Worldwide Golf - Issue 104, Gary Player by Worldwide Golf

Issue 104, May 2009

TIPS GEAR STYLE PROPERTY FASHION TRAVEL

WORLDWIDE

Master Class Executive Editor, Gary Player gave us a day that no-one could forget and memories that will last for ever.

Middle East’s No.1 Golf Magazine

ELS●PLAYER●NORMAN●FISHER●NEWS & VIEWS Official Publication of The Emirates Golf Federation & The Arab Golf Federation

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Gary Player-designed golf courses continue to lead the way globally. www.garyplayerdesign.com

Worldwide Golf’s Executive Editor

PLAYER

GARY

PLAYER INTRODUCTION

Gary Player discusses the work of the Emirates Golf Federation in promoting and supporting young golfers with H.H. Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed bin Hasher Al Maktoum, Saeed Al Budour and Abdulla Al Naboodah during the Awards Dinner at Emirates GC.

A Day to Remember OUR Worldwide Golf 100th Anniversary Issue Invitational last month was a magnificent success. I enjoyed meeting a lot of old friends and, hopefully, making many more. It was an honour to receive a presentation of a framed Arabian coffee pot for my services to golf in the Middle East from His Highness Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed bin Hasher Al Maktoum at the Awards Dinner. He’s a fascinating man with an infectious sense of humour. It was also interesting to talk to Abdulla Al Naboodah and Saeed Al Badour about the plans they have to expand the role of the Emirates Golf Federation in encouraging the growth of the game among youngsters, particularly nationals. We discussed some of the up-and-coming young talent already coming through in the UAE and with so much support I don’t think it will be too long before we start to see a young UAE national making his name on Tour. The day began with a brunch at Emirates Golf Club organised by the South African Business Council and it was good to meet up again with the UAE Ambassador to South Africa, H.E. Yacoob Abba Omar. I was greeted by many old friends in my national tongue and shared some memories of our homeland. I spoke to the gathering about what a great country South Africa is. I also explained the danger of diabetes and obesity, which is responsible for a rapidly increasing number of deaths around the world, particularly in the United States and other wealthy countries. I urged those present to take a positive approach to life and greet people with a smile on your face, particularly in these days of financial hardship. I mentioned that they should have the ambition to be the best in the world at what they do – even if they did not succeed in achieving that. I received a lot of positive feedback from the audience. I then did a clinic on the driving range attended by a considerable gallery and had a bit of fun with some of the youngsters there. Two young boys who couldn’t have been more than five years old hit a couple of shots with me and

sent the ball flying up the fairway as clean as a whistle. It was great to see the youngsters there. The Invitational began with me hitting a ceremonial drive off the first tee before I went down to the 7th tee where I hit over a lake to the par-3 green with each of the 27 fourballs. That was quite a marathon but I’m pleased to say that I made the green on every occasion and came within a couple of inches of acing it three or four times. It was fun to talk to the groups as they came through, sharing a joke and looking at their swing. I know that many of the competitors were club professionals at the golf courses throughout the region but there were some sweet swings among all of them. The Awards Dinner was an opportunity to talk with the guests, including my good friend Jim Kinnear from Canada, Werner Burger, President and Chief Operating Officer of IFA Hotels & Resorts, plus the representatives from Soma Bay in Egypt, The Malkai at Oman and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, where I had visited the day before the Worldwide Golf Invitational. I must say that the course at Saadiyat Beach could become the best I have ever done. Mike Gallemore made a short speech where he admitted his well-known shortcomings in his golf game and Rod Bogg, on behalf of Dubai Golf and Emirates Golf Club, who are celebrating their 21st anniversary this year, gave another kind speech. The past ten years has been an excellent relationship with Worldwide Golf, working with Mike and his son Alex and with Sheikh Saeed and his business manager Ara Nakhnikian and I was pleased to be part of the celebrations of the magazine’s 100th anniversary. The guests at the Invitational seemed to enjoy the day and it was an ideal way of thanking them for their support of Worldwide Golf since its launch back in 1999. Dubai, the UAE, the Gulf and the Middle East is a fascinating region and I am looking forward to designing more golf courses here over the forthcoming years. ■ www.wwgolf.biz

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Contents Features

GARY PLAYER INTRODUCTION WSP WEBSITE DETAILS ERNIE ELS COLUMN CLUBHOUSE QUICKIES DIVOTS NEWS ITEMS GREG NORMAN COLUMN ROSS FISHER COLUMN DRIVING RANGE: PORSCHE PANAMERA OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING GARY PLAYER COLUMN THE RACE TO DUBAI WORLD ROUND-UPS GEAR: THE LATEST EQUIPMENT CLAUDE HARMON SWING ANALYSIS WAYNE’S DIARY TUTORIAL SANDY MEYER COLUMN ARABIAN GOLF LOCKER ROOM GROOM ROOM IN THE BAG: CLUB PRO

THE WORLDWIDE GOLF 100th ANNIVERSARY ISSUE INVITATIONAL Presented by ECCO and hosted by Gary Player under the Patronage of H.H. Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed bin Hasher Al Maktoum at Emirates Golf Club.

21 THE MASTERS: All the thrills and spills of the 2009 Masters Tournament at Augusta National as Argentine Angel Cabrera wins his second Major championship in a nail-biting play-off. 31 TRAVEL FEATURE: Richard Bevan travels to the historical city of York in the North of England to discover the region’s excellent golfing facilities and welcoming members.

Rod Bogg is presented with a signed picture of Gary Player kissing the Auld Claret Jug after winning The Open in 1974, by H.H. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum and Gary.

LAST CHANCE! Worldwide Golf Competition

N I W

flights from Dubai to Glasgow; THE HOLIDAY OF ●● Return Self-Drive rental car; ● 2 nights accommodation in Gleneagles; A LIFETIME FOR ● One round on the Kings Course at Gleneagles; at St Andrews Old Course Hotel; TWO GOLFERS ●● 4Onenightsroundaccommodation at Kingsbarns Golf Club, Fife; ● One round at the Dukes Course at St Andrews; TO SCOTLAND: ● One round at St Andrews New Course;

ENTRIES CLOSE May 11

● One round at Carnoustie Golf Links.

QUESTION:

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE GOLFER WHO HAS RECENTLY RETURNED TO THE GAME, WHO WON THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT St ANDREWS IN 2005? To enter the competition log on to:

www.wwgolf.biz and click ‘competitions’ Normal Worldwide Sporting Publications rules apply. Entries must be received by Monday, May 11, 2009. Winners will be announced in the June issue of Worldwide Golf.

ISSUE No. 104, MAY 2009 Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd, 54 Alderley Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, England, SK9 1NY Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore Executive Editor: Gary Player Editor: Alex Gallemore Publisher: Mike Gallemore Senior Editor: Richard Bevan

Editors: Todd Staszko, James Reeves, Tabitha Florence Design Manager: Mark Frain Technical Manager: Mark Collinge Photography: Getty Images Editorial Panel: Gary Player, Mike Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Richard Bevan, Todd Staszko

Published in Dubai by: Prografix, PO Box 24677, Dubai, UAE (Tel) +9714 340 3785 Advertising & Marketing: David Burke davidb@wspdubai.com (009715) 05519363

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.

Printed by: Raidy, Dubai

May 2009 SSN 1- 46805671 Approval UAE National Media Council: Ref.816 30/5/2007 Trade Licence No. 1/104375/15280

ALL NEW WEBSITE NOW ONLINE THE techno boffins at WWG Towers have finished their tinkering and the wait is finally over, so without further ado we give you the brand new, all singing, all dancing Worldwide Golf website! For some time now we have been developing a site worthy of our status as the Middle East’s No.1 golf magazine and we think that with www.wwgolf.biz we’ve pulled it off, even if we do say so ourselves! The new state-of-the-art site is packed to the rafters with great features. Keep up-to-date with news from around the golfing globe; post and watch video footage; use the extensive forum section to chat with friends, find a playing partner, or trade gear; win a stack of amazing prizes in the competitions area; or play a variety of fun packed online games. We’re confident that in www.wwgolf.biz Middle East golf fans finally have a website tailored specifically for them.

NEWS

The news section brings you up-to-the minute developments as they happen, both locally and internationally. Worldwide Golf has forged a reputation over the past decade for delivering the most comprehensive local golf news around whilst never neglecting happenings further afield and www.wwgolf.biz allows us to do that even faster!

FORUM

The forum is the section of www.wwgolf.biz that we’re probably most excited about as it’s where you readers can form your own online community. There are various sections for you to discuss anything at all that’s on your mind, golf-related or otherwise! Ask for advice; exchange tips; find a playing partner; buy, sell or trade gear; post video footage; clarify the confusing world of rules and handicapping!

PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF

Try your luck with a game of online golf as well as a host of other tantalising games and post your best scores on the forum!

READ THE LATEST AND PAST ISSUES ONLINE You can now read Worldwide Golf anywhere in the world by accessing the fully interactive online version on www.wwgolf.biz The online publication allows you to grab and turn pages just like a real magazine, or skip straight to your favourite section via the interactive contents page. Plus you need never worry again if you’ve missed an issue because there is a huge selection of past issues in the ‘read online’ section as well!

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Ernie Els is the most successful South African golfer of his generation. Els, nicknamed ‘The Big Easy’ due to his easy-looking swing, has won three Majors and seven World Match Play Championships during a career that spans close on two decades. Els has two U.S. Opens to his name and won The Open Championship in 2002.

SUBHEADER

PRIL was officially designated Autism Awareness month and with this being a subject very close to our hearts, Liezl and I were pretty busy. It is now more than a year since we went public with the news about our son Ben being affected by Autism and the support and good wishes that we have received have been both overwhelming and heart warming. Obviously, in many ways I have a wonderful life. I have a great wife who is very strong. And our daughter Samantha, she’s an unbelievable child, and we’re very fortunate for that. But you can’t help but feel for Ben. He’s a healthy kid, everything about him is perfect, but he won’t play the sports and do the things you envisioned, and as a parent that’s the hard part. The thing is, there are thousands of other families going through similar emotions; parents, siblings and friends all trying to do their best for children affected by Autism. That’s why I’m so passionate about doing everything we can to help understand more about this condition, what causes it, and ultimately perhaps one day discovering potential cures. Last year we started the ball rolling, so to speak, at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland. Callaway hosted a special fundraising initiative where every competitor’s drive on the 18th at the Old Course at St Andrews was measured and the cumulative total was converted into a cash donation by Callaway. In total the event raised £18,000. Then in December we played the annual Ernie Els Invitational at Erinvale Golf Club in South Africa. In years gone by we’ve always raised a lot of money for a variety of charities, but this time the whole idea of the event was that we try to raise as much money as possible for charities involved exclusively with Autism. I had a lot of support from friends and fellow professionals and again it was a great success. In March this year we played the inaugural Els for Autism ProAm – an event which marks the official formation of my new American-based foundation, Els for Autism. The ProAm took place at PGA National, on the Champion’s Course where I won the Honda Classic last year, and our wish is

ERNIE

ELS

that this will become a firm fixture on the golfing calendar. I’m thrilled to say this event was a huge success, too. We had fantastic support from good friends and some of the legends of golf. Among those taking part were Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Gary Player, Raymond Floyd, Justin Rose, Luke Donald, Tim Clark, Richard Sterne, Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby, Jeev Milkha Singh and many more. I was obviously very grateful to a lot of people who made the day possible: The players and all the amateurs who pledged their support and signed-up for the day; Marvin Shanken, a great guy who was the driving force behind this event; and, of course, to PGA National for hosting this Pro Am. They were incredible from the very start and we really appreciated everything they did. To top it all, we managed to raise more than $700,000 for Autism Charities, an amazing effort. Moving on to my golf, I’d have to sum up this first part of the season as disappointing, although to be honest I think I’ve played better than I’ve scored. That’s the way this game is sometimes – it’s obviously frustrating. At the Shell Houston Open I had a rough nine holes on the way to a first round 75. But I followed that up with a 66, which included seven birdies, and I played some good stuff over the weekend to finish six-under par and tied 14th. It wasn’t the perfect week but considering I was tied 112th after the first round I guess it wasn’t such a bad result. The following week at Augusta National, another bad first round basically killed my chances of a shot at the Green Jacket. Conditions were about as perfect as you could wish for and shooting 75 left me with a lot of ground to make up on Friday. When Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry finished their second rounds leading at nine-under, I knew with the 10-shot rule in force that one-over par would probably be a safe number. I was fighting hard all day. I made a couple of birdies on 13 and 15 to get back to two-over par. I just needed to make one more birdie coming down the stretch. I hit a couple of great shots into 16 and 18, but they were tough putts and I failed to convert. Like I said earlier, it’s frustrating because I played some good stuff out there,

Ernie congratulates Luke Donald and his winning team, as they proudly hold their trophies, with Marven Shanken, pictured right.

especially in my second round when conditions were tough. And the way the field was bunched up, just a couple of shots better and I’d have been inside the top-30 and maybe contending over the weekend. But you walk such a fine line on this golf course. This time I was the wrong side of that line. But you know, there’s still a long way to go this season and I’m really up for it. I take encouragement from the fact that the various departments of my game are all in pretty good order. I’m just not putting it all together at the moment. But I know if I keep working hard and stay positive, though, it’ll come together again soon. ■

WWG COLUMNIST

Ernie lines up for the Els for Autism ProAm with some of the greatest names in golf, including fellow Worldwide Golf Columnists Gary Player and Greg Norman, and Jack Nicklaus, and Raymond Floyd.

Ernie and his wife Liesl (left) receive a cheque for $750,000 from Marvin Shanken (far right) raised during the Els For Autism Pro-Am. www.wwgolf.biz

R&A

WORDS

OF THE MONTH...

(sig A) p.8-37

new

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CLUBHOUSE QUICKIES

Rule 13-2. Improving Lie Rule 13-2. Improving Lie Rule 13-2. Improving Lie

Going to school – To learn about the speed and direction of a putt or chip by observing another putt or chip on the same or similar line is known as ‘going to school’. new

7/11/07

DID 2:58 PM

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YOU KNOW...

The Open Championship is the only one of the four Majors to have been won by fathers and sons – Old and Young Tom Morris as well as Willie Park Snr and Willie Park Jnr.

A player must not improve, or allow to be improved, the position of the ball. A player must not improve, or allow to be improved, the position of the ball. A player must not improve, or allow to be improved, the position of the ball.

HELP I’M

DROWNING!

American professional, Harry Gonder, hit 1817 balls over a 16-hour 25-minute period at a 160-yard hole, trying for a hole-in-one. The closest he came to success was hitting the pin once.

Golfer: “Caddie, I’ve never played this badly before.” Caddie: “I didn’t realise you’d played before, sir.”

Misjudging its depth, Dave went wading into the lake to retrieve his badly sliced ball. Very quickly he was floundering out of his depth and as his tweed plus-fours became waterlogged, he found himself deep trouble. “Help, I’m drowning!” he shouted to his partner. “Don’t worry,” came the reply. “You won’t drown. You’ll never keep your head down long enough.”

BACK TO BASICS Mickelson’s ape impression is1stperhaps taking Proof C Mhis caddie Y K P.35 L 1st Proof C M Y K P.35 L Bones’ ‘get back 1st Proofadvice C to M Y KtoP.35 L basics’ at The Masters a little too far.

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WWG 100TH ISSUE ANNIVERSARY INVITATIONAL

From

Worldwide Golf

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N behalf of our Chairman, H.H. Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed bin Hasher Al Maktoum, our Executive Editor, Gary Player, and all at WSP and Worldwide Golf we would like to give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended our 100th Anniversary Issue Invitational presented by ECCO at Emirates Golf Club on April 24th. The occasion was an opportunity for Worldwide Golf to repay, in some small way, all the people who have supported us from the outset back in 1999. Over the last decade Worldwide Golf has come a long way and we are rightly proud of being the biggest and most popular golf magazine in the Middle East. Our inspirational Executive Editor Gary Player began the proceedings by hosting a brunch at Emirates Golf Club organised by the South African Business Council and sponsored by The National newspaper. Gary responded to the welcome from the UAE Ambassador to South Africa, H.E. Yacoob Abba Omar, with a rousing speech on the subject of South Africa and the importance of having a positive attitude, particularly during this time of recession. “If you come across someone with a smile on his face you are naturally drawn to them – if they haven’t, you tend to avoid them,” said Gary. “You should always have the ambition to be the best in the world in whatever you choose to do – even if you don’t achieve your aim and strive to be the best person you can who can do some good in the world. That was my goal when I started out and I managed to make it.”

Values and determination Gary described his background and his upbringing in South Africa to an appreciative audience and explained the values and determination that have made him a global legend of golf. He also spoke about the importance of manners and of having an understanding of other people and their situation. “Manners maketh man,” said Gary. “It costs us nothing to be well mannered and to show consideration for others.” The applause had barely died down as Gary made his way to the driving range to treat a packed grandstand with other spectators surrounding the range to a clinic that few who attended are likely to forget. Gary also involved the youngsters present and encouraged two boys aged no more than five to come and hit a ball with him – which they did in fine style to the applause of the crowd. Gary’s interaction with young golfers is as legendary as his achievements in golf and he has been a huge support and inspiration to many of the leading players in the game. From the driving range Gary made his way to the first tee for a ceremonial drive to start the Invitational, announced on the tee by the incomparable Bob Connor, who, as ever, did a thoroughly professional job throughout the day and evening. Despite the increasing heat Gary took the time to sign autographs for the throng of youngsters who surrounded him at the first tee. Then it was off to the seventh tee for the shotgun start of the Invitational, where Gary hit a tee shot with each of the 27 teams of four balls competing as they progressed through 18 holes. In typical manner Gary was pictured with each of the groups, shared a joke or two and spoke of his experiences around the world, offering a little advice on their game and

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applauding and commenting on their golf swing. It was an example of what a remarkable player he is that throughout a long and tiring day where he effectively played 27 holes to the competitors’ 18, the Black Knight never missed the green and came within inches of making a hole-in-one. At the conclusion of the tournament Gary headed back to the Clubhouse for the Awards Dinner. On behalf of Worldwide Golf His Highness Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed bin Hasher Al Maktoum made a presentation of a framed Arabian coffee pot to Gary in recognition of his services to golf in the Middle East. Sheikh Saeed then made a presentation to Abdulla Al Naboodah, recognising his role within the Arab Golf Federation. Rod Bogg received a presentation of a signed picture of Gary for Rod’s huge contribution to golf in Dubai and in celebration of Emirates Golf Club’s 21st Anniversary. David Burke also received a gift in

appreciation of his efforts over the last few years in helping to build and establish Worldwide Golf as the market leader in its field. The presentation by Gary to the first three teams then followed. First to the Hesson family of Eric, Ed, Eddie and Cessie; second to the team of Gary Chapman, Ara Nakhnikian, Bharat Godkhindi and Mark Dennehy; third to the team of Mohsin Al Tajir, Rosemary Turlik, Chris Turlik and Barney Coleman. Then followed an auction, conducted by Rod Bogg, which was generously sponsored, with the main prize a golf and safari trip for two to the Legend Golf & Safari Resort at Entabeni Safari Conservancy in Waterberg, Limpopo, South Africa, including business flights from Dubai to South Africa on Emirates Airline. Abdulla Al Naboodah secured the prize with a hugely generous bid. The prize was presented to Abdulla on behalf of Emirates Airline by Gary Chapman and by Werner Burger, on behalf of IFA Hotels and Resorts,

WWG 100TH ISSUE INVITATIONAL 3

who kindly donated the gift. Other auction prizes included a Callaway driver signed by Gary Player and sponsored by Progolf; a luxury leather office chair sponsored by Shariar and Shahin Khodjasteh of Officeland; a signed Gary Player print and a Masters pin flag from Augusta National where Gary made his 52nd and final appearance. The excellent raffle prizes were donated by Roger Morris for Four Seasons Golf Club; Surrender Khandahri of Hankook; Ed Edwards of Arabian Ranches Golf Club; Ken Kosak of Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi; Thomas Rubi of The Els Club, Dubai; Esmond Coulthier of Abu Dhabi Golf Club; Ray Metz of The Montgomerie Dubai; Rod Bogg for Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; Ara Nakhnikian for St.Maxim’s, St. Tropez and The Sapphire Restaurants in Dubai; Mohammad Buamaim of ‘golf in Dubai’; Adel Zarouni of Rivoli; and Francisco Giles of the Renaissance Dubai Hotel. We would also like to thank Mark McCarthy at the Rotana Towers Hotel, Neil Hamp-Adams and Driving Force; David Smith of Porsche Middle East and Faruk Bhagani of Porsche Dubai.

Among the hole sponsors were Carpetland; Hydroturf/Clubcar; the National newspaper; MMI; Esnaad; IMG; Doha Golf Club; Prosports International; the Renaissance Hotel Dubai; Soma Bay, Egypt; Dubai Duty Free; TNT; Emirates Airlines; ECCO; Expand a Sign. We also thank Rod Bogg, Chris May, Andrew Whitelaw and Michelle Tonkin and all at Emirates Golf Club for doing such a wonderful job throughout the day and evening, and CNN for their coverage of the Invitational. Most of all we thank Jens Hattab and ECCO for their generous title sponsorship. Proceeds of the Worldwide Golf 100th Issue Anniversary Invitational go to the Gary Player Foundation and Dubai Autism. A thoroughly enjoyable and wonderful day in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere was had by all and again we thank all our friends and supporters who helped make this happen, all who attended the event, and all our advertisers who have helped and supported us over the past ten years. THANKS! Mike and Alex Gallemore

1. Gary Player is presented with a pair of World Class ECCO golf shoes from Jens Hattab, Managing Director of ECCO Middle East. “It was the best corporate golf day I have ever attended and it was a pleasure and a privilege to meet Gary Player. We’ve enjoyed a great working relationship with Worldwide Golf over a long period of time and we’ve combined to introduce some excellent innovative ideas,” said Jens. 2 & 4. Budding young golfer, Mason, is encouraged to hit a couple of shots during Gary’s clinic on the driving range and is then congratulated by Gary to the cheers of the crowd. 3. Abdulla Al Nabooda receives his Worldwide Golf presentation from H.H. Sheikh Saeed and Gary Player. 5. Gary Player gives Sam Knill a tip on how to release his hips through the ball. A lesson he’s not likely to forget. 6. Gary Player is greeted by Porsche Middle East and Porsche Dubai, Sponsors of the Official Car, as he arrives at Emirates Golf Club. 7. The Hesson family pictured with Gary on the seventh tee en route to a memorable victory.

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WWG 100TH ISSUE ANNIVERSARY INVITATIONAL

1. Mike Gallemore introduces Gary Player at the Invitational Awards Dinner. 2. H.H. Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum presents Gary Player with the Worldwide Golf award for his services to golf in the Middle East. 3. The fourball of Werner Burger, Paul Lightbody and Shahriar and Shahin Khodjasteh pictured on the seventh tee with Gary Player. 4. Abdulla Al Naboodah is presented with the main auction prize to the Legend Golf and Safari Resort, South Africa, by the sponsors, Werner Burger, of IFA Hotels and Resorts and Gary Chapman of Emirates Airline. 5. The UAE Ambassador to South Africa, H.E. Yacoob Abba Omar and Nigel Harvey, President of the South African Business Council pictured with Gary at The National newspapersponsored SABCO brunch.

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play

live

dream

enjoy

Located close to Fourways Mall, off the Lanseria Airport road, bordering the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. • Extends over 1500 Acres with only 329 stands, with an average size of 3700m 2 , priced from R2.4 million, Blair Atholl epitomises spacious living. • Over 6km’s of river frontage on either side of the Crocodile River, rolling fairway lawns, massive 100 year old trees, white fenced paddocks, pockets of indigenous bush, rocky outcrops and spectacular views onto the Magalies Mountain range. • A Gary Player Signature Designed 18 hole Championship Golf Course. • Boasts a magnificent Clubhouse with impeccable standards and attention to detail that include fine dining in the Restaurant, pampering in the Wellness Spa with gym and lap-pool and a first rate Pro-shop. • Features an Equestrian Centre with all the amenities. Over 30km’s of bridle paths and numerous well stocked dams which make for excellent fishing. • State of the Art Security with electric palisade perimeter fencing with infa-red cameras and linked to in-house security control room with 24 hour security patrols. Biometric security access. • A fibre optic solution is linked to each stand via Smart Village.

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MASTERS MOMENTS ANGEL Cabrera overcame all the odds to win one of the most thrilling Masters Tournaments in recent memory, but then, that’s exactly what ‘El Pato’ has been doing his entire life. The Argentine, who has struggled to find the form that won him the 2007 U.S. Open, arrived at Augusta National ranked No. 69 in the world. No player with such a lowly ranking had claimed the famous Green Jacket since the ranking system began in 1986. But Cabrera isn’t one for letting things like statistics, history, tradition or the accepted norm stand in his way. He came from a country that isn’t renowned for producing world class golfers, never mind two-time Major Champions. He grew up in a family that couldn’t afford to pay for his schooling or buy him shoes, much less fund his development in a sport which, in those days was traditionally dominated by the middle classes. He chose to buck the trend of players setting up a residence convenient for either The European Tour or PGA Tour and instead stayed put in his hometown of Cordoba when his career in golf began to take off. In the modern world of sports psychologists, nutritionalists, and endless workouts in the gym, he has stayed decidedly ‘old school’, letting his instincts guide him and enjoying his favourite ‘asado’ (barbecued meat) or a Cuban cigar whenever he sees fit. So it should have come as no surprise that the man perhaps least 4

Richard Bevan reports from Augusta National, where Argentine Angel Cabrera upset the odds with a sensational play-off win for his second Major.

C ABRER A’S MASTER PLAN

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expected to take centre stage during a climax to The Masters that featured, among other things, a mouthwatering head-to-head between World Nos.1 and 2, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, flew under the radar and caught everybody off guard to leave with the top prize in his possession. “This is a great moment – the dream of any golfer is to win The Masters,” said Cabrera through his interpreter after his sensational play-off victory over Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry. “I’m so emotional I can barely talk. “This win, to take back to Argentina, it’s going to help a lot with our game. With sacrifice and work, anything can be done. Now I’m going for a third Major and I’m not going to stop until I win at least five.”

Captivating best This year’s tournament really was The Masters at its captivating best. The course was set up perfectly to invite the players to have a real go at it and that they did. There were highlights throughout the week, such as worldwide Golf’s Executive Editor Gary Player – in his 52nd and last appearance at Augusta – demonstrating his enduring class with a hole-in-one in the Par 3 Contest, or our Columnist, Ross Fisher, once again proving that he is more than capable of mixing it on the biggest of stages by taking the early lead in his first Masters with an opening 69, which eventually left him four strokes off round one leader Campbell. Then there was the 1988 Masters Champion Sandy Lyle rolling back the years with rounds of 72-70-73 and 71 to finish 2-under in a share of 20th place, and young Rory McIlory continuing his rise to prominence with a wonderful debut that saw him match the Senior Scotsman’s score.

Star attraction But the most exciting aspect of this year’s tournament was the battle for the Green Jacket during Sunday’s nail-biting final lap around the most famous track in golf. Paired together in the seventh-to-last group and seven shots off the lead shared by Cabrera and Perry, Woods and Mickelson were always going to be the star attraction and they didn’t disappoint the bugling crowds that followed their every move. Woods kept a clean scorecard on the way out with a birdie on two and an eagle on eight to reach the turn in 33, but it was his playing partner who was truly dazzling, with no fewer than six birdies for a

not for long. Just when it looked like Big Phil was headed for a third Masters triumph, he made a big mistake. You have to pick your fights at Augusta and the 12th isn’t one of them but Mickelson reverted to type and made a classic boom or bust attack at the pin, which effectively ended his charge when the found water, resulting in a double bogey. He recovered with birdies on 13 and 15 but with some relentlessly consistent golf coming from the leading groups, he was running out of holes fast and

“With sacrifice and work, anything can be done. Now I’m going for a third Major and I’m not going to stop until I win at least five.”

C ABRERA

Masters record-equalling front nine of 30. They say the Masters doesn’t start until the back nine on Sunday, and if that’s the case then this was one heck of an appetiser. Approaching the famous Amen Corner stretch of 11-13, Woods was four off the lead, which was by now in the sole possession of a sharp-looking Perry at 11-under after Cabrera had made a slow start. Mickelson was just one off top spot at 10-under – but

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a bogey on 18 sealed his fate as he signed for 67 and a fifth place on 9-under – a back nine of 1-over hardly complementing his extraordinary front nine. That put him one ahead of little known clubhouse leader John Merrick, who impressed in his first Masters with a closing 66. “I didn’t know what number it was going to take,” said Mickelson. “I just felt like if I could shoot under

par on the back nine that I would have a very good chance to win the tournament. And I felt like I could shoot 3- or 4-under, but I thought anything under par would give me a reasonable chance.” Woods also looked ominous, steadily hunting down the leaders, picking up shots on 13, 15 and 16. The roars around Augusta were deafening as another famous Tiger comeback looked to be on the cards but again the feeling among the watching throng was one of ‘close but no cigar’ as his challenge petered out with bogeys on 17 and 18. Unlike 2005, when he also finished bogey-bogey in regulation, his closing 68 for an 8-under total wasn’t good enough to make a play-off and he was left in a share of sixth. To listen to Woods, you’d think his first Masters back from injury was a complete washout. His swing was the main target of his woe.

‘Swing was terrible’ “My swing was just terrible,” he said. “I don’t know what was going on. It was frustrating. I hit it so bad warming up today, I was hitting quick hooks, blocks, you name it, I hit it all on the range. Then on the very first hole I almost hit it into eighth fairway. It’s one of the worst tee shots I’ve ever hit starting out.” With such drama unfolding in the MickelsonWoods group, the leaders were quietly plotting their

MASTERS MOMENTS

5 way around the golf course, barely noticed. Perry was a model of consistency with a blemish-free front nine. In fact, by the time he reached the 17th, having almost aced the short 16th, he’d gone 22 holes without dropping a shot and the tournament was his to lose. But in a two-hole stretch that will surely haunt him for many years to come, he replicated Woods’ performance with a bogey-bogey finish and signed for a 71 to drop into a play-off with Campbell (69) and Cabrera (71) with the trio finishing at 12-under 276. So it was back to the 18th and Cabrera’s chance looked to be gone when he found the trees at the first extra hole and then smashed his next shot against another Georgia Pine. But a superb recovery saw him play a wedge to within seven feet and then sink a nerve jangling putt to save par. Campbell fell out of contention, missing a fourfooter for par, leaving his two elders to battle it out between them and when Perry failed to get up and down at the second extra hole the victory was Cabrera’s. For Perry, who at 48 would have become the oldest Masters Champion, it was all too reminiscent of the 1996 PGA Championship when he led by two with one to play only to bogey the last and lose the resultant 18-hole play-off to Mark Brooks. “I’ve got

two to think about now,” he said. “But I’m not going to feel sorry. If this is the worst thing that happens to me, I can live with it. I really can. Great players get it done, and Angel got it done. This is his second Major and he won it well. “I’ve blown two Major opportunities, but that’s the only two I’ve had the chance of winning.” It was also Campbell’s second Major disappointment, having lost out to Shaun Micheel’s brilliant 7-iron on the 72nd hole at the 2003 PGA Championship.

‘I blew it’ “I’m probably a little more disappointed this time, because I hit a lot of good shots on the last hole,” said Campbell. “I guess I’ll take the 18th hole there at the PGA. I hit a good shot in there and I just got beat by a better shot. Today, I kind of blew it myself.” Cabrera’s win came 41 years after his fellow countryman Roberto de Vincenzo blew his chance of Masters victory by incorrectly signing for a four at the 17th hole in the final round when he actually scored a three, which would have meant a play-off with Bob Goalby. As the higher score had to be taken he was forced to accept the runner-up spot and Cabrera revealed that de Vincenzo had given him a gift prior to this

1. Angel Cabrera punches the air after holing out to win his second Major. 2. Cabrera receives the legendary Green Jacket from the 2008 Champion Trevor Immelman. 3. Chad Campbell drops his head in disbelief as his par putt on the first play-off hole fails to drop. 4. Kenny Perry can’t believe his bad luck as his chip pulls up inches short of the cup at the first play-off hole. 5. Gary Player walks off the 18th green at Augusta for the 52nd and final time to the tumultuous cheers of the galleries. 6. The biggest crowds of the tournament followed Mickelson and Woods during the final round, giving the leaders a quiet time at the front.

year’s tournament to act as inspiration. “He gave me a frame where he has in his hand a Green Jacket, and he says, ‘I hope this gives you luck so someday you can bring back a Green Jacket for yourself.’” In becoming the first Argentine to wear the famous jacket, Cabrera undoubtedly upset the odds, but there was nothing lucky about it. The 39-year-old has been following his own Master Plan since the start of his incredible journey. ■

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5 1. Jim Furyk gives his son Tanner a pick-a-back during the Par 3 Contest. 2. The 1988 Masters Champions Sandy Lyle splashes out of a bunker on his way to earning a share of 20th place – his best finish since his Augusta win. 3. Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy both laugh as Gerry McIlroy, Rory’s father, misses a short putt during the Par 3 Contest. 4. The big-hitting Alvaro Quiros displays a gentle touch as he holes his bunker shot on the second green during the second round 5. Molly O’Hair, daughter of Sean O’Hair, dressed in her caddie’s ‘boilersuit’, having a ball during the Par 3 Contest. 6. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem stands with Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State. 7. Padraig Harrington swings his son Patrick with the help of his caddie and brother-in-law Ronan Flood.

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MASTER SHOTS

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DIVOTS Top players back IGF’s Olympic Bid

Singh Honorary Member of Asian Tour

Danny Lee signs with IMG ONE week after his first Masters appearance, young Kiwi Danny Lee turned professional and signed with IMG for worldwide management and marketing representation. Earlier this year, Lee won the Johnnie Walker Classic as an amateur beating a field that included Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas, to become the youngest ever winner on The European Tour. “I’m very proud of what I accomplished as an amateur, but felt the time was right to challenge myself at a higher level as a professional,” said Lee. “I have already gotten a good sense of how much I can learn and grow from competing against the pros.”

New golf development set for Oman PETER Thomson, five-time Open Champion and Chairman of TPL Golf Course Design, has been tasked with the design of the initial golf course to be constructed at the Al Madina A’Zarga real estate project in the Sultanate of Oman. Richard Russell, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of real estate development company BCC1 who are in charge of the project, said: “We wish to create a dream course for the golfers of all skill levels and we are very pleased to be working with such a prestigious and globally recognized name as TPL.”

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INDIA’s Jeev Milkha Singh has been afforded an Honorary Membership on the Asian Tour for his outstanding achievements and contribution to the game of golf in Asia and across the globe. Singh joins the exclusive club of Asian Tour Honorary Members which includes Vijay Singh and K.J. Choi. “I think it’s a great honour for what I’ve done for golf in Asia. I’m pretty excited that I’ve been recognised for my achievements and I want to thank the Asian Tour and all the members for considering me for this recognition,” said Singh after being presented with his membership badge by Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han.

AS part of the International Golf Federation’s continuing efforts to demonstrate worldwide solidarity behind golf’s bid to become an Olympic sport in 2016, 18 of the game’s top players are sending a customised brochure detailing the bid along with a personal letter reflecting their support to International Olympic Committee members from their respective countries. In addition, World Golf Hall of Fame members Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam, Global Ambassadors on behalf of the IGF’s bid, have sent the 32-page brochure and a personal letter to IOC representatives from 75 other countries. “As we have consistently stated from the outset of the bid process, it is imperative that the best players in the world support golf’s Olympic effort in order to give us the best chance of being selected by the IOC to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games,” said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A and joint secretary of the IGF. “It also is important for us to demonstrate the international nature of golf, underscoring the fact that 60 million people play the sport in nearly 120 countries. This personal outreach by international players is a continuation of that effort.”

McIlroy turns down PGA TOUR invite

Lincicome eagles the last to take first Major of the year BRITTANY Lincicome nailed an approach shot to within four feet of the pin on the final hole of the Kraft Nabisco Championship for an eagle which gave her a onestroke victory over Christie Kerr and Kristy McPherson in the first Major of the LPGA 2009 season. “I can’t begin to describe how elated I am – It’s surreal,” said Lincicome, after collecting the cheque for $300,000.

RORY McIlroy has turned down an invitation to join the PGA Tour after his tie for 20th place at The Masters. He was offered special temporary membership which would have allowed the money he has earned from U.S. events this year to count towards the Money List. After earning over $500,000 from his five events he is well on his way to qualifying for the FedEx Cup Play Offs. However, McIlroy declined the invite saying: “It would have meant playing four more tournaments in America than I have planned this year.”

NEWS SNIPPETS FROM AROUND THE GOLFING GLOBE

MASTERS STATS SPECIAL Round of the Tournament: Anthony Kim had an up-and-down Masters – more down than up in truth, but his second round 65 saw him card a Masters record of 11 birdies in his round of 7-under.

Shot of the Tournament: Angel Cabrera’s third shot on the first extra hole of sudden death. After a poor tee shot and a second shot that hit a trunk and rebounded fortunately into the fairway, Cabrera dug deep and knocked his approach to six feet to set up a make-able clutch putt – which he sank for par.

Choker of the Tournament: Kenny Perry was two clear with two to play in regulation. It was his tournament to lose and lose he did with a bogey-bogey finish that dropped him into a play-off with Chad Campbell and eventual winner Angel Cabrera.

All systems go for the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry PADRAIG Harrington is aiming for his third successive Open Championship at Turnberry on the famed Ailsa Course which has been lengthened by 250 yards since Turnberry last hosted The Open when Nick Price won in 1994. Six new tees have been introduced and holes 16 and 17 have both been lengthened with the 16th now becoming a slight dogleg right with the addition of 35 yards and a new tee position. At a Media Day at Turnberry on April 21 the R&A announced that a new 2-route road system had been devised to improve the traffic situation in the South Ayrshire region. A variety of new innovations have also been introduced, including a cinema in the tented village. The alterations to the Leisurecorp Turnberry Hotel have been completed and 181 fully refurbished bedrooms plus all the public areas will be available throughout the

Fact of the Tournament:

Championship week of July 16-19. The famous facade of the Turnberry Hotel that overlooks the course has also had a significant facelift with it’s landmark windows replaced without altering the appearance of the hotel that has witnessed three Opens, including the Duel in the Sun in 1977 when Tom Watson beat Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman’s win in 1986.

Phil Mickelson finished one shot ahead of Tiger Woods after the pair traded blows in the final round. It was the first time he had finished in front of Woods in a Major since the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Masters Stats: Longest driver: Dustin Johnson – 308.38 yards; Best putter: Steve Flesch – 1.50 putts per green; Driving accuracy: Ian Poulter - 89.29% fairways hit; Most greens in regulation: Kenny Perry - 77.46%.

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GREG

NORMAN A TALE OF HIGHS AND LOWS AT THE MASTERS

GUESS you can say that my Masters experience was a tale of highs and lows. The high came when I aced the sixth hole in the Par-3 contest, especially with Chris caddying for me. The second high was finishing with a 70 in the first round of The Masters with my son Gregory caddying for me. The low, obviously, was my second round 77 which caused me to miss the cut by two. It was great to be back at Augusta. It was a wonderful feeling to earn my way back into this championship. It’s one of my favourite golf tournaments in the world and to get back into The Masters under the circumstances of last July was very special to me. I prepared for the tournament in the same way as I had for all my previous 22 Masters appearances. That was totally different to the run-up to The Open last July at Royal Birkdale. You have to consider the speed of the greens and the dramatic amount of break – and even some of the lies on the fairways.

Tough competitor It was great having Chris with me in the Par-3 contest. We talked about the fact that as a former champion tennis player she doesn’t have the opportunity to play her sport at the highest level like I have with golf. She wishes that she could be out there competing because she sees the passion that I have. We are both at an age where my sport, golf, allows me to compete at the highest level but her sport, tennis, doesn’t allow her to do the same. In tennis, if you don’t have the speed across the court then you’re going to get beaten. Chris can still play. She can still hit the ball like she used to and she still has all the shots. She was a tough competitor when she was at the top of her sport and she’s still a competitor. She loves to see competitive sport. She loves to make sure that everything around me is right so that I don’t have anything to worry about and I can concentrate on my game. She takes care of everything because she’s been in there and done it. She wants nothing more than to see me just happy out there playing

golf, whatever happens on the course. She does reminisce and she still lives it through her tennis academy and sees the great young little up-andcoming players coming through. She’s a great mentor in that regard and I think that’s how she channels her competitive spirit to make sure somebody comes good out of her academy. I look out for her on the golf course and she likes me to know where she is, too, which is great. There are times when I’m not feeling great and I look over to her and she’ll give me the thumbs up signal, button down or whatever the signal is. I just refocus and get back into it. It’s a neat relationship in a lot of ways. It’s good to have someone like Chris who has been in pressure positions before in her sport when you know when you have to execute a particular shot and you understand what a mistake can mean. In tennis, you might be 40-30 and you hit the ball out but you can still come back. In golf, if you hit it in the water you’re making double-bogey. So I argue that golf is a more precise game and Chris completely understands that. But we have very spirited discussions on the subject of whether golf is harder than tennis. Chris says that golf is not a cardio sport, which is true. But when we were at the Shell Houston Open prior to The Masters she was on the golf course for 13 hours and I asked her in the car on the way home: ‘Now what do you think is a cardio sport? I go watch you play tennis and you’re done in an hour. We’re still out there on the golf course 13 hours later.’ It’s a totally different sport.

Huge asset When I changed caddies for the first round of The Masters it was great to have my son Gregory on the bag. He did a phenomenal job. We went through the yardages prior to the tournament and he was right on the mark. Every time I walked over to the ball he gave me the three yardages I like – front, carry, whatever it is over a knoll or over a bunker, and what the flag is. Plus the fourth yardage – how much behind the pin. Gregory just rattled them off and that gave me the ability to concentrate on my shot – it was a

huge asset. Gregory also mentioned the amount of goodwill there was among the galleries towards us throughout the tournament. No matter where in the world I’ve played I’ve always been connected to the galleries. I play the game of golf with my heart on my sleeve and I’ve done very well out of the game. I think I’ve gained a certain amount of respect for what I’ve done over my career and I played my way back into The Masters, which very few people aged 54 can say. So that’s a feather in my cap, at least. Maybe people also remember some of the things that happened to me around Augusta National and how I managed to handle them. But as I said earlier, I enjoyed the highs of shooting a first-round 70 that could have easily been in the mid-60s had I taken my opportunities, and the lows of a second round 77. But that’s golf. I’m enjoying myself and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. ■

WWG COLUMNIST

Above. Greg Norman and Chris Evert both signing flags for the fans during the Par 3 Contest. Far left. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all smiles for Greg and Chris after Greg had scored a hole-in-one at the sixth hole during the Par 3 Contest. Left. Gregory Norman dials in the perfect yardages during the first round of The Masters Tournament to help his father shoot an opening round 70.

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TRAVEL FEATURE

GOLF AND HISTORY IN YORK Richard Bevan visits the historical city of York, in England’s North Yorshire, and finds a charming blend of golf and history.

YORK is one of the most beautiful and historical cities in England and with a multitude of wonderful courses to suit all standards within easy reach, it’s a great place to enjoy a golf break. The most famous is probably Fulford Golf Club, home in days gone by to such prestigious European Tour events as the Martini International, The Sun Alliance Matchplay, the Murphys Cup and the Benson and Hedges International. The likes of Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Greg Norman, Lee Trevino, Sam Snead have all grabbed headlines here over the years and it’s a stern challenge even for the world’s best. Situated just a mile outside the city centre, the course was designed on sandy heathland by Major Charles McKenzie, brother and partner of Dr Alistair McKenzie, the celebrated architect of the world famous Augusta National and Cypress Point layouts. Measuring 6,779 yards from the back tees the par 72 track winds its way through an avenue of trees, one of which will forever be remembered for an incident at the 1981 Benson and Hedges International. As Bernhard Langer played his approach to the 17th his ball became lodged in the branches of a large ash tree. Rather than take a penalty drop, the German decided to climb the tree and play the ball from where it was stuck. To the amazement of the crowd, the ball landed on the green and a plaque on the tree now commemorates the feat.

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Off Course YORK itself is a wonderful city and well worth a visit for a taste of historical England at its best. While catering for every modern whim in terms of restaurants, designer shops, bars and cafes it has retained a huge amount of its heritage with beautiful ancient buildings and monuments in abundance. In fact, when walking down many of York’s winding cobbled streets it would be easy to believe you’d been transported back in time some 300 years. The city, which is housed inside the original Roman city walls, is a popular tourist attraction with hundreds of thousands of visitors flocking there every year to soak up its rich history. The majestic York Minster provides the centrepiece with its striking peaks and vast acreage of medieval stained glass. The great east window, measuring 186 square metres, is thought to be the largest area of stained glass in the world while the Minster itself took some 250 years to build. The Yorvik Centre is a great interactive journey through the city’s Viking past, with moving narrated capsules that take you through a recreation of how it would have looked. Housing more than 15,000 objects from the Viking period, the Yorkiv Centre, which takes its name from the Viking name for the city, is an internationally recognised archaeological treasure trove. The York Dungeons are also great fun. Actors in full historical costume lie in wait to pounce on you as you take a spine-chilling walk through a recreation of ‘Old York’. You’ll encounter killers like Dick Turpin, Guy Fawkes and the Plague and watch as a torturer shows you her favourite pain inflicting implements. York’s long history and the multitude of old buildings that remain standing make it a hotbed of ghostly activity and it’s known as one of the most haunted cities in the UK. Several enterprising individuals have capitalised on this with nightly ghost walks through the city’s shadowy snickelways and ginnels as well as the many haunted pubs. Aside from the vast array of attractions to keep you busy in York, you can quite easily lose yourself for hours wandering through the famous Shambles – a tangle of narrow cobbled streets filled with tea rooms, pubs and arty shops. All in all, for a perfect combination of golf and history you can’t go wrong with a trip to York.

On Course Guide

Fulford Golf Club

York Golf Club is the oldest golf club in the city. Formed in 1890 it moved to its current site in Strensall in 1904 where J.H. Taylor designed a very open, almost links-like course. Today the fairways of the par-71 6,301-yard layout are framed by trees while the course retains its natural heathland and heather heritage, providing a good test for all levels.

York Golf Club

Located only a mile and a quarter from York City Centre, Heworth Golf Club offers another interesting challenge to golfers of all standards. It’s an easy walking parkland course consisting of 11 holes, with some holes played twice from alternative tees.

Heworth Golf Club

Forest Park Golf Course is a relatively new kid on the block as far as golf in York goes but the stunning 27-hole parkland complex has fast made a name for itself. The 18-hole par-71 Old Foss Course measures 6,673 yards and is known for its large greens and narrow, tree-lined fairways. The course features its very own ‘Amen Corner’ with holes 10, 11 and 12 (rather than 11, 12 and 13) providing a particularly strong test with the Old Foss Beck meandering its way across the course and creating a natural hazard. The 9-hole West Course also has a lot to offer with its blend of long and short holes, which require a good deal of course management. The complex also had a full range of modern coaching facilities as well as a driving range.

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TRAVEL FEATURE

York Golf Club

Bernhard Langer plays his famous approach shot from a tree on the 17th fairway at Fulford Golf Club

Middlethorpe Hall Forest of Galtres Golf Club

Another fairly new development in the area is Forest of Galtres Golf Club. Situated just two miles from the city centre the parkland course sits in an ancient forest area that provides a truly tranquil setting to play golf. The 18-hole par-72 track covers 120 acres and at 6,534 yards even the most accomplished players will find plenty to get their teeth into. Dotted with lakes, trees and a heavy smattering of bunkers as well as USGA-standard greens this course is a fantastic challenge.

Other notable courses near York include: Easingwold Golf Club Allerthorpe Park Golf Kirkbymoorside Golf Club Pike Hills Golf Club The Oaks Golf Club

AMONG the vast array of fine hotels, B&Bs and Guest Houses suitable for all budgets, Middlethorpe Hall is among the very best. Backing on to the famous York Racecourse and highly convenient for the city centre, the William III country house, built in 1699 and once home to the renowned diarist Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, is set in some 20 acres of lush parkland and beautiful gardens. Once a stately home, Middlethorpe Hall’s varied history saw such incarnations as a girls’ boarding school and a nightclub before being restored to its former glory by the Historic House Hotels company in 1980. As you walk through the grand entrance into a large, inviting hallway you are faced with the imposing and exquisitely designed staircase, which forms the focal point in the Main House. Period features and furnishings run throughout, while helpful staff are on hand to cater to your every need in a typically English genteel manner. Bedrooms can be found in the Main House, the Courtyard or in a selection of cottages and garden suites. We stayed in the Main House and the rooms were magnificent with large beds, a writing desk and huge sash windows overlooking the immaculate gardens. Nice touches such as complementary champagne and strawberries on arrival add to the opulent experience, while certain rooms house beautiful four-poster beds. There are a wide range of options for breakfast with the traditional full English a popular and highly recommend choice, while the morning room overlooking the lush grounds is a delightful setting in which to enjoy a meal. There is a pool and fully equipped Spa in the grounds, perfect for relaxing after a hard day at the course, while the hotel is also a popular business destination with a range of conference rooms and facilities. With its blend of history, luxury and Olde English charm, Middlethorpe Hall ticks all the boxes if you’re planning a visit to York.

Related Links www.middlethorpe.com www.visityork.org www.yorkpass.com www.wwgolf.biz

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WWG COLUMNIST

ROSS

ROSS Fisher is one of the hottest young stars on The European Tour. Having only joined the Tour in 2006 he already has two titles under his belt, including the 2008 European Open. He is currently 33rd on the Official World Golf Ranking.

FISHER

I KNOW I CAN WIN THE MASTERS

’M back home in England at the moment spending a bit of time with my family after my first appearance at The Masters, which I have to say I was very pleased with. I led the tournament in the first round and went out in 33, which was better than I could have hoped for. I was a little bit disappointed to finish bogey-bogey in that opening round but to shoot 69 on my first time around Augusta in The Masters was very pleasing. Throughout the week, many top players stumbled on those last two holes because it’s a very tricky finish. I was told after the tournament that my front nine of 33 was seven shots better than Tiger Woods in his first round as a professional in 1997, which I suppose is insignificant when you consider that he went on to win the tournament and has since done it another three times! But it’s certainly something positive to think about and something to build upon for the future. Positive memories I got a great buzz about the course as soon as I arrived prior to the tournament. I played a few practice rounds with my caddie, Adam, and said to him: ‘I really believe I can shoot some low scores on this course.’ Obviously the fact that I’m a big hitter is very useful around Augusta but I also felt very comfortable around the greens. You have to be very creative on the greens, sometimes aiming 15 feet past the pin to allow for the breaks, and I felt that I did that very well. My short game has also improved a lot and that helped enormously. I’m not sure what my stats were for the week but I can’t have missed very many fairways or greens in regulation. I was disappointed to shoot 76-73 on the Friday and Saturday but it was great to finish with another 69 on the Sunday and 1-under for the tournament. There were a few occasions throughout the week where I just slightly misjudged putts that had they gone in, I’d have been right up there in the mix. But I’ve

got many positive memories to take from my first Masters experience and as I said to Adam after the tournament, I can’t wait to get back there next year. I’ve got a really strong feeling that it’s not only a tournament I can win once, but I think I could win it several times. I really think that my game suits the course and the more I get used to playing there, the better I’ll get. So it’s looking very good for the future. My recent performances in the U.S. mean that I’ve now been given temporary membership to the PGA Tour but I’m not intending playing over there any more than I’d already planned. I’m a European Tour player and that’s where I want play. We’ve got a really strong Tour and it’s only going to get stronger now that we’ve got The Race to Dubai and players like Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim and even Phil Mickelson coming over here to play more and more. Perhaps it needs tweaking slightly as it’s odd that we can have a U.S.-based player like Geoff Ogilvy leading The Race to Dubai when he’s not really a European Tour player and doesn’t play any events in Europe as such! But this is the first year of the new format, I’m sure there will be some changes and improvements as we go along and I can only see our Tour getting stronger and stronger. I enjoy the challenge of playing in America when you’re up against the best players in the world week in week out on different courses – and that can only improve my game. Comfortable My plan for this season has always been to play out there slightly more than I did last year – the Majors and the WGCs with a few other events thrown in as well. I’ve got Quail Hollow and then my first PLAYERS Championship at Sawgrass coming up so I’m looking forward to those. As I’ve said before, I feel very comfortable playing among the best players so I’m confident that I can shoot some good scores. Then it’s back to Europe for some big tournaments.

Above: Ross Fisher plays an approach shot on the 17th hole during the first round of the 2009 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club en route to an excellent 69, which meant he was leading the field in his first Masters appearance.

There’s the BMW PGA Championship at my home club, Wentworth, which is always a great experience and then I defend my European Open title at The London Golf Club. It’s going to be great returning there as defending champion – and with a much bigger reputation than I had when I arrived there last year, which is great. It’s always good if people are expecting big things from you. It means you must be doing something right. My aim is to get myself as fresh and rested as I can before the tournament to give myself the best chance of winning again. Mind you, I turned up very tired last year and went out and broke the course record in the first round – so perhaps I should rethink that! ■ www.wwgolf.biz

DRIVING

RANGE

WWG WHEELS

PORSCHE PANAMERA Styling and Technology >>

RIDE COMFORT PERFORMANCE SPACE BRAKING

PORSCHE PANAMERA Right from the start, upon the introduction of the Panamera beginning in Germany on 12 September 2009, the Panamera will be available in its top versions with a V8 power unit and luxurious features.

DRIVING PORSCHE Presents The Space Concept of the new PANAMERA PANAMERA STYLING BOASTING a centre console leading back all the way from the dashboard to the rear seats, Porsche’s four-door Gran Turismo offers a new feeling of space and driving quality on all four seats. The interior provides optimum ergonomic conditions for the driver and, in addition, accentuates the personal privacy of each passenger on four single seats tailored to each occupant. The low seating position and the sporting, low-slung steering wheel ensure that direct feeling for the road so typical of Porsche. Apart from these classic values, the Panamera offers the customer numerous options and possibilities to customise the interior individually to his or her personal choice, smooth and natural leather available in a total of 13 colour and material combinations, including four bi-colour options teaming up wherever required with seven optional interior trim finish styles including exclusive materials such as Carbon and Olive Nature open-pore wood. Four-zone automatic air conditioning is available as an option, providing individual adjustment of temperature, blower intensity and air distribution on each seat.

The driver and passengers in the new Panamera are protected by driver and front passenger airbags, curtain airbags as well as – on the front seats – side and knee airbags all ensuring maximum safety as standard features in the event of an accident. Side airbags are furthermore available at the rear as an optional feature. The comfort seats featured as standard at the front of the Panamera S and 4S are extra-sporting in style and adjust electrically in eight different directions for excellent travel comfort at all times. At the rear, two single seats with a folding centre armrest ensure generous legroom and headroom also for tall passengers. The Panamera Turbo combines electrical seat adjustment with a Comfort Memory Package offering not only extension of the seat bottom, but also lumbar supports and electrical steering column adjustment. Further alternatives such as adaptive sports seats or comfort seats at the rear electrically adjustable to a wide range of different positions are likewise available as an option.

WWG WHEELS

PORSCHE PANAMERA Engine: 4.8-litre V8 biturbo Output: 500 bhp Top speed: 303km/h Acceleration: 0-100km/h 4.2secs Transmission: Seven-speed PDK Fuel consumption: 12.2 ltr/100 km Weight: 1770kg Trunk space: 432 litres

with rear seats down, capacity increases to an ample 1,250 litres.

All models come with Direct Fuel Injection, low-friction drive systems and lightweight bodyshells. And at the same time all models in the range fitted with Porsche PDK Doppelkupplungsgetriebe feature Porscheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Auto Start Stop function automatically switching off the engine when coming to a standstill and with the driver pressing down the brake pedal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example at the traffic lights or in traffic congestion.

The Porsche Panamera will be introduced into the markets by October 2009. The retail prices for the basic models will be as follows: Panamera S: Panamera 4S: Panamera Turbo:

USD 119,700 USD 125,100 USD 169,100

All prices are valid for the GCC region and exclude value added tax as well as country-specific requirements.

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OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING

A R O U N D T H E W O R L D O N T H E U. S . P G A T O U R & E U R O P E A N T O U R Pts. Avg

AS OF APRIL 20, 2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Tiger Woods Phil Mickelson Sergio Garcia Geoff Ogilvy Kenny Perry Padraig Harrington Paul Casey Vijay Singh Henrik Stenson Camilo Villegas Robert Karlsson Steve Stricker Anthony Kim Jim Furyk Lee Westwood Ernie Els Rory McIlroy Angel Cabrera Mike Weir Stewart Cink Luke Donald Retief Goosen Sean O’Hair Martin Kaymer Justin Rose Adam Scott Zach Johnson Justin Leonard Alvaro Quiros K.J. Choi Nick Watney Miguel A Jimenez Ross Fisher Tim Clark Shingo Katayama Robert Allenby Jeev Milkha Singh Ben Curtis Trevor Immelman Ian Poulter Chad Campbell Dustin Johnson Oliver Wilson Soren Kjeldsen Andres Romero Hunter Mahan Graeme McDowell Stephen Ames Rory Sabbatini J.B. Holmes

USA USA Esp Aus USA Irl Eng Fji Swe Col Swe USA USA USA Eng RSA Nir Arg Can USA Eng RSA USA Deu Eng Aus USA USA Esp Kor USA Esp Eng RSA Jpn Aus Ind USA RSA Eng USA USA Eng Dnk Arg USA Nir Can RSA USA

9.77 8.42 6.96 6.46 5.72 5.60 5.59 5.28 4.95 4.85 4.69 4.50 4.26 4.15 4.05 3.93 3.85 3.64 3.47 3.41 3.35 3.28 3.28 3.24 3.13 3.12 3.11 3.06 3.05 3.04 2.95 2.94 2.93 2.87 2.87 2.87 2.86 2.83 2.82 2.72 2.64 2.50 2.49 2.48 2.48 2.46 2.45 2.41 2.33 2.29

Tot. Pts 390.68 404.05 354.72 303.64 297.65 291.14 273.81 274.65 252.39 247.17 234.62 198.02 208.58 199.38 214.56 216.30 180.80 189.51 173.33 167.26 137.49 183.91 173.97 178.08 150.35 143.46 152.51 168.41 130.95 155.22 156.13 161.48 152.60 160.78 157.81 172.14 206.08 127.49 149.48 141.68 142.71 107.48 137.08 139.06 131.26 132.62 134.94 110.90 123.62 119.02

Events

Pts. Gained

40 48 51 47 52 52 49 52 51 51 50 44 49 48 53 55 47 52 50 49 41 56 53 55 48 46 49 55 43 51 53 55 52 56 55 60 72 45 53 52 54 43 55 56 53 54 55 46 53 52

92.20 174.19 35.01 150.57 146.98 32.36 187.34 12.44 72.82 60.23 25.70 90.71 39.12 56.73 24.61 41.46 96.26 112.53 48.50 38.30 63.52 91.81 96.27 48.31 47.30 30.45 88.72 41.01 70.69 30.56 126.24 29.33 37.39 43.36 38.08 32.97 43.02 15.08 18.31 23.47 62.90 71.98 32.06 39.31 27.95 43.62 16.59 21.61 36.46 53.79

Pts. Avg 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

Aaron Baddeley Davis Love-III Brian Gay Mathew Goggin Prayad Marksaeng Pat Perez Louis Oosthuizen Stuart Appleby Peter Hanson Richard Sterne Kevin Sutherland Anders Hansen Søren Hansen Rod Pampling Gonzalo Fdez-Castano Lin Wen-Tang Boo Weekley David Toms Ben Crane Charl Schwartzel Ryuji Imada Dudley Hart Thongchai Jaidee D.J. Trahan Francesco Molinari Brendan Jones Ryo Ishikawa Scott Verplank Fred Couples Woody Austin Carl Pettersson James Kingston Darren Clarke Richard Green Briny Baird John Rollins Anthony Wall Hiroyuki Fujita Scott Strange John Merrick Rocco Mediate Alexander Noren Azuma Yano Charley Hoffman Mark Wilson Nick O’Hern Steve Flesch Gareth Maybin David Smail Scott Piercy

Aus USA USA Aus Tha USA RSA Aus Swe RSA USA Dnk Dnk Aus Esp Twn USA USA USA RSA Jpn USA Tha USA Ita Aus Jpn USA USA USA Swe RSA Nir Aus USA USA Eng Jpn Aus USA USA Swe Jpn USA USA Aus USA Nir NZl USA

2.25 2.25 2.24 2.23 2.22 2.20 2.17 2.16 2.10 2.07 2.06 2.05 2.01 2.01 1.98 1.96 1.95 1.93 1.92 1.90 1.86 1.85 1.84 1.84 1.84 1.82 1.74 1.72 1.71 1.68 1.65 1.64 1.64 1.64 1.62 1.62 1.60 1.56 1.55 1.52 1.52 1.51 1.51 1.51 1.50 1.49 1.48 1.48 1.47 1.47

Tot. Pts 110.23 98.84 141.15 131.30 139.89 118.75 114.75 120.84 113.44 103.44 107.17 102.61 108.60 118.34 107.15 78.27 101.20 77.22 76.98 104.31 105.86 74.16 105.10 108.79 101.05 79.98 69.60 82.78 68.44 94.19 97.08 85.46 91.97 72.26 100.61 90.48 94.58 73.14 83.46 88.39 72.72 81.48 75.43 88.96 82.48 80.45 89.04 60.51 73.61 58.77

Events Pts. Gained 49 44 63 59 63 54 53 56 54 50 52 50 54 59 54 40 52 40 40 55 57 40 57 59 55 44 40 48 40 56 59 52 56 44 62 56 59 47 54 58 48 54 50 59 55 54 60 41 50 40

26.91 42.03 79.87 31.19 28.88 58.43 73.46 16.69 22.47 6.82 20.67 55.36 20.16 23.74 39.22 2.05 18.88 45.16 34.13 24.55 23.51 5.47 33.34 33.61 29.97 5.35 0.00 25.01 38.85 14.89 10.65 9.91 10.24 8.78 41.82 55.29 32.66 16.27 27.39 45.57 10.03 21.09 1.24 58.91 34.33 25.76 26.88 8.42 11.58 29.41

Over 100 destinations worldwide

Gary Player is a true legend of the game. The South African is one of only five players to have won a career Grand Slam of all four Majors. He has won a total of nine Majors and nine Senior Majors, among 167 Tour events worldwide. Here he talks about his 52nd and final record-breaking appearance at The Masters and the amazing reception he received.

GARY

PLAYER

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS

would like to congratulate Angel Cabrera on winning The Masters in one of the most amazing play-offs I’ve ever seen in a Major Championship. How he recovered from hitting his drive into the trees, then sending his second shot rebounding from another tree to play his approach to within six feet and holing that tricky putt, keeping him alive at the first extra hole, was quite remarkable. They will still be celebrating Angel’s win back in Cordoba as they did when he won his first Major at the U.S. Open at Oakmont in 2007. He admitted that he smokes, drinks, eats the wrong things, does his best to avoid going to the gym, doesn’t go in for training and generally enjoys his life. That’s a bit different from the new generation of super-fit golfers who are dominating the world game right now. But however he leads his life, it certainly worked for Angel and he’ll be heralded a hero back home in Argentina. I was sorry to see Ernie Els miss the cut in The Masters. I played with Ernie and a lot of good friends in the Els for Autism charity pro-am last month and I can’t understand why he’s not scoring as well as he should be in tournaments. He’s got the game and the temperament to be there right at the top but it’s just not happening for him.

A very humbling experience The Masters was the most memorable and emotional tournament of my life. The reception I received from the galleries the whole week was greater than I ever got from all three of my Green Jackets put together. I’ll never forget it as long as I live. The Par 3 Contest was amazing, and to ace the ninth was a wonderful feeling. The ovations went on into The Masters and at every one of the 36 holes throughout Thursday and Friday the cheers were going on and on from all sides. It was a very humbling experience and very gratifying to be greeted by the young South African players as I walked off the 18th green on 42

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Friday. It meant so much to me because I’ve always taken an interest in their game. I thank Trevor Immelman, Richard Sterne, Louis Oosthuizen and Rory Sabbatini who were there to congratulate me – Ernie and Retief were still out on the course – and it was an awesome feeling for me. It’s an amazing feat that South African golfers have won more Majors than any other country post-war, with the exception of the United States, and we’ve got some great young talent beginning to make their mark on the world stage. When I reached that 18th green for the final time in a Masters Tournament I just knelt down in thanks. A man never stands so tall as when he is on his knees and I’ve been on my knees a lot saying thank you – for the talent that has been loaned to me, for staying healthy enough to play 52 Masters and for all the great friends I’ve made over those years and all the great memories I’ve got.

I was so overwhelmed I was so overwhelmed at that moment it was just an instinctive thing to do. I had done all right up to reaching the 18th but when I saw my wife Vivienne and all my family I got very choked. I hit the best shot of my two days with a 5-wood but I couldn’t focus on my putt because of the cheers from the crowd. It was so gratifying. The message really got through to me. I can look back on my career with some pride. I like to think that I have played with tenacity. I’ve never given up on a single shot in my life. When I won the Grand Slam I had a new goal – to become the first man to win the Grand Slam in Senior Golf. I’d won nine Majors and I went on to win nine Senior Majors, including the Senior British Open. I didn’t want to be just a golfer who was great in one country, I wanted to go out and beat the rest of the guys in their own country. Coming from a poor background gave me the determination and desire to be a champion. But it’s imperative that champions are also compassionate. When you’re on the golf course

you’ve got to be a tough competitor and be totally focused but you still have to have compassion. I’ve always taken a keen interest in young people’s golf. I appreciate that I received enormous help when I was a youngster starting out and I’ve never forgotten that. We all have an obligation to give something back and golf is a game for giving back. I told young Danny Lee, who has tremendous ability, when I played with him at The Masters, that he must always have a smile on his face – it endears you to people.

I’ve been fortunate You can still be a fierce competitor but a broad smile will carry you a long way. I might have played my last Masters but I’ll still play up to 10 Champions Tour events each year, designing a lot of golf courses around the world, and continue with our much-needed fund-raising activities for the underprivileged all round the globe. My family, my farming back home in South Africa and my horses are my greatest love – I’m never happier than when I’m on my farm with my family. I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed an incredible life but there’s much more to come – I’ve got a lot more to do. ■

Gary Player shares a joke with Angel Cabrera during a practice round at The Masters prior to the Argentinean winning his second Major in an amazing play-off.

WWG COLUMNIST

“When I reached that 18th green for the final time in a Masters Tournament I just knelt down in thanks. A man never stands so tall as when he is on his knees and I’ve been on my knees a lot saying thank you” – Gary Player

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RACE TO DUBAI As of April 20, 2009

THE EUROPEAN TOUR R ACE TO DUBAI 2009 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Name

Country

Geoff OGILVY Paul CASEY Angel CABRERA Rory MCILROY Sergio GARCIA Oliver WILSON Louis OOSTHUIZEN Alvaro QUIROS Henrik STENSON Ross FISHER Richard STERNE Camilo VILLEGAS Peter HANSON Jeev Milkha SINGH Gonzalo FDEZ-CASTAÑO Martin KAYMER Wen-tang LIN Søren KJELDSEN Francesco MOLINARI Scott STRANGE Justin ROSE Ernie ELS Tim CLARK Prayad MARKSAENG Ian POULTER Rodney PAMPLING Charl SCHWARTZEL Anders HANSEN Anthony KANG Michael HOEY Miguel Angel JIMÉNEZ Lee WESTWOOD Thomas AIKEN Graeme MCDOWELL Thongchai JAIDEE Robert KARLSSON Padraig HARRINGTON Ross McGOWAN Damien MCGRANE Gareth MAYBIN Johan EDFORS David DRYSDALE Richard FINCH Adam SCOTT Andrew MCLARDY Simon DYSON Alexander NOREN Luke DONALD Søren HANSEN Felipe AGUILAR

AUS ENG ARG NIR ESP ENG RSA ESP SWE ENG RSA COL SWE IND ESP GER TPE DEN ITA AUS ENG RSA RSA THA ENG AUS RSA DEN USA NIR ESP ENG RSA NIR THA SWE IRL ENG IRL NIR SWE SCO ENG AUS RSA ENG SWE ENG DEN CHI

Tournaments Played 4 8 2 9 7 8 12 7 8 7 8 5 9 8 7 7 5 9 8 10 6 6 5 7 5 5 7 8 4 7 8 8 7 6 7 6 5 10 12 9 10 7 11 5 7 11 7 3 8 8

Prize Money €1,464,867 €1,198,431 €1,041,145 €938,234 €877,529 €860,495 €573,434 €555,724 €547,402 €529,544 €501,375 €483,881 €474,877 €459,880 €425,476 €402,723 €400,321 €398,139 €374,937 €372,934 €370,469 €351,184 €318,870 €315,458 €314,941 €313,114 €309,631 €308,575 €281,518 €275,226 €273,283 €264,863 €262,440 €255,514 €251,286 €250,508 €247,508 €236,382 €234,343 €232,270 €232,119 €227,123 €222,171 €220,235 €218,784 €214,271 €199,487 €197,961 €197,472 €192,314

Rank 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

Name

Country

Robert ALLENBY Anthony WALL Anthony KIM Mark BROWN David HORSEY Jyoti RANDHAWA Trevor IMMELMAN Stephen AMES Rafael CABRERA-BELLO Pablo LARRAZÁBAL Rory SABBATINI David DIXON Aaron BADDELEY Estanislao GOYA Marcus FRASER Vijay SINGH Andrew COLTART Graeme STORM Maarten LAFEBER Retief GOOSEN Chapchai NIRAT Miles TUNNICLIFF Steve WEBSTER Wen-chong LIANG Ben CURTIS Zach JOHNSON Mikael LUNDBERG Robert ROCK Boo WEEKLEY Callum MACAULAY James KINGSTON Peter LAWRIE Danny WILLETT Hennie OTTO Colin MONTGOMERIE Raphaël JACQUELIN Mike WEIR Stuart APPLEBY Pelle EDBERG Bradley DREDGE Paul BROADHURST Alastair FORSYTH Jamie DONALDSON Andres ROMERO Markus BRIER Thomas LEVET Stephen DODD John BICKERTON Brett RUMFORD Seung-yul NOH

AUS ENG USA NZL ENG IND RSA CAN ESP ESP RSA ENG AUS ARG AUS FIJ SCO ENG NED RSA THA ENG ENG CHN USA USA SWE ENG USA SCO RSA IRL ENG RSA SCO FRA CAN AUS SWE WAL ENG SCO WAL ARG AUT FRA WAL ENG AUS KOR

Tournaments Played 5 7 6 11 10 6 6 3 10 9 6 11 5 6 6 3 11 9 9 6 8 10 9 7 3 3 8 8 4 6 7 9 8 9 7 8 3 4 12 7 10 8 9 3 9 6 6 9 7 4

Prize Money €189,267 €187,889 €187,797 €187,318 €186,632 €183,695 €179,650 €174,091 €168,501 €163,794 €163,156 €159,873 €155,532 €149,218 €147,653 €145,730 €141,098 €134,481 €133,076 €132,400 €130,647 €129,220 €127,809 €124,799 €121,000 €118,482 €117,142 €116,241 €113,391 €112,926 €112,857 €109,506 €107,223 €106,771 €106,714 €106,108 €102,189 €101,311 €100,847 €99,986 €97,083 €95,569 €94,102 €90,743 €89,190 €85,915 €85,564 €83,241 €81,031 €81,002

E X P L A N AT I O N O F T H E E U R O P E A N T O U R R A C E T O D U B A I 2 0 0 9 The Race to Dubai is a $10 million season-long competition for the world’s leading golfers, which culminates in the world’s richest golf tournament, the Dubai World Championship at The Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, UAE, November 19-22. Players will be ranked according to their earnings from all events on The European Tour International Schedule, including the Major Championships and the World Golf Championships, ensuring the cream of world golf will qualify. No.s 1-60 players in The Race to Dubai at the conclusion of the previous tournament compete in the season’s climax, the $10 million Dubai World Championship. Following the Championship, the season’s 15 top-ranked players by earnings share a Bonus Pool of $10 million. The No.1 player will receive $2,000,000, the runner-up $1,500,000 and the third-placed player $1,000,000, with prizes down to the 15th player, who will earn $250,000. The winner of The Race to Dubai will receive a seven-year European Tour Card exemption. From 2010 The Race to Dubai will commence in January and the Dubai World Championship will complete the season in November. THE RACE TO DUBAI BONUS POOL BREAKDOWN 1 US$ 2,000,000 2 US$ 1,500,000 3 US$ 1,000,000 4 US$ 800,000 5 US$ 700,000

6 US$ 600,000 7 US$ 550,000 8 US$ 500,000 9 US$ 450,000 10 US$ 400,000

11 US$ 350,000 12 US$ 325,000 13 US$ 300,000 14 US$ 275,000 15 US$ 250,000

Date: 26 - 29 March 2009

Tournament: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard Venue: Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Orlando, Florida

TIGER Woods secured his first victory since returning from injury with a come-from-behind victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Florida. The World No.1 overcame a fivestroke overnight deficit to beat Sean O’Hair by one stroke with a superb birdie on the last hole. “It feels good,” said Woods, who closed with a 3-under 67. “It feels really good to be back in contention and feel the rush. It’s been a while. I hadn’t been in the mix since the U.S. Open, so it was neat to feel the heat on the back nine again, and get myself into the hunt and into contention.” Meanwhile, O’Hair, who followed rounds of 67, 65 and 71 with a 3-over 73, wasn’t too despondent with the result. “I’m playing great and the swing changes that I’m making are coming around, and obviously I think today just kind of proves that I still don’t quite have it yet – but that doesn’t mean I’m not going in the

right direction,” said the 25-year-old. “I think all-in-all I can take nothing but positives from this. Obviously, it’s just a little bit disappointing that I couldn’t close it.” Woods took the lead when O’Hair bogeyed the 16th but then made a bogey of his own on the 17th to tie the lead heading down the last. Woods attacked the pin with his approach and nailed it to 16 feet and when O’Hair failed with his birdie attempt Woods had the chance to win outright. The stage was set and Woods duly obliged with a superb putt which was met with wild celebrations with caddie Steve Williams. After the celebrations had died down Woods admitted he was pleased with how he had played since returning to action and is looking forward to the rest of the season. “It’s always nice to win a tournament pre-Augusta,” he said, “and I was able to do that again this year.”

INTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAG

Driver: Shaft: 3-wood: 5-wood: Irons (3-PW): Wedge: Wedge: Putter: Ball:

Nike SQ Dymo 8.5° Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 83x Nike SQ 2 15° Nike SQ 2 19° Nike Victory Red Forged TW Blades Nike VR 56° Nike SV 60° Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport 2 Nike One Tour

R: DS NE O IN O W RW GE TI

WOODS QUICKLY BACK TO WINNING WAYS AT BAY HILL

FACT FILE: Tiger Woods claimed his sixth Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and extended his lead over other multiple winners to four with current Champions Tour players Loren Roberts and Tom Kite the only other multiple winners at the venue.

WINNER’S CHEQUE:

$1,044,000 WINNING SCORE: 5-UNDER-PAR - 275 (68, 69, 71, 69) RUNNER-UP: SEAN O’HAIR - 276

Tournament: Open de Andalucia de Golf 09 Venue: Real Club de Golf Sevilla, Seville, Spain

Date: 26 - 29 March 2009

KJELDSEN HOLDS ON TO WIN ANDALUCIA CLASSIC

R: SEN NE D IN JEL W NK RE SØ

SOREN Kjeldsen hung on for his first victory of the season and secured a debut outing at The Masters thanks to a thrilling three-shot victory over David Drysdale at the Open de Andalucia. The Dane went into the final round with a onestroke lead over the Scot after beating the course record by a stroke with a 62 in the third round. However, by the 16th hole on Sunday the pair were level. Kjeldsen, perhaps feeling a little pressure, put his approach shot on 16 in the water but fought back by draining an 18-footer for par to stay on terms. He then sank a sublime birdie putt from even further away on the par-3 17th, and when Drysdale couldn’t get up-and-down from a greenside trap Kjeldsen had a two-stroke lead heading up the last. Dysdale found a bunker off the tee and hit his approach into the water which ended his chances

WINNER’S CHEQUE:

€166,660

of a comeback. His double bogey six put him in second place outright and he made it with a solid two-putt from the fringe. Kjeldsen three-putted for bogey for his second win in nine starts on The European Tour after he won the Volvo Masters in November – the last event of the 2008 season. “To be honest, I was very nervous all day. I knew it was going to be a tough day and it was,” admitted the 33-year-old. “But I never lost patience and belief. I felt like I was giving it away after that horrific shot on 16 but I had to grit my teeth and it was great to make that putt there and play 17 the way I did.” Kjeldsen finished on 14-under with Drysdale three back. Italian Francesco Molinari and England’s Graeme Storm finished in a tie for third place on 10-under par while the Scottish pair of Alastair Forsyth and Andrew Coltart finished fifth and sixth respectively.

WORLD ROUNDUPS Date: 02 - 05 April 2009

Tournament: Shell Houston Open Venue: Redstone Golf Club, Humble, Texas

ENGLISHMAN Paul Casey secured his first PGA Tour title with a play-off victory over J.B. Holmes at the Shell Houston Open. Casey was one of six leaders heading into the final round but he managed to pull clear on Sunday and needed only par at the final hole for victory. However, a bogey completed a final round of 72 and took him into sudden-death with J.B. Holmes after both players finished on 11-under 277. Holmes, who had battled from three strokes back to make the playoff, found water off the tee at the first extra hole, leaving Casey to take the title with a bogey. “It’s a little bit like my first win felt in Europe which I can remember very vividly,” said Casey. “First win in Europe, first Ryder Cup experience, and now first PGA Tour win – three fairly major events in my golfing life. So I think I need to give it a couple of days to let this one sink in.” Holmes hooked his tee shot into the drink in the play-off and

admitted that his long wait for players to finish their rounds affected him. “It was rough,” he said. “I posted that score three hours before they were done. That was an advantage I thought I had, but when you get into a play-off after waiting three hours, it turns out to be a bit of a disadvantage. I hit a bad shot and didn’t deserve to win.” Casey also found trouble off the tee in the shape of a fairway bunker and played safe by laying up short of the green. Holmes re-teed and reached the green with his fourth shot but missed a long bogey putt which meant Casey could tap-in for bogey and celebrate the victory. “Self-belief is a very difficult thing to explain and to work on, because you don’t want to be arrogant,” said Casey who shot up to sixth place on the Official World Golf Ranking as a result. “But you have to believe in yourself. For me, it’s just been a lot of hard work, playing a lot of golf – and it has taken bit of time. to get to this point in my career.”

INTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAG Driver: Nike SQ Tour 8.5° Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana 83x 3-wood: Nike SQ Sumo 13° 5-wood: Nike SQ Sumo 19° 3-iron: Nike Pro Combo Irons (4-5): Nike Victory Red Split Cavity Irons (6-PW): Nike Victory Red TW Blades Wedge: Nike Victory Red 54° Wedge: Nike Victory Red 60° Putter: Nike Prototype Ball: Nike One Tour

R: Y NE SE IN A W LC U PA

CASEY DOWNS HOLMES FOR HIS FIRST PGA TOUR WIN

FACT FILE: Paul Casey won his first PGA Tour title in 77 starts at the Shell Houston Open. Casey became the 14th firsttime winner at the event and the second consecutive first-time winner after Johnson Wagner’s triumph in 2008.

WINNER’S CHEQUE:

$1,026,000

WINNING SCORE: 11-UNDER-PAR - 277 (66, 70, 69, 72) RUNNER-UP: J.B. HOLMES – 277 (PLAY-OFF)

. Date: 02 – 05 April 2009

Tournament: Estoril Open de Portugal Venue: Oitavos Dunes, Cascais, Portugal

NORTHERN Ireland’s Michael Hoey won his first European Tour title at the expense of current British Masters champion Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano at the Estoril Open de Portugal. Hoey held his nerve to beat the Spaniard on the third extra hole as he knocked in a six-foot par putt following Fernandez-Castano’s bogey. Hoey shot a final round 66 to get to 7-under while FernandezCastano shot a 67 for the same 277 total. Both players twice made par on the 18th in sudden-death before they switched holes to the 17th. The pair made the edge of the green in two but only Hoey successfully got down in two to claim the title after Fernandez-Castano missed his par putt. Hoey had started the final round five strokes back but shot a best-ofthe-day 5-under 66 in tough windy conditions. “Before I went out in the final round, I just said to myself, ‘shoot

a good score today and even if you get a top-five finish, it would be good’,’ I didn’t really think about winning, but I was lucky – I got all the breaks,” said Hoey, a former British Amateur champion. “It’s a life-changing moment, it’s amazing really. If I can keep this mentality going I can really move forward. It’s not going to sink in yet. It’s a bit of a dream that I will cherish for a long time, and I’d just like to thank everyone who has supported me over the years. “As a kid, you think you have to hit absolutely every shot perfectly and shoot 25-under to win,” continued Hoey. “But really if you scramble well and just get the up and downs, that’s what it comes down to.” Italian Francesco Molinari finished alone in third place one shot back from the leaders while overnight leader Paul Broadhurst stumbled to a 2-over 73 to drop into a tie for fourth place alongside Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Swede Mikael Lundberg.

INTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAG

Driver: 3-wood: Irons (3-PW): PW: Wedge: Wedge: Wedge: Putter: Ball:

Ping Rapture TaylorMade Burner TP Titleist ZB Titleist 670 Forged Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 52° Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 56° Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 60° Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport 2 Titleist Pro V1x

Date: 16 - 19 April 2009

R: EY NE O IN L H W AE H IC M

HOEY CLINCHES MAIDEN TITLE IN PORTUGAL

FACT FILE: Michael Hoey became the first man from the Emerald Isle to win the Estoril Open de Portugal since Ronan Rafferty triumphed in 1992. Hoey became the seventh player to win the event after a play-off.

WINNER’S CHEQUE:

€208,330

WINNING SCORE: 7-UNDER-PAR - 277 (66, 76, 69, 66) RUNNER-UP: GONZALO FERNANDEZ-CASTANO – 277 (PLAY-OFF) Tournament: Verizon Heritage Classic Venue: Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, South Carolina

GAY CRUISES TO RECORD VICTORY AT HILTON HEAD

R: NE AY IN G W IAN BR

BRIAN Gay stormed to a record-breaking ten-stroke victory at the Verizon Heritage to win the second PGA Tour title of his career. Gay began the day with a three-stroke lead over the field and romped home with a 7-under 64 to set a new tournament record finish of 20-under-par. “It was just another unbelievable day,” gushed Gay after his runaway win. “I got off to a great start with a birdie then the eagle on two kind of propelled me forward. I just told myself to keep my head down, keep plugging along. I didn’t watch any leader boards. I didn’t look at anything, just kept playing, trying to make birdies.” The previous record was held by Loren Roberts whose four round total of 19-under 265 had stood since his victory in 1996, but Gay eclipsed it with a sumptuous final round blitz.

WINNER’S CHEQUE:

$1,026,660

England’s Luke Donald finished alongside American Briny Baird in second place on 10-under with Lee Janzen and Todd Hamilton a shot further back in fourth place. Spain’s José Maria Olazábal closed with a 4-under 68 to finish in a tie for sixth place. With his victory Gay earned a spot in next year’s Masters Tournament at Augusta – an event that had eluded him for his entire professional career so far. “I’ve had a lot of heartache not getting in that tournament – winning and still not getting in, and missing by one spot on the Tour Money List two times,” he said referring to his victory at the Mayakoba Classic in 2008. “I just figured, who cares? What’s going to happen is going to happen, just go play golf.”

WORLD ROUNDUPS Date: 16 - 19 April 2009

Tournament: Volvo China Open Venue: Beijing CBD International Golf Club, Beijing, China

AUSTRALIAN Scott Strange clinched his second European Tour title at the Volvo China Open after a one-stroke victory over Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano. Strange started the final round four strokes behind overnight leader Richard Finch but carded a 4-under 68 to take the title. “I didn’t tear the golf course apart but I played it the best way I could and produced a score which ended up winning,” said Strange who won last season’s Celtic Manor Wales Open. “I had a peek at the leaderboard on 12 and I knew there was a log jam there. I didn’t really know if I’d won when I holed that final putt at the last.” Strange began the day in a share of fifth place but made up ground on the leaders with birdies on holes 5 and 8. A bogey on the 12th pegged him back but backto-back birdies on 14 and 15 gave him a boost and a final birdie on the 17th propelled him into a two shot lead over Fernandez-Castano. The Spaniard was playing in the

final group with Finch and teed off on the par-5 18th needing an eagle to force a play-off with Strange who was in the clubhouse on 8-under. Fernandez-Castano could only make a birdie, but it was enough to take him into second place outright ahead of Finch, New Zealand’s Mark Brown and Australia’s Ashley Hall, who shared third place. Finch carded three bogeys on the outward nine and could only manage one birdie coming in which led to a 2-over 74. “I’m a little disappointed – obviously 74 is not the final round I was looking for at all but the positives are that I played the long game really well, I was delighted with how I struck the ball, I gave myself plenty of chances for birdies but just didn’t convert them,” said the Englishman who had carded a third round 66 to open up a one-stroke lead over Fernandez-Castano. “I just didn’t quite get my eye in like I did yesterday. That’s the way it goes, you’ve just got to take it on the chin – so that’s that.”

R: GE NE AN IN R W T ST OT SC

STRANGE STEALS IN FOR CHINESE VICTORY

FACT FILE: Third place finishers Mark Brown and Ashley Hall both broke the course record during the third round of the Volvo China Open. Brown carded seven birdies in a bogey-free 65 while Hall sunk an eagle putt on the 18th to post the same score.

INTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAGINTHEBAG

Driver: Fairway metal: Hybrid: Irons (3-PW): Wedge: Putter: Ball:

Titleist 909D2 Titleist 906F4 Titleist 909H 21° Titleist AP2 Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 54°, 60° Scotty Cameron Red X Titleist ProV1

WINNER’S CHEQUE:

€275,813

WINNING SCORE: 8-UNDER-PAR - 280 (70, 73, 69, 68) RUNNER-UP: GONZALO FERNANDEZ-CASTANO–281

GEAR

Next Month We review the Callaway Big Bertha Diablo Hybrids.

PLAYER TECHNOLOGY HARDWEAR FOOTWEAR APPAREL BALLS

TaylorMade Burner Irons TaylorMade says its goal with the Burner 09 irons was “to create an easy-to-launch iron that delivered meaningful distance,” and to do that, TaylorMade states, “the Burner 09 irons had to promote high, straight, long-carrying, softlanding ball flights.” Company designers worked on the long irons, middle irons and short irons separately, but the set’s calling cards go something like this: Ultra-light shafts and grips are used throughout the Burner 09 set which makes the moment of inertia of the irons greater than any other set. The centre of gravity location is progressive throughout the set. Also, shaft length is increased in the long and middle irons to help promote faster swing speeds. The company also touts the irons’ look, which it describes as “a futuristic blend of curves, angles and lines completed with a dark, almost sinister finish.” TaylorMade Burner 09 iron sets include 4-iron through to wedge, with 3-iron, sand wedge and lob wedge sold separately. www.taylormadegolf.com

Burner Info • • • • • •

• •

A thinner clubface. Inverted Cone Technology in every iron. Larger clubhead sizes in the long and mid-irons. Wider soles. Thicker topline. More offset in the long irons. Ultra-light shafts and grips. Increased shaft length to promote a faster swing.

SCOTTY CAMERON STUDIO SELECT KOMBI MALLET SCOTTY Cameron have unveiled their latest mallet design from the Studio Select line. The Studio Select Kombi is precision milled from lightweight 6061 Aircraft Aluminium and encompasses the Studio Select weighting technology. Kombi putters incorporate a thick face and a three-point weighting system with weights in the heel, toe and back. The combination of the three-point weighting technology produce a balanced putter that is stable throughout the stroke for forgiveness and greater roll. The Studio Select Kombi line is available in standard, mid and long length models – Kombi (33”, 34”, 35”), Kombi Mid (43”) and Kombi Long (50”). www.scottycameron.co.uk 50

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WWG STYLE

NIKE TW KIDS RED 6-PIECE GOLF SET TIGER Woods benefited from properly fitted golf clubs from an early age so he didn’t develop bad swing habits. Based on the relationship between an average man’s height and driver length, his father Earl scaled down the measurements to Tiger’s height for every club in his bag – and this same formula is the basis for the TW Kids club series. The driver features an SQ SUMO2 head angled at 26° with a graphite shaft and a rubber grip and a kids’ head cover. The 5-iron and wedge both feature a cavity back with a low centre of gravity for easily getting the ball airborne. The putter is pro-design with an off-set face and shaft and a milled face for an added feel of professionalism. A two-pack of EX-Distance balls and a lightweight carry bag make up the 6-piece set. www.nikegolf.com

PING Dominican PING Collection have launched a new polo-shirt into its spring/summer 2009 range of on-course fashion for the male golfer. The ‘Dominican’ shirt is made from 100 per cent polyester pique and is quick-drying due to its moisture movement properties and is also extremely crease resistant. The Dominican is available in the following colour options: Black/Grey Multi, Hot Pink/Black Multi, White/Grass Multi and Seafoam/Ink Multi. www.ping.com

CLEVELAND NIBLICK THE Cleveland Niblick is a versatile hybrid club for the various shots that are required around the green. It encompasses the length and set-up of a putter with a sole of 8º bounce (4-6º more than a short iron) and the leading edge and hosel transition of an iron for a comfortable natural address position. Cleveland have added a gel insert in the back to soften the feel and take excess vibration out of contact and is available with lofts of 37º and 42º which share the respective distances for standard 9-irons and pitching wedges on full shots. The Niblick features ZipGrooves technology which applies consistent milling of each groove to the maximum conforming dimensions. The absolute integrity of these grooves is maintained by the application of a proprietary coating to each groove for protection during the face sandblasting process. The resulting Zip Grooves are pristine, shiny and Cleveland Golf’s biggest, most precisely milled grooves ever. www.clevelandgolf. com

I N N O V A T I O N

T O

W E A R

ML50 50+ UV PROTECTION MOISTURE-WICKING EASY CARE W R I N K L E R E S I S TA N T

P E R F O R M A N C E. L U X U R Y. S T Y L E.

ÂŠ2008 MacGregor Golf Company. All Rights Reserved. Greg Norman and the Greg Norman Collection logo are registered trademarks of Great White Shark Enterprises Inc. Play Dry is a registered trademark of Reebok International Ltd. and is used under license from Reebok. GREGNORMANCOLLECTION.COM

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Claude Harmon III

SWING Pro swing analyist >>

PRO LOOK

CLAUDE HARMON III, DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION, BUTCH HARMON SCHOOL, DUBAI SPORTS CITY

ANGEL CABRERA THE BIG-HITTING ARGENTINE MAY NOT BE EVERYONE’S IDEA OF TODAY’S SUPERFIT GOLF ATHLETE BUT HE’S A GOLFER WITH A WEALTH OF NATURAL ABILITY AND CONSIDERABLE STRENGTH. WHEN HE WON THE MASTERS LAST MONTH TO ADD ANOTHER MAJOR TO HIS 2007 U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE, HE PRODUCED SOME MAGNIFICENT GOLF AROUND THE TESTING AUGUSTA NATIONAL COURSE. DON’T BE SURPRISED IF HE ADDS TO HIS MAJOR TALLY AGAIN THIS SEASON.

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SWING ANGEL CLAUDE HARMON III, DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION, BUTCH HARMON SCHOOL, DUBAI SPORTS CITY

Angel Cabrera plays the game as it was meant to be played – by feel – and his mind is uncluttered by any real mechanical swing thoughts. It seems strange that in the Tiger Era, an “Old School” player has managed to bag two Major Championships. While the golfing world waits for the perfect swinging Young Guns to stand up and be counted, the Big Bomber from Argentina continues to contest the big events.

Angel’s whole golf swing is long and lazy. The club is never put into positions, rather swung freely. The modern golf swing has become all about having the club in the so-called ‘Right’ position. But there is none of that here. I see too many players who are just trying to hit the golf ball. Yet Angel always has the look of a player who is merely swinging the club, not just trying to hit the ball.

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The take away is primarily achieved through the larger muscles of the upper body, triceps, abdominals, torso and forearms. This is not created through swaying onto the right side but through rotating and allowing the momentum of the big muscles to accomplish this motion. Angel has beautiful, natural rhythm in his swing and his takeaway is smooth and easy.

Notice the clubface again here. The face of the golf club is nice and square. As Angel turns on the power, a square club face means the harder he hits the ball the straighter it will go. When the clubface is neutral or square, you can swing freely, without any worry of where the ball will go. If your clubface is too open or closed in this position, you will need to make compensations with either your hands of your body.

CABRERA Notice here how the clubface angle is matching his spine angle at address. If you use too much hand and wrist action during your backswing your clubface can either get too open or too closed at this position. Try to keep the clubface in a neutral or square position as the club works off the ball.

Momentum and acceleration rotates Angel’s body through impact and onto his left side as he works through the impact zone. For a guy who hits the ball miles, Angel never looks out of control. Although Angel may not look like he is in good shape, don’t be fooled. He is a very powerful man and has tremendous strength in his legs. To gain more power and control in your swing, attack your lower body in the gym and you will see serious results.

As the club is supported by the body into the backswing the wrist hinges, thereby creating a new lever and more potential power. A full chest rotation allows the back to face the target at the top of the backswing. The hands hide the right shoulder, creating a good arm plane. Left arm is straight but relaxed, creating width, which allows the clubhead to accelerate for longer during the downswing.

While almost the entire world seems to be trying to copy Tiger’s golf swing, there are some great things you can try to steal from Angel Cabrera. Swing the club without fear and instead of always trying to work on positions, work on feel. Tee up five to ten balls with your driver and just stand up and swing, hitting one after the other. No thoughts, just swing the club and let the shot happen. Every time I watch Angel it seems to me that’s just what he’s doing!

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WAYNE JOHNSON – INSIDE THE ROPES WAYNE JOHNSON is our correspondent for The Race to Dubai. Heavily involved in the planning and promotion of The Race to Dubai and the Dubai World Championship, Wayne is able to give a unique insight into the progress of the competitions and a behind-the-scenes (and ‘inside the ropes!’) look into The Race to Dubai – as well as giving us his views on the latest happenings in golf.

MASTERS TRIUMPH SEES CABRERA SET COURSE FOR DUBAI

VERY golf fan knows that spring has finally sprung when the azaleas bloom at the Augusta National and the world’s best assemble to take on one of the most famous and picturesque courses. Marking the beginning of the traditional golf high season, The Masters is renowned for dealing in joy and tragedy in equal measure and this year’s tournament was no exception. By blowing a lead of two with two to play, Kenny Perry may not have suffered to the same extent that Greg Norman did in ‘96, Ray Floyd in ’90, or Scott Hoch the previous year, but as well as he took defeat on the chin, he will know in his heart of hearts that 48-year-olds don’t get many opportunities to land Major Championships. If that was the agony of this year’s Masters, then the ecstasy was all Angel Cabrera’s. The 39-year-old former caddy from was the grateful beneficiary of Perry’s bogey-bogey finish and wayward approach to the 10th, the second hole of the play-off. Happy as Cabrera was with his second Major he will no doubt spare a thought for the victim of another Masters tragedy, his compatriot Roberto Di Vicenzo. At the 1968 Masters, the then reigning Open champion inadvertently signed for a four instead of a three at the 17th, through an unintentional error by playing partner Tommy Aaron. Had he checked his card he would have made an 18-hole play-off with the eventual winner Bob Goadby. As was the case with Di Vicenzo, Cabrera already had a Major Championship under his belt when his time came for a shot at Masters

glory. His achievement in becoming only the second Argentinean to triumph at a Major was acknowledged by The European Tour who awarded him Honorary Life Membership in recognition of his efforts. Indeed, it was at The European Tour’s flagship event in 2005 that Cabrera landed the biggest win of his career up to that point. Victory at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club announced the arrival of ‘El Pato,’ ‘The Duck,’ as a major force in world golf. As such, Cabrera himself will be only too aware that victory at Augusta has not only propelled him 51 places up the Official World Golf Ranking to 18th but has also fired him right into contention in the inaugural Race to Dubai. He is now well placed in third, tucked in nicely behind leader Geoff Ogilvy and Paul Casey, both of whom enjoyed top 20 finishes at The Masters. Other notable performances from players challenging in The Race to Dubai included ties for 13th from Camilo Villegas and Tim Clark, for 17th from Graeme McDowell and Aaron Baddeley, plus those who shared 20th spot, including defending champion Trevor Immelman, Anthony Kim, Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Rory Sabbatini. The top-20 was completed by 51-year-old Sandy Lyle who rolled back the years to finish at two under, 21 years on from his stunning success at Augusta which paved the way for a European dominance of The Masters with Nick Faldo (three times), José Maria Olazábal (twice), Bernard Langer (for the second time) and Ian Woosnam donning seven of the next 11 Green Jackets. It proved impossible for the next generation

of European golfers to achieve that level of supremacy at Augusta, largely thanks to the emergence of a certain Tiger Woods. That said, the fact that the past two Masters winners – a South African and now an Argentinean – have been members of The European Tour, underlines its increasingly global stature. In fact, should a European Tour player win the U.S. Open at Bethpage in June, it will be the first time for 15 years that all four Major Championships have been held by current or former European Tour members. In 1994, Olazábal’s Augusta triumph was followed by Ernie Els’ U.S. Open win at Oakmont. Nick Price, a seasoned European Tour campaigner since the late seventies, completed the quartet with back-to-back victories in the Open Championship at the now Leisurecorp-owned Turnberry, and the U.S. PGA Championship at Southern Hills. That feat in itself was, of course, repeated by Padraig Harrington at Royal Birkdale and Oakland Hills last year. As the Irishman himself made clear when The Race to Dubai teed off at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai last November, he believes that winning The Race to Dubai and the Dubai World Championship will rank very closely behind his Major ambitions for 2009. Given the serious performances being put in by the international golf talent above him on The Race to Dubai leaderboard, it seems certain that Harrington will need to replicate his sparkling form of 2008 in order to challenge on the Greg Normandesigned Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in November. ■

Volunteers needed for Dubai World Championship rs to become part of the Leisurecorp has called on voluntee ip and play a key role in onsh mpi Cha ld Wor ai Dub l inaugura events ever to be held ting spor us tigio one of the most pres in the Middle East. dy Morin, a Dubai-based Leisurecorp has appointed Bud of experience across des deca Canadian with close to four in will overlook a Mor . shal Mar f Chie as ts, even major golf important role in an play will who rs small army of voluntee Dubai which will to Race The the highly anticipated climax to ember 19-22. Nov from tes Esta Golf eirah be staged at Jum k under wor to rs ntee volu ing Leisurecorp is now seek ling roles, including shal mar of e rang a on take Morin and assisting with player crowd control management and an-designed Earth course. movement around the Greg Norm il: dwcvolunteers@eim.ae ema r ntee volu to how For details on

Angel Cabrera of Argentina celebrates after defeating Kenny Perry on the second sudden death play-off hole to win the 2009 Masters Tournament.

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TUTORIAL TAMING THE SLOPES By Esmond Clouthier Director of Instruction Abu Dhabi Golf Club

PRO LOOK Brought to you by

In this month’s issue of the Troon Golf Tutorial we are looking at improving your performance from uneven lies. Uneven lies can get a little confusing when you’re on the course and trying to remember ball position, spine angle in relation to the slope and also the effects of ball flight. For the vast majority of us, our only way of gaining experience with these lies is during a round of golf because, when we do practice on the driving range we are hitting off flat ground. In this issue we will be focusing on the ball below the feet. Most amateurs make the mistake of not adjusting their posture or ball position according to the slope. This will result in poor stability and balance during the swing, leading to very inconsistent contact of the golf ball. If I were to drop a ball from this position, the ball would obviously roll downhill or, as you look at the photo, from left to right, therefore my shot shape for this lie should be left to right. I will position my ball more towards the left of centre to aid a solid contact. My stance will require me to squat more with my lower body in order to reach the ball yet still keep my weight forward on my feet for balance. You really need to pay attention to your rehearsal swings to focus on balance and where your club will make contact with the ground. The ball position and the amount of squat needed will vary depending on the severity of the slope. Solid contact will produce your desired distance – so don’t try to get more out of the situation than what is there.

TUTORIAL Make sure you create a solid, balanced base with your lower body. My knees have more flex than usual in order to insure a good strike on the ball. I still have my weight placed forward on my feet, even though my instinct is to lean back towards the slope and back to my heels.

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A much quieter lower body than normal when taking the club away. My upper body is rotating over the lower part to maintain balance and posture. My legs are maintaining their flex and I am trying to resist the â&#x20AC;&#x153;liftingâ&#x20AC;? sensation you may experience when faced with this lie.

PRO LOOK

As we approach impact, you can see my body turning into the shot as the majority of my weight is transferred onto my left side. This allows me to maintain my balance and get a good angle of attack into the back of the ball. The most common fault I see with players on this lie is their weight is predominantly on the trailing foot, producing a very shallow angle of attack and poor contact.

A good, balanced finishing position is essential for all golf shots, so this lie is no exception to the rule. My weight has fully transferred through to my left side and my hips are perpendicular to the target line. If you can get to this position from this lie, then you know your swing sequence has been a successful one.

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INSIDE GOLF

The difference a golf ball makes By Sandy Meyer I AM sure that many ladies who have just started the game, wonder what the difference is between golf balls. I know many beginners who have walked into a golf shop and been confronted by a huge selection of golf balls but have no idea what would benefit their game or what the differences are. Here is some information and tips that may help you, next time you are deciding which ball to choose. You might find they help your game more than you think. Like any equipment in golf, golf balls are also subject to testing by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the United States Golf Association. A golf ball must weigh no more than 1.620 oz with a diameter not less than 1.680 in, and perform within specified velocity, distance and symmetry limits. You may also read about “two-piece”, “three-piece” and “four-piece” -designed golf balls. This signifies the number of layers in a golf ball. The first multi-layered golf ball was developed in the 20th century when a solid or liquid filled core was wound with a rubberlike thread with a cover around it. This design allowed manufacturers to fine-tune the length, feel and spin characteristics of the golf ball. Did you also know that the dimples on a golf ball allow the golf ball to fly further than a golf ball that does not have any dimple pattern? The reasons for this are the lift and drag as the ball is moving through the air. The dimples allow separation from the boundary layer of the golf ball and this separation reduces wake turbulence and hence, the drag.

The other fact is that backspin generates lift, which enables a golf ball to fly higher and longer than a golf ball hit without backspin. Almost every shot we hit is with backspin, due to the loft angle of the golf clubs we use. Most golf balls sold today have between 250 – 450 dimples and all brands of balls except one have even numbered dimples apart from the Srixon D333 which has 333 dimples. Callaway produce a golf ball which has hexagonal dimples which increases the dimple area on a golf ball, allowing for more distance. As you know, there are many golf balls on the market but you can divide them into two categories – recreational and advanced. The recreational balls are for the ordinary player who generally has low swing speeds (80 mph) and these golf balls are usually made from 2-layers ( 2 piece) and the cover is harder than the core. These have a lower compression and are designed to offset any side spin characteristics imparted on the ball at impact. Advanced golf balls are made from multilayers and have a soft cover and firm core, which promote spin with the shorter irons and gives the golfer a softer feel in the hands and off the club face around the greens. However, these golf balls require a much greater swing speed in order to compress the ball sufficiently off the club face. So if a player’s swing speed does not match the correct compression of the golf ball, either too soft or too hard, this can result in loss of distance. ■

Some Examples of Golf Balls to look at depending on your swing speed. Titleist DT Roll – “2-Piece” Ball designed for slower swing speeds and a dimple design to provide a lower trajectory, increasing roll and, therefore, distance. Titleist Pro V1x – “4-Piece” Ball designed for faster swing speeds, which lowers spin and maximises distance. Callaway Tour ix – “4 Piece” Ball designed for faster swing speeds. The HEX aerodynamics as opposed to the round dimple, deliver distance and a soft cover to give feel around the greens. Callaway Warbird Plus – “2 Piece” Ball designed for slower swing speeds with a high powered core, durable cover and the new HEX aerodynamics (as mentioned above). This ball will give you more distance. Callaway HX Pearl – “3 Piece” ball is designed for ladies, and provides a lower compression for distance and slightly slower swing speeds but also provides a soft feel for around the greens.

I hope this has helped you to understand a little more about golf ball technology without going too far into the details. So out of interest, next time you see your pro, measure your swing speed and this should help you select the right compression golf ball for you.

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w w w. s p o r t n f i t n e s s m e . c o m

ISSUE 2

OUT NOW

W W G LO C A L F O C U S

ARABIAN

NBAD win takes Yousuf to the top

THE ORDER OF MERIT LEADERS AFTER THE NBAD MEN’S OPEN 1. KHALID YOUSUF 2. JOEL NEALE 3. MATTHEW TURNER 4. PAUL KING 5. VIKRAM JUDGE 6. ALEX CHARAWANI 7. SOO CHUL SHIN 8. DINO VARKEY 9. MIKI MIRZA 10. SEAN THORNBERRY

EGC EGC EGC DCGYC DCGYC ADGC DCGYC DCGYC DCGYC EGC

113 98.5 95 78.3 67.5 60.75 60 59.5 54.2 51.5.

Clubs in May 2009 Worldwide Golf Emirates Golf Federation Abu Dhabi Golf Club Al Ghazal Golf Club Al Hamra Golf Club Arabian Ranches Golf Club Doha Golf Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Emirates Golf Club Four Seasons Golf Club Intercontinental GC. Riyadh Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa Katameya Heights Golf & Tennis Club Palm Sports Resort Al Ain Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club Soma Bay Golf Club & Resort The Royal Golf Club, Riffa Views

Khalid Yousuf returned to the top of the Emirates Golf Federation Order of Merit table after winning the overall gross amateur title in the 36th National Bank of Abu Dhabi Men’s Open held at Al Ghazal Golf Club. The ace UAE golfer closed with a tidy level-par 71 for a tournament total of 148 to beat his nearest challenger, Pontus Fredrikson of Emirates Golf Club, on a countback in this the sixth event on the Gulf News-sponsored Order of Merit. With this impressive victory, Yousuf has taken his points tally to 113, well ahead of second-placed Joel Neale (98.5 points). Matthew Turner, who led the Order of Merit after the Ras Al Khaimah Men’s Open played at the Al Hamra Golf Club, has slipped to third place on 95 points after missing the Abu Dhabi event. The Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

duo of Paul King and Vikram Judge are snapping at the heels of the leaders on 78.3 and 67.5 points respectively. With just one event – the BMW Men’s Open – remaining to be played in the Order of Merit, Turner, who made history by becoming the first amateur from the UAE to make the cut at the Dubai Desert Classic, would require a strong finish to beat Yousuf for the title. For that to happen, Turner will have to be at his best as Yousuf, who guided the UAE to a highly creditable secondplace finish in the recent Arab Golf Championship, is enjoying a rich vein of form this season. With all three Emirates Golf Club players – Yousuf, Turner and Neale – in contention, the race for the Order of Merit title looks like providing an exciting finish.

UAE juniors triumph in Tunisia

SOHAIL Marzouqi and Hassan Musharrekh beat off a strong challenge from a quality field to win the net under-18 team title at the Arab Junior Golf Championship at Yasmine Golf Club in Hammanat, Tunisia. The talented pair produced some solid performances as they also made their presence felt in the gross team division by finishing fourth behind hosts Tunisia, Qatar and Egypt. Faisal Marzouqi, the third member of the team, also returned home with something to cheer about after taking fourth place in the under-15 individual category – a creditable effort considering the fact the youngster was playing in his first international tournament away from home. Sohail and Hassan stuttered and stumble in the first round, but staged a compelling fight-back in the second and final round to post a strong finish. Sohail shot gross rounds of 102 and 92 while Hassan carded 100 and 82 in the championship which had drawn entries from several Arab countries, including Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine and Qatar.

They could have done even better but were left bemoaning the shots that got away. “I think overall we have done well,” said UAE coach Chris Vallender. “The experience gained from the championship will go a long way in honing their competitive edge. “I am, in particular, pleased with the way young Faisal handled the pressure. His back-to-back rounds of 91 on a challenging course shows the boy has the game needed to become a decent player.” Adel Zarouni, secretary-general of the Emirates Golf Federation, congratulated the team for winning the net under-18 title and praised the Tunisian Golf Federation for their role in the organising the tournament. “Their performance augurs well for the UAE golf,” he said. ”We, at the Emirates Golf Federation, will keep trying to create more playing opportunities for our junior players. “It was a good trip to Tunisia and there was a good camaraderie as players competed in a healthy environment. On behalf of the federation, I would like to thank the Tunisia Golf Federation for hosting the event. They did a wonderful job.”

Above: Sohail Marzouqi and Hassan Musharrekh, the winners of the net under-18 team title, with Adel Zarouni (second from right), secretary-general of the Emirates Golf Federation, and other Arab golf officials at Yasmine Golf Club in Hammanat, Tunisia. Below: Faisal Marzouqi in action on his way to finishing a creditable fourth place in the under-15 division.

E M I R AT E S G O L F F E D E R AT I O N

ARABIAN GOLF

UAE finish second in GCC Championship KHALID Yousuf shot a steady level-par 72 as the UAE finished second to Bahrain, narrowly missing out on their maiden GCC Golf Championship title at the Sahara Golf and Country Club in Kuwait. Starting the day four strokes off the pace, the UAE team staged a compelling fight-back before posting an impressive 54-hole gross total of 671, just one shot behind Bahrain who managed to sneak home despite not being at their very best. The Saudi Arabia team finished a distant third on a gross 714. It was the UAE team that held the centre-stage on the final day of the regional golf summit at the challenging Peter Harradine-designed course and Yousuf, who plays off plus one handicap, led the UAE charge with a flawless 72 – the best individual score of the day. The Musharrekh brothers – Ahmed and Abdulla – fired an identical 77 to contribute to the score while Saeed Malik, the fourth member of the team, carded 81 in the team event where the best three scores were counted towards the total. Ahmed Al Musharrekh, who shot a sizzling 69 on the opening day, had the distinction of finishing on top in the individual championship with a gross 216 along with Abdullah Sultan of Bahrain, two strokes of ahead of Yousuf. The UAE had more to cheer about as Hassan Al Musharrekh won the individual championship in the junior division with a three-round gross total of 233 for a one-shot victory ahead of his closest

challenger Khalid Atteih of Saudi Arabia. Faisal Al Marzouqi carded a gross 252 while his brother Sohail was forced to withdraw from the championship after falling sick. “We have every reason to feel pleased about our team’s performance. The boys did a great job on the final day in particular and nearly upstaged Bahrain,” said Adel Zarouni, secretarygeneral of the Emirates Golf Federation and head of the UAE delegation to Kuwait. “You do feel bad when you miss out on the championship title by just one shot, but then close finishes are part of any sport. We are proud of the team’s fighting qualities and the way they kept up the pressure on Bahrain was something remarkable. “I would also like to congratulate Hassan for winning the individual championship. Hassan is fast maturing into a solid player and that bodes well for UAE golf.” UAE’s non-playing captain Khalid Mubarak also paid tribute to the team members, saying they approached the championship with a positive mindset. “We had our chances of winning the championship, but full credit to Bahrain for their consistent play over three days,” he said. “With a runner-up place in the team championship and impressive individual performances by Ahmed, Khalid and Hassan, in particular, we should be very proud of the team’s achievements.”

Individual championship (gross): 1. Ahmed Al Musharrekh (UAE) 216 1. Abdullah Sultan (Bahrain) 216 2. Khalid Yousuf (UAE) 218 UAE individual scores (gross): 1. Ahmed Al Musharrekh 2. Khalid Yousuf 3. Abdulla Musharrekh 4. Saeed Malik

216 (69, 70, 77) 218 (75, 71, 72) 237 (81, 79, 77) 251 (90, 80, 81)

Junior individual championship (gross): 1. Hassan Al Musharrekh (UAE) 233 (76, 78, 79) 2. Khalid Attieh (Saudi Arabia) 234 (77, 81, 76) Final team scores (gross): 1. Bahrain 2. UAE 3. Saudi Arabia 4. Oman 5. Kuwait 6. Qatar

670 671 714 741 746 833

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Boland Claims TNT Amateur Order of Merit Golf Series

Bryan Moulds of TNT (left) with Peter Boland.

www.arabianranchesgolfdubai.com PETER Boland of Arabian Ranches claimed the 2008/09 TNT Amateur Order of Merit Golf Series after returning a creditable 30 Stableford points in the final qualifier of the seven-month long Series. The final qualifier of nine events brought together an elite field of 56 players with 14 players from the current top 20 in the Order of Merit. Boland, who led the Order of Merit going into the final qualifier, could not be caught and claimed the title by 2.75 Order of Merit points from runner-up Andre Coetzee, also of ARGC. In the April event lowest score of the day, a staggering 41 Stableford points by virtue of a level par gross 72, was Dubai Creek’s Club Captain – Francisco Giles, who carded a 1-under-par 35 over the front nine holes and a 1-over-par 37 on the inward half. Four birdies on holes 5, 7, 8 and 13 were the highlight of his

round. This gave Giles a ticket to the Grand Final on Saturday, May 2. Bryan Moulds, Country General Manager of TNT, awarded the top 10 players from the day’s event invitations to the TNT Grand Final and the leading two players in the Order of Merit received invitations to the Pro-Am of the Travis Perkins Seniors Masters being played at Woburn in September. Moulds commented: “Today has been a great end to the Series, we are extremely happy with the management of this Series by Arabian Ranches Golf Club.” Elliott Gray responded: “Peter and Andre are delighted to have won the trip in September; the winner of the Grand Final will join them and a representative from TNT, I’m sure they will all have a great time especially playing in the PRO-Am before the tournament proper gets under way.”

Record field at Bob Fletcher’s Captain’s Day

l-r – Paul and Carol Smith, Kelly Dagless and Club Captain – Bob Fletcher.

THE four-player team of Carol Smith (36), Paul Smith (11), Kelly Dagless (9) and Bob Nash (11) returned a staggering 88 Stableford points in Bob Fletcher’s Captain’s Day, which attracted the largest field of the year with 112 players competing. The best two Stableford scores from the team of four were recorded at each hole and full handicap allowance was granted to each player. Dagless, Nash and the Smith’s started on hole 8 in style with seven points - a birdie (net eagle) coming from Paul who returned 39 Stableford points on his own. Other highlights of the card were Carol’s two net eagles at the par-3 seventh and 17th holes. The team notched up 14 net birdies to accompany the three eagles, giving them a winning margin of one point. Runners-up Janice Marler (17), Ian Kelly (12), Denise (29) and husband Phil Alcock (18) returned 87 points with Ian returning 36 points of his own and Phil contributing three net birdies and a net eagle. Bob Fletcher, who presented the winners with their prizes, thanked everyone for supporting the day and his charity initiative which now boasts proceeds of over Dhs 19,000. “I’m extremely pleased with how members and their guests have supported my charity initiative and how people less fortunate than ourselves with be assisted by our contributions,” he said.

ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB

ARABIAN GOLF

2009 Club Championships JOHN Mills, Adele McKelvey and Mike Murray were crowned Men’s, Ladies and Senior Champions respectively at the recently held Club Championships. In the Men’s Division the closest head-to-head finish in the five years of the Championship was contested. Andy Burrow, who started the final round three shots clear of defending champion Mills, was caught at the sixth hole. With 12 holes to play the pair were tied as they walked to the 15th tee. Burrow then birdied 15 and 16 to take a one-shot lead with two holes to play. On the final hole Burrows cut his drive into a bush, took a drop and ran up a triple-bogey seven. Mills played the hole in five strokes to retain his title by a shot. In the Ladies Division Lady Captain Adele McKelvey managed to just pip Jo Schoeman to the post, the latter taking a five to Adele’s par four at the 18th hole. Schoeman, two strokes behind after the first round, got back to within one shot after playing holes 10 – 16 in level par with McKelvey double bogeying holes 14, 15 and 16. However an excellent shot from 155 yards at the 18th by McKelvey to within 15ft left her two putts for the title.

Club Captain Bob Fletcher with Rivoli Medal Winners

Ali Takes Rivoli Medal MARK Yamin Ali returned a superb 4-over-par 76 to pip current Junior Champion Calum Mills for the Gross Medal in the Men’s Division of the April Rivoli Monthly Medal. Yamin Ali was helped to victory with birdies on the second, 15th and 16th holes while his strong back nine of 35 proved key to his success. Fifty three players competed in the Men’s “A” Division (0-12) with Sandy Crawford taking the honours after returning a net 70 – the highlights being back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th which contributed to a back nine of 1-under-par. In the Men’s ‘B’ Division (13-28) Jed Isbell (14) continued his superb recent form with a net 70 to edge youngster Sam Bennett into second place. In the Ladies Division Ex-Lady Captain Sheila Alban returned a net 73 despite two sevens on her card, both coming at par 5s.

The Seniors Championship title was taken by Mike Murray, one of the most consistent players at the Club. Murray returned a 79 gross on Saturday despite two 6s on his card on the front nine. Nick Hopwood, past Club Champion and Club Captain, presented the Seniors trophy to Murray. Hopwood had donated the trophy to the Club after his year of Captaincy in 2006/2007. Calum Mills retained his Junior title with a 2-over-par 74 on the Friday.

Halliwell and Draper Drive off with Lexus Golf Day THE team of Kevan Halliwell and Kevan Draper came out on top in the Lexus Golf Day. The format of the event was Greensomes Stableford with each twoplayer team receiving 3/8s of their combined allowance to be used at appropriate stroke index holes with their net score converted into Stableford points. In near perfect playing conditions Draper (7) and Halliwell (14) returned a superb 40 points. The duo had seven net birdies and a strong front nine holes of 21 points gave them victory by one point from Tony Azoulay (3) and Henk Schoeman (8). In the Ladies and Mixed Division the husband and wife combination of Jon and Marie Sargeant added a superb back nine of 20 Stableford points to their very steady front nine of 17 points to secure victory by three points. Elliott Gray commented: “Congratulations to all the worthy winners, I hope they all enjoyed the relatively speedy Greensomes format, our thanks as always goes to the team at Al Futtaim Motors for their continued support of the event. It is always nice to have first time winners like Jon and Marie Sargeant include on the winners list.”

Winners of the Men’s and Mixed Divisions in the Lexus Golf Day. www.wwgolf.biz

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB LAUNCHES ‘KIDS PLAY FOR FREE’ PROGRAM EMIRATES Golf Club recently announced the launch of a new initiative which will enable children under the age of 15 to play golf for free on the Faldo Course when accompanied by a fee-paying adult. This aim of this offer is to make the game of golf far more accessible to the juniors of Dubai. With daylight hours extending as the summer season approaches, the ‘Kids Play For Free’ offer allows children to play golf after school for free Sunday through Thursday. The offer aims to increase the availability of golf to the junior ranks and encourage the growth of the game in a market where golf has not always been readily accessible at an affordable price for youngsters. Director of Golf at Emirates Golf Club, Andrew Whitelaw, commented: “With the success of the junior programs at the Emirates Golf Academy this year, it was a natural progression to make golf accessible for kids who are new to the game and who need access to golf to develop and hold their interest in the sport.” The scheme, which will run until the end of May, has been fully endorsed by the Emirates Golf Federation whose General Manager, Saeed Albudoor, said: “It is longawaited initiatives like this that help get junior golfers in the UAE onto golf courses to learn the more important aspects of golf such as care of the course, etiquette on the course and course management. The Emirates Golf Federation encourages parents to make use of this great offer and enjoy time on the course with their children.”

Hesson and Nielsen star in Club Championship ERIC Hesson and Nanna Nielsen were the victors in their respective boys and girls Club Championships over the Majlis course. In the girls event Nielson recorded an 80 to take top prize from Viet Nga Luu Petersen by two shots in the gross category and by doing so she claimed a third successive girls Championship. Petersen settled for best net of the day with a 69. The boy’s Championship was a much closer affair and it was Hesson who set the early pace

by signing for a gross 73 in the first match out. It looked like he had the trophy in the bag before an outstanding finish by Joel Neale forced a play-off. Neale found himself 5-over par with two holes to play but launched his tee shot on the 332-yard 17th to the heart of the green and sunk his 30-foot putt for an eagle three. However his luck changed on the first play-off hole as Hesson took the title. Conor Rooney produced a net 71 to top the net category in the boy’s competition.

Eric Hesson, Nanna Nielsen and Viet Nga Luu Petersen

Hendry and Hesson Dominate BMW Medal DANIEL Hendry and Eddie Hesson both returned rounds of net 70 over the Majlis course in the April edition of the BMW Monthly Medal. It was Hendry though who triumphed in Net Division ‘A’ (handicap 0-10) due to a superior back nine. He completed the inward half in level par with a birdie coming on the 10th and an eagle three on the 540-yard 13th only to give them back on the 11th, 12th and 15th. Hesson was consolidated with the best gross from a 96-strong field, his 73 included birdies on the sixth and 13th holes. Veneet Mohan was among a trio of players on net 71 but took third place from Mike Gerbich and Chris Gould due to his superior back nine. Anthony White returned the best net of the day and his 68 gifted him back-to-back medal triumphs in Division ‘B’ (handicap 11-19). This was despite doubles bogeys on the 16th, 17th and 18th. C.J Chen was a further shot back on 69 with Alan Salem in third on 72. Steinar Bratland signed for a net 75 in Division ‘D’ (handicap 2028) to claim top place from Aditya Srivastava and Parimal Karani.

Dan Hendry and Surender Kandhari (Club Captain)

E M I R AT E S G O L F C L U B

ARABIAN GOLF

Park and Cho triumph in Hankook Greensomes JOUNG Do Park and Sung Sin Cho triumphed in the 10th Anniversary of the Hankook Greensomes Championship with a 10-under par net 135 total. The pair held a slender lead after day one with a 65.5 over the Faldo before firing a net 69.5 over the Majlis to record a two-stroke victory. Taking the runner-up spot was Kuttan and Anish Mallatiri who

carded rounds of 66.5 and 70.5 for a 137 total. One shot further back in third place was Tony and Chris Hutchinson while Huzaifa and Abizher Mohamed took fourth place with a 139 total. The best gross score of the championship went to John Fellingham and Paul King from Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club who only dropped 10 shots over the two days. June Soo Kim and Kyung Sook Kim took second place just one shot behind.

l-r: Harjeev Kandhari of Al Dobowi Group, B.H Kim from Hankook, winners Joung Do Park and Sung Sin Cho and Club Captains Surender Kandhari and Elise Hanson.

Hessons find Route 59 in Easter Scramble THE Hesson family of Eric, Ed, Eddie and Cessie produced an astonishing performance in the Easter Scramble to sign for a gross 59, net 56, over the Faldo course. In the scramble format the quartet returned 12 birdies and an eagle three on the 515 yard third and with a combined handicap of 30 their 10 percent allowance resulted in a remarkable winning score of 56. The closest challengers to the Hessons were the Srivastava family

of Aditya, Helen, Maya and Jai who also broke 60. Their net 59 included birdies on the third, ninth, 10th, 13th and 16th holes. Third place went to the team of Mick Brett, Lee Brett, Bryan Wilson and Mo Toki after signing for a 61.5. The top five teams from the Easter Scramble were invited to the Worldwide Golf 100th Anniversary Issue Invitational Presented by Ecco and Hosted by Gary Player, which took place over the Majlis course on Friday 24th April.

l-r: Surender Kandhari, Eric HeSson, Eddie Hesson and Ed Hesson www.wwgolf.biz

summer golf EMIRATES GOLF

Summer Green Fees Visitors

Sun - Thu Fri - Sat

Emirates Golf Federation

Majlis Course

The Faldo

Majlis Course

The Faldo

18 Holes

Dhs.400 Dhs.400

Dhs.300 Dhs.300

Dhs.360 Dhs.380

Dhs.260 Dhs.290

HOLE rate includes shared golf cart and unlimited range balls prior to play. Tee times are available from 6:40am to 3:50pm 7 days a week. 9 hole par 3 Course ~ Day & Night Golf Visitors Dhs.100 Emirates Golf Federation Dhs.80

Tee times are available from 9:00am to 9:00pm 7 days a week. Rates are valid from 1st June to 30th September 2009 and are not available in conjunction with other discounts or promotions. Emirates Golf Club T: +9714 380 2222 E: egcreservations@dubaigolf.com

Passport To Summer Golf Forget about packing your bags this summer and sign up for a Passport to Summer Golf! For only Dhs3,500, the Passport - valid from 1st June to 15th September 2009 - includes: s 5NLIMITED USE OF THE HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP &ALDO #OURSE WITH AN DAY ADVANCE BOOKING PRIVILEGE CARTS EXCLUDED s 5NLIMITED USE OF THE HOLE mOODLIT PAR COURSE AND PRACTICE FACILITIES s 0OOL GYMNASIUM SQUASH AND TENNIS COURT ACCESS Pay before 15th May 2009 and receive 5 green fee vouchers for Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. Membership Services T:+9714 380 1555 E:lubalde@dubaigolf.com GOLF • DINING • RECREATION

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E M I R AT E S G O L F C L U B

ARABIAN GOLF LOCATION Emirates Hills, Interchange 5 Sheikh Zayed Road, opposite Hard Rock Café

KOHLMAN CUP PROVES TIGHT AFFAIR THE team of Vipen Sethi, James Batliwala, Vijay Devnani and Anand Lakhiani clinched a one-point victory in a keenly contested Kohlman Nations Cup. Representing India, the quartet signed for a combined score of 78 points over the Majlis course to win by the tightest of margins. The format required the team to pair off and play a better-ball Stableford and then combine the two scores together for an overall total. Batliwala and Lakhiani outscored Sethi and Devnani by two points as the pairs returned 38 and 40 points respectively. Batliwala, a 9-handicapper, was the strongest player in the side as he found himself 1-over gross for his opening 12 holes, which included a birdie two on the 178-yard 15th hole. However Lakhiani’s crucial net birdie on the sixth, their final hole, sealed their one-point victory. The runners-up position went to the team representing Greece and Europe, of Stathis Stathis, Nick Evangelopoulos, Gurbax Singh and Mick Brett. The pairs recorded 38 and

39 points respectively to give them a combined total of 77 points. The teams of Canada (Mike Tracey, Pentti Tahvanainen, Bryan Wilson and Ken Matheson) and Scotland (Scott MacPherson, Peter Skerrow, Ewan Dunn and Mike Dunn) both recorded 76 points with the countback gifting Canada third place as a result of Wilson and Matheson’s 40 point tally. The UAE, making their debut in the event, clinched fifth place following sound performances from Khalid Yousuf, Hamad Al Medfa, Saif Sultan Al Shamsi and Ismail Sharif to post 74 points with England (Cameron Bellman, Gareth Powell, Lee Brett and Keith Prosser) taking the last prize in sixth place. The Championship, which was more popular than ever as 124 competitors took part, was superbly hosted by General K.S Kohli and Moshe Kohli from Kohlman’s.

General K.S Kohli, James Batliwala, Adel Zarouni, Anand Lakhiani and Surender Kandhari (Club Captain).

CONTACT (04) 380 2222 egc@dubaigolf.com Book online tee times at www.dubaigolf.com INFO Majlis Course – 1988 Faldo Course – 1996, re-designed in 2006 COURSES Majlis – 18 holes, Par 72, 7211 yards, championship course Faldo Course – 18 holes, Par 72, 7433 yards Designer: Majlis Course – Karl Litten WINTER RATES Wadi by Faldo : 18 holes EGC Majlis: 18 holes Par 3: 9 holes

RACK RATE WINTER PEAK WINTER OFF PEAK

995 995

795 100 695 100

875 875

625 100 535 100

645 645

490 100 490 100

UGA WINTER PEAK WINTER OFF PEAK JUNIOR WINTER PEAK WINTER OFF PEAK

WINTER HIRE RATES Price (Dhs.) Club Hire Practice Balls (per 50 balls) Shoe Hire Trolley Hire

170 30 65 30

Gow wins the chance of a lifetime PHIL Gow earned a place to tee it up alongside Gary Player with a superb victory in the 8th Worldwide Golf Midweek Open over the Faldo course at Emirates Golf Club. Gow returned an impressive haul of 39 Stableford points to win the overall title and take his place in the Gary Player Invitational over the Majlis course. In the divisional prizes Curtis Hegge and Dilep Kumar topped their respective divisions with impressive scoring. Hegge topped Division ‘A’ (hdcp 0-16) by a one-point margin from Hasan Dahabiyeh after he tallied 36 points with Leander De Wit taking third place on 34 points. In Division ‘B’ (hdcp 17-28) Kumar triumphed with 38 points to beat George Dolesch and Charlie Shea by three points. Dolesch was awarded with second place after a card countback. In the Ladies Division the champion was Martina Wezel after she scored 28 points while the individual prizes went to Gareth James who claimed the Nearest the Pin award on hole 8 and Montin Benoit who smashed the Longest Drive down the 16th fairway.

Participants line up before play at the 8th WWG Midweek open at the Faldo.

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LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN FOR KIM KYUNG Sook Kim was crowned Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Ladies Club Champion sponsored by Masters Ladies Apparel. Kim shot two rounds of gross 82 and 84 totaling 166 and was a little out of sync from her 3 handicap and recent superb form but managed to hang on to secure a sensational seventh Ladies Championship at Dubai Creek. Kim was pushed all the way to the very last hole by defending champion Nasha Sarkari, who shot a pair of gross 84s to total 168 and finish alone in runner-up spot. Kim tripled the 18th to let Sarkari in but was eventually left ruing a triple bogey on the very same hole to miss out on back-to-back Championships.

Kim commented: “I’m very happy to win once again and I would like to thank all my playing partners, the club for arranging a great two days and especially Brigitta Dagostin from Masters Ladies Apparel for supplying the lovely prizes.” The overall net champion for 2009 was the young and talented Serifa D’Souza with two fantastic net scores of 67 and 64 totaling 131. Over the last few weeks D’Souza has found a rich vein of form and has been cut from a 23 to a 16-handicapper. Runner-up was Jennifer Johnstone with net scores of 73 and 63, totaling 136 and in third place alone Soon Hwa Kim with a net 67 and 72 totaling 139.

SHAHIN EDGES MONTHLY MEDAL SHAHIN Khodjasteh narrowly clinched the BMW Monthly Medal after birdieing his last hole to score a superb net 69 from his 11 handicap to win on a countback from Stephen Sanderson. A great front nine of 3-over-par gross set up the return to form for Khodjasteh, who claimed his first medal win in several years. Runner-up in the Men’s Division ‘A’ and only one shot behind the overall winner was Abdullah Al Musherrekh with his great score of net 70. Al Musherrekh also just missed out on the overall gross prize from Miki Mirza who also shot gross 4-over 75, but won by virtue of his better back nine. Stephen Sanderson stormed the Men’s Division ‘B’ to win by four shots with his net 69. while the consistent Luiz Bertuol shot net 73 to finish alone in second place and in the prizes once again. Diya Chopra blew away the rest of the ladies by seven shots to claim the overall Ladies Division with a fantastic net 70. Runner-up by virtue of a superior back-nine score was Naema Maya, finishing on net 77.

Overall winner Shahin Khodjasteh receiving his BMW trophy from DCGYC Captain Francisco Giles.

Above: Kyung Sook Kim with the Champions trophy outside the clubhouse.

OWENS SECURE CARPETLAND WIN THE husband and wife duo of Michael and Anne Owen triumphed in the Carpetland Monthly Open as they carded a betterball score of 11-under net 60, which included an amazing net albatross on the 12th hole from Anne along with two superb net eagles on the fourth and 18th holes. “This is the best I have ever played in my whole life”, commented Anne on her first Carpetland win. Runners-up were Satnam Kaur and Sandeep Singh scoring a great net 62. A countback all the way to the last three holes witnessed S.H Oh and S.J Kim come out on top to secure third place. All three winning pairs have secured the last available spots to this month’s Grand Final that will be held on Saturday May 9th. Teejan Fadlu Deen, who ripped his drive 330 yards down the 12th hole, won the Longest Drive and S.G Nair won Nearest the Pin on the fifth. The unwanted ‘Most Golf’ was awarded to the sporting efforts of Naeem Kola and Rasheed Daya. A surprised John Thomas was the lucky winner of this month’s Carpetland rug raffle.

D U B A I C R E E K G O L F & YA C H T C L U B

ARABIAN GOLF LOCATION Deira, opposite Deira City Centre

JUDGE CALLS THE SHOTS

C0NTACT (04) 295 6000 dcgyc@dubaigolf.com Book online tee times at www. dubaigolf.com

VIKRAM Judge reigned supreme during the 2009 Men’s Club Championship sponsored by J. Lindeberg after a commanding performance. Judge claimed his fifth Club Championship title but his first in eight years, carding back-to-back 72s to win by a four clear shots on 2-over 144 from runner-up Dino Varkey, who finished on 6-over 148 with a pair of 74s. In third place with a solid performance was Soo Chul Shin with rounds of 76 and 73 for a total of 7-over 149. In the final round Judge made superb back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth to pull five clear of Varkey but uncharacteristically gave them back on the 10th and 12th to see his lead shrink to two shots. But he soaked up the pressure with charismatic style and parred his way in from the 13th with his closest opponents failing to capitalise on his stutter. Judge commented: “Thanks to Dubai Creek as it has been a fantastic two days, Rob Gradishar for the course being in superb condition and J. Lindeberg for the wonderful prizes.” Paul Saad stole the show in the net division with the lowest round of his life on the Saturday with a gross 83, net 61 and claimed the overall prize with a superb total of 137. Saeed Malik and Miki Mirza won the individual daily gross prizes with scores of 76 and 74.

INFO First Open 1993, redesigned in 2005 Course: 18 holes, Par 71, 6,857 yards, championship course Design Originally: Karl Litten Redesign: European Golf Design in association with Thomas Björn

RATES The Shoulder Rates below are valid from 1st October 2008 until 15th November 2008, and from 1st April 2009 until 31st May 2009

Champion Vikram Judge is presented the winners trophy by Club Captain Francisco Giles and Brigitta Dagostin, J. Lindeberg Middle East Distributor.

NEALE STEALS AL NABOODAH JUNIOR OPEN JOEL Neale won the Dubai Creek Al Naboodah Junior Open sponsored by Al Naboodah after an enduring threeman play-off. Neale (EGC) negotiated his way to a superb gross 2-over 73 in regulation along with fellow Emirates members Daniel Hendry and Sean Thornberry. Hendry, in regular play, finished birdie-birdie to card a 1-over 72 but signed for a par four on the 17th hole so a total of 73 had to be confirmed as per the rules of golf. Hendry did well to soak up the excruciating pain knowing that the championship should have been his and kept his head held high going into the play-off. Thornberry was the first to fall on the first extra hole, a return trip down the 18th, with a bogey. A great up-anddown from Hendry for a par forced another extra hole with Neale. Two great putts for birdies were holed on the 10th to keep the scores even before another trip down the 18th witnessed Neale win with a two-putt par after Hendry’s narrowly missed. Neale commented: “Thank you for Dubai Creek for hosting the competition and the course was in great shape. Especially thank you to Mr. Al Naboodah for his support and making the competition possible. Thanks to my playing partners Sean and Aditya and my commiserations to Daniel for making an unfortunate mistake. I look forward to being back next year to defend the title in my last year as a junior.” The girls Net Division was won by Sana Tufail (ADGC) thanks to a net 73 with Diya Chopra (DCGYC) taking runner-up on countback. Overall third place went to Serifa D’Souza (DCGYC) with her net 75. The boys Division ‘A’ was

also a close affair with Aditya Judge (DCGYC) winning on a countback with his net 72 from Phillip Urasach (EGC). Finishing alone in third place was Y.J Kim (DCGYC) with a net 74. Paul Saad blew away the Division ‘B’ with a lowestof-the-day net 65. Jack Novack (ADEC) finished runner-up with a net 68 and third was Jonathan McLeod (ADEC) with a net 69. David Gray was pleased with how the day went. “It was great to see a turnout of over 30 juniors this year including eight girls,” he said. “There is still a great demand for Junior Golf in the region and we had 70 younger children playing in the new Al Naboodah UAE PGA Series also held at the club recently. “Thanks must go to Abdullah Al Naboodah, Dubai Creek member, for his generous support once again in sponsoring our Junior Open for the second year running. With Al Naboodah’s continued support for junior golf in the region there will be surely a lot of new talent shining through over the next few years.”

Winter rates Dubai Creek Course: 18 holes Par-3 course: 9 holes

Rack Rate Shoulder Peak Shoulder Off Peak Winter Peak Winter Off Peak

18 695 595 795 695

9 75 75 75 75

UGA Shoulder Peak Shoulder Off Peak Winter Peak Winter Off Peak

625 535 715 625

75 75 75 75

Junior Shoulder Peak Shoulder Off Peak Winter Peak Winter Off Peak

490 490 560 560

55 55 55 55

WINTER HIRE RATES Price (Dhs.) Club Hire Practice Balls (per bucket of 50 balls) Shoe Hire Trolley Hire

170 30 65 25

Abduallah Al Naboodah and his two sons and David Gray, Golf Operations Executive at Dubai Creek present Joel Neale with champion’s trophy along with the other winners and participants. www.wwgolf.biz

FOUR SEASONS GOLF CLUB

ARABIAN GOLF

Masud wins April medal

LOCATION Dubai Festival City, off Dubai 83, six miles out of Dubai City Centre. CONTACT +971 4 601 0101 www.fourseasons.com/ dubaigolf/golf

A SOLID round of gross 86 saw Nadeem Masud claim the April Monthly Medal gross title while a superb net 66 saw Viresh Mathur take the overall net title. Play in both Divisions ‘A’ and ‘B’ provided numerous close encounters with just one stroke separating the top two players in Division ‘A’. Anish Bhatia scored a strong net 76 which edged out Bandi Rao’s 77 in Division ‘A’. However, Rao’s accuracy earned him two individual prizes in the form of the Nearest the Pin on hole 7 and Straightest Drive on hole 9. Sylvain Denis secured hole 15’s Nearest the Pin and Rami Safadi drove the Longest Drive on hole 18. Division ‘B’ was won by Rabih Sfeila with a net 72 after a countback victory over Harry Wright.

INFO Course designed by Robert Trent Jones II. The 18-hole par-72, 7,303-yard championship course features a magical desert oasis theme. RATES OFF PEAK EGF 18 holes – 680DHS NON EGF 18 holes – 850DHS Range balls and cart included ON PEAK EGF 18 holes – 765DHS NON EGF – 850DHS Range balls and cart included

Richard Sheridan hands out prizes to Nadeem Masud (top right), Anish Bhatia (right) and Rabih Sfeila (far right).

Kirton tops the pile after a nervous countback

Hake and McCloy secure April Stableford Divisions

DEREK Kirton won the Overall Winner’s prize in March’s Monthly Medal after a gripping finish. Kirton finished with a net 74 but claimed the top prize after a nervous wait during the card countback. Only a few strokes separated the top places in Divisions ‘A’ and ‘B’ as Viresh Mathur’s net 74 saw him claim the Division ‘B’ title over Koji Kobayashi’s by two strokes. Dr Nawaf Fawaz’s strong net 75 ensured victory in Division ‘A’ with Sylvain Denis’s net 76 awarding him the runner-up position after a countback. Nearest the Pin’s were awarded to Ahmad Hamza, for hole 3 and Malcolm Turner for hole 11 while Madhavan Pillai secured hole 17’s Longest Drive prize and Kobayashi put the disappontment of second place in Division ‘B’ behind him by claiming the Overall Winner Derek Kirton (L) with Craig Skimming (R). Straightest Drive prize for hole 12.

MEMBERS of Four Seasons Golf Club gathered at the course in early April to challenge themselves, and the course, in a friendly Stableford competition. Impressive performances were provided by the contenders in both Divisions ‘A’ and ‘B’ and this was highlighted by Thomas Hake’s strong haul of 39 which secured a two-point victory over Vivian Verma in Division ‘B’. In Division ‘A’ Jim McCloy’s 32 was just enough to hold onto the winner’s title forcing Tony Billingham to settle for the runner-up spot one stroke further back. Nearest the Pins were won by Verma on hole 3 and Dr Nawaf Fawaz on hole 11. Billingham secured hole 12’s Longest Drive and Bandi Rao struck hole 16’s Straightest Drive.

Wright dominates in Stableford comp THE weather was kind and a gentle breeze welcomed the players to Four Seasons Golf Club’s Members Stableford competition held recently. The day’s results were strong as Andrew Wright dominated the field with a superb haul of 42 points which secured him the Overall Winner’s title. Harry Wright topped Division ‘B’ after a countback from Richard Marshall after both finished with 35 while in Division ‘A’ Bandi Rao took the crown with

a confident 36 over Anish Bhatia’s very respectable 31. A keen eye and determination saw the on course competitions won by Dr Nawaf Fawaz on hole 7’s Nearest the Pin and Sylvain Denis on Hole 11’s Nearest the Pin. Longest Drive on hole 9 was secured by Tony Billingham and hole 17’s Straightest Drive by Rami Safadi.

Overall Winner Andrew Wright (L) with Craig Skimming, Golf Services Manager (R). www.wwgolf.biz

DUBAI HOSTS THE

MAYBACH GOLF CUP

HE first tournament of the 2009 Maybach Golf Cup was held in late March at the Four Seasons Golf Club in Dubai over a weekend full of sporting and social highlights. A total of 14 teams took to the course in gusty breezes and light rain but completed their rounds in glorious sunshine. The four-man team of Kevin Berger, Wener Mucha, Mikhail Seitz and Uli SchmidMaybach topped the pile after a net score of 18 from their team handicap of 44. The foursome scored a gross 62 over the 18 holes and after their handicap deductions they were winners by five clear shots from the team of Lyall Cooper, Derek Sangster, Christopher Gregory and Alain Muraour. The second placed team came in with a net 23 after their gross 68. Third place went to the team of Chris Brown, Rabhi Sfeila, Colin Baxter and Rami Safadi as they posted a net 24. However, their gross score was the second best score of the day but due to their low handicap of 40 their net score was only 24. In fourth place was the team of Alan Mackenzie, Dr Winfried Vogler, Khalid Al Halyan and Sigrun Woessner-

Hellbig. They carded the same net score as the thirdplaced team but lost out on a podium finish after a card countback. Many Dubai-based playing professionals teed it up including Chris Vallender from the EGF, Alan MacKenzie of DCGYC, Chris Brown of The Els Club and Elliott Gray from Arabian Ranches and they were more than happy to help out the amateurs on the field and it was Dubai Creek’s Club Captain Francisco Giles who took home the prize for the Longest Drive. Prior to the golf was the ceremonial unveiling of the new limited edition Maybach Zeppelin. Its predecessor was one of the world’s most famous luxury cars to grace the roads in the 1930s. And now the automotive icon is poised to make a comeback, for this combination of timeless elegance and dynamic performance is to rise again in an edition limited to 100 units –the Maybach 57 Zeppelin and Maybach 62 Zeppelin. An exquisite gala dinner in the Raffles Dubai Hotel followed by the prize-giving ceremony and a cocktail reception in the China Moon Bar roundedup the multifaceted weekend perfectly.

RESULTS 1st place

Kevin Berger, Werner Mucha , Mikhail Seitz, Uli Schmid-Maybach

Team scores

Gross 62, Net 18.

2nd place

Lyall Cooper, Derek Sangster, Christopher Gregory, Alain Muraour

Team scores

Gross 68, Net 23

3rd place

Chris Brown, Rabhi Sfeila, Colin Baxter, Rami Safadi

Team scores

Gross 64, Net 24

www.wwgolf.biz

Fourth Jotun Paints Golf Day

THE fourth edition of the ever-popular Jotun Paints Corporate Challenge saw a sound win by the team of Steve Reid, Paul Brits, Steve Allchin and Alan Imrie with a net score of 61. Not far behind in second place with a net 62 were Bill Anderson, Abdul Ghani, Bjorn Wivestad and Stein Kjolberge. The tournament was played over a four

man Texas Scramble format with many special prizes on offer including the hole-in-one prize on the 17th which was a pallet of paint. At the presentation dinner afterwards Jotun, a paint manufacturing company from Norway, and the country manager Gunnar Eikebu offered their thanks and appreciation to Doha Golf Club and all participants.

Lutton and Shaw cruise to victory THE eighth Ramada Plaza Invitational Golf Tournament was attended by 84 friends, supporters and clients of the Ramada Plaza Doha and ended with a dinner and prize giving ceremony at the hotel in the evening for more than 150 guests. In Flight ‘A’ the first prize went to Clarke Lutton and Ian Shaw who scored an impressive net 62. Three shots further back was the pairing of Kwan Jong Park and Gordon Alexander while in third place with a net 67 was Kevin Ballinger and Robin Hawksworth. Flight ‘B’ saw Steve Ward and Mark Haddon take the title with a net 67 as they beat Ian Robson and Alan Jones by one shot. Third place went to Alan Crozier and Ian Proctor with a net 69. The Longest Drive prizes went to Chris Hughes and Garry Monksfield in Flights ‘A’ and ‘B’ respectively while Nearest the Pin prizes were awarded to Kwan Jong Park in Flight ‘A’ and Darren Clarke in Flight ‘B’.

Ramada Invitational Winners accept their prizes.

Participants at the Jotun Paints Golf Day.

Margaret Mackenzie (l) with winners Denise Gilks, Josephine Kojima and Tracy Arceneaux.

Arceneaux, Gilks and Kojima take the Ladies Scramble THE Ramada Plaza Hotel sponsored the Ladies Scramble at Doha Golf Club which saw 65 female members in the hunt for honours. Winning the top prize with their net score of 74 was Tracy Arceneaux, Denise Gilks and Josephine Kojima as they beat the team of Henny Muskee, Jose McDougall and Maria Sayers by two shots. They in turn beat the team of Gunilla Pearce, Mei Smith and Helga Smeenk after a countback. Lois Pigg crushed the Longest Drive of the day while Lat Krefting claimed the Nearest the Pin prize. Margaret MacKenzie attended the lunch which followed the tournament along with Ian Lille, Director of Sales and Mairi MacLeod, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, both of Ramada Plaza Hotel, to present the prizes to the winning ladies.

DOHA GOLF CLUB

ARABIAN GOLF

Weather almost halts inaugural Srixon Masters

l-r: Clarke Lutton, George Mitchell, Phil Whyte and Gary McGlinchey

STORMY weather and constant high winds almost put an end to the inaugural Srixon Masters as scoring proved tough for those that took part. The format for the event was two-man Texas Scramble over 18 holes and the pairing of George Mitchell and Phil Whyte prevailed in the tough conditions after a superb score of 71. In second place was the duo of Hisham Al Rashid and Fiasal Kazi who shot a 72 with Randy Holt and Adam Barber a shot further back in third place. As part of their prize, Mitchell and Whyte will now represent Team Srixon in the 2010 Doha Oilmen’s Golf Tournament. Over the next 12 months, Srixon will be hosting a series of events throughout the Middle East region. The next Srixon Event will be on Sunday the 21st of June at Doha Golf Club. LOCATION Close to West Bay Lagoon, 8km north of central Doha.

Oilmen’s Golf Tournament another huge success DOHA’s Oilmen’s Golf Tournament was once again a huge success as the non-profit making tournament, organised by a committee of volunteers, was held for the 12th consecutive year. The program aims to help young golfers develop their skills through clinics run by the Doha Oilmen’s Academy. The two-man Texas Scramble was won by the team of Phil Whyte and Hans Reiter with the lowest gross score of 69 as they pipped Bill Townsend and Chris McDonald to the prize by one stroke. In Flight ‘A’, Andrew Brown and Hans Dissevelt took first place with a net 67 while the ladies were treated to a separate competition on the 9-hole Academy Course which was won by Philippa Clancey and Jennifer Finnan.

CONTACT +974 483 2338 info@dohagolfclub.com INFO 18-hole 7,374-yard par72 Championship course accompanied by a floodlit 9-hole Academy Course with spectacular views of the West Bay Lagoon. Designed by Peter Harradine. RATES Championship Course 18 holes – 575DHS 9 holes – 390DHS

Oilmen’s Ladies Winners Philippa Clancey and Jennifer Finnan collect their prize.

Academy Course 18 holes – 280DHS 9 holes – 150DHS

Oilmen’s Mens Winners Phil Whyte (l) and Hans Reiter (r) are presented with their trophy.

www.wwgolf.biz

ARABIAN GOLF

T H E R OYA L G O L F C L U B R I F FA V I E W S

Daly is Fastest Golfer in Bahrain

May Events Other exciting new landmark events taking place at the Royal Golf Club in May include the Club’s first Night Golf tournament on Friday 1st May. The Members’only competition will mark the switching on of the floodlights on both the 18-hole Montgomerie championship course and on the 9-hole Wee Monty academy course. Regular Night Golf events and tournaments are planned throughout the summer months when golfers can take advantage of the more pleasant evening temperatures. On Monday 3rd May, a public holiday in Bahrain, the Club’s Members will host their first club match on home soil when they take on Members of the neighbouring Awali Golf Club.

Above: Winning team (l – r) Rob, Andrew and Richard Lane and Steve Newall with Ed Daly. Below: Ed Daly sprinting round the course.

KEEN athlete and golfer Ed Daly proved himself to be the fastest golfer in Bahrain after narrowly winning first place in a Speed Golf tournament at the Royal Golf Club. Daly’s Speed Golf score was 163.57 putting him just three seconds ahead of second placed Martin Robinson, a PGA teaching professional at the Club. The team relay section of the tournament was won by Steve Newall, Rob Lane and his two sons, Richard and Andrew with a total Speed Golf score of 161.47. The goal of Speed Golf is to shoot the lowest possible score in the shortest amount of time. A Speed Golf score is calculated by adding together a player’s golf score and the total time it takes them to complete 18 holes. “It was Ed’s idea to introduce

Speed Golf to Bahrain so it’s only fitting that he should win the title in our first ever tournament,” said Phil Jones, the Club’s Director of Golf. “Twenty-five golfers took part in the event and nearly BD1200 was raised in sponsorship money. “ Daly, who took place in the Flora London Marathon at the end of April as part of the St John Ambulance team, saw a Speed Golf event as a great way to raise additional sponsorship cash for the charity. 80% of the money raised was donated to the charity while another 10% went to the Club Captain’s chosen charity, the RIA Institute in Bahrain. The remaining 10% was presented to club member Des Prunty as the person coming closest to predicting the winning score of the tournament.

All the competitors flaked out!

PALM SPORTS RESORT AL AIN

Palm Sports crown first ever Club Champions FIFTY-three members from the Palm Sports Resorts competed in the club’s first ever Club Championship sponsored by Emirates Airlines and supported by Quartermile recently. The 36 hole individual stroke play tournament was held over two days with the players going out in reverse score order on day two. The Mens championship was wide open at the end of day one with three shots separating the top five players as Jeff Glasgow Snr led the way with a gross 75. He was level par after the opening nine but had two early bogeys on the back nine and a double bogey at the par-5, 15th. However, he recovered with a superb birdie on the long par-4 18th to give him an inward nine of 39. Second place after the opening day was Lyndon Chalmers who was one shot back after signing for a gross 76 while Dane Sandford, Jim Muirhead and Niall Warren were all in touch with the after recording gross 78s. The Ladies championship was not quite as close because of an impressive first round from Jenny Brown. Her total of gross 85 gave her a ten-stroke advantage over Ruth Langer while Anne Quintino was third. Day two saw the top three Men and Ladies being paired together in the day’s last two groups. Sandford could not improve on his first round score and posted a 78 for a 156 total while Muirhead returned an 81 for a 159 and Bong Lulu made a 165 total after an 86. Warren carded an 81 to finish tied with Muirhead on 159 and although he slipped out of the top three overall

gross places he comfortably took top honours in the net division. Overnight leader Glasgow returned an 81 for a 156 total which let in Chalmers who shot a superb second round 77 for a 153 gross total and the top prize. Second place was claimed by Sandford after he beat Glasgow in a countback. In the ladies section Brown was not to be caught and her total of 176 saw her win from Langer, who improved on her first round showing with a 93. Third place was claimed by Michelle Sandford as she nudged Quintino out of the medal positions and into fourth place. The final main prizes of the event were awarded to David Matear and Bong Lulu who respectively picked up second and third place behind Warren in the net division.

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AL GHAZAL GOLF CLUB ABU DHABI

Congratulations to

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Join before 31st May and

Save on Membership call 02 575 8040 and quote AGGC/SSM01 for further details. offer applies to half year Golf Membership fee. Join before 31st May 2009 and AGG will waive the standard joining fee of AED 1,000. Standard Terms and Conditions apply. Management reserves the right to reject applications.

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K ATA M E YA H E I G H T S G O L F & T E N N I S C L U B

ARABIAN GOLF

Sarson secures victory in the 2009 Egypt Yellow Pages Cairo Junior Open DAVID Sarson (Wishaw GC, England) and Oscar Venus (Jewkesburg Park GC, England) made the long journey to Cairo to once again compete in the Yellow Pages Cairo Junior Open. Both players played well over the two days but it was Sarson who secured the victory to become the 2009 Cairo Junior Open Champion. Sarson returned two very solid gross rounds 74 and 78 for a 152 total which saw him finish 14 shots clear of runner-up Ibrahim Wakid (KH). Third place went to Forbes Gauld (KH) with a 167 gross total. The overall net prize winners were David Flores (KH) with net rounds of 65 and 64 for a 129 total and the title of net champion while runner-up with net rounds of 76 and 67 for a 143 was Taymour Seif El Nasr (GEZ). Third place went to Sherif Rizk (GEZ) who carded a 151 total after net rounds of 79 and 72. The Under 15 Net division saw Omar Mahfouz win with a 142 total but it was a close call as he only claimed the top prize after a countback with Hassan Said (KH). The good scoring continued for the ‘Kids on the Green’ 9 hole Division which saw two age categories – Under 11 and Under 15 – all playing a modified Stableford points system.

Bill Kidd (Mir) was the champion golfer in the under 11 division with 45 points, beating both Timi Obatoyinbo (KH) and Ritvik Miglani (KH) on a countback into second and third place respectively. The under ‘Kids on the Green’ 15 hole Division winner was Thomas North (KH) with 43 points, four points ahead of runner-up Jana Cappetti (KH) while third place went to Harry Butterworth (KH) on 37 points. The ‘Kids on the Green’ 6 hole Division saw all the competitors playing strokeplay with three age categories, winning the 11 and 12 Year old category was Yehia Bishir (GEZ) with a gross 30. The 9 and 10 Year old category winner was Hussein Marzouk (GEZ) with a gross 25 which beat runner-up Omar Wakil (ALEX) by one shot. The under 8 category winner was Marwan Mady (ALEX) who posted a gross 34 for a four-shot win over runner-up Nasly Scarello (KH). Trevor Nadeau of Egypt Yellow Pages was pleased with how the event went. “Yellow Pages are looking forward to continuing there sponsorship of the Cairo Junior Open for the foreseeable future,” he said.

Team Scotland pips the USA to the 2009 Nations Cup title THE Scottish team of Gary Pyott, James Robertson and David Mair were crowned the 2009 Nations Cup Champions after a three-shot victory over the team from the USA. The Nations Cup saw 15 nations being represented and a total of 95 players participating and Day one was an eventful day for all players as the weather played havoc with the scoring. The best gross score was 80 from Troy Kunz of the USA but Team Scotland quietly went about their business and finished the day two strokes behind USA team of Kunz, Dan Helgeson and Charles Gordon. Better weather arrived on day two and it proved to be the catalyst for a titanic battle between the top two teams. The contest went down to the wire but it the Scots who proved to be too strong for their American counterparts and sealed the victory by three shots.

David Sarson – 2009 Cairo Junior Open Champion receiving trophy from Trevor Nadeau of Egypt Yellow Pages.

Mens Team prove too strong for the Juniors

A SELECT Katameya men’s team defeated the Katameya Junior team by 3 games to 1 to claim the title for the second successive year. In perfect conditions, the men’s team – led by Captain John Saenz – proved too strong for the juniors. After the match Saenz praised the spirit of the junior team and admitted he is already looking forward to next season’s match. He also thanked Yellow Pages for their commitment to junior golf at Katameya Heights. Junior team Captain, Forbes Gauld thanked all his team for their efforts, the PGA Professionals for the junior elite coaching sessions, and he promised a tighter game against the men next year. Academy Manager Steven Wilson thanked all of the players for their participation, and thanked the sponsors Yellow Pages for their continued sponsorship of the junior team matches, and junior golf at Katameya heights. www.wwgolf.biz

AL GHAZAL GOLF CLUB

MURRAY DUO COLLECT HILL MEDALS

Scurr and Kim crowned 2009 Super Sign Club Champions DESPITE gale force winds and rising sand the participants of the Al Ghazal Golf Club Super Sign Club Championships played through adversity to complete the 36 hole – two day event. The event was wide open after the first round with both defending Champions being left out in the cold and looking decidedly out of sorts. The Men’s half way leader was Rene Valencia on gross 79 with Kim and Perera lying in second place on 81 and Whiteside one behind them. . The Ladies Division’s first round leaders Anina Bester 80 and Lizette 81 were well ahead of defending Champion Scurr whose dismal performance left her six shots off the pace. The second day’s play was held in calmer weather and the course staff worked tirelessly to get the course back to good playing conditions which proved vital in the final outcome. Valencia was unable to maintain his lead and faltered in the challenge, while Kim – despite a messy last few holes – managed to sneak in to

the lead finally winning the 2009 Champions Trophy by two shots on 161 from second placed compatriot S.J. Hwang and third placed Richard Whiteside (165). Leading ladies Bester and Lizette stuttered in the opening stages which let in Scurr whose first nine score of 38 gave her momentum and she never lost sight of the finish line winning by a staggering nine shots on 164. Bester still managed to hold on to the second place by one shot from Lizette. Overall Best net went to Sharon Yang on 148 from Alena Low on 154, subsidiary prizes of Best net first and second days went to Chaya kinder and Eida Al Muhairby. The Men’s Overall Best Net went to newcomer Jan Friedmann on 146 while second place was claimed by Derek Sibson on 148 after a countback with Mike Guzon. Captains Will Low and Gill Sibson announced the winners with Mr. Sathick of Super Sign handing out the prizes.

THE Hill International April Monthly Medal was a family affair as both Sue and Will Murray collected their respective Divisional Medals. Sue took the Ladies Bronze Division with a very credible 75 from Lady Captain Gill Sibson by one shot who in turn took the runner-up spot from Yan Goodwill on a countback. The Ladies Silver Medal results were predictable with the current Lady Golfer of the Year points leader Anina Bester scoring the best net of 73 to take the Silver Medal by five points from Karen Mounib. Will Murray won the Men’s Division ‘3’ Bronze medal with a 72 from second placed Richard Wrigley on 79. Division ‘2’ had to be settled on a countback as Juma Mussa took the top honours from Colum Boyce. Division ‘1’ was a close affair with Mark Hayman taking the Gold Medal by one shot from second-placed Rene Valencia on 72. The Competition Standard Scratches for both the Men and Ladies was 72 and 73 respectively.

JEBEL ALI GOLF RESORT & SPA

BAM INTERNATIONAL TAKE TO THE RESORT COURSE BAM International celebrated another successful year with a Golf tournament at the Resort course. A lighthearted Texas Scramble event was won by the team of Charles Blincow, Eddie Bruce, Alan Hicks and Brad Mcevoy. They managed a superb net score of 62.8 shots beating John Hudson’s team into second by less than a shot. Nearest to the Pin prizes were won by Terry Taylor and Derek King while the Longest Driver awards were handed to Rob Hogan and Gordon Lewicki.

Winners Husam Al Hashimi (middle) and Kelly McGovern (right) with Andy Nightingale (left), Sales & Marketing Director of InterContinental Doha.

AL HAMRA GOLF CLUB

ARABIAN GOLF Constance and Pullan are crowned 2009 Al Hamra Club Champions

MPB GOLF CHALLENGE A STORMING SUCCESS THE recently held MPB Golf Challenge under the patronage of General Manager Giuseppe Campese supported by Golf House and organised by the Filipino Golfers in the Middle East (FIGME) was a tremendous success despite bad weather. A 15 minute interruption occurred due to a heavy downpour and fierce lightning but it did not dampen the spirits of the golfers whose aim was to enjoy the day and also assist in the charity drive for Eugene Alegre who is currently battling against leukaemia. Emerging victorious in the MPB Golf Challenge as Overall Champion was Ronald Francis Javier with 33 Stableford points playing of 28 on 7/8 HCP format. It was a tough battle as the top three players all totalled 33 points meaning the result was decided by a countback over the last nine holes. Nearest in contention was Rudy Laguna (33pts)

playing off 24 who emerged as the champion in Silver ‘C’ Division. Similarly, Chito Albay (19 hcp) garnered 33 points as well in the Gold ‘B’ Division, however his consistency in the fairways and greens was not enough to dislodge the Overall champion and had to settle for a divisional prize. The Platinum ‘A’ Division was topped by Randy Lanza with 27 points, closely followed by Arnel Pabitu of Golf House and Richard Mylrea of Nike golf with 26 and 22 points respectively. The Bronze or Ladies was won by Maripi Jalandoni with 27 points followed closely by Liezl Parry and Marlyn Radford with 25 points each with the former winning by countback of 14 points. The fourth Major Tournament is on 5th June 2009, The First Philippines’ Independence Day Golf Invitational – Celebrating the Filipino Spirit – Bayanihan and Kawanggawa.

Rogers sets new Ladies Course Record

JUNIOR’S EASTER FUN DAY TWENTY Eight juniors turned out at the Easter Fun Day held on Easter Saturday for activities including off-course games and competitions as well as on-course golf. Prizes were given out to all the respective winners which were donated by local business Chocolat who sponsored the day’s events.

IT was a day of low scoring in the Seawings sponsored 2009 Al Hamra Trophy as Vicki Rogers claimed first place with a sublime 43 points and in the process set a new ladies course record with a gross 75. Jeanette Moremon followed closely in second place with a great score of 42 points to beat Husam Al Sayed into third place on 40. The sponsor’s prizes of a flight on the Seawings float plane were won by Rogers and Al Sayed.

The 36 hole two-day Club Championship saw a strong field turn out to play for the chance to be crowned 2009 Club Champion. In the Mens division, a fine first round 79 laid the foundations for Ben Constance to claim the 2009 Mens Club Champion crown with an overall total of 165 gross. Two consistent rounds totaling 169 saw Steve Rayment take second place with David Moore finishing third after a countback on 175. The Mens net division was a close affair with the top three players being separated by two shots and it was Haridas Kondath – after a fantastic first round 66 – that took the top award with a total of 142. Pierre Lefebvre finished second on 143 after a strong comeback on day two while Brian Keenan took third place with total of 144. The Ladies Club Championship went down to the last putt on the 36th hole with Val Pullan holing out from 4 feet to beat Vicki Rogers by one and become the 2009 Ladies Club Champion. Over the 36 holes Pullan carded a total of 162 which was good enough to beat Rogers’ 163 total which included a superb 77 on the first day. The ladies net division was secured in emphatic style by Sharon Moore whose total of 145 saw her finish 11 shots ahead of her nearest rival Norma Williamson.

Williamson and Rogers take Monthly Medal Accolades CHRIS Williamson scored the day’s best gross during the April monthly Medal to secure the top prize. His 7-over-par 79 was good enough to win the gross prize while Alan Thorniley took the net prize with a 1-under 71 after a card play-off with Jonathon Upshall. In the ladies division, Vicki Rogers continued her good form by winning the gross prize with a score of 82. Sarah De Roose’s score of net 73 took the ladies net prize. www.wwgolf.biz

S O M A B AY

ARABIAN GOLF

Egypt’s first Kempinski hotel opens in Soma Bay THE Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay, Egypt’s first resort from renowned luxury hoteliers Kempinski Hotels, officially opened at the beginning of April with 325 deluxe guestrooms and suites, four restaurants, three bars, over 400 metres of private sandy beaches and a large variety of leisure facilities to meet the demanding expectations of today’s globe trotter. Located on the Soma Bay peninsula within a 45 minute drive from Hurghada International Airport with over 20 daily direct flight connections to Europe, the Moorish styled sea front resort complex is an unspoiled haven for scuba divers, water sport enthusiasts and sun seekers. Spectacular landscaping with waterfalls, lagoons, multi-level swimming pools and a lazy river lend an aqua-park feel to the seven hectare resort that boasts commanding views over the beautiful Soma Bay peninsula and its breathtaking views of the Red Sea. A Racquet Club is already in operation and

a luxuriously appointed Health Club and Spa will open in the coming months to compliment Soma Bay’s existing Leading Spa of the World and award-winning Gary Player designed championship golf course, which are accessible to all guests staying in Soma Bay. Luxuriously designed and furnished with a fusion of Oriental style and Western elegance, all guest rooms and suites are equipped with flat screen satellite TV, individually adjustable airconditioning, Internet access, as well as generously spaced marble-tiled bathrooms. Suites are spacious and sophisticated, and many offer connecting rooms to form extended suites of up to five bedrooms. More than 150 guest rooms are currently in operation at the hotel with the remainder due to be available from July. The restaurants and bars at the Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay offer a carefully selected variety of food and beverages with superior quality. The

main restaurant, “The View”, offers a large terrace overlooking the Red Sea, whilst live cooking stations and buffet selections combine the best in international and regional cuisine. The current culinary delights are rounded off with a Lobby bar and lounge, a beach bar, a pool bar and restaurant and a water-pipe (shisha) corner. Two à la carte restaurants are due to open shortly offering delicious and contemporary Italian and Asian cuisine. Special attention is given to young guests and families with the soft sloping fine sandy beach, warm water temperature, the baby pool and the kids club, which shape an unmatched leisure experience for children. A specially trained and dedicated animation team keeps children occupied under professional supervision to enable parents to relax. Specially designed kids menus in the restaurants and small sized bathrobes and slippers in guest rooms are just a few of the facilities available to help make children feel extra special. ■

The Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay has a wealth of activities, golden beeches and breathtaking views.

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MIDWEEK GOLF PROMOTION AED 350 per person incl. 10% discount on Food & Beverage and 10% discount on Merchandise products in the Pro Shop from Sunday to Thursday Visit www.adgolfclub.com to download the promotion voucher Valid until 31st of March 2009. Not applicable with any other promotion or public holidays. Must hold a valid UAE driving license or UAE residency visa.

www.troongolf.com Abu Dhabi Golf Club P.O. Box 51234 Abu Dhabi, UAE T: +971 2 558 8990 F: +971 2 558 5005 E: info@adgolfclub.com W: www.adgolfclub.com

ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB

ARABIAN GOLF

Crombie and Henderson are worthy winners CONTACT (02) 558 8990 INFO: The 27 hole championship course, managed by the worldrenowned Troon Golf, weaves through undulating terrain that features palms, ornamental trees and shrubs, as well as nine spectacular saltwater lakes. The experience provides a toughbut-fair challenge, with lush fairways, strategically placed bunkers and generous greens. Designed by Peter Harradine, planting had begun way back in 1992, accounting for the well-established look the Club presented even on the day of its inauguration. OFF PEAK RATES: National Course Non Member AED 325 EGF Member AED 260 WEEKEND RATES Non Member AED 390 EGF Member AED 320 Buggy Hire & Range Balls included in the above rates.

THE 2009 Ali & Sons Audi Club Championship was held last month with Alistair Crombie taking the men’s title and Sue Henderson claiming her second successive win in the ladies section. Crombie went into day two with a fourstroke lead after an opening 73 and continued his good form to complete his victory over Jonathan Sochart. Ricus Lehmkuhl finished in third place while S.J. Hwang – who was in second place at the

start of play – dropped out of the top three positions. In the men’s Division ‘A’ net category William Farrell took first place from Hany Abdelnour with Noburo Kamakura finishing third. In Division ‘B’ Anoop Snood completed a threeshot win over Askar Mussinov with Alain Bachelot taking third place. In the ladies section Henderson dominated proceedings with a 13-shot victory over Jean Wang. Henderson built up a healthy lead after

day one and saw out a comfortable victory with another round of superb golf. The consistent play of Muriel Gosselin saw her walk away with the ladies Silver Division after she completed a three-shot victory over Jennifer Henderson. Lady Captain Cathy Feron finished third, ten shots off the pace. In the ladies Bronze Division Naralya Wisely snuck away with a one-shot win over Joan McGuinness with Shari Corbin taking third place.

I N T E R C O N T I N E N TA L R I YA D H

Eshaq takes Air France Monthly Medal

All the day’s winners pose after play.

AMIR Eshaq scored a superb net 54 in blistering sunshine to take the Air France March Monthly Medal at InterContinental Riyadh Golf Club. The beautiful weather conditions in the early morning boosted the player’s enthusiasm as there were some superb scores posted throughout the day. Golf fanatic Eric Liquigan – a 3-handicapper, won Division ‘A’ (hdcp 0-6) after his net 56 in the 18-hole full handicap stroke play event beating Ben Torrefiel into the runner-up spot by five shots. In Division ‘B’ (hdcp 7-12) Angel Rodriguez took the top honours after a countback with Won Cheol Kim as both players returned a net 57.

Division ‘C’ (hdcp 13-18) saw Saudi Aboabat Riyadh take the title with a five-shot win over Shamshad Siddiqi. Riyadh returned a net 55 which was his best ever score in competitive golf. In the Ladies Division Ann Bjornstad took home the first prize with a net 57 as she beat Evelyn Jensen into second place by four shots. Baby Joseph, Assistant Golf Club Manager thanked the players, sponsors, Recreation Manager Mounir Melliti and the InterContinental management for their support to the event. He expressed his gratitude for Bassam Jallad, Air France Director of Sales, for his continued support to InterContinental Riyadh.

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SHARJAH GOLF & SHOOTING CLUB

ARABIAN GOLF YASSIN TAKES MARCH ORIENT TRAVEL MONTHLY MEDAL ON a blustery day of conditions Ramsey Yassin (6) returned a best net of 78, his round consisted of a very impressive 10 pars, his only real blemish was a treble bogey 7 at the tough par 4 9th where he put his 3rd shot in the water. Bill Buchanan (5) who is ever present in SGSC competitions came second on countback with a net 79. Buchanan had a mixed bag for his round which consisted largely of birdies, bogeys and double bogeys. New SGSC member Lookmanji Fidahusain (13) won the best gross with a 92 after the two low handicappers in the field took the net prizes. This was Fidahusain’s first Medal competition for over two years and his win was all the more impressive given he’d onl just picked up a golf club three weeks prior to the event.

YASSIN CONTINUES PROGRESS IN ORIENT MEDAL LEBANESE golfer Ramsey Yassin finally returned a score that reflects his talent for the game in the April edition of the Orient Travel Monthly Medal at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club. Turning at a 4-over-par 40 and with the north-easterly winds rapidly increasing the 6-handicapper looked to be labouring towards an average score. However, form and fortune changed on the back nine as the former Lebanese National Golf Team member recorded two birdies and seven pars for a gross 74 (net 68) which are record lows in both the net and gross divisions over the event’s 11 month history. Also finishing in the prizes were Ahmed Mustafa (14) and gross winner George Lui (6) who returned scores of 69 and 78 respectively. Mustafa’s total would have won any other medal to date had it not been for the earlier heroics from Yassin. Frenchman Robert Craquelin (16) dropped his head into his hands when he realised he had submitted a 15 handicap on his scorecard when in actual fact his handicap had recently climbed to 15.5 (16). The error did not result in disqualification but he did forfeit what would have been a second place finish.

MUSTAFA TAKES INAUGURAL CORAL BEACH TITLE AHMED Mustafa won the first Midweek Madness golf event at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club sponsored by the Coral Beach Resort Sharjah (CBRS) after a tremendous haul of 21 Stableford points over nine holes. The 14-handicapper made steady work of the Harradine designed layout avoiding all the water hazards and retaining the same ball on his way to four pars and five bogeys. Mustafa won a AED 400 voucher for the SGSC Pro shop as well as a fondue dinner for two at the CBRS. CBRS General Manager Jean Pierre Simon, himself a talented golfer, said: “We are delighted to help support these extremely popular midweek events. They have a unique and pleasant feel under the floodlights and are always played in the best of spirits. Also, what better way for a golfer’s wife to be happy about letting her husband play golf than to know he might be taking her out for dinner as a result!” Also in the prizes were Pieter Botha (11) who accumulated 19 Stableford points when in fact a calculation error meant he had actually returned 20 points. This correction give Botha a one-point winning margin over third placed Babu Varsani (26).

FOUR WINNERS AT BMW SOCIAL THE April edition of the BMW Members and Guest Social featured play of two different formats over the inward and outward nines. The first nine holes was a two-man Texas Scramble which was won by Bill Buchanan (5) and Robert Craquelin (16). The pair received 5% of the difference of their handicaps and stormed round the opening half in gross 33 – net 31.05. This included six pars and birdies on holes 5, 6 and 9. The back nine competition was a Better Ball Medal which was won by Lookmanji Fidahusain (13) and guest Mr. Humaid (22). As the wind lifted the Indians negotiated the back nine in 1-under, shooting a net 35 with birdies recorded at holes 14 and 15. Lookmanji Fidahusain (13) was also in the prizes after winning the Longest Drive at the long 7th hole. The Nearest the Pin prize at the 17th was won by avid golfer Peter Gutteridge (15) who hit his shot to within 10 feet and thanked his coach Tom Hartley for his recently improved iron play.

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LOCKER ROOM DELETE RAIMENTS BELT

DESIGNED by former European Tour caddie Maximilian Zechman this Delete Raiments stylish spinning belt not only looks great, it also aids on-course stress relief. Let its spinning mechanism capture your thoughts and allow yourself to focus on the game. www.delete-raiments.com

NIKE GOLF GLOVES WE know all about Nike Golfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clubs and apparel but they also make a great range of gloves to suit every condition. All made from the finest cabretta leather they offer wonderful feel, grip and breathability. The Dry-Fit range is perfect for hot weather conditions, with excellent moisture wicking fabric technology that absorbs all of the sweat that builds up throughout your round. The Elite Feel range gloves are made with super-soft leather which has

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gone through a tanning process to increase suppleness and feel. The Tech Extreme range incorporates strategically-placed Lycra spandex to allow for a greater range of motion in the fingers. Nike Golf also produce a great Tech Jnr glove, specially designed for kids with extra supple leather and excellent feel and durability. www.nike.com/nikegolf

COOL STUFF

PATHFINDER THE Path Finder by Esoteric Golf, as used by Worldwide Golf Columnist Ross Fisher, is a revolutionary putting aid which helps implement a number of improvements in the art of the putting stroke. Using the Path Finder helps you strike the ball cleanly and accurately because of the unique system of pins which form a changeable ‘gate’ for the putter to pass through. A mirror in the base plate verifies your eye position in line with the ball while the magnetic nature of the pins allows them to be repositioned to close the gap between the putter and the pins as your putting stroke improves. www.esotericgolf.com

JOG THIS fantastic new add-on for the Nintendo Wii and PS2 enables you to control on screen movement by running on the spot! Not only is it brilliant fun, it also means that you can keep fit while playing your favourite games. In the basic mode of operation, the user plays their game in the normal way but with one significant difference – JOG detects when the player takes a step and only allows movement in the game while the player is jogging on the spot. Direction and all the other functions are still controlled by the standard game pad. This nifty little gadget requires no changes to any game console or software to use. Players just plug in and off they go.

ASPINAL OF LONDON MEN’S HANGING WASH BAG THIS distinctively masculine Aspinal Men’s Hanging Wash Bag is both practical and stylish. Handmade in smooth black or brown calf leather it is hardwearing, splash-proof and water resistant as well as beautiful. Inside, every pocket is lined in a durable, water resistant fabric for ease of cleaning. When closed the wash bag is compact in style with a ¾ length carry handle on the back and the front is easily secured with two magnetic snap closures. All of the zips are quality Swiss made and there is even a handy leather-bound mirror that has a snap closure allowing it to be attached to the bag for use whilst shaving. www.aspinaloflondon.com

N I W CHAMP ACCESSORIES CHAMP, the world leader in cleat technology, offer a great range of golfing accessories and Worldwide Golf is giving you the chance to win some of them. The Singer Spike is the No.1 on Tour, providing wonderful traction and comfort, whilst being incredibly easy to change and clean. They’re also impressively durable while an innovative ‘wear indicator’ tells you when its time for a change. These shoe trees are made from solid cedarwood, which absorbs moisture and odour, whilst keeping your shoes in great shape and condition. The Flip Fix Divot tool features a hinge, which opens and closes the tool, allowing it to extend in length. A cover protects the prongs while it’s in your pocket and there’s also a handy magnetic ball marker attached. www.champspikes.com

To win this set of accessories answer the following question: Who won last month’s Masters Tournament?

TO ENTER VISIT: www.wwgolf.biz and click “Competitions”

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D R I V E R - F A I R W AY- H Y B R I D - I R O N S - W E D G E S - P U T T E R - B A L L

INTHE

PETER HOLLAND TEACHING PROFESSIONAL AT THE BUTCH HARMON ACADEMY, DUBAI SPORTS CITY Driver:

Titleist D2 909 – 9.5 – X Stiff Graphite Fairway Wood: Titleist F2 909 - X Stiff Graphite Irons: Titleist AP2 – Project X 6.5 Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 52 and 58 Putter: Titleist by Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport

Q&A: Q. When did you start playing golf and where? A. During a cold wet and windy morning in Herfordshire, England, at 9 years of age. The golf course was The Panshanger Golf Complex in Old Herns Lane, Welwyn Garden City. I remember my borrowed clubs being far too long and heavy. The clubs were also old fashioned blades which sent vibrations through my hands when any shot was attempted! I still get these vibrations now….. Q. How long have you been in Dubai? A. I first visited Dubai when I was 16 years old and played golf at Dubai Creek for 10 days. The atmosphere was wonderful and exciting. I knew Dubai would be a place for me to live. When I turned 19 I packed my bags, left home and moved over. I Spent six wonderful years with a few ups and downs but overall a very special time for me. In 2006 I moved to Portugal and then Italy. I moved back to Dubai in March, 2009, a little older and wiser. Q. What’s your favourite memory of your time spent in Dubai? A. I have had many, some I will tell and others probably not! From a golf standpoint, playing competitive golf with fellow amateurs and professionals in Order of Merit events, the Dubai Golf Trophy. I love the competition and if playing well I really take in the entire atmosphere. The opportunity to work with many different nationalities under one roof. Dubai is one of those unique places. Meeting top sports personalities while playing and coaching happens regularly here. The social seen is always entertaining, and people who know me are usually entertained when I’m being social. Q. What was your first set of clubs? A. Wilson Patty Berg Q. Who is your golfing hero and why? A. Nick Faldo – for two reasons. We are both from Hertfordshire and his display in the final round of The Masters in 1996 highlighted his great determination. After learning more about Arnold Palmer in recent years he, too, is right there. In recent years, obviously, Tiger for raising the bar in professional golf. Q. If you were head of the R&A, what rule would you change? A. Interesting question: To achieve an official handicap you must pass a basic etiquette and rules test. www.wwgolf.biz

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