was unheard of at that time. This time it paid off and he started to make money. Upping the advertising spend to larger adverts he made $287,000 and was able to quit his job and concentrate fully on ‘Parson’s Technology.’ In 1994 Bob sold the company for $64 million but ended up with less than half after splitting from his wife.

“I decided to go on a trip to Hawaii to figure out how I could pay our employees and vendors, and liquidate the assets we had. I really didn’t want to close things down but my mind was made up when I saw a guy my age parking cars at the hotel. He was whistling away, full of joy. At this point I looked at myself and thought, "what is wrong with this picture. Here I am with $6million and miserable, while this guy is a happy as can be. So there and then I decided to strap myself to the mast and if the ship went down I would go down with it!"

$35 MILLION IN THE BANK

With pockets brimming with cash, Bob moved to Arizona and used the funds to start what would become ‘GoDaddy’, the self build and web hosting site, back in 1997. “This was during the dotcom boom and companies were paying $300 – $400 per customer through advertising. Even though we had a great piece of software it was hard to attract anybody when adverts were through the ceiling. My $35 million was dwindling fast but we made the smart move to register and sell domain names so we could offer those customers our selfbuild website product at the same time. At this time in 2000 we came up with the name ‘GoDaddy’. It took at least 500 name tries and some Bourbon but it stuck. However, I was down to my last $6 million and I couldn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. Even though we had a great product we just could get heard.

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GODADDY SOLD FOR $2.4 BILLION

WWG: Is it true that if anyone manages to go round the par-3 course called The Bad Little Nine under par you would give them $1,000? Bob Parsons: I certainly would. But I’ve yet to pay out! Even my PXG Troops can’t break par round the place. It’s as tough as they come. It’s a great challenge for anyone to have a laugh and enjoy the challenge.

Now something extraordinary was about to happen in 2001. The dotcom bubble burst and ‘GoDaddy’ quickly found there were few obstacles in its way. Backed up with smart TV commercials, especially the one that ran and was later pulled from the 2006 Super Bowl broadcast, featuring the ‘GoDaddy Girl’, the year after Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, caught the American public by storm. In 2011 Bob sold ‘GoDaddy’ for $2.4 billion and found he had the money and time to indulge in the things he enjoyed most. His love of motorbikes, but most importantly golf. This is where the story of a penniless marine and self-taught computer programmer ends and a golfing pioneer begins.

FEATURE

BOB PARSONS

THE BUILDING OF WWG: Why the name 0311? Bob Parson: 0311 is the United States Marine Corps military occupational speciality code for Rifleman. Which is where it all began for me.

Worldwide Golf: How did you first get into golf? Bob Parsons: When my first business was successful we were working all hours of the day but along with a couple of the guys we took Wednesday afternoons off to go and play golf. At the start, we were so bad we would cheer the guy who managed to get the ball in the air. I went from playing once, to twice a week and we were soon going on golf breaks. None of us got to be really good. I got my handicap to about a ten. But what I did notice was that if you had the right equipment it made a difference. WWG: Is it true you spent $250,000 on clubs in just one year? BP: At the time, my friends were into gambling and driving fancy cars. My thing was golf. I just bought and tried everything there was out there. If the clubs didn’t work for me, I’d give them away to friends. The other clubs I would re-shaft and play around with to see what I could get out of them. By doing this I started to understand the theory behind golf equipment from ballistics to aerodynamics to perimeter weighting. I was spending around $250,000 on clubs a year. But in the final year before I started PXG I added up the bills and I had spent more than $350,000! WWG: What were your findings in spending all that money? BP: One of the things I noticed was that

the cycle of the quick upgrades didn’t always deliver on their promises. More often they were just new clubs. So I had the idea to make clubs that were really better. I was close to a guy called Mike Nicolette, a design engineer at Ping. I asked if I started a golf company that made equipment with whatever money and time was necessary could we make a big difference? He just said ‘I don’t know’ but it will be great fun to try! WWG: Why did you try and get into the golf ball market at such an early stage? BP: When two other engineers from Ping joined Mike and myself we had to sign a clause stating PXG would not compete for 12 months. So I set the guys a task to try and build a golf ball. We achieved it and it wasn’t bad. We tested every golf ball but the best one by far for distance, dispersion and spin around the greens was the Titleist ProV1 – by a distance. There isn’t a better golf ball on this planet. From there on we stayed away from that side of the business. WWG: Did the guys build anything else during that 12 months? BP: They used a 3D printer to see how far they could hit a golf ball off a three foot tee with a frying pan at the end of a six foot pipe! The answer is 400 yards! WWG: When the 12 months were up what was the PXG plan? BP: The guys came in to see me and

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asked what was the direction I was looking for in an iron. I wanted an iron that looked like a blade, with a minimal offset, a little larger, sexy to look at, which should hit the ball further without being jacked up (strengthening the lofts), go higher, feel great, have a huge sweet spot and be incredibly forgiving. They laughed and said ‘is that all?” before going off to create prototype after prototype. But it wasn’t quite there. We then added a cavity. But without anything in the cavity we found it went for miles but didn’t feel right. The guys then added a thermoplastic elastomer and it was the breakthrough we had been searching for. That’s exactly what we have in the current 0311 series irons. WWG: How do you know that the 0311 irons are worth the money you ask for them? BP: Quite simple. When you hit them you know! WWG: What would be your word of advice starting out in the golf industry? BP: It helps to have a few billion dollars! WWG: How do you select your players on Tour? BP: My dad gave me a great piece of advice when I first stated dating: ‘There’s just one thing to look for in a girlfriend – find one who likes you.' All our tour pros have come to us and liked our clubs. None of our players have been sweetened to like them.

BILLY HORSCHEL: “BOB ALWAYS DOES IT HIS OWN WAY AND I LOVE THAT MANTRA. HE DOESN’T CARE WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS, OR HOW THEY THINK HE SHOULD DO IT. GOLF IS HIS PASSION. HE’S HAD HIS SUCCESSES IN BUSINESS ALREADY. HE DOESN’T NEED FOR THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. HE’S A BILLIONAIRE. THE COOLEST THING IS THAT FOR BOB, MONEY IS NOT A FACTOR. HE’S GOT HIS ENGINEERS AND THEY’RE TRYING OUT THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. HE’S NOT JUST KEEPING THE STATUS QUO WITH OTHER COMPANIES. HE’S GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES, AND I LIKE THAT.”

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FEATURE

BOB PARSONS

"MY DAD GAVE ME A GREAT PIECE OF ADVICE WHEN I FIRST STATED DATING: ‘THERE’S JUST ONE THING TO LOOK FOR IN A GIRLFRIEND – FIND ONE WHO LIKES YOU.” ALL OUR TOUR PROS HAVE COME TO US AND LIKED OUR CLUBS. NONE OF OUR PLAYERS HAVE BEEN SWEETENED TO LIKE THEM,"

Bob Parsons WWG: Would you look to buy in a big name? BP: If we were at the bottom or the middle of the market to have a superstar like Rory or Tiger would make sense. But we are at the top of the market and all we need is Tour validation. When our Tour players won an event our sales were just the same as when they didn’t win. We are in a different part of the market. It doesn’t make sense to get caught in that cash battle. What I do like is to see is our Tour players wearing a PXG hat now and again for the spectators and the television viewers. WWG: Would you look to support players on the European Tour? BP: In time, yes. Europe and the Middle East is in important market for us. We are in no rush but when we get to that point we would do it right. WWG: Is the UAE a perfect fit with regards to retail demographics? BP: We are a boutique firm. We spend more on the perimeter weights in our irons than our competitors spend on the whole clubhead. We have some cash tied up in the manufacturer of these clubs which is why our prices are so high. Anywhere in the world like Dubai or Abu Dhabi where people seek out quality products PXG is the perfect fit for them. We will not do the volumes of the big companies but what is important for us is the sanctity of our high-end brand by making sure they are never discounted.

WWG: Are you surprised at the amount of clubs that are being sold in the UAE? BP: Our distributor in the region, eGolf, does a fantastic job and totally understands the brand values of PXG. They have a great set up and have been showcasing our brand well around the various premium courses. So when you match the two elements together professionally the results speak for themselves. Buying a Ferrari is an exciting experience and at eGolf that’s the experience PXG brings to the golf market in a luxury region. WWG: Would you be interested in putting your name or investing in a golf club in Dubai like Trump has done? BP: When I sold ‘GoDaddy’ I bought Scottsdale National Golf Club close to home in Arizona. I’ve invested more than $250 million in the place. Paired with my other ventures I’m flat out for time. I’m continuing to improve Scottsdale and that takes up more of my time, effort and money.

WWG: What’s the best course you have played or would like to play? BP: I’ve played them all from Augusta National to the Old Course at St. Andrews, although there are many courses I’ve never teed it up at. I’ve no idea what is the best course in the world. What I can say is the best course I’ve been to is Scottsdale National Golf Club. You might think the others are better, but trust me, no other course in the world offers me the same level of service!

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Close friends with the Greatest You were a long time friend of the great Mohammed Ali but what did you learn from the ‘Greatest?’ “With Ali, it didn’t matter where your station in life is or where it is going. If he liked you he would do whatever he could for you. In his Parkinsons Centre he got the best treatment money could buy but he insisted that whoever came to the Centre they would receive the same treatment. He acted that way all the way through his life. He’d sooner stop and talk to the janitor than the general manager. I’m the same way. I feel more comfortable and identify more with the janitor. “The reason Ali was so great was because he was excellent and unrivalled at what he did. He was in your face but in a good, friendly way. I remember when he beat Sunny Liston. When they carried him off Ali was chanting ‘I’m a bad man!’ “I used to go to Africa

way back, to some pretty bad places that were so poor that an empty plastic bottle with a top was like a million dollars to them. When Ali heard I was going out there he had little photos of himself printed up and he signed them all and said: ‘If you ever get in trouble you tell the people you know me and give them one of these to prove it and they will let you go.’ I took them with me and showed them to people who had never been out of their village – but they knew who he was. Man, he meant a lot to me.”

IN T ROD UCING

Learn more at titleist.co.uk/917

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Levy has ‘home’ Ryder Cup in his sights FRESH off the back of winning his fourth European Tour title at last month’s Volvo China Open we caught up with French star Alexander Levy as he looks to take some momentum into the busy summer period. Levy is the highest-ranked French player in the world, having moved up to 74th from 102nd with victory in Beijing and he now has his sights set on a Ryder Cup debut on home soil next year, with qualification to make it onto Thomas Bjorn’s team beginning at the D+D Real Czech Masters in August. WWG: Congratulations on another win Alex, what was the key to the victory in China? Alex Levy: I just played my game and stuck to my plan. I was in a good position the week before at the Shenzhen International and I think what happened there helped me win, for sure. You need to go step by step, and that’s what I did. I didn’t think about winning the tournament – it was more about how to put myself into a position to win the tournament. That’s a good way to work – and it did. WWG: You’re now the top-ranked French player and the next Ryder Cup is in Paris next September. How much has that come into your thoughts after this win? Alex Levy: I am not thinking about The Ryder Cup as such, but I’m sure it is a kind of goal for me. I really want to be part of the team. I think the Albatros course at Le Golf National is a really fine course, one of the best we have in Europe. It’s a course that demands that you are in good shape, especially with regards to your long game. You have to hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens.

2014 Volvo China Open

WWG: You recently joined forces with Pete Cowen – was that with one eye on The Ryder Cup, given that he coaches many of the leading players? Alex Levy: Not really. That decision was all about building my career, which goes beyond the 2018 Ryder Cup. It is a real choice and The Ryder Cup didn’t really influence my decision. WWG: Do you think that The Ryder Cup being in France for the first time will help grow the game in the country? Alex Levy: Yes I think so, and if there is a French player in the team it will make the event far more popular and beneficial for French Golf. To host The Ryder Cup here at Le Golf National is a good opportunity to develop and incentivise people to play the game.

events rather than with individuals. Even at the Olympic games, which are mostly based on individual events, there is this dimension of camaraderie among the French sportsmen and sportswomen. As for the champagne, I think it is good manners for us to celebrate and to push the French winners to the top – and also to motivate every single man on his own. It is a kind of a “French trademark” and it is quite effective. It works well for us French players! ■

WWG: The French players have a reputation for their camaraderie and they are always quick to perform a champagne celebration when one of their countrymen wins a tournament. Why do you think that is? Alex Levy: All sports in France seem to be more successful with team

2014 Portugal Masters

2016 Porsche European Open

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2017 Volvo China Open

FEATURE

ALEX LE VY

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EQUIPMENT IR ONS

Rory

going steady with TaylorMade Worldwide GOLF 48

hen Nike announced its departure from the hardwear market at the end of last season, it signaled an abrubt end to Rory McIlroy’s multiyear, multi-million dollar romance with the company as far as clubs go (he’s still wearing the clothes). The four-time Major winner embraced the opportunity of being a ‘free agent’ again and flirted with variety of manufacturers, often teeing it up with a mixed bag as he took his time to decide which company would win his heart. Last month, the World No.2 revealed that his courting days were over once more when he commited to another big money deal, this time with TaylorMade. “I’ve been on Tour for 10 years and I’ve never been as excited about equipment as I am right now,” he said. “I feel like it will help me be a better player and hopefully win more Majors and get back to the top of the World Rankings as well.” He’s reportedly been getting impressive results right through the bag – 181 mph ballspeed, 12.3° of launch, 2,119 rpm spin

rate, and 315.8-yard carry (338.5-yard total distance) with the new M2 driver. Execeptional versatility, distance and turf interaction with the M2 Tour fairway woods. Forgivness without forgoing distance or control with his “Rors Proto” irons.

Motivation

But perhaps the most surprising motivating factor behind his decision to switch to TaylorMade is that it’s the TPX5 ball which floats his boat above all else. He was unhappy with his ball control at Augusta during the Masters and so called TaylorMade’s Vice President of Tour Operations Keith Sbarbaro to arrange some testing sessions with the TPX5 and was

What is in the bag? ● 2017 M2 DRIVER 9.5º MCG KURO KAGE SILVER 70 XTS Rory: “It’s a very traditional shape and I like the contrast between the white and the black face because it’s very easy to align. I like the sound of it. “ ● 20117 M2 TOUR FAIRWAY 15º MCG TENSEI CK BLUE 90TX ● 2017 M2 FAIRWAY 18º FUJIKURA COMPOSITES PRO P95X Rory: “Lets say I have a 280 carry over water and to be able to think, ‘Ok, it’s just a comfortable 3-wood’ – it’s a nice feeling! It’s just so consistent. “ IRONS ● P750 TOUR PROTO IRONS (3-4) TRUE TEMPER PROJECT X 7.0 ● P700 SERIES “RORS PROTO” IRONS (5-9) TRUE TEMPER PROJECT X 7.0 Rory: “I’ve played muscle-backs my whole life and you’ve got to be very precise with them. You can hit these maybe a tiny bit out of centre and it still goes. I’m all for trying to make the game as easy as possible and this certainly does. WEDGES ● MILLED GRIND WEDGES 48°, 54° SB & 60° LB TRUE TEMPER PROJECT X 6.5 BALL ● TP5X GOLF BALL #22 Rory: I’ve never had a ball that I can launch so high into the wind and it still go the number that I think it’s going to go. Leaving Augusta on the Sunday night and I’d really struggled in the wind with what I had – and I never thought that in a two-week period I’d be at this point with this ball. You don’t have to do anything different – the ball gets there.

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blown away by what he describes as “the best ball I’ve hit, ever”. “I always had it in my head that the more spin I could get with a golf ball, the better,” McIlroy said. “But obviously that was working against me. I didn’t have anything in my head at that time, just sort of wanting to find the best equipment. So we got on the TrackMan and I started hitting this TP5x golf ball and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness.’ “It’s always windy down here and I could just see from the flight that the ball was going through the wind and doing exactly what I wanted it to do. At that point I sort of felt like I probably should have given that ball more thought when I started testing new stuff at the beginning of the year.” With McIlroy in the stable, TaylorMade now has the world’s top three players in it’s ranks with World No.1 Dustin Johnson and World No.3 Jason Day also on the team.

EQUIPMENT

SPOR TS STATION

GOLF STATION HOUSES THE ONLY INDOOR FITTING CENTRE IN THE UAE TO USE TRACKMAN TECHNOLOGY

Golfers’ paradise at

Sports Station G

olf lovers in Dubai rejoice for there is a new retail paradise in the emirate at which to satisfy your every sporting desire. Sports Station, located on the emirate’s Sheikh Zayed Road, near Noor Bank metro station, opened on June 1st and not only does the 7,000 square-foot superstore offer a one-stop shop for a full range of sporting pursuits, its flagship element is a dedicated ‘Golf Station’ which features the only indoor fitting centre in the UAE to use TrackMan technology.

The use of TrackMan takes the fitting process to another level as the device is able to track the full trajectory of any shot, from six foot pitches to 400 yard drives, pinpointing the landing position with an accuracy of less than one foot at 100 yards, TrackMan also displays the shot’s 3D trajectory together with 26 impact and ball flight parameters in real time (data is delivered within 1 second). The in store set up allows you to see your ball flight, smash factor, club speed, spin

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rate, dynamic loft, launch angle, attack angle, carry, club path, ball speed and face angle on the Trackman. In addition to this, Golf Station also has a state of the art putting area, where golfers can use a variety of different brands and models to suit their game. All custom fittings are delivered by qualified PGA professionals, who are experts in both the fitting and club building process. In the state of the art facility you have the opportunity to customize your clubs by selecting from an impressive range of over

THE NEW SUPERSTORE FEATURES THE BIGGEST BRANDS IN GOLF AVAILABLE INCLUDING TAYLORMADE, PING, TITLEIST, CALLAWAY

1,000 exotic shaft and head combinations as well as the grip of your choice. The customer will also find the standard shaft options in store “Custom fitting can have a dramatic and positive effect on any golfer’s game,” said Jordan Gallagher, one of the store’s PGA Professionals. “It is no longer a specialty service provided for only tour professionals. Distance gains and tighter dispersion are the main objectives of the process at Golf Station. In addition, the golfer will have a more in depth knowledge of what they require and this will help mentally as well as physically. These benefits will be seen instantly on Trackman” Golf Station stocks four of the largest golf brands in the world: Titleist, Callaway, PING and TaylorMade. in addition to a wide range of golf accessories, bags, balls and training devices. Phil Redpath, PGA Professional, added: “These four manufacturers have 80% of global market share for golf hardware so that is why Golf Station will focus on delivering the best service on these dominant tried and tested brands.” Once you’ve been fitted for the perfect set of clubs the next stage is making sure you look the part out on course Golf Station’s apparel section certainly has that covered with an extensive variety of brands such as Footjoy, PING collection, Greg Norman and Adidas to cater to all tastes.

THERE ARE OVER 1000 EXOTIC SHAFT AND HEAD COMBINATIONS AS WELL AS STANDARD OPTIONS AVAILABLE The importance of a well fitted pair of shoes is something which can be easily overlooked. If your shoes don’t fit correctly and your feet are moving inside your shoes, you won’t be able to maximize your energy transference into the golf ball. Feet also change over time so even if you’ve been wearing the same size for the past few years, it doesn’t mean they fit correctly and change can not only improve your game but also your foot health and enjoyment on the course. Golf Station has also placed strong focus on its footwear section with a wide range of brands available including Footjoy, the

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number one shoe in both men’s and ladies’ golf, Adidas and Skechers Golf. So, if you’ve got a craving for some golf retail therapy, get yourself down to Dubai’s Sports Station where you can be sure your appetite will be fully sated.

To book a custom fit call: + 971 (0) 56 8346129 or email: jordan@sportsstation.ae Sports Station is located on Sheikh Zayed Road, near Noor Bank Metro station.

EQUIPMENT IR ONS

One Length One Vision

Cobra F7 One Length irons Cobra Puma Golf are revolutionising the game of golf by releasing a set of irons that are influenced by their PGA Tour player Bryson DeChambeau that are all the same length. Sound bizarre? eGolf Megastoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s custom-fit guru, Jason Ashley, headed down to the spectacular Trump International Golf Club, Dubai to test out and review the Cobra F7 One Length Irons.

YOU CAN TRY OUT THE COBRA F7 ONE LENGTH IRONS FOR YOURSELF AT EGOLF MEGASTORE AL QUOZ AND EGOLF MEGASTORE AL WASL WHERE OUR PGA TRAINED CUSTOM FITTERS CAN OPTIMISE THEM FOR YOUR GAME.

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GOLF GEAR

Bryson DeChambeau

CONCEPT

A couple of years ago Bryson DeChambeau started using one length irons that are all 37.5 inches (the same length as his seven iron). When he signed up with Cobra Puma Golf last year they decided to release their own unique set of One Length Irons. From a concept perspective, they are trying to make a golfer achieve the same consistent set-up for all of your irons, as well as making the same swing, body movement and club movement. Therefore, my swing with a pitching wedge and a four-iron should look undistinguishable.

Not just the same length… It’s not just the length that is the same in this set, also the lie angle is identical and they all have the same swing weight, making the clubs feel the same.

Something to note

It’s crucial for us to note that it’s an unwise idea to go ahead and take your own set of irons and make the changes yourself. Cutting down the long irons, extending the short irons and making them all have the same lie angle will affect feel and performance of the clubs. Your long irons will become way too light and the short irons will be far too heavy in swing weight, whereas extending and cutting down will change the flex and design of the shafts. Not a good idea. If you’re thinking about going one length, don’t be a maverick and do all the alterations to your own set.

First impressions ● ● ● ●

Initial look and feel with the long and short irons was strange and took a few swings to get used to it. All the irons are easy to hit and I was amazed how easy the long irons were to hit. Players that struggle with longer irons should find these clubs more suitable Aesthetically pleasing design

I’m excited about these Cobra F7 One Length irons because the concept is great and anything that improves consistency in your swing has got to be beneficial. It’s still essential that you come down to eGolf Megastore and get custom-fitted because you’ll need to find the right shaft weight, flex, and the correct lie angle so you hit the ball crisp and clean consistently. Cobra Puma Golf offer a couple of different options with this club, you can get the slightly more forgiving head with the One Length and then the Forged version is more suitable for the more consistent ball striker. Head down to eGolf Megastore to see how these unique clubs can benefit your game.

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INSTRUCTION

PRACTICE PRIORITIES BY ALEX RIGGS, PXG MIDDLE EAST BRAND AMBASSADOR TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TIME ON THE PRACTICE RANGE, ALWAYS ENSURE YOU ARE INCLUDING THESE THREE ELEMENTS: PRACTICE WITH MEASURED ALIGNMENT TO A DEFINED TARGET • Use an alignment stick. • Change up the location or target line often to ensure you are comfortable hitting towards different directions.

PRACTICE ROUTINE AS YOU WOULD USE ON THE GOLF COURSE • Stand behind the ball. • Visualise the target you are hitting towards and draw an imaginary line to that target from your ball.

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APPLY PRESSURE AND GET YOURSELF OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE • Effective practice should ideally be more intense than competition. • Dealing with nerves is possible through challenging practice. • Our goal should not be to find a groove, but rather to 'master adaptation’.

HERE IS A PRACTICE EXERCISE THAT INCORPORATES ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS: 3/3

2/3

Start by setting up an alignment aid towards a defined target. Grab your highest lofted club, for me that was my 58* and hit a ball with a swing length of only 1/3 of your full swing. If both the strike and direction were quality, you will move on to hitting the same club with a swing 2/3rds the length of your full swing. Again, if that shot is of a high standard, move on to a fullâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;length swing with that club. Once all three shots have been performed, you will move on to the next club in the bag. This same process will continue until you complete your longest iron. At any point, if either the strike or direction are not up to high standard, perform the attempt again until you are happy with the result.

1/3

To make this exercise even more challenging, I will have players go back one shot after an unsuccessful attempt. So, if they push their pitching wedge to the right on the full swing attempt, I will make them execute the 2/3rds swing again before they can try the full swing.

This exercise is very powerful as it will put pressure on you to execute your shots on the first try. You are also challenging yourself through various swing lengths which is extremely valuable for everyone. Lastly, you are using all the wedges and irons in your bag, so you will gain comfort knowing that you can change through any club in the bag with ease. You will likely find yourself losing focus at some points during a longer exercise like this. Use your routine to bring you back and you will increase your consistency in execution. We all know that practice is important to improvement, but what is most often misunderstood is how best to spend this practice time. The next time you catch yourself grooving out seven irons on the range, remember that golf is a random game that demands adaptation, therefore it should be practiced in the same way.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WorldwideGolf

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INSTRUCTION

USE THE WEIGHT

CORRECTLY!

BY STEPHEN DEANE, HEAD PROFESSIONAL, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB TH IS MONTH WE WI LL DISCUSS HOW THE WEIGHT OF TH E CLUB CAN HAVE A DRAMATIC I MPACT ON TH E SWI NG.

Summer Packages with The Dubai Golf Academy at Emirates Golf Club Worldwide GOLF 56

DRILL

When coaching I often remove the weight by using a broken shaft with the grip still attached. This simple drill instantly gets the student moving the club through perfect positions which are automatic and involve no thought.

When these desired positions are then converted to the actual takeaway you have overall improvement and consistency in both the swing mechanics and resulting ball flight.

During the takeaway phase, it’s often too easy to drag the weight of the clubhead away and get it moving across and behind the body and hands. It’s much better to be engaged and lift the weight of the clubhead up and in front of the body and hands during this takeaway phase. Some coaches call this the initial or primary plane but it’s absolutely crucial to perform correctly. PLEASE TRY THIS IN YOUR OWN TIME AND FOR MORE INFORMATION WATCH THE ATTACHED VIDEO OR COME AND SEE US AT THE ACADEMY AT EMIRATES GOLF CLUB IN ASSOCIATION WITH MASTER PROFESSIONAL PETER COWEN. ALSO, CHECK OUT OUR AMAZING SUMMER ACADEMY PACKAGES AND GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR GAME THIS SUMMER!

WATCH THE VIDEO AT

• Enhance your game with a range of summer lesson packages • Prices start from AED 250 • Available until 1st October 2017 Please call +971 4 417 9845, email emiratesacademy@dubaigolf.com or visit www.dubaigolf.com

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WorldwideGolf

INSTRUCTION

THINK YOUR WAY TO LOWER SCORES W I T H P GA P R O FE S S I O N A L M I C H A E L B O LT

FAR TOO OFTEN WE SEE GOLFERS AUTOMATICALLY REACH FOR THE DRIVER ON PAR 4â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S, WITH LITTLE CONSIDERATION FOR NOT ONLY THE POTENTIAL TROUBLE AWAITING THEM, BUT ALSO THE EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT CAN DIRECTLY AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO GET CLOSE TO THE HOLE AND MAKE THAT HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER BIRDIE.

Example A perfect example to demonstrate this is the short par 4 8th here at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai. Measuring at just over 300 yards, the hole looks fairly simple at first glance, however there is danger awaiting with the fairway and green both protected by undulations and large bunkers. Use The GPS Systems A tool we have wide access to here in the UAE is the GPS systems found in golf carts. The systems not only give us the yardages to the areas that we are trying to avoid, but they also offer other vital information. Initially you can establish the pin position and plan the distance you need to hit from the tee in order to leave yourself a full shot and a desirable yardage, which makes attacking the flag far more manageable.

Dangers Of The Driver Hitting driver here has a number of disadvantages. The huge fairway bunker is waiting to gather any tee shots hit slightly to the left, with only around a 20-yard gap to feed the ball between the sand trap and desert area to the right of the fairway. If you manage to negotiate the tight fairway and avoid the traps it is likely that you will be left with between a 40 and 65-yard pitch shot to a raised green and a pin position cut very closely to another large bunker. Most golfers will not practice this

shot, and it leaves a very fiddly yardage where controlling the spin and distance is extremely difficult. Hitting a long iron from the tee here has allowed me to hit short of, and completely eliminate the bunker, whilst leaving me 100 yards from the middle of the fairway. By finding the short grass I now have a full shot with a Sand Wedge, allowing me to control the strike and leaving the best chance of stopping the ball quickly and getting close to this tricky flag position.

Review: Try and plan your way from tee to green and plot the easiest route for you to not only eliminate trouble from the tee box, but also hit shots close into difficult flag positions.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOTS COVERED HERE WE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO SEE YOU AT THE TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF ACADEMY SOON.

IRON OUT THE PROBLEMS

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WorldwideGolf

INSTRUCTION

PITCHING TECHNICAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS “STABILITY AND ROTATION ARE THE KEY TO CONSISTENCY AROUND THE GREENS….”

by MICHAEL SWEENIE Head Golf Professional At Dreamland Golf Club Tpi Level 2 Golf Coach And Fitness Professional

FOUR KEYS IN ALL OF THE GREATEST PITCHERS IN THE GAME ARE: 1. Sound set–up fundamentals 2. Confidence in the ability to use lofted clubs for variety around the greens 3. The ability to stabilise the lower body movement when making a short swing while keeping the hands leading the club through impact 4. They practice this shot a lot – as much as they can. In Phil Mickelson’s case – every day! There is no doubt that the short game is the foundation of your golf game. Not too many people connect fitness with pitching – as it requires no power –but one of the key fundamentals of fitness in golf is STABILITY – and this plays a key role in your technique around the greens.

My first close up experience of witnessing one of the best pitchers of the ball over the last 25 years – Padraig Harrington – was when I was fortunate enough to practice alongside him a few years back. It was a thing of beauty! Padraig would always encourage me to use LOFT as a friend – not an enemy! Watching Padraig pitch the ball from 30–60 yards and land it on towel targets was very impressive. It was no surprise that he was winning Majors during his peak. He could pitch it stiff from any type of lie whether in the rough or from a tight lie on the fairway… Pitching is one of the most under–practiced areas in golf in my opinion and I see many students who get that look of fear when I ask them to play a 30–50 yard pitch shot from the fairway to a target.

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F IV I V E KEYS TO I M PROVI N G TH I S S H OT TEC H N I Q U E :

SELECT A LOFTED CLUB TO PRACTICE WITH AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE THE BOUNCE OF THE CLUB

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THE LEFT–HAND SIDE AND SET THE CLUB ON THE WAY BACK

MAINTAIN WRIST ANGLE AND ROTATE THE BODY AS YOU COME INTO IMPACT AND KEEP THIS MOVEMENT THROUGH INTO THE FINISH (NOTICE HOW THE HANDS ARE LEADING THE CLUB AT IMPACT)

GOOD SOLID SET–UP FUNDAMENTALS

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL GET OUT AND PRACTICE THIS SHOT TO GROW CONFIDENCE AND FEEL! YOU WILL NOT START OFF PERFECT

THESE ARE TWO SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE EXERCISES YOU CAN DO TO IMPROVE STABILITY IN YOUR PITCHING TECHNIQUE.

SINGLE LEG BALANCE Standing on left leg raise your right knee to hip height, hold arms out by your side and try to maintain balance for at least 30 seconds. Repeat on right side.

LEAD LEG SWING – FRONT LEFT POCKET TO BACK LEFT POCKET This exercise is slightly more difficult as it requires BALANCE and ROTATION, but is a great drill for lead leg stability to help pitching. Standing on your left leg raise your right foot and place it behind your body as you try and balance in golf posture. Then start to slowly rotate your upper body while keeping your lower body stable. Repeat the exercise on the opposite leg.

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HOPEFULLY YOUR PITCHING WILL IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS NEXT TIME YOU’RE OUT ON THE COURSE WITH THIS ADVICE AND TRAINING.

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ARABIAN GOLF News from the leading clubs in the region

DUBAI GOLFERS

SWING AGAINST CANCER AT DHL OPEN

ubai’s golf community came together at The Els Club last month to do their bit to help fight one of the deadliest diseases on the planet as the Swing Against Cancer Golf Series gained momentum at the DHL Open. A field of over 70 pros and amateurs took to the pristine course for the third event in the series with four spots in the Grand Final, the star-studded Mike Clark Golf Day taking

place at Jumeirah Golf Estates on October 26th, up for grabs. Taking top spot in the amateur division was Englishman Neal Large who racked up an impressive 41 Stableford points off his 20 handicap while Neil Duncan took second place with 40 points from a 9 handicap and Chris Smerdon claimed the third and final amateur grand final spot with a score of 36 from his eight handicap.

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“It’s been a really good day and the course was in fantastic condition,” said Large, who will now tee it up alongside the likes of former England rugby captain Mike Tindall at Jumeirah Golf Estates in October to play for an outstanding prize which includes a spot alongside the European Tour’s best players in the DP World Tour Championship Pro-Am, a two-night stay at Atlantis, The Palm and a golf lesson with world-renowned PGA Master

Professional Pete Cowen. “My main objective was to support the series. The prizes at the end of the tournament are all great, but for me it is more about the charity and the great cause behind it. The organisers, Worldwide Golf and Sixteen10, have done a wonderful job and I’m just pleased to win. I’m positive that the final is going to be enjoyable for everyone and I am looking forward to getting involved. I hope I can win it and get to the Pro-Am to play with the professionals.” Taking the top spot in the pro division was Cindy Lee-Pridgen, who shot 5 birdies in her 2 under par round but as she had already qualified for the grand final at the second event in the series, the Sixteen10 Ladies Interclub-Final at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in April, the spot went to second placed Ryan Smith, who shot 1 over par. COMPETITIVE FIELDS “I have ended up qualifying by finishing in second place so I was a bit fortunate,” said Smith, who will join the other pro finalists at the Mike Clark Golf Day in competing for a cash prize of AED 5,000 and a 5-star golf holiday. “It has truly been a good day, I was actually invited by one of our members so I have to say that I really appreciate that. It seems like it has been a great series so far and I am looking forward to the final. I think it’s great what Sixteen10 and Worldwide Golf have done this year. It’s fantastic that it is open to amateurs and professionals.” As has become commonplace in the Swing Against Cancer Golf Series, the players were treated to some fabulous on course sidecontests offering additional prizes. Prior to play commencing, Gold Sponsors Titleist organised a Scotty Cameron putting contest which was won by Richard Smith who sunk his 15-foot putt not once but twice to bag

WINNING PROS RYAN SMITH AND CINDY LEE-PRIDGEN ARE PICTURED WITH SIXTEEN10 MANAGING DIRECTOR REZA SAZEGAR AND AMATEUR WINNER NEAL LARGE. himself a fitted Scotty short stick. The Sixteen10 Nearest the Pin contest on hole four saw Willie Duncan win a signed, framed Rory McIlroy photograph while Eddie Davies was Nearest the Green on the 16th and won a Titleist Duffle Bag from Platinum Sponsors, DHL. Ellie Oschmann received the same prize from DHL for her Nearest the Pin on the 11th while Lise Slaine won the Credence International Longest Drive on 18 for a Footjoy shirt and Niki Breeze hit the Straightest Drive on the seventh to win a Mediclinic Executive Health Check. GREAT FUN FOR A WORTHY CAUSE “I’m delighted with how the series has taken shape,” said Reza Sazegar, Managing Director of co-organiser Sixteen10, the company he set up in memory of his good friend Mike Clark; a former Jumeirah Golf Estates employee who passed away after a battle with bowel cancer at the age of just

30. “We have the support of some incredible companies and over 300 golfers have participated so far to help raise awareness and much needed funds for the Friends of Cancer Patients charity. I can really feel the momentum picking up for the DSA Open on September 14th at Emirates Golf Club and then our Grand Finale, the Mike Clark Golf Day on October 26th at Jumeirah Golf Estates.” Following play there was a sumptuous barbeque on The Els Club’s terrace where the prize giving took place before an auction raised more funds for the Pink Caravan charity and some outstanding items were won. Among the highlights were a Seawings flight to nature and wildlife reserve Sir Baniyas Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi for a two-night stay at the beautiful Anantara Al Yamm Villas and a two-night 5-star stay and play trip to the Colin Montgomerie-designed Dreamland Golf Club in Baku, Azerbaijan.

ARABIAN GOLF LOCAL NEWS P67 WHAT THE SPONSORS SAID: JEFF WALSH

DHL UAE Country Manager “I think the whole day from the moment we arrived was superb. The Swing Against Cancer Golf Series is a wonderful cause and for us it is great to get involved and I think this CSR (Corporate social responsibility) event is great. With the local connections and Reza’s determination to set this up it was a no brainer for us to join. To be through to the Mike Clark’s Golf Day is an amazing prize. The Golf Day itself is a wonderful occasion, I attended it last year and it was a fantastic day without even winning and I know that because I don’t win very often! For these players to get a chance to play in the Pro-Am is brilliant, and so the whole event is superb.”

CHRIS FERGUSON

CEO, Credence International “It was great to be part of a day that was centered around charity and spending time with others that care about the same causes. Everyone knows someone affected by this awful disease and every effort towards fighting against it provides a more positive world for us all to live in. The organisers have put together a great event and have managed to attract a fantastic audience and following. Myself and the rest if the Credence International team look forward to participating and being involved in the future events.

FRANK MURRAY

Titleist Custom Fitter “It has been a great event here at The Els Club for Swing Against Cancer Golf Series. It’s a great cause as it is helping UAE residents who have been affected by cancer and it’s really good to see so many players turn out to support the series. The players had a great time trying to outdo each other in our Scotty Cameron putting competition and I had a lot of fun playing in the event afterwards as well! The weather was warm but people still managed to have fun and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series.”

Links Group Open concludes SACGS ‘double’ T

he fun continued with Links Group Open signaling the second Swing Against Cancer Golf Series event in as many days, with the action this time taking place at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. A bulging field of over 110 players took to the course and it was a captivating battle with 22 handicapper Qais Qureshi and Young Kook Kim (12) locked in a tie for the top spot in the amateur division after each scoring a hugely impressive 40 points. With a card countback required to find a winner it was Qureshi who prevailed thanks to a superior final three holes. Both players will tee it up in the Mike Clark Golf Day at Jumeirah Golf Estates on October 26 while the player who finished third, Neal Large who scored 39 points, was already assured of his grand final spot thanks to his victory in the DHL Open the previous day.

In the pro division, David Gray was victorious after his 3 over par round. A Titleist Longest Drive contest on the range before play saw Luke Maguire smash a 303-yard bullet to bag a fitted 917 drive while Daniel Aforte won the Sixteen10 chipping contest for a signed Rory McIlroy photograph. Out on the course Glory Xavier won the DHL Longest Drive contest for a Footjoy shirt and John Allen won the DSA Straightest Drive for a Titleist Duffle Bag. “Links Group is honoured and proud to support the Swing Against Cancer Golf Series as we fight to improve the lives of people affected by cancer,” said John Martin St. Valery, Founder & CEO - Links Group, an Equiom company. “We believe that it is in our DNA as a company to help raise awareness and support the communities we work in to create a positive change.”

DSA Open get involved! The Swing Against Cancer Golf Series returns after the summer break with the hotly anticipated DSA Open on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club on September 14th. To register your interest or for sponsorship enquires please contact info@sixteen-10.com or info@worldwidegolfme.com

E M I RATES GOLF F EDER ATIO N SUPERB SCORING IN EGF ORDER OF MERIT CHAMPIONSHIP THE Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) held the 2017 EGF Order of Merit Championship at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club last month as over 30 elite amateurs battled it out over three divisions – Men’s, Ladies and Juniors. Played over two days, 14-year-old Josh Hill from Jumeriah Golf Estates won the Men’s Division after rounds of 68-75 saw him finish with a 143 total (3-over-par) and a two-stroke win over Tariq El Chaid. UAE National Team Player Ahmed Skaik finished third and also finished third on the Order of Merit overall. Kim Chiang won the Ladies Division in the event for the third year in a row after she carded rounds of 68-73 to finish with a 1-over-par total. The 16-year-old equalled the course record with her opening round, following course-record setting rounds in previous wins at The Els Club in 2015 and last year at JGE’s Earth course. Anastasia Bakal finished runner-up with a 149 tally with Sara Engsig

finishing third on 151. In the Junior Division Max Cashmore of JGE topped the pile with rounds of 70-72, two clear of Arjun Gupta with Sasha Sparacino taking third place with a 146 total. The winner of the season long Order of Merit in the Men’s section was Steve Kelbrick. Alison Muirhead won the Ladies Order of Merit and the Championship’s winners Hill and Chiang will join Kelbrick and Muirhead at the Singha Thailand Amateur Golf Championship at the end of this year.

JAMAL BIN MARGHOOB WINS FINAL NATIONAL MEDAL OF THE SEASON THE final National Medal of the season took place at Dubai Creek recently and coming out on top in the overall Stableford competition was Jamal bin Marghoob. A score of 34 points was enough for Marghoob to secure the win by two points from Daood Jaffal while the gross prize on the day went to National Team player Khalid Youseuf after he shot a 5-over-par 76. In Division ‘A’ (hcp 0-14) Khalid Al Halyan topped the pile with 30 points while the same score was good enough for Akram Skaik to win Division ‘B’ (hcp 14-24). The Junior Division was won by Reema Al Heloo with a 33-point haul.

EGF YOUNGSTERS ENJOY CRAZY GOLF AT WAFI MALL YOUNGSTERS from the EGF experienced a glow in the dark round of crazy golf at the Tee & Putt Mini Golf at Wafi Mall. This was a team-building activity as part of the National Junior Development Programme which allowed the children to meet up and enjoy golf in a completely different format and setting. EGF’s Membership Sales and Marketing Manager, Robert Fiala, was there along with the Golf DXB coaches to overlook the session and give some guidance to the youngsters. Fiala felt this was an excellent way for the kids to engage with each other and play the sport as the heat begins to soar outside. “We invited all of our students down to this indoor, funky, mini-golf facility to have a bit of fun and get away from the heat,” said Fiala. “We felt this would be a great opportunity for the kids to practice and interact with each other away from the course. It’s brilliant to bring everybody together, have a laugh and stay active in a golfing environment.”

E M I RATES GOLF CL UB MOGIRE AND GUPTA CROWNED JUNIOR CHAMPIONS

BRADLEY Mogire and Natali Gupta clinched this year’s Boys and Girls Club Champions respectively after their excellent performances over the Majlis. Bradley shot a gross 4-over-par 76 to win the Boys Division wile Gupta shot the low round of the day – a 75 – to win the Girls Division. In the Net Division Toby Waite carded a 1-over-oar 73 to win the Boys title while Deborah Chang shot a 75 to win the Girls.

AL QUBAISI WINS THE DDF UAE NATIONALS CUP RASHID Al Qubaisi won this year’s Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup with a superb haul of 38 Stableford points over the Faldo Course. Taking second place with 33 points was Abdulla Al Marzooqi with third place going to Saleh Al Ameri, one point further back. Khalid Yousuf carded an excellent 1-under-par 71 to win the gross prize on the day while the Ladies Champion was Reema Al Heloo with 30 Stableford points. Obaid Al Heloo topped the pile in the Junior Division with 29 points. Commenting on the event, Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO of Dubai Duty Free said: “This year marks the 23rd running of Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup and the tournament has grown popular among UAE National since 1995 with junior Emirati golfers as well. Our thanks to all our participants and to the Marketing team at Dubai Duty Free and to Emirates Golf Club for their efforts in ensuring a great day was had by all.”

SABINE CHOUDRY SEALS THE MEDAL SABINE Choudry compiled an excellent score of net 65 to win both the Silver ‘B’ Division and the overall prize in last month’s Ladies Medal sponsored by Sofitel. Choudry finished one shot ahead of Maureen Platt to win both prizes while in the Silver ‘A’ Division Jayshree Gupta and Viv Caley both carded a 4-under-par net 68. However, there could be only one winner and it was Gupta who finished strongest to win the countback. Glory Xavier won the gross prize on the day thanks to her 78 while in the Bronze Division Kiyono Taniuchi shot a solid net 73 to take the spoils.

MIKE MEZEI EASES TO BLACK TEE WIN MIKE Mezei fired rounds of 73-70 for a 1-underpar total to win this year’s Black Tee Challenge by eight shots from Sharn Grobler. Mezei led after his opening 73 on the Faldo and then cruised home with a stunning second round over the Majlis to take the title. Kooros Daneshvar finished in third place with a 153 total. In addition there was a 36-hole net tournament and coming out on top was Rubio Dario with a onestroke win over Emirates Golf Club’s Guarav Verma with third place going to Anil Shivanna.

ARABIAN GOLF LOCAL NEWS P69 E M I R ATES GOLF CL UB

D UBAI C R E E K G O LF C LU B SHARMA DOWNS CASHMORE FOR JUNIOR OPEN TITLE

MOHAN THE SENIOR STAR VINEET Mohan was crowned the 2017 Emirates Senior Open winner with a two-round Stableford score of 75 and a 3-point win over Masoud Sobati. Taking third plac8e was Club Captain Vipen Sethi on 70 points as he defeated Jignesh Sangani in a countback to take the final spot on the podium. Joumana Petridis won the Ladies Division after securing 66 points to win ahead of Brenda Hill from Doha Golf Club.

T H E ELS CLUB

RAHM CLINCHES THE MEN’S OPEN CHRISTOFER Rahm narrowly clinched this year’s Men’s Open sponsored by The Health Bank after a play-off win over Mike Mezei. Rahm opened with a superb gross 66 but following a second round 73 he found himself level with Mezei on 139 and in a tie at the top spot. Mezei had shot rounds of 72-67 for his tally but on the first hole of sudden death it was Rahm who prevailed the take the title. Max Burrow finished third, two shots outside the play-off. In the Net Division Micharl Herb clinched a onestroke win over Samar Hayat after rounds of 66-75 gave him a 141 total. Mazen Nubani took third place on 144.

THE TRACK, MEYDAN GOLF MUIRHEAD RETAINS THE AGMC LADIES OPEN CURRENT EGF Order of Merit leader Alison Muirhead extended her lead by successfully defending her title at the AGMC Ladies Open at Maydan. In what was her last event before heading to college in the United States, Muirhead was at her best as she shot a two-over-par 74 to win by two from Deborah Chang. Chantal El Chaib, who is second on the OOM, signed for a six-over-par 78 while in the Net Division Jamie Roslyn Camero was crowned the winner after a countback with Elsie Bruce.

KARTIK Sharma, who had flown in from India to participate, downed rising star Max Cashmore on the first play-off hole to win this year’s Junior Open sponsored by Titleist. Cashmore had set the clubhouse target with a superb 1-under-par 70, which included a back nine 3-under 33. However, Sharma matched the score and then made a solid two-putt par on the difficult par-4 18th to take the title. In the Boys Net competition Mousa Shana’ah fired a round of 69 to win by one from Asanka White while a 3-over-par 74 saw Kate Bibby win the Girls Gross prize. Dubai Creek member Hannah Alan won the Girls Net category with a score of 68, two clear of Jamie Roslyn Camero.

BAWKAR BLAZES HOME THE ever-consistent Shreyas Bawkar clinched the fourth event in the Junior Medal Championship series recently after blazing through the front nine in just 28 shots. Markus Neilsen built on his recent strong showing with a gross 34 while in the Boys Category Aarnav Nath topped the pile with a 32.5, one clear of Ayub Sethi. The Girls Category saw Ailsa Brannock win with a 35, just 0.5 shots better than Jehaan Nanavaty. Through four events, Jacobo Fisas leads the Order of Merit on 135 points, closely followed by Aarnav Nath on 115 points. Completing the top three is Markus Nielsen on 90 points. With five events left in the year-long competition there is still plenty for the future stars of golf in Dubai to play for.

SAVAGE CLINCHES MEDAL VICTORY PAULA Savage closed strongly to win last month’s Jumeirah Beach Ladies Medal and earn maximum Order of Merit points. In Division ‘A’ Lilian Yee shot a 73 to take the spoils while in Division ‘B’ Kiyono Taniuchi prevailed with a 72.

SUPERB SCORES IN CAPTAIN’S TROPHY HELD for the third time, this year’s Captain’s Trophy was won by the team of Tobias Parkin, Ed Fearn, Max Burrow and Dubai Creek’s Director of Golf Stephen Hubner with a superb score of 56.4 in the Texas Scramble format. Narrowly missing out on top spot by just 0.5 of a shot was the team of Tauseef Khan, Sandeep Singh, Shiba Wahid and Wafa Abu Zeid. The Husband and wife pairing of O.B. and Kristi Sealey and Rachel and Anthony Cashin finished in third place with a score of 58.3.

VICE CAPTAINS CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE CREEK CUP

THE Vice-Captain’s team prevailed for the sixth consecutive year as they claimed a 10½-8½ victory in the annual Creek Cup. First established in 2007 by Colm McLoughlin, that year’s Club Captain, the Creek Cup is played between teams selected by the Club Captain and the Vice Captain and then played in a fourball betterball match play format. In the history of the event the Captain’s team are yet to taste victory, which was something that Captains, Mansour Khodjasteh and Kristi Sealey were looking to fix against their Vice Captain rivals David Gowans and Maureen Platt. A staggering 9&8 victory from Elizabeth Batson and Janice Sears ensured the first points on the board went to the Vice Captain’s team. Leslie Reis and Stephen Hunt, also part of the Vice Captains team, closely followed beating their opponents 5&4. There was a spirited comeback from the Captain’s team but it wasn’t enough as they finally succumbed to a 2-point loss.

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES MITSUKO AND LAWRY WIN THE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS Mitsuko Emmerson (centre) shot rounds of 83-82 to take the Ladies Club Championship while Lawry Cook (right) carded rounds of 72-75 to win the Men’s Champion. Winning the Senior Championship title was Paul Philmore (left) after he compiled a 156 total after rounds of 75-81.

FISCHER MAKES AN ACE CHRISTIAN Fischer experienced the rare feat of shooting a hole-in-one when he aced the par-3 sixth hole on the Earth Course last month.

RIM CROWNED TOP SENIOR Sun Le Rim won the Seniors Open with a haul of 38 Stableford points for a four-point win over Michael Talbot with Warren Loughlin in third. Rim also won the nearest the pin prize on hole 6.

THE ADDRESS MONTGOMERIE DUBAI

YAQUB SEALS NARROW AUDI VICTORY FARHAN Yaqub won a countback over Joon Eun on 36 points to wrap up the top spot in Division ‘A’ of last month’s Audi Individual Stableford competition with Masoud Sobati in second on 35 points. Adrian Frankland topped the pile in Division ‘B’ with 37 points, one clear of Ziad Moussa with Craig Jones in third a point further back. The Ladies Division went to Vera Bondarenko as she compiled 34 points to win by four ahead of Rita Walker.

ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB

THE SIDEYS PROVIDE THE PERFECT MIX ROBERT and Particia Sidey scored 49 points to beat Heather Totten and Anne Hainey by four points and seal the Mixed Division title in the Betterball Stableford event sponsored by Grosvenor Pools. In the Men’s Division, Jordan Ward and Colin Williams also scored 49 points to come out on top, with John Onuonga and Emmanuel Orim finishing runners-up.

SMITH WINS THE SEASON’S FINAL MEDAL KYLE Smith clinched the final medal of the 2017 Order of Merit series last month with a superb net 69 and a three stroke win over Ty Dincer. Blanca Rivollier finished third with a net 73 while Ping Li won the overall Order of Merit title after some solid play all season long.

YAS LINKS ABU DHABI

GREAT TURNOUT FOR THE 2017 CAPTAIN’S TROPHY THIS year’s Captain’s Trophy was an opportunity to thank outgoing Captains Cedric Fevre and Elizabeth Samuel and welcome new Captains Masoud Sobati and Handan Klue into their roles. The day saw two tournaments take place and wining the two-person Texas Scramble with a score of net 64 was the duo of Maxine Minty and Quentin Morel. Finishing just 1.3 shots behind in second place were Mohamad Abbas and Benedict Pasia with third place going to Mike Roberts and Muzaffer Hamid on net 66.2. The four-person team event was decided on a countback as Shahram Rezapour, Tetsuro Kubota, Michael Hess and Oksana Hess took the spoils ahead of Maxine Minty, Quentin Morel, Jong Nam Yoo and K.C. Lee with both teams returning 133 points.

MCLAUCHLAN AND ROOMS CLINCH THE RIVOLI MONTHLY MEDAL TOP-NOTCH performances from Sean McLauchlan and Emma Rooms saw them seal the Men’s and Ladies Division respectively in the Rivoli Medal last month. McLauchlan fired a 72 gross to beat Ron Murphy by two with Peter Lane a further shot behind. In the Ladies Division Rooms finished with an 81 gross, eight shots better than Rebecca Nicholson.

ALCOCK ON TOP IN STROKE PLAY WHILE TEYSSEDRE WINS THE STABLEFORD

SMITH WNS THE UAE PGA PRO-AM RYAN Smith held off Mike Major, Luke Plumb and Mike Bolt to walk away with the latest UAE PGA Pro-Am last month. While Smith won the individual prize he and his team of Masoud Sobati, Joon Eun and Chris Roberts had to settle for second place in the team event behind Josh North, Jordan Ryan, Darren Schofield and Ok Young Cho.

PHIL Alcock and Jean-Marie Teyssedre were crowned the divisional champions in the Stroke Play and Stableford Event recently. It was tense in the Stroke Play Division as Alcock was triumphant via countback over Neil Armitage after they both finished on 70 Net. Teyssedre pipped Catherine Hut by a point in the Stableford Division after shooting 38 points.

BROADHEAD AND HUNTER CROWNED CLUB CHAMPIONS

AFTER a two-day tournament, Erica Broadhead and Ryan Hunter were last month crowned the Ladies and Men’s Club Champions respectively. Broadhead took the lead after an opening round 90 and shot a second round 88 to win ahead of Lady Captain Helen Griffiths by 28 shots. Hunter shot a 71 on day one and followed with a 76 to take the spoils ahead of Ricus Lehmkuhl by seven shots.

HILL CLEANS UP AT THE MEN’S OPEN VISTING player Josh Hill of Jumeirah Golf Estates clinched this year’s Men’s Open crown after a 1-over-par 145 total after two rounds. Hill shot round of 71-74 to win by one from Yas Links member Dan Kirkwood while the net title was clinched by former member Alan Whaltling with a 146 total.

AL HAMRA GOLF CLUB HOGGINS CAPTURES ST GEORGE’S DAY TROPHY IN STYLE DAVE Hoggins proved that there is still a lot left in his tank adding another notch to his already weighty belt. The St George’s Day Trophy is one of the key Al Hamra fixtures and is the last main event before the start of the summer season. Hoggins produced the most consistent round of the day after nines of 20 and 19 points for a winning 39 total.

His round included four net birdies and just one dropped shot on the par-3 7th. Second and third place required a card play-off to separate Cavan Bickell and Callum Bird with both players scoring 37 points. Bickell’s back nine of 18 trumped Callum’s 17 to take second place, leaving Bird to rue his double bogey on the 11th.

ARABIAN GOLF LOCAL NEWS P71 AL AIN EQUESTRIAN, SHOOTING & GOLF CLUB

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SHARJAH GOLF AND SHOOTING CLUB

SINDEN LAST OUT BUT LANDS KILLER BLOW IN THE MEDAL

IMRAN REACHERS DIZZY HIGHTS IN THE 4TH INTERNATIONAL OPEN THE fourth staging of the International Open Golf Championship supported by Altitude saw club member Imran Akhtar secure the top prize with a Stableford haul of 37 points. Akhtar finished two points clear of the field after making five net birdies as he took advantage of the shorter holes. Abdul Moiz Khan finished second on 35 points with EGF member Robert Harrah in third on 34 points. The Gross Division saw Namir Al Naimi secure a one-point win over youngster William Ang.

TREMENDOUS THOMSON WIN THE UNITECHNIK

Division ‘C’ as he produced a sparkling net 65, which was good enough for a three-shot victory over net Club Champion Doug Angus. Ibtisam Muzaffar took third place with a 69.

BELL AND GRANT WIN THREE-TEAM PLAYOFF TO CLINCH THE NIGHT GOLF TITLE THE pairings of Eric and Melissa Smith, David and Bader Miles and Mark Grant and Stuart Bell had to be split via a countback after all finishing on 23 points in the April Night Golf tournament. Prevailing in first spot were the duo of Bell and Grant who both continued their impressive form. To decide second place, the countback had to go to the final hole, with Melissa Smith’s three points proving decisive as she and Eric grabbed second spot to leave David and Bader in third.

DREAMLAND GOLF CLUB – BAKU

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RORY Thomson emerged victorious from tricky, blustery conditions as he won last month’s Unitechnik Medal with a Stableford score of 36 points. Namir Al Naimi and Max Hibert were both in hot pursuit but couldn’t catch Thomson, both falling one point short. The Gross Division saw Richard Mason take the spoils.

CHRIS Sinden was the final man to tee off in the recent Monthly Medal but this didn’t make a difference as the 18-handicapper scored a superb net 63 to finish top in Division ‘B’. Tiann Labuschagne beat Neville Bakker via countback for the runner-up spot after they both shot net 66’s. First place in Division ‘A’ was taken by Sam McDowell as his course handicap of seven meant a return of a net 67. Mihail Bucataru, playing off of a six handicap, took second place with a net 68. Nick Poisat settled for third spot with a very solid 69. Ed Chaffin continued to show great form in

LOW SCORES JW MARRIOTT ABSHERON TEXAS SCRAMBLE THE annual JW Marriott Scramble was enjoyed by a field of 92 players split into 23 teams and coming out on top with a superb score of net 58.5 was the team of Jung Won Choi, Jin Youb Choi, Dong Seok Kwon and Yung Tae Son. Finishing in second place was former Dreamland Golf Club member Greg Boyle as he returned from Abu Dhabi to help team mates David Lawson, Billy Quinn and Gavin to a net 59.1 while in third place was the team of Craig Elliott, Scott Bruce, Robert O’Donoghue and David Bray with a net 59.6.

MINTO MAKES HIS MARK AT THE TURKISH AIRLINES QUALIFIER VIV’ACIOUS VERMA HOSTS CAPTAIN’S DAY LAST month saw only the fifth ever Captain’s Day at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club, with the honour of Captaincy this year falling to Vivian Verma. There was plenty of on-course fun with Verma hosting a ‘Beat the Captain’ nearest the pin contest on hole 8 in addition to the team and individual competitions. The winning team on the day was the quartet of Chris Alderman, Ramli Sulaiman, George Liu and Sunny Ramadas with a superb tally of 93 points while the top individual score went to Abdul Moiz Khan after a back-six countback win over Vice Captain Mukti Rai.

BHYAT GOES BACK TO BACK FAIZEEN Bhyat made it back-to-back victories in the Centro Sharjah Supported by Mekar last month after a steady score of 36. Bhyat made big moves on the par-5s as he secured a one-point win while David Murphy won the Gross Division on the day.

TOURNAMENT HELD TO CELEBRATE BAKU 2017 DREAMLAND Golf Club recently hosted a tournament to recognise the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games to showcase the game of golf to a wider community. Several teams took part, including local ambassadors, leading businesses and members of the Azerbaijani National Junior team. Competing over 9 holes, in sunny yet windy conditions, the team format was enjoyed by all and clinching the honours was the team of David Berry – Baku 2017, Farid Khalilzade, Susan Drummond, Lala Ibrahimova with a gross score of 36 (net 32.7). Commenting on the event Phil Jones General Manager of Dreamland Golf Club said: “It’s been a great day for all the participants and a great day for Golf in Azerbaijan. To have our National Junior players included in this event is a big step forward in developing this new sport. All the players have commented as to how they are impressed with the skill level of our National Junior team who have been learning golf for the past two years.”

FOR the second year in succession Dreamland Golf Club was the host venue for the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Azerbaijan Qualifier and coming out on top in the Stableford competition was Steven Minto with a 41-point haul. Minto defeated Refik Sabanovic by one point with Dong Soek Won taking third place with 39 points. Paul Winkle won the gents nearest the pin prizes with, Susan Drummond winning the lowest gross of the day (83) and the ladies nearest the pin on the 11th hole. “We would like to offer our congratulations to everyone who made the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup qualifier in Baku such a special day,” said Seyfullah Ilyas, General Manager for Turkish Airlines Baku.

ARABIAN GOLF LOCAL NEWS P73 DOHA GOLF CLUB

PROSPORTS AND DOHA GOLF CLUB PROVING THE PERFECT MATCH

ased at the prestigious Doha Golf Club, Prosports International is ensuring that golf enthusiasts in Qatar are well catered for. Whether you are an expat making yourself at home or simply enjoying a golf holiday in the beautiful country, Prosports has you covered with their state of the art, fully stocked pro shop and world class staff. Prosports’ new operation is headed by PGA Professional, Blair Harvey who has been pushing hard to ensure that with Doha Golf Club, another level of service and experience is brought to the golfers of Qatar. “Qatar is a wonderful place for sport, and Doha Golf Club have a great facility which has spanned success over 20 years,” says Harvey. “It is a privilege to be involved with the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters which really attracts golfers in the region to take part in the sport. We aim to provide a world class service within a world class club. With a new golf club opening soon, and some amazing changes in the facility

at Doha Golf Club, it’s an exciting time for the sport in Qatar. “My job is to provide members, guests and corporate clients with every need down to the last tee - which I have a great team to always fulfill. In the last year we’ve seen huge success from all aspects of our clientele and feel a real buzz around Doha Golf Club. We’re excited for the opening of our new academy and Prosports bringing the most recognised brands and service in Qatar. “Prosports has now successfully brought the biggest and most demanded brands to Qatar, not only for golf, but in gym equipment, rugby, hockey and many others. The company is one of the Middle East’s biggest distributors for many sports and having someone here on the ground, certainly makes a difference.” Leading up to the FIFA World Cup in 2022, sport is taking centre stage in Qatar which creates the ideal environment for golf to flourish.

“There’s a lot of excitement about golf in Qatar and Prosports are here to support every aspect,” says Harvey. “We’ve had great success in corporate events, private members and public sports clubs – and will continue to do so with our staff here in Doha. We’re always keen to get involved in sports in any capacity. “We have a very strong relationship with Infiniti Motors who have had several successful events at DGC with Prosports including a Titleist Boat Challenge which was great fun and widely supported by our members. We will continue to think of new initiatives to bring extra excitement to the game.’’ If you’d like to contact Prosports in Qatar for sporting or corporate enquiries of any kind, please email info.qa@prosports.ae or call +974 4496 0750 You can also follow Prosports on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! @prosportsqa

UENO WINS THE PRIMEPOWER MEDAL SEIKO Ueno clinched the Ladies Division title in last month’s Primepower Monthly Medal with a net 71 and a three-stroke win over Brenda Hill. In the Men’s Division ‘1’ Ben Coleman shot a gross 77 for a net 72 and a two-stroke win over

JINOK CLINCHES THE INFINITI OPEN JINOK Kim emerged victorious from the Ladies Division in last month’s Infiniti Open with a superb net 67 and a one-stroke win over Beth San Jose. Kim made four pars during her round, which was played in breezy conditions and featured tough pin positions as she clinched the victory. Ben Coleman carded a net 70 to win by one from Arnav Jain in the Men’s Division ‘1’ while in Division ‘2’ Su-Ung Jang recorded

an excellent net 63 to win by four from Peter Hope. Division ‘3’ saw Andrew Muirhead clinch the honours with a 69, two shots ahead of five players who shared second place. In addition to the Division prizes there was a special ‘Infiniti floating green challenge’ which took place after play. A boat in the lake between holes 9 and 18 – placed around 155 yards away – was the target and Dinesh Kumar was the only player to land a ball in the boat.

Dong Yoon Kim while in Division ‘2’ Mankoto Naito signed for a net 70 for a one-stroke win over Ben San Jose. The title in Division ‘3’ went to Jonghyun Nam after he won a countback with Eugene Bautista after both players had scored a net 75.

Diamond Country Club A picturesque parkland on the outskirts of Vienna which hosts the National Open of Austria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Lyoness Open from June 8-11.

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www.europeantour.com/destinations

Destinations

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Verdura Resort, Sicily ITALY LE GOLF NATIONAL FRANCE TERRE BLANCHE HOTEL SPA GOLF RESORT***** FRANCE DIAMOND COUNTRY CLUB AUSTRIA PGA CATALUNYA RESORT SPAIN

LIGHTHOUSE GOLF & SPA RESORT BULGARIA SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB MALAYSIA

TROIA RESORT PORTUGAL

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GOLF CLUB ST.LEON-ROT GERMANY

QUINTA DO LAGO PORTUGAL

THE DUTCH THE NETHERLANDS

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Destination Under Development ROSSINGTON HALL UNITED KINGDOM

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About European Tour Properties EUROPEAN TOUR PROPERTIES is a network of world class golf venues, all of which have a close relationship with the European Tour, one of the game’s leading global sporting organisations. Our internationally-recognised network currently spans Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia. We are proud to present a collection of Member Venues that all boast the hallmark of tournament quality and which offer extensive off-course facilities guaranteed to provide a memorable golfing experience for members and visitors alike. Many of them are close to famous cities and all offer a wealth of golf, leisure and accommodation choices. For those seeking the ultimate golfing lifestyle, a number of our Member Venues offer elegant and secluded real-estate opportunities.

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www.europeantour.com/destinations

N EXCEPTIONAL venue within easy reach of Vienna and situated in the picturesque Lower Austrian countryside, Diamond Country Club has been host venue of the National Open of Austria, a European Tour event, since 2010. The centrepiece is undoubtedly the 7,393 yards Diamond Course designed by renowned English architect Jeremy Pern, with Ryder Cup star Miguel Angel Jiménez, having since remodeled a number of the holes. Occupying an unusual site that was flattened during allied bombing raids in 1944, the Diamond Course has some interesting features in the form of ruined structures, defensive concrete bunkers and numerous bomb craters transformed into grass bunkers.

Beautiful Vineyards This area of Austria, just outside Vienna, is shaped and defined by its beautiful vineyards and the picturesque River Danube. After flooding in 2009, the venue passed into new ownership, since when it has been transformed and revitalised having benefited from significant investment. The redesigned course soon became the regular home of Austria’s annual European Tour event, the Lyoness (Austrian) Open. Over the last five years, the Diamond Country Club has won both the Golf Course and Golf Restaurant of the Year awards in Austria and is now a member of European Tour Properties. Diamond Country Club is best known for its Championship layout, the Diamond Course. Opened in 2002, then upgraded in 2009, the par 72 course is a true test and fair challenge

for players of all abilities. A unique feature of the layout are the many water hazards, which blend seamlessly into the peaceful countryside. Each of the 18 holes have been designed to deliver something special. One that is particularly visually appealing and stands out during television coverage of the Lyoness Open is the par 3 ninth hole, which is actually played as the 18th during the European Tour event.

Stadium Course Feel This beautiful 175 yard hole is protected by a large water hazard in front of the green and a bunker beyond it. The green slopes down to the water, and during the tournament, it takes on a ‘stadium’ course feel,’ creating an amazing final hole atmosphere. In addition to the Diamond Course, there is an enjoyable nine-hole Park Course and a seven-hole parkland course, the Country Course, both of which are maintained to the same high standard of the Diamond Course. The practice area is huge and encompasses two chipping greens, two large putting greens and a generous driving range area. For just two euros, members and visitors can get a bucket of 24 balls to hit at the driving range, which is open on a daily basis. In addition, the recently opened 78-room Diamond City Hotel located only 15 minutes from the golf course in the heart of the city of Tulln adds to the Diamond portfolio, offering a one-stop package solution to experience both amazing golf and culture. The new hotel extends the accomodation already on offer at Diamond Country Club, where 42 Diamond rooms opened last year. ■

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www.diamondcountryclub.com

SEBASTIAN HEISELE

"If you look at a guy like Rayhan Thomas, he is deﬁnitely beneﬁtting from playing in the events on the MENA Tour because he’s competing against a good level of player.” – Sebastian Heisele

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FEATURE

SEBASTIAN HEISELE

SPURRED ON AFTER

CLASSIC INVITE SPURN W

HEN Sebastian Heisele earned the 19th European Tour card at Q-School last year he had his eyes opened to a new world on the European Tour. The German, who is a three-time Club Champion at Emirates Golf Club, having begun his golfing journey in the UAE, was understandably excited about a potential reunion at the Majlis for this year’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic but was denied a spot in the field as a sponsor's invite. “Because I’m a graduate of last year’s Q-School I don’t have status going into the Rolex Series events or the bigger events – anything generally with a prize-fund of over €2m. "That included the Desert Swing and the early events in China because the fields are already full,” he explains. “I asked for a sponsors invite into the Desert Classic this year but it didn’t happen for whatever reason. They didn’t want to support me, so that makes me more determined to play well for the rest of the year.”

ACHIEVE HIS GOAL The 28-year-old finished in a share of fourth at the Open de Portugal last month and he needs a few more results like that if he is to achieve his goal of finishing in the top 100 in the Race to Dubai. “Going into this year, knowing my status wouldn’t get me into the biggest events, I wanted to focus on finishing in the top 100 in the Race to Dubai and securing my card for next year,” he says. “That way I’ll have better status for the 2018 season and a better chance of getting into some more events. "The DP World Tour Championship is our biggest event at the end of each year and it would be nice to play in the event but it’s not really on my radar for this season unless something nice happens – like a win!” Heisele finished 28th on last year’s Road to Oman after a full season on the Challenge Tour but after successfully navigating his

way through Q-School he’s at the top table of European golf – but how do they compare? “Well, because I haven’t really had a taste of the bigger events on the European Tour I can’t really make the comparison between the two tours,” he says. “Obviously, the calibre of player is greater than on the Challenge Tour but in the European Tour events I’ve played this season there hasn’t been a lot of rough, so fairways are wide open and it’s set up a little easier than I expected. "You are tracked everywhere a lot more and there’s far more attention on you on the European Tour, that’s for sure. I warmed up alongside Rory McIlroy at the SA Open in January so that was cool to suddenly find myself on the range next to guys who you used to watch on television.” While Heisele hasn’t got his sights set on a DP World Tour Championship debut just yet, he is looking forward to one day going back to Dubai and competing against the world’s best. Having grown up in Dubai and got his handicap down to scratch Heisele found his competitive playing-opportunities limited, so he left to join the David Leadbetter Academy in Florida. From there he took a scholarship at the University of Colorado and established

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himself as one of the leading players before turning professional in 2012. He made his way across various satellite tours in Europe before earning a spot on the 2015 Challenge Tour.

THE SCENE IN DUBAI “Over the past few years the scene in Dubai has become a lot better for up and coming players,” he says. “If you look at a guy like Rayhan Thomas, he is definitely benefitting from playing in the events on the MENA Tour because he’s competing against a good level of player. "I never really had that advantage in my time in Dubai. I progressed through the Junior Development Programme at Emirates Golf Club – and that was great – but once I got to a certain level there wasn’t much else for me from a competition point of view.” Heisele, who is a towering 6’ 7”, has made steady progress over the past few years as a touring professional and looks set to establish himself on the European Tour for many years to come, so don't be surprised to see him teeing it up on merit at next year’s Desert Classic. ■

Sebastian Heisele tees off during last year's NBO Golf Classic Grand Final at Almouj Golf.

FIVE THINGS

THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME…

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46 – 52 – 56 – 60 –

JORDAN SPIETH

08 F Grind 08 F Grind 10 S Grind 04 L Grind

52 – 12 F Grind 56 – 14 F Grind 60 – 12 K Grind

JASON DUFNER

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JIMMY WALKER