Worldwide Golf Magazine Summer issue by Worldwide Golf

M I D D L E E A S T â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S N U M B E R O N E G O L F M A G A Z I N E . E S T. 1 9 9 9

Worldwide

Official Media Partner to the European Tour in the Middle East

SUMMER 2014 ISSUE 161

PLUS JUSTIN ROSE SHANE WARNE

Major Roars

As Tiger fades has McIlroy now become the biggest name in the game?

TEST

Latest tour performance balls reviewed viewed

ARABIAN GOLF NEWS FROM THE MIDDLE EASTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEADING CLUBS

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GOLF STYLE From the latest in cars, watches and fashion, to celebrities on the course

ISBN 978-9948-15-427-3

INTRODUCTION Worldwide Golf Executive Editor Since 1999

The 9-time Major Champion and 9-time Senior Major Champion p who has witnessed and been a part of some of the most historic a and memorable go golfing occasions refl reflects on the game toda today

Player Gary

Three down and one to go for Rory

N the June edition of Worldwide Golf Magazine I predicted that Rory McIlroy would be the next player to achieve the Grand Slam of all four Majors. I made the point that it would be a two-horse race between Rory and Phil Mickelson and that if I had to choose between them I’d pick Rory to be first past the post. Well, Rory has now added the oldest Major of them all, The Open Championship, to his 2011 US Open Championship and his 2012 US PGA Championship, to become only the third golfer to win three Majors before their 26th birthday. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods achieved the feat and now Rory just needs to add the Masters Tournament to complete the set and join the illustrious group who’ve won all four Grand Slams. It wasn’t just the fact that Rory won The Open at Royal Liverpool from start to finish, it was the manner in which he managed himself to win it. He got off to a flier with an opening round 66 to take the lead, followed with another 66 to extend his lead and scored a third round 68 to take a six-strokes advantage into the final day. He let his lead slip midway down the home stretch but he regrouped and steadied his game with a timely birdie to cruise to a comfortable two-strokes victory over Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler. It was the mark of a seasoned professional who has matured to become one of the best in the world. When Rory had to come from seven shots off the pace on the final day to win the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May I was always confident that he would still win – and he did. When his lead started to dwindle at Hoylake I still believed he would win – and he did. I’d questioned Rory’s preparation for playing Major championships when he used to take a break from the game the week before the tournament. I made the point that you’ve got to practice and play

2 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

Rory McIlroy joins Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus in becoming the third player in history to win three Majors before their 26th birthday. competitively going into a Major to produce your best game. He got it right prior to winning the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in 2012 by eight shots and he got it right again by playing the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen the week before The Open at Royal Liverpool. I’ve said it many times that the young Irishman has got the most beautiful swing in golf. He showed at Hoylake that he’s steadily learning how to win

tournaments and how to win Majors. I’ve admired his swing since I ﬁrst saw him play. It’s perfect. He’s a very likeable personality. He’s got great humility and great strength of character – and his mother and father make sure his feet stay on the ground. I believe his talent will make him the most dominating force in the game in the years to come. I can’t wait to see what happens at the forthcoming US PGA Championship next month. Q

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CONTENTS 32

Here are some numbers from what was a fantastic week of golf at Hoylake.

In Numbers

1 2 3 3 4

McIlory moves to second in the World Golf Rankings, just behind Adam Scott

After tying for second, Rickie .W_TMZ PI[ VW_ Ă&#x2026;VQ[PML QV \PM \WXĚ&#x2020;Ă&#x2026;^M WN ITT \PM \PZMM 5IRWZ[ so far this year

This win is McIlroyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third Major title of his career, adding to his victory at the 2011 US Open and the 2012 US PGA Championship

Sergio Garciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second place Ă&#x2026;VQ[P I\ :WaIT 4Q^MZXWWT _I[ \PM fourth time the Spaniard has Ă&#x2026;VQ[PML Z]VVMZĚ&#x2020;]X I\ I 5IRWZ championship in his career

4 6 8 9

Marc Leishman, Shane Lowry, Jim Furyk and Chris Wood all carded ZW]VL[ WN Ě&#x2020;]VLMZ WV \PM Ă&#x2026;VIT LIa of The Open

The number of shots McIlroy TML Ja OWQVO QV\W \PM Ă&#x2026;VIT ZW]VL

The margin of victory at Roryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last Major title, the 2012 US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island

With the win, McIlroy now joins nine golfers who have completed three legs of the Modern Day Grand Slam. He now needs the Masters to complete the set and join the esteemed company of Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Tiger Woods

16 17 23 23

McIlroyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s under-par winning score after KIZLQVO I Ă&#x2026;VIT ZW]VL of 71

Rickie Fowler holed the most birdies during Open week

The position that defending champion Phil Mickelson Ă&#x2026;VQ[PML QV I\ this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open Championship

McIlroyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triumph at The Open was the 13th professional victory of his career

19 25

JUSTINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JOURNEY Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how many Majors Tiger Woodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; winless drought has stretched to

At 25-years-of-age, McIlroy becomes the third youngest player to have just one title left to complete a Career Grand Slam. Jack Nicklaus was 23 when he reached the third leg of a Career Grand Slam while Tiger was 24

At 44, Jim Furyk was the highest placed golfer in his forties, Ă&#x2026;VQ[PQVO \PM \W]ZVIUMV\ QV fourth place. The previous three Open Championship winners have been in their forties Darren Clarke, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.

We take a look at some of the key numbers from this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open Championship.

FEATURES 29 Martin Kaymer

The 2014 US Open Champion and Players Championship winner talks about Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup triumph and the connection between football and golf in Germany.

40 Battle of the Balls

Craig Vance tests the Tour Level balls with the driver, 6-iron and wedge. The results speak for themselves.

62 Dean Cheesley

WWG catches up with Dean Cheesley CEO & Founder of eGolf Outlet.

66 Get on plane with Les Coe

Find out how a non-golfer developed and launched a swing aid that has been embraced by top coaches and players around the world.

Hussain Sajwani

WWG talks to Hussain Sajwani, the founder, Executive Chaiman and CEO of Damac Properties about the progress of the Akoya by Damac project and the growth of Dubai.

74 R&A Rules School comes to Dubai

With the R&A Rules School set to visit Dubai in November, YG VCNM VQ VJTGG VQR 7#' DCUGF 4WNGU QHĆ&#x2019;EKCNU QP YJ[ KVĹ¨U good to know the Rules.

INSTRUCTION 58 Perfect your takeaway

By Mathew Parker, Senior Teaching Professional PGA, European Tour Performance Institute.

60 Chipping â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the basics

By Alastair Brown, PGA Professional, Emirates Golf Club.

8 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

JUSTIN ROSE has come a long way from the fresh-faced, spindly-framed 17-yearold in the ďŹ&#x201A;oppy red jumper who dazzled the crowds at Royal Birkdale in 1998. Back then, following his stunning chip-in on the 18th to secure fourth place in The Open Championship, while still an amateur, he was touted as the Great White Hope of European Golf. It was a label that, not surprisingly, weighed heavily on the young starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoulders as he missed the cut in his ďŹ rst 21 tournaments as a professional. But now, at 33, the World No. 3 has blossomed into the player we all thought heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d become. Starring roles in Ryder Cups, Major championship victories, and now, after wins at the Quicken Loans National on the US PGA Tour and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open on The European Tour, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s added back-to-back victories for the ďŹ rst time in his career.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m deďŹ nitely more experienced these days and I think that begins to swing the pendulum in your favour and experience plays a huge part in being able to capitalise upon your best golf,â&#x20AC;? says Rose.

The Northern Irishman becomes only the 16th golfer in history to win three out of the four Major championships

The Open in Numbers

Justin Rose <<

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Rory McIlroy won the 143nd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool after dominating the field from start to finish. The man from Northern Ireland won the third Major title of his career as he edged out Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia by two shots.

With the win Rory McIlroy goes from NW]Z\P \W Ă&#x2026;Z[\ in the European Tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Race to Dubai rankings

Over 100 destinations worldwide

1980

1981 - Dad Ken puts a putter in his one-year sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand for the ďŹ rst time, kick-starting a lifelong obsession with golf.

ROSE IN FULL BLOOM

1985 - The family moves back to Hampshire in England where Justin begins spending hours perfecting his skills at Hartley Wintey Golf Club. 1980 - Justin Peter Rose is born on July 30, in Johannesburg, South Africa, to English parents Annie and Ken.

1990

1991 - Justin breaks 70 for the ďŹ rst time.

1997 1994 - Gets down to a plus 1 handicap. 1995 - Wins the prestigious English Boys Stroke Play Championship. 1996 - Leaves Robert Mayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School in Odiham with eight GCSE exam qualiďŹ cations.

At 17 Justin becomes the youngest Walker Cup player ever as Great Britain and Ireland lose to a dominant USA team at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale N.Y.

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32 | W ld id G lf

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Justin Rose

WWG charts the epic rise of Justin Rose from humble beginnings to 2013 US Open Champion.

57 Henrik Stenson

6JG TGKIPKPI 4CEG VQ &WDCK EJCORKQP DGEQOGU 1HĆ&#x2019;EKCN Ambassador for Jumeirah Golf Estates.

REGULARS 14 The Starter News on a bit of this, a bit of that, and a bit of the other!

25 Tour News Reviews of recent European Tour and US PGA Tour events.

28 DP World Tour Championship News All the latest news from the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest golf tournament plus the Lukiest Ball competition.

50 Worldwide Golf Columnists David Howell, Greg Norman, Gary Player and Pete Cowen shoot the breeze on The Open and whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening in golf.

79 Arabian Golf Recent reports of events around the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golf clubs.

STYLE 98 Shane Warne The legendary Aussie leg-spinner talks us through his love of the game of golf.

100 Driving Range WWG gets behind the wheel of a Volvo V40.

102 Tee Times A watch is more than just a timepiece, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a statement.

104 The Look

Hackett London presents its premium Spring/Summer 2014 Collection.

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Worldwide Golf

Fairwell Freaky Friday?

FTER Rory burst out of the starting blocks on the first round of The 143rd Open Championship I was half expecting him to fall back through the field on Friday as, statistically, it’s a notoriously bad day for the 25 year old. The Freaky Friday poor scoring that seems to have plagued Rory, appears to have been resolved as if it were a nervous pattern, a Major would have magnified the issue. Rory has always showed the golfing world that he’s got the talent to rival Tiger. He’s longer off the tee, hits towering iron shots and has a rock solid short game. Until Hoylake the main difference between the two was mental strength and experience. However, the gap in that area is narrowing due to the fact that Rory and J.P. on the bag know what is needed to get the job done. Unlike

Jean Van De Velde’s self destruction in 1999 at Carnoustie, Rory knew there was no need to get the driver out down the last. I’m sure he would have enjoyed smashing a driver and setting up another eagle to finish off his round in style but an iron was a safe play and ruled out any card-wrecking possibility. It doesn’t matter if you win any Major or tournament by 17 shots or just one, a win is a win and the first prize cheque doesn’t get any bigger. With the US PGA Championship just round the corner Rory will be looking to knock Adam Scott off the number one spot on the Official World Ranking and reclaim his crown but it will be interesting to see Tiger with a few more tournaments under his belt. I believe he’s still the major force in the game. Some players say that his presence on a leaderboard

doesn’t intimidate them anymore but I’m sure it’s still the number one name they wouldn’t want to see up there on a Sunday afternoon. As the world goes Rory crazy we can’t forget the form of Justin Rose. He didn’t get the luck of the draw at The Open but his win at the Scottish Open was out of the top draw. In this issue we look at Justin’s career as it’s not always been a bed of roses.

BALL TEST We’ve also been busy again with the TrackMan system, testing the latest high-end balls. In a ideal world we would use an Iron Byron machine on a range with zero wind but our test was geared up to take into consideration the human factor, such as feel and workability. These elements, paired with the statistical data from the TrackMan, enabled us

ISSUE No. 161, SUMMER, 2014 Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd +44 1663 719926

Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore Executive Editor: Gary Player Editor: Alex Gallemore Publisher: Mike Gallemore

Editors: Todd Staszko, James Reeves, Tabitha Florence

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

General Manager Dubai: Richard Bevan rick@wspglobal.com

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

10 | WorldwideGolf - /Ñ j¿ 2014

Design Manager: Sarah B. Mahmood

Head of Sales: Chris Haill chris@wspdubai.com Editorial Executive: Greg Smyth greg@wspdubai.com Printed by: Raidy, Dubai

to give an overall view of how each ball performed with a driver, 6 -iron and wedge. Playing golf in the Middle East means we need balls that deliver great distance and spin with the short irons to hold on those slick greens. In the past you could get either one or the other, but now the leading manufacturers have given us the best of both worlds. In next month’s issue we will also be getting to grips with the latest Ping G30 driver and seeing if the radical crown design delivers even greater clubhead speed.

Alex Gallemore Editor

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Average Qualified Circulation 14,700

Worldwide Golf specifies that post-press changes may occur to any information given in this publication and takes no responsibility for goods or services advertised.

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Fancy a round of golf with world number one Adam Scott? We take a look at his luxury villa fronting Saadiyat Beach Golf Course, for sale through Andrew Covill of boutique property agents Henry Wiltshire.

positions on the golf course. It is finished with a palette of fine materials including natural stone floors, marble and mosaic bathrooms and kitchens featuring Gaggenau appliances, timber doors and granite worktops. The home is wired for sound and finished down to light fittings, ceiling fans, and even a buzzer system to summon staff.

Due to Adam's schedule on the US and Australian PGA circuits he will not be able to enjoy this magnificent home as once planned. The buyer of his house will however be able to enjoy eighteen holes with Adam, following the sale formalities. The location of the round is open for discussion, whether at Saadiyat Island or elsewhere in the world...

On the ground floor there are three living areas, indoor and outdoor dining, office, family kitchen, gym and guest suite. There are also ample back of house areas including service kitchen, two maid’s rooms, laundry and driver’s room. A choice of two staircases or an elevator will take you upstairs which has another family living area and pantry, three bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and walk in wardrobes and also a nanny’s bedroom. The master bedroom suite benefits from sweeping views over the lake and fairways of the eleventh and fifteenth holes. This stunning bedroom suite is comprised of separate sleeping and sitting areas, walk in wardrobes and a large, luxurious bathroom as well as private terrace.

The property spans over 12,000 sq ft, is fully landscaped with a private pool and is situated on one of the most sought after

The villa is located adjacent to the community facilities comprising large pool and children’s pool, gymnasium and

squash and tennis courts. It is also within a short walk of the golf clubhouse and a few minutes’ drive of the Monte Carlo Beach Club, St Regis and Park Hyatt hotels and the new shopping and dining arcade at ‘The Collection’. Cranleigh, the renowned English independent school, and the New York University are opening shortly with the first Louvre museum outside of Paris following next year. The villa is priced at AED 24,950,000. Appointments to view can be made directly with Andrew Covill. Henry Wiltshire provide property sales and leasing services in Abu Dhabi with a dedicated and experienced team. They also offer investment opportunities in London with full support and consultancy provided by the local office in association with their London offices.

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the

:FLIJ< VICIOUS VALHALLA

ALHALLA, the vast hall from Norse mythology, where it is said that the souls of Vikings feasted and celebrated with the gods, is also the namesake for the venue of this year’s US PGA Championship where the strongest field of warriors so far this season will battle for the last taste of Major success until next April. The sumptuous Valhalla Golf Club on the outskirts of Louisville, Kentucky, has previously held the tournament twice before, in 1996 and 2000, and also hosted The 2008 Ryder Cup when the US finally ended a streak of three successive defeats to Team Europe with a crushing 16½ -11½ win. It seems that an American victory is par for the course at Valhalla. In 1996 Mark Brooks downed Kenny Perry to win his one and only Major and four years later the dominant Tiger Woods needed all his brilliance to win a three-hole aggregate play-off with Bob May. The course has also hosted the Senior PGA Championship twice in 2004 and 2011 with greats of the game Hale Irwin and Tom Watson triumphing, respectively. Can another American win again on this famous turf to keep the run going? The course, which is designed by American idol Jack Nicklaus, opened in 1986 and is considered a true risk-reward style golf course that is sure to be a real test of character for all the world’s best golfers.

14 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

JK8IK<I

RORY TO REPRESENT IRELAND IN RIO WITH golf set to make a much anticipated comeback at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio for the ﬁrst time since 1904, Rory McIlroy has announced that he’ll be wearing Irish colours at the Games. The 25-year-old was eligible to play for Ireland or Great Britain and had previously shied away from making a decision, stating that he didn’t want to oﬀend anyone.

MONTGOMERIE COLLECTS HIS SECOND SENIOR MAJOR Colin Montgomerie is putting the pain of all those near misses at the Majors behind him in double quick fashion after he collected a second Senior Major this season at the US Senior Open. The Scot added to the Senior US PGA title he picked up in May with a play-oﬀ victory over Gene Sauers in July. "I've been close in these USGA championships a couple of times," he said. "I've lost in a play-oﬀ and been one shot behind a couple of times,

and I had to wait untill I turned 50 to ﬁnally win one." "You have to play intelligent golf, and I think I've matured enough to realise that and play more within myself sometimes, including today – to play away from some pins so you don't make bogies, and you realise that in Major golf, pars are usually good enough."

ROYAL PORTRUSH TO HOST THE 2019 OPEN ROYAL PORTRUSH has been confirmed as a venue for The Open Championship, ensuring that the event will be played in Northern Ireland for the first time since 1951. Although the next available year is 2019, the exact date of when it will be held has not yet been confirmed. Since The Open Championship began in 1860, it has been held outside of Scotland or England just once when Max Faulkner won the Claret Jug in 1951 at Royal Portrush.

WIE CELEBRATES HER MAIDEN MAJOR WIN AFTER winning her ﬁrst Major title with a two-shot victory over Stacy Lewis at the US Open in Pinehurst, Michelle Wie posted pictures and videos of herself on social media celebrating the win with a group of friends by 'twerking' and drinking alcohol from her trophy. Many of the original posts were later deleted from Instagram and Twitter but not before they were widely shared on the web. The 24-year-old Wie was the only player who ﬁnished the tournament under par, ending with a fourround total of 278.

WGC MATCH PLAY MOVES TO SAN FRANCISCO

STENSON NOMINATES McILROY AND JIMÉNEZ TO TAKE THE ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE

THE WGC-World Match Play Championship will have a new home next year – and a new date – as the prestigious tournament moves to Harding Park in San Francisco and to the week before The Players Championship in May. The venue is already conﬁrmed to stage the 2020 US PGA Championship and the 2025 Presidents Cup.

THE 2013 Race to Dubai Champion, Henrik Stenson, posted a video on his Facebook page of him dumping an ice-cold bucket of water over himself. “That’s dead cold, but not cold enough for the ice-man,” said Stenson through clenched teeth after dousing himself with freezing cold water. The Swede then went on to nominate Rory McIlroy and Miguel Angel Jiménez for the Ice Bucket Challenge, a social media stunt that has gone viral across the globe.

RUNNING THE RULE By Stuart McMurdo, Golf Operations Manager, Jebel Ali Golf Resort Mahan and Donaldson forget to check their balls and pay the penalty CONDITIONS at the 119th US Open Championship at Pinehurst were treacherously difficult. The last thing a player would want to do is incur a penalty for accidently playing his partner’s ball. But that’s exactly what Hunter Mahan and Jamie Donaldson did during the second round of the championship. Both playing with Titleist ProV1x balls, the pair were handed two-shot penalties for hitting each other’s balls on the 18th (their ninth) fairway. They realised their mistake once they reached the green and rightfully went back to the spot where they hit their original approach shots to take a penalty drop. It could have been worse. Had Donaldson and Mahan played out the hole and teed off at the next, both would have been disqualified from the tournament.

Rule 15-3 states: If a competitor makes a stroke or strokes at a wrong ball, he incurs a penalty of two strokes. The competitor must correct his mistake by playing the correct ball or by proceeding under the Rules. If he fails to correct his mistake before making a stroke on the next teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the round, fails to declare his intention to correct his mistake before leaving the putting green, he is disqualiﬁed. Strokes made by a competitor with a wrong ball do not count in his score. If the wrong ball belongs to another competitor, its owner must place a ball on the spot from which the wrong ball was ﬁrst played.

Right: Hunter Mahan and his caddie lament the error.

16 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

JK8IK<I This Month in History August 2 – 5, 2007: THE 2007 Women’s Open Championship was historic because it was the first-ever women’s professional event to be held at the historic Old Course at St Andrews. Mexican Lorena Ochoa led wire-to-wire to win the first of her two Major championships, finishing four strokes ahead of Maria Hjorth and Jee Young Lee.

August 12, 1912: REGARDED as a legend of the game, Ben Hogan was born on August 12, 1912, in Stephenville, Texas. He is one of only five men to have won all four modern Major titles and is renowned for his lasting impact on the theory of the golf swing.

August 27, 1957: BERNHARD LANGER was born on August 27, 1957, in Anhausen, Germany. He has enjoyed one of the most glittering careers in European Tour history, winning 42 titles including two Major Championships. Langer has carried on where he left off on the Regular Tour in dominating the Senior circuit since turning 50, winning three Senior Major championships.

HOW KAYMER DOMINATED PINEHURST MARTIN KAYMER'S commanding win at the US Open at Pinehurst No.2 was the kind of performance dreams are made of. Barely a mistake all week, the German was in imperious form as he clinched a second Major title by eight shots. Let's have a look at some of his key stats from his week in North Carolina:

Driving Distance (yds): 305 Field ave: 284.5 Fairways Hit: 43 of 56 (77%) Field ave: 70% Greens Hit: 45 of 72 (63%) Field ave: 56.5% Sand Saves: 4 of 5 (80%) Field ave: 43.34% Total putts: 110 Putts per GIR: 1.53

Clubhouse Quickies STANDING W^MZ PQ[ [MKWVL [PW\ WV \PM XIZ̉Å^M [M^MV\P 0IZZa KWV[]T\ML PQ[ XTIaQVO XIZ\VMZ :WJ IJW]\ PQ[ VM`\ [PW\ ¹1¼U ZMILa \W OW NWZ \PM OZMMV QV \_W º [IQL 0IZZa ¹*]\ \PMZM¼[ [\QTT I OZW]X ÅVQ[PQVO ]X WV \PM OZMMV ?PI\ LW aW] \PQVS 1 [PW]TL LW'º ¹?MTT aW] PI^M \_W WX\QWV[ º ZMXTQML :WJ ¹AW] KIV MQ\PMZ OW IPMIL IVL [PIVS Q\ ZQOP\ VW_ WZ _IQ\ NWZ \PM OZMMV \W KTMIZ IVL \WX \PM JITT PITN̉_Ia ]X \PMZM º

A /74.-: _I[ NML̉]X _Q\P PQ[ XWWZ XTIa WV \PM KW]Z[M [W PM [\IZ\ML JTIUQVO PQ[ UQ[\ISM[ WV PQ[ KILLQM )[ \PMa _ITSML LW_V \PM \P PM ZW]VLML WV PQ[ KILLQM IVL [IQL ¹AW] SVW_ aW] PI^M OW\ \W JM \PM _WZ[\ KILLQM QV \PM _WZTL º <W _PQKP \PM KILLQM ÅZML JIKS ¹1 LWV¼\ \PQVS [W [QZ <PI\ _W]TL JM \WW U]KP WN I KWQVKQLMVKM

“I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone’s golf game: It’s called an eraser” – Arnold Palmer “The more I practice, the luckier I get” – Gary Player “Don’t play too much golf. Two rounds a day are plenty” – Harry Vardon “If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they’d starve to death” – Sam Snead “A shot that goes in the cup is pure luck, but a shot to within two feet of the flag is skill” – Ben Hogan

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 17

Standings Rory McIlroy moved back to No.2 on the Official World Golf Ranking thanks to his superb victory at The Open at Hoylake. Runners-up Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler both moved up the ranking with the Spaniard now in fifth position, having been ninth and the American now 18th having been 25th. American Jim Furyk also moved back into the top ten thanks to his outright fourth place finish while

Tiger Woods dropped two places to ninth. On the European Challenge Tour Belgian Pierre Relecom clinched his ﬁrst title at the Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf with a onestroke win over Italy's Niccolo Quintarelli. On the US Web.com Tour Steve Wheatcroft calmly rolled in a 10 footer for birdie to win the Albertson's Boise Open in a play-oﬀ with Steven Alker.

2014 RYDER CUP RANKINGS Qualification for The 2014 European Ryder Cup Team will be selected employing the following criteria:

Qualiﬁcation Criteria for The 2014 European Ryder Cup Team The players in Bold currently occupy the nine automatic qualifying places (after The Open Championship): EUROPEAN POINTS LIST

(a) The leading four Members on The Ryder Cup European Points List (1) on Sunday August 31st 2014. In the event of a tie between Members (i.e. a number of Members having accumulated an equal number of points), placings will be decided by the Member with the higher ranking on the 2014 Race to Dubai on Sunday 31st August 2014.

WORLD POINTS LIST

1 Rory McIlroy

3051298.44

1 Rory McIlroy

358.26

2 Victor Dubuisson

2631723.27

2 Henrik Stenson

346.99

3 Jamie Donaldson

2398823.78

3 Sergio Garcia

317.40

4 Henrik Stenson

2393504.67

4 Justin Rose

261.33

5 Thomas Bjorn

2351204.85

5 Martin Kaymer

245.87

6 Martin Kaymer

1968602.18

6 Thomas Björn

193.77

7 Ian Poulter

1910151.26

7 Victor Dubuisson

186.97

8 Justin Rose

1846094.97

8 Luke Donald

162.44

9 Sergio Garcia

1835656.78

9 Jamie Donaldson

162.23

10 Joost Luiten

1568079.36

10 Stephen Gallacher

154.44

(b) The leading five Members, not otherwise qualified under paragraph (a) above, on The Ryder Cup World Points List (2) on Sunday 31st August 2014. In the event of a tie between Members (i.e. a number of Members having accumulated an equal number of points), placings will be decided by the Member with the higher ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking as published on Monday August 25th 2014. (c) The Captain, Paul McGinley, will choose (at his own discretion) the remaining three Members following the conclusion of the Race to Dubai Tournament scheduled to conclude on August 31st 2014. (1) The Ryder Cup European Points List will comprise points (1 point = 1 Euro) earned by a Member from all Race to Dubai Tournaments in which he participates between August 26th 2013 and August 31st 2014. (Money earned by a Member from the 2013 Race to Dubai Bonus Pool or Race to Dubai bonus points earned during the 2013 Final series do not count towards this points list). (2) The Ryder Cup World Points List will comprise Official World Golf Ranking Points won by a Member1 from each tournament in which he participates between August 26th 2013 and August 24th 2014, and thereafte only from the Race to Dubai Tournament scheduled to conclude on August 31st 2014. Official World Golf Ranking Points are allocated to all officially sanctioned tournaments (on any Federated Tour) by the Official World Golf Ranking and are allocated according to the Event Rating of the tournament.

EUROPEAN TOUR RACE TO DUBAI RANKING  AS AT JULY 21, 2014 Pos. Player

Nat.

Eve. €

Pos. Player

Nat.

Eve. €

Pos. Player

Nat.

Eve. €

Rory McILROY

NIR

2,634,933

Pablo LARRAZÁBAL

ESP

692,446

Matthew BALDWIN

ENG

454,713

Thomas BJÖRN

DEN

1,621,367

Lee WESTWOOD

ENG

675,563

Andy SULLIVAN

ENG

445,571

Sergio GARCIA

ESP

1,571,775

Francesco MOLINARI ITA

669,286

Alejandro CAÑIZARES ESP

440,528

Martin KAYMER

GER

1,533,127

Rafa CABRERA-BELLO ESP

636,624

Bernd WIESBERGER

AUT

440,470

Jamie DONALDSON

WAL

1,427,921

Alexander LEVY

633,942

Marcel SIEM

GER

433,436

Stephen GALLACHER SCO

1,241,051

Edoardo MOLINARI

ITA

623,019

Romain WATTEL

FRA

430,594

Justin ROSE

ENG

1,211,553

Fabrizio ZANOTTI

PAR

617,969

Tyrrell HATTON

ENG

402,625

Victor DUBUISSON

FRA

1,209,642

Branden GRACE

RSA

599,830

Darren FICHARDT

RSA

386,611

Henrik STENSON

SWE

1,191,166

Robert KARLSSON

SWE

550,176

Morten Ørum MADSEN

Louis OOSTHUIZEN

RSA

1,096,712

Simon DYSON

ENG

534,229

Brooks KOEPKA

USA

372,444

Thongchai JAIDEE

THA

1,088,822

Ernie ELS

RSA

533,681

Chris WOOD

ENG

370,351

Graeme McDOWELL

NIR

1,072,771

Thomas AIKEN

RSA

527,605

Ian POULTER

ENG

Miguel Angel JIMÉNEZ ESP

1,041,249

Tommy FLEETWOOD ENG

521,113

Dawie VAN DER WALT RSA

Charl SCHWARTZEL

RSA

897,946

Matteo MANASSERO

ITA

518,322

Emiliano GRILLO

ARG

352,400

Shane LOWRY

IRL

895,787

Luke DONALD

ENG

510,784

Oliver FISHER

ENG

351,388

Mikko ILONEN

FIN

838,142

Michael HOEY

NIR

492,282

Alvaro QUIROS

ESP

337,314

Jonas BLIXT

SWE

780,056

Richard STERNE

RSA

489,046

Brendon DE JONGE

ZIM

336,182

Joost LUITEN

NED

757,929

Danny WILLETT

ENG

475,092

Felipe AGUILAR

CHI

330,136

Kristoﬀer BROBERG

SWE

714,159

Ross FISHER

ENG

471,822

Magnus A CARLSSON SWE

312,553

George COETZEE

RSA

700,993

Marc WARREN

SCO

457,505

Hennie OTTO

286,996

18 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

FRA

RSA

DEN 19384,168

368,499

354,202

OPEN TRIUMPH PUTS McILROY IN RACE TO DUBAI DRIVING SEAT The Northern Irishman’s impressive victory in Hoylake moved him to first place in The Race to Dubai and second place on the Official World Golf Ranking. It also made him the only player other than Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to have won three of the four Majors before their 26th birthday.

ORY McIlroy’s convincing victory in the 143rd Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club saw the Northern Irishman take an emphatic lead on The Race to Dubai in the assured fashion of a seasoned champion. The 2012 Race to Dubai and DP World Tour Championship, Dubai winner was already guaranteed a spot in this year’s season-ending grand ﬁnale, taking place at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai from Thursday, November 20 to Sunday November 23, following his BMW PGA Championship victory at Wentworth in May. But he put himself in with a great chance of becoming the ﬁrst repeat Race to Dubai Champion since the new format began in 2009, with his two-stroke triumph over Sergio Garcia and Ricky Fowler at Hoylake, taking his prize money total for the year to €2,634,933 with Thomas Björn trailing in second place with €1,621,367. “It feels incredible,” said McIlroy who also moved to World No.2. “It wasn’t easy - there were a few guys making runs at me and I just needed to stay focused. To win three legs of the Grand Slam at 25 is a pretty big achievement.”

I’ve really found my passion again for golf. Not that it ever dwindled, but it’s what I think about when I get up in the morning. It’s what I think about when I go to bed. I just want to be the best golfer that I can be. And I know if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability.”

MATURE VICTORY McIlroy took a six-stroke lead into the final round after shooting the lights out over the first two days with back-to-back rounds of six-under par 66 followed by a third-round 68 which was finished off in style by eagles on the 16th and 18th holes. But on a day when his rivals pushed him all the way with some bold displays, McIlroy ground out a mature victory with a steady closing 71 to reach 17-under-par 271 for his third Major championship, adding to the US Open he claimed in 2011 and the US PGA Championship he won in 2012. “I’ve really found my passion again for golf,” said McIlroy who showed no signs of blowing up, like he did on the final day of the 2011 Masters Tournament when he lost a four20 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

stroke lead. He now joins Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only three players in the modern era to have won three Majors before turning 26. “Not that my passion for golf ever dwindled, but it’s what I think about when I get up in the morning. It’s what I think about when I go to bed. I just want to be the best golfer that I can be. I know if I can do that, then trophies like this are within my capability.” Garcia, having to settle for the bridesmaid position in a Major for the fourth time in his career, nevertheless booked his DP World Tour Championship spot with a hugely impressive performance, capped by a ﬁnal-round six-under-par 66 which sees him

surge up The Race to Dubai into third place with €1,571,776 in prize money. “It’s difficult when you’re in a situation where you know you can’t make a mistake,” said the Spaniard, who shot rounds of 68, 70, 69 and 66 for a 15-under-par total of 273. “It just puts that little bit of extra pressure on. So many good things happened throughout this week. Even today I got a couple of really good breaks. It was close. “I’m proud of the way I played. I wanted to at least make Rory feel a little bit of pressure and see how he would respond. Obviously, he responded well.” WONDEFULLY CONSITENT South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel solidified his DP World Tour Championship place with a fast finishing five-under-par 67, coming home in a blemish-free 33 blows to secure a share of seventh place on 11-under-par. Italy’s Edoardo Molinari booked his spot at Jumeirah Golf Estates with a wonderfully consistent display that saw him shoot 68, 73, 68, 68 to join Schwartzel at 11-under-par. Sweden’s Robert Karlsson ensured that the DP World Tour Championship will welcome back another former winner when the 2010 champion closed with a three-under-par 69 to reach nine-under-par for a share of 12th place. The field for The European Tour’s seasonending showcase in Dubai is shaping up to be a mouth-watering prospect with the likes of McIlroy, Garcia, US Open Champion Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose, defending champion Henrik Stenson, 2009 champion Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and Ernie Els already qualified. “It’s fantastic that the 2014 DP World Tour Championship will feature The Open Champion and the US Open Champion along with European Tour players of the calibre of Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson,” said Nick Tarratt, Director of The European Tour International Dubai Office. Q

Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf |21

In Numbers

1 2 3 3 4

With the win Rory McIlroy goes from NW]Z\P \W ÅZ[\ in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai rankings

McIlory moves to second in the World Golf Rankings, just behind Adam Scott

After tying for second, Rickie .W_TMZ PI[ VW_ ÅVQ[PML QV \PM \WX̆Å^M WN ITT \PM \PZMM 5IRWZ[ so far this year

This win is McIlroy’s third Major title of his career, adding to his victory at the 2011 US Open and the 2012 US PGA Championship

Sergio Garcia’s second place ÅVQ[P I\ :WaIT 4Q^MZXWWT _I[ \PM fourth time the Spaniard has ÅVQ[PML Z]VVMZ̆]X I\ I 5IRWZ championship in his career

22 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

4 6 8 9

Marc Leishman, Shane Lowry, Jim Furyk and Chris Wood all carded ZW]VL[ WN ̆]VLMZ WV \PM ÅVIT LIa of The Open

The number of shots McIlroy TML Ja OWQVO QV\W \PM ÅVIT ZW]VL

The margin of victory at Rory’s last Major title, the 2012 US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island

McIlroy’s triumph at The Open was the 13th professional victory of his career

K_\ Fg\e

16 17 23 23

The Northern Irishman becomes only the 16th golfer in history to win three out of the four Major championships

McIlroy’s under-par winning score after KIZLQVO I ÅVIT ZW]VL of 71

Rickie Fowler holed the most birdies during Open week

The position that defending champion Phil Mickelson ÅVQ[PML QV I\ this year’s Open Championship

19 25

That’s how many Majors Tiger Woods’ winless drought has stretched to

At 44, Jim Furyk was the highest placed golfer in his forties, ÅVQ[PQVO \PM \W]ZVIUMV\ QV fourth place. The previous three Open Championship winners have been in their forties Darren Clarke, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 23

K_\ Fg\e

57 62

Adam Scott led the Greens in Regulation stats with 57 of 72 hit (79.2%) Garcia has now played 62 Major championships in his career without tasting victory. That’s second behind Lee Westwood who has gone winless in 64 starts

66 68 263

McIlroy set the tone for his win by beginning the week with matching rounds of 6-under 66 Five- time Open winner Tom Watson turned back the clock with I NIV\I[\QK ÅVIT ZW]VL \W ÅVQ[P the tournament on one over par

Days until the 2015 Masters, 5K1TZWa¼[ ÅZ[\ KPIVKM I\ completing the career grand slam

975,000

The winner’s cheque (in pounds) that Rory McIlroy collected along with the famous Claret Jug

TOUR NEWS Date: May 29 – June 1 Event: The Memorial Tournament Venue: Muirﬁeld Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio Winner’s Cheque: $1,116,000

Date: May 29 – June 1 Event: Nordea Masters Venue: PGA Sweden National Golf Club, Klubbhuset, Sweden Winner’s Cheque: : €250,000

MATSUYAMA HOLDS HIS NERVE HIDEKI Matsuyama held his nerve to prevail in a play-off over American Kevin Na to win his first US PGA Tour title at the Memorial Tournament. Extra holes were needed after both players were tied on 13 under par at the end of regulation play and in the end it was the 22-year-old Japanese who secured his sixth career victory and his first on American soil. Matsuyama hit a beautiful flop shot on the first extra hole and ended up making birdie while Na lost his tee-shot in the creek to effectively end his chances of victory.

Lg oaf eq Újkl H?9 Lgmj lald] `]j] Yl BY[c Fa[cdYmk k lgmjfYe]fl j]Yddq _an]k e] Y dgl g^ [gfÚ\]f[] _gaf_ ^gjoYj\& Pos. Name 1 2 3

Hideki Matsuyama Kevin Na Bubba Watson

Country JPN USA USA

-13 -13 -12

JAIDEE PREVAILS IN PLAYOFF THAILAND’S Thongchai Jaidee defeated Stephen Gallacher and Victor Dubuisson in a thrilling three-way play-off at the Nordea Masters to record his first win on the European Tour since 2012. After starting the final round four shots off the lead, Jaidee carded a final round score of 65 to finish on 16 under par alongside the Scot and the Frenchman. On the first play-off hole Jaidee hit his approach shot to within three feet of the pin and after Dubuisson and Gallacher missed their birdie putts he converted his putt for the win.

A `Y\ Yf mfZ]da]nYZd] o]]c Yf\ A e bmkl kg `Yhhq lg oaf Y lgmjfYe]fl `]j]&

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

Pos. Name

70 67 69 69 72 69 70 64 66 69 69 72

275 275 276

1 T2 T2

Date: Date: June 5 - 8 Event: FedEx St. Jude Classic Venue: TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee Winner’s Cheque: $1,044,000

Thongchai Jaidee Victor Dubuisson Stephen Gallacher

Country THA FRA SCO

-16 -16 -16

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

69 70 68 65 69 69 67 67 67 72 65 68

272 272 272

Date: June 5 - 8 Event: Lyoness Open powered by Greenﬁnity Venue: Diamond Country Club, Atzenbrugg, Austria Winner’s Cheque: €166,660

LUNDBERG HITS BACK IN AUSTRIA CRANE TRIUMPHS AFTER MARATHON DAY BEN Crane finally celebrated his first win on the US PGA Tour in three years after playing 30 holes on the final day at the weather-delayed FedEx St. Jude Classic. Crane set the tone with a fantastic opening round of 63 and in the end a final round 73 was enough to seal a one-shot victory over Troy Merritt. The 38-yearold went wire-to-wire to capture his fifth title on the PGA Tour and his first since winning the 2011 McGladrey Classic.

MIKAEL Lundberg drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a play-off to beat local favourite Bernd Wiesberger and seal his first win on The European Tour in six years. Both players finished on 12 under par after Lundberg shot a final round score of 65 to come from behind and tie with Wiesberger. After leading the field going into the weekend, Lundberg shot a 76 on Saturday to leave him six shots back going into the final round.

“This win is different. I want to treat it differently and I want to enjoy it.”

“I tried to put a good number out there hoping it was going to take me kge]o`]j] [dgk]& Al k ^YflYkla[ [gfka\]jaf_ A n] `Y\ lg _g ZY[c lg l`] Lgmj School the last four years.”

Pos. Name 1 2 T3

Ben Crane Troy Merritt Webb Simpson

Country USA USA USA

-10 -9 -8

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

Pos. Name

63 65 69 73 67 66 67 71 71 66 69 66

270 271 272

1 2 3

Mikael Lundberg Bernd Wiesberger Joost Luiten

Country SWE AUT NED

-12 -12 -11

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

67 68 76 65 71 70 66 69 72 67 66 72

276 276 277

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 25

TOUR NEWS Date: June 19 – 22 Event: Travelers Championship Venue: TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut Winner’s Cheque: $1,116,000

Date: June 19 – 22 Event: Irish Open Venue: Fota Island Resort, Cork, Ireland Winner’s Cheque: €333,330

ILONEN STROLLS TO IRISH OPEN TITLE SUPER STREELMAN IN SEVENTH HEAVEN Kevin Streelman closed with seven consecutive birdies to win his second US PGA Tour title by one stroke from Sergio Garcia and K.J. Choi at the Travelers Championship. The American carded back-to-back weekend rounds of 64 to ﬁnish the tournament on 15 under par and register his second title following last year’s Tampa Bay Championship. Streelman’s stretch of seven birdies set a new US PGA Tour record for most consecutive closing birdies by a winner.

Al oYk gf] g^ l`gk] \Yqk o`]j] A ^]dl dac] A [gmd\f l eakk al oYk Y dgl g^ ^mf& Pos. Name 1 2 3

Kevin Streelman Sergio Garcia KJ Choi

Country USA ESP KOR

-15 -14 -14

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

69 68 64 64 65 69 65 67 65 65 69 67

265 266 266

Date: June 26 – 29 Event: Quicken Loans National Venue: Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Maryland Winner’s Cheque: $1,170,000

MIKKO Ilonen clinched a convincing wire-to-wire victory with a closing 70 for a one-stroke win over Edoardo Molinari at the Irish Open. The Finn opened the week with a course record 64 and never looked back as he strode to his fourth European Tour title. Pressure came in the form of Molinari who shot a closing 67 and from England’s Danny Willett after he broke Illonen’s record in the third round with a 63 but the Finn held on for a memorable victory.

“A oYk kg f]jngmk \gof l`] klj]l[`$ A bmkl `mf_ af l`]j]& Pos. Name 1 2 T3 T3 T3

Mikko Ilonen Edoardo Molinari Matthew Baldwin Kristoﬀer Broberg Danny Willett

Country FIN ITA ENG SWE ENG

-13 -12 -11 -11 -11

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

64 67 67 69 73

271 272 273 273 273

68 69 71 69 66

69 69 66 66 63

70 67 69 69 71

Date: June 26 – 29 Event: BMW International Open Venue: Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof, Cologne, Germany Winner’s Cheque: €333,330

ROSE HOLDS NERVE AT CONGRESSIONAL

FANTASTIC ZANOTTI TRIUMPHS IN COLOGNE

JUSTIN Rose recorded his first win of the season by defeating Shawn Stefani on the first hole of a play-off to win the Quicken Loans National at Congressional. Rose was tied for the lead with Stefani when he teed off on the 18th hole but after putting his approach shot in the water, he holed a clutch 15-foot putt to make bogey. One hole behind him, Stefani also made bogey, resulting in the two of them ending regulation play tied at 4 under par. In the play-off it was Stefani who found the water hazard and ended up making double-bogey while Rose carded a par to record his sixth US PGA Tour win.

FABRIZIO Zanotti became the first Paraguayan to win on The European Tour after coming out on top of a four man play-off at the BMW International Open in Germany. After regulation play Zanotti was tied with Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Gregory Havret and Henrik Stenson on 19 under par and it took five extra holes until a winner emerged. Zanotti started the final day five strokes off the pace and shot a 65 to put himself in contention.

A ]fbgq l`ak lqh] g^ _gd^$ l`ak lqh] g^ l]kl& Al l]kl]\ Ydd g^ mk& A e \]da_`l]\& Pos. Name 1 2 T3

Justin Rose Shawn Stefani Charley Hoﬀman

Country ENG USA USA

-4 -4 -3

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

74 65 71 70 74 68 78 70 72 72 68 69

280 280 281

26 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

A ^]]d n]jq `Yhhq& L`ak ak Y ege]fl A n] Z]]f oYalaf_ ^gj Y dgf_ lae]& Al k `m_] lg l`afc A e l`] Újkl hdYq]j ^jge HYjY_mYq lg oaf gf L`] =mjgh]Yf Lgmj& Pos. 1 T2 T2 T2

Name Fabrizio Zanotti Henrik Stenson Rafa Cabrera-Bello Gregory Havret

Country PAR SWE ESP FRA

-19 -19 -19 -19

R1 72 68 64 71

R2 67 68 68 65

R3 65 66 70 67

R4 65 67 67 66

Total 269 269 269 269

Date: July 3 – 6 Event: Alstom Open de France Venue: Le Golf National, Paris, France Winner’s Cheque: €500,000

Date: July 3 – 6 Event: The Greenbrier Classic Venue: The Old White TPC, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia Winner’s Cheque: $1,170,000

CABRERA ENDS HIS LONG WAIT FOR A WIN ANGEL Cabrera recorded his first victory since the 2009 Masters Tournament with a two shot win over George McNeill at the Greenbrier Classic. Cabrera recorded a blistering final round of 64 that included a stunning hole-out for eagle at the par four 13th. The 2007 US Open Champion carded back-to-back rounds of 6 under 64 to finish at 16 under par and end the tournament two shots above runner-up McNeill who was hot on the Argentinian’s heels with a final round score of 61.

“I wanted it. I needed to win a tournament. I felt under control today out l`]j]$ Yf\ A \a\f l oYfl lg d]l al _]l YoYq ^jge e]& Pos. Name 1 2 3

Angel Cabrera George McNeill Webb Simpson

Country ARG USA USA

-16 -14 -10

McDOWELL KEEPS HIS TITLE IN FRANCE GRAEME McDowell came from eight shots back to win by a stroke over Kevin Stadler and Thongchai Jaidee and successfully defend his Open de France title. During the first three rounds Stadler who looked set to become the first American to win the title but a disappointing final round 76 put paid to his chances. The win was McDowell’s tenth on The European Tour and it was the first time he had successfully defended a title in his career.

A j]Yddq f]]\]\ l`ak na[lgjq& Al k Y kh][aYd gf] ^gj e] Yf\ al k hj]llq lae]dq&

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

Pos. Name

68 68 64 64 70 67 68 61 71 69 67 63

264 266 270

1 2 3

Date: July 10 – July 13 Event: John Deere Classic Venue: TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois Winner’s Cheque: $846,000

Graeme McDowell Thongchai Jaidee Kevin Stadler

Country NIR THA USA

-5 -4 -4

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

70 69 73 67 70 69 69 72 64 68 72 76

279 280 280

Date: July 10 – July 13 Event: Scottish Open Venue: Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, Aberdeen, Scotland Winner’s Cheque: €627,020

HARMAN THE HERO IN ILLINOIS BRIAN Harman made three birdies in the last five holes to win his first US PGA Tour title by one stroke ahead of Zach Johnson at the John Deere Classic. Harman carded a final round 66 en-route to finishing on 22 under par for the tournament and with the win he secured the last place in the field for The Open Championship. It was the 27-year-old’s first victory in his three years on the US PGA Tour and was also the first time he had played in a final pairing on a Sunday.

Bmkl ljqaf_ fgl lg d]l qgmj eaf\ jmf oad\ ak l`] `Yj\]kl hYjl gml l`]j]&

ROSE WINS AGAIN  IN SCOTLAND AFTER winning in a play-off at Congressional two weeks earlier, Justin Rose made it back-to-back victories with a stunning win at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. Rose produced a flawless final round 65 to finish on 16 under, two shots clear of Kristoffer Broberg. Rose was tied with local favourite Marc Warren going into the final round and holed several long putts on Sunday to clinch his seventh European Tour title.

Al k mfZ]da]nYZd] lg Z] ZY[c af l`] oaff]jk [aj[d] kg ima[cdq& A ^]]d _j]Yl& Pos. 1 2 T3 T3

Name Brian Harman Zach Johnson Jhonattan Vegas Jerry Kelly

Country USA USA VNZ USA

-22 -21 -19 -19

R1 63 63 69 66

R2 68 67 68 68

R3 65 69 63 65

R4 66 64 65 66

Total 262 263 265 265

Pos. Name 1 2 3

Justin Rose Kristoﬀer Broberg Marc Warren

Country ENG SWE SCO

-16 -14 -11

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

69 68 66 65 65 71 68 66 67 69 67 70

268 270 273

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 27

Right to Left: Maureen Platt, winner of the 2013 Luckiest Ball on Earth competition is pictured with Nick Tarratt, Director of The European Tour International Oﬃce, Dubai and Neal Graham, General Manager, Club Operations, Jumeirah Golf Estates.

LUCKIEST BALL ON EARTH SERIES GIVES LOCAL GOLFERS THE CHANCE TO PLAY WITH STARS OF THE EUROPEAN TOUR AT THE DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP.

he UAE amateurs are again being offered a dream opportunity to play with the stars of The European Tour in the DP World Tour Championship Pro-Am sponsored by Rolex, though the 2014 ‘Luckiest Ball on Earth’ series. The competition takes in 21 qualifiers across 20 EGF- affiliated clubs with the winner of each event going through to the Grand Final at the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE) on Sunday, 12 October. Additionally, three members of the UAE National Golf Team will be invited through the EGF to compete in the Grand Final for the chance of a lifetime to play alongside the likes of Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer in the DP World Tour Championship Pro-Am at the Earth course at JGE on Tuesday 18 November, two days before The European Tour’s grand finale tees off. The DP World Tour Championship at JGE (Thursday 20 - Sunday 23 November), brings together the top 60 players on The European Tour’s Race to Dubai competing for US8$ million, with an additional Bonus Pool of US5$ million split between the top 15 finishers on The Race to Dubai following the conclusion of the tournament. The Pro-Am offers an unrivalled opportunity to witness some of the best players in the world ply their trade as they make their final preparations for the season-ending showcase

2014 Luckiest Ball on Earth Qualifying Events – Venues and Dates GOLF CLUB Al Badia Golf Club Al Dhafra Golf Links Arabian Ranches Golf Club Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club Al Hamra Golf Club Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Jumeirah Golf Estates AESGC The Track - Meydan Golf Abu Dhabi Golf Club Al Ghazal Golf Club Emirates Golf Club The Address Montgomerie Saadiyat Beach Golf Club The Els Club Emirates Golf Club Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa Abu Dhabi City Golf Club Sharjah Wanderers Golf Club Tower Links Golf Club Yas Links

EMIRATE Dubai Abu Dhabi Dubai Sharjah R.A.K Dubai Dubai Al Ain Dubai Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Dubai Dubai Abu Dhabi Dubai Dubai Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah R.A.K Abu Dhabi

in a fun and relaxed environment. In its fourth year, the Luckiest Ball on Earth series has gone from strength-to-strength since it was launched in 2011. The annual competition is open to all golfers aged 18 or over with an Oﬃcial Club Handicap recognised by the EGF (maximum 28 for men, 36 for ladies). Arabian Ranches GC member Kevin Barrett won the inaugural Luckiest Ball on Earth series

EVENT NAME

EVENT DATE

Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Men s M Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Ladies M Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Medal Monthly Media Monthly Medal Monthly Medal

5 September 5 September 5 September 5 September 5 September 6 September 6 September 12 September 13 September 19 September 19 September 19 September 19 September 19 September 20 September 22 September 25 September 26 September 26 September 27 September 27 September

and played alongside Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari in the Pro-Am. Italy’s Ornella Parigi of Saadiyat Beach GC became the ﬁrst female winner in 2012, lining up with Australia’s Marcus Fraser. Last year over 1,000 hopefuls entered the competition with former Dubai Creek Lady Captain Maureen Platt earning a place alongside Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen in the Pro-Am

Tickets for the DP World Tour Championship are free of charge and can be obtained by registering online at www.DPWTC.com. Those who register will also be placed into a prize draw with the chance to win a pair of VIP Hospitality tickets for the Championship Chalet.

28 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

Kaymer’s on top of the World MARTIN KAYMER had good reason to follow his 8-shot US Open victory celebrations last month with another sporting occasion to remember earlier this month when Germany won the World Cup in Brasil. The two-time Major winner, who captured the US PGA Championship in 2010, is a football fanatic and a great supporter of the German national team. He met with the German squad before they left for South America and congratulated them when they returned. Here he talks about his double joy: WATCHING Germany win the World Cup was probably the ﬁrst moment in my career as an athlete where I was very, very proud to be a German athlete. But not because of my own success. Winning the World Cup was one thing but it was the way they played football, the way they carried themselves that was most impressive. It reminded me of when the World Cup was in Germany in 2006. It was so nice to see what sport can do for you. Even for we Germans. We laughed and joked a lot. It was a great inspiration for me as an athlete and, I hope, for a lot of the people in Germany. Argentina made it tough for Germany. You could see that there were some similarities to golf, as well. They played a very patient, waiting game. It was interesting to see how they played. It was very smart. They didn’t try to force anything because they knew they were good enough. It was just about delivering what they could do. I know some of the National Team players and once in a while when I’m in Munich we play golf together. We compare our sports. We can learn from each other about how to treat certain situations in the media, the expectations in Germany and worldwide. Fitness-wise we help each other, or at least they help me. After I won the U.S. Open at Pinhurst No.2 in North Carolina last month Thomas Muller did an interview, and the ﬁrst thing he said was: “It was a very nice way to start our World Cup campaign with Martin Kaymer winning the U.S. Open.” Golf is becoming more important and bigger in Germany. The German footballers are genuinely interested in golf. For me as a German golfer who also played football for many years, I have an interest on that side, too. So it’s quite nice to work together. I won the US Open the day before the World Cup started so the media, understandably, were concentrating on the German national team. What Thomas Muller did was very helpful. It was a nice gesture. He said it because he likes golf. I notice that every time I leave my house now people recognize me and it wasn’t like that before the U.S. Open. It’s good to work together with other sports to make golf more popular in Germany. Q

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 29

UAE NATIONAL GOLF TEAMS TO BENEFIT FROM NEW DP WORLD, EUROPEAN TOUR, EMIRATES GOLF FEDERATION AND JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES PARTNERSHIP DP World along with with the DP World Tour Championship, The European Tour, the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), Jumeirah Golf Estates and the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI), have joined forces in a groundbreaking new partnership aimed at growing the game in the region by supporting the UAE National Golf Team’s programme. The initiative will see the UAE National Golf Teams, which consist of 17 men, ladies and juniors, beneﬁt from the state-of-the-art ETPI based at Jumeirah Golf Estates, home of the DP World Tour Championship, the season ending tournament of The European Tour’s Race to Dubai. The ETPI has earned praise throughout the international golﬁng community for its phenomenal array of top level facilities, with European Tour players regularly visiting Dubai to use

30 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

it. The partnership oﬀers the region›s most promising players an unrivalled opportunity to further develop their game. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman of DP World commented:

“We are absolutely delighted with this partnership, which offers us the chance to play a part in the development of our UAE National Golf Teams. The growth of the game in the region is extremely important to us and giving our local golfers access to a facility as admired as The European Tour Performance Institute offers them the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.” The programme, which will be coordinated by Greg Holmes, EGF National First Team Coach, with coordination from the ETPI›s Director of Instruction Wayne Johnson on ETPI activities, will see the national golf teams given full access to the ETPI’s outstanding facilities and practice areas during a minimum three year partnership. They will receive a series of elite coaching sessions, utilising the very latest in modern technologies in the ETPI performance labs, and will enjoy group and individual training programmes, skills challenges and specialised gym work aimed at helping them reach their full potential. International tournaments scheduled on the calendar for the UAE National Golf Teams for the remainder of 2014 include the World Amateur Team Championships (Eisenhower Trophy) in Karuizawa, Japan, on September 14-3 and the Arab Golf Championships at Riyadh Golf Cub, Saudi Arabia, in October.

MAIN IMAGE: Top L-R Jason Froggatt, Emirates Golf Federation; Wayne Johnson, Director of Instruction Jumeirah Golf Estates and ETPI; Greg Holmes, EGF National First Team Coach; Adel Zarouni, Vice Chairman of Emirates Golf Federation; Member of the UAE National Golf Team; Khaled Mubarak Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the Emirates Golf Federation; Rashid Al Jarwan, Emirates Golf Federation Board member; Member of the UAE National Golf Team. Bottom L-R Members of the UAE National Golf Team. IMAGE TO THE LEFT: L-R Yousuf Kazim, General Manager of Jumeirah Golf Estates; Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Board of Director, Jumeirah Golf Estates; George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour.

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, commented:

“It is exciting to be able to show a genuine golf legacy from all The European Tour activities in Dubai and the UAE. It is one of our models to embrace the local golﬁng bodies and national golfers when we travel the world organising tournaments. We ﬁrst came to Dubai in 1989 and it is important to demonstrate our commitment to Dubai in the light of Dubai’s support of The European Tour in various activities over the last 25 years. We wish the UAE National Golf Teams and the Emirates Golf Federation all the best and thank our partners in this initiative, DP World and Jumeirah Golf Estates.” Khaled Mubarak Al Shamsi, Secretary General of Emirates Golf Federation, added:

“We are extremely grateful for the support of DP World, the DP World Tour Championship, The European Tour and Jumeirah Golf Estates in giving our UAE National Golf Teams the best possible chance of succeeding on the world stage. The European Tour Performance Institute is a truly state-of-the-art facility and one of the best anywhere in the world so it is a fantastic opportunity for our local golfers. We are proud to call it the ‘Home of the UAE National Golf Teams.” Yousuf Kazim, General Manager of Jumeirah Golf Estates said:

“We are very proud of our world class facilities and the feedback we have had from The European Tour players who have used the ETPI both during the DP World Tour Championship and throughout the season, has been excellent. It is our intention that Golf Federations from around the world will use the ETPI facilities so it is more than appropriate that the UAE National Golf Teams have access to the facility. We welcome our UAE National Golf Teams to Jumeirah Golf Estates and we wish them all the best in their development. “We see this as another important step in the development of our community, which has been growing through an increasingly large number of families enjoying the experience of living here. With this initiative and the inﬂuence it will hopefully have on junior golfers taking up the game, we hope to play our part in producing the golf superstars of tomorrow.” This new initiative for the UAE National Golf Teams will complement the existing eﬀorts of both the UAE Golf Clubs and PGA golf pros in the UAE to develop UAE national golf.

During the season the UAE National Teams will receive the following benefits at the Jumeirah Golf Estates European Tour Performance Institute: 1 x 90 minute group / team supervised training session; 1 x group skills monthly tournament / regular assessment; 1 individual functional movement screening, followed each month with a screen movement progress assessment; 1 individual gymnasium induction with training programme / monthly programme review Gymnasium access all year round for each of the team members; ETPI practice access all year round for each of the team members; Up to 34 x 45 minutes golf lessons per month given by the ETPI golf professionals allocated amongst the entire team group by Greg Holmes (EGF National Team First Team Coach).

Register for FREE tickets to the four-day DP World Tour Championship at www.DPWTC.com and be in with a chance of winning VIP hospitality tickets.

For Hospitality tickets call +971(0)567 359 852 or email HOSPITALITY@DPWTC.COM

Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 31

ROSE IN FULL BLOOM 32 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

Justin Rose <<

JUSTIN ROSE has come a long way from the fresh-faced, spindly-framed 17-year-old in the floppy red jumper who dazzled the crowds at Royal Birkdale in 1998. Back then, following his stunning chip-in on the 18th to secure fourth place in The Open Championship, while still an amateur, he was touted as the Great White Hope of European Golf. It was a label that, not surprisingly, weighed heavily on the young star’s shoulders as he missed the cut in his first 21 tournaments as a professional. But now, at 33, the World No. 3 has blossomed into the player we all thought he’d become. Starring roles in Ryder Cups, Major championship victories, and now, after wins at the Quicken Loans National on the US PGA Tour and the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open on The European Tour, he’s added back-to-back victories for the first time in his career. “I’m definitely more experienced these days and I think that begins to swing the pendulum in your favour and experience plays a huge part in being able to capitalise upon your best golf,” says Rose.

JUSTIN’S JOURNEY

1980

1981 - Dad Ken puts a putter in his one-year son’s hand for the ﬁrst time, kick-starting a lifelong obsession with golf. 1985 - The family moves back to Hampshire in England where Justin begins spending hours perfecting his skills at Hartley Wintey Golf Club. 1980 - Justin Peter Rose is born on July 30, in Johannesburg, South Africa, to English parents Annie and Ken.

1990

1991 - Justin breaks 70 for the ﬁrst time.

1997 1994 - Gets down to a plus 1 handicap. 1995 - Wins the prestigious English Boys Stroke Play Championship. 1996 - Leaves Robert May’s School in Odiham with eight GCSE exam qualiﬁcations.

At 17 Justin becomes the youngest Walker Cup player ever as Great Britain and Ireland lose to a dominant USA team at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale N.Y.

>>> Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 33

JUSTIN’S JOURNEY 1998 - 99

Chips in on the 72nd hole of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale to secure fourth place and receive the Silver Medal as the leading amateur. Turns professional amid much publicity the following day.

1998 - Makes his pro debut on The European Tour at TNT Dutch Open but misses the cut before going on to miss the next 20 cuts on The European Tour. 1999 - Drops down to the Challenge Tour after losing his fully exempt status on The European Tour.

2000

2001 - Begins the season with two consecutive runner-up ﬁnishes in South Africa at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mercedes-Benz South African Open and goes on to ﬁnish the year 40th on the Order of Merit.

2003 - Reaches 33 in the

Oﬃcial World Golf Ranking and earns enough money to play on the US PGA Tour in 2004. 2002 - Secures his ﬁrst win as a

2004 - Splits his time between Europe and the US and endures a tough season slipping out of the top 50 on the World Ranking. 2005 - Struggles continue as he quits The European Tour to concentrate on the PGA Tour but results don’t improve and he falls out of the World’s top 100.

professional and his ﬁrst European Tour title with a two stroke victory at the Dunhill Championship and adds the British Masters as well as the Nahua Masters in South Africa plus The Crowns Tournament in Japan and ends what is undoubtedly his breakthrough year representing England alongside Paul Casey in the World Cup.

2006 Claims his ﬁrst win in four years at the Australian Masters and marries his long-term girlfriend Kate Phillips, a former international gymnast.

2007 Records his best result in a Major with a top five finish in the Masters Tournament and is rewarded for a string of consistent finishes with a career best World Ranking of 26. 2007 - Consistency continues as he loses in a play-off for the BMW PGA Championship and breaks into the top 20 on the World Ranking for the first time. Further strong results, including a tie for second at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, fire him up the Order of Merit and he goes on to top the 2007 table after winning a play-off at the season-ending Volvo Masters (pictured left). His World Ranking of seven (which rises to six) makes him the top-ranked European player in the world.

34 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

Justin Rose << 2008- – Qualiﬁes for the Ryder Cup for the ﬁrst time as Nick Faldo’s European side are put to the sword by the Americans at Valhalla. But Rose is one of the standout performers, scoring three points from four matches.

“I actually said that when I got to the age of 30, it was in my mind, that the next 10 years from that point were going to be my prime,” says Rose.

2009- Kate gives birth the pair’s ﬁrst child, son Leo, in February, Justin begins working with coach Sean Foley at the end of the year.

2010

2010 Wins his first PGA Tour title at the Memorial Tournament and follows up with another win at the AT&T National, and finishes fifth in the FedExCup standings. But he’s overlooked for a place on Colin Montgomerie’s European Ryder Cup Team.

2011 Wins his third PGA Tour title with a two-stroke victory over John Senden in the BMW Championship.

2012

2012 Beats Bubba Watson by a stroke to claim his first World Golf Championships title at the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral and secures his best-ever finish in a Major with a tie for third at the US PGA Championship as fellow European Rory McIlroy wins by a record eight strokes. 2012 - Qualifies for his second Ryder Cup and plays a crucial role in Europe’s sensational final-day fightback, holing long putts on holes 16, 17 and 18 to defeat Phil Mickelson 1-up. His snaking 35-foot putt on the 17th, which draws a clap of appreciation from Mickelson, is perhaps the most iconic moment of the tournament.

Follows up his Ryder Cup heroics by winning the big-money eightman Turkish Airlines World Golf Final, beating Tiger Woods in the semi-final and fellow Englishman Lee Westwood in the final. Finishes second to Rory McIlroy in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates after a thrilling final-day battle.

>>>

Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 35

Justin Rose <<

2013 ““Now the next six or seven years is absolutely important to me. I feel like, at this point, there’s a lot of time left.,” says Rose.

2013 Another dogfight with Phil Mickelson ends in triumph as Rose claims his maiden Major championship, becoming the first Englishman in 43 years to win the US Open, and the first in 17 years to win a Major. Equals his career-high of third in the Official World Golf Ranking. Finishes third on The Race to Dubai.

2013 - Rose rises to a career-high third in the World Ranking after a runner-up ﬁnish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

2014

“You stay ﬁt, you stay healthy, and there’s a long time and many opportunities left for me to win many Majors.” says Rose. Rose secures back-to-back victories for the first time in his career, first defeating Shawn Stefani in a play-off for the Quicken Loans National on the PGA Tour and then winning the Scottish Open by two strokes from Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg.

Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 37

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME LOC AT ED I N T H E H E A RT O F D U B A I M A R I N A A N D N E A R TO T H E B E AC H F RO N T, J U S T F E W M I N U T E S BY C A R O R M E T RO TO T H E WO R L D’ S L A RG E S T S H O PPI N G M A L L S . C A L L N OW TO B O O K YO U R S E RV I C E D A PA RT M E N T A N D M A K E YO U R S EL F CO M F O RTA B L E .

‫ﻳﻘﻊ ﻓﻨﺪق "رادﻳﺴﻮن ﺑﻠﻮ رزﻳﺪﻧﺲ ﻣﺎرﻳﻨﺎ" ﻓﻲ ﻗﻠﺐ دﺑﻲ ﻣﺎرﻳﻨﺎ‬ ‫ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺮب ﻣﻦ ﺷﺎﻃﻰء اﻟﺠﻤﻴﺮا وﻳﺒﻌﺪ ﻣﺴﺎﻓﺔ دﻗﺎﺋﻖ ﻓﻘﻂ‬ .‫ﺑﺎﻟﺴﻴﺎرة أو اﻟﻤﺘﺮو اﻟﻰ أﻛﺒﺮ ﻣﺮاﻛﺰ اﻟﺘﺴﻮق ﺑﺎﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ‬ ‫اﺗﺼﻞ اﻻن واﺣﺠﺰ ﺷﻘﺘﻚ واﺳﺘﻤﺘﻊ ﺑﺎﻟﺮﻓﺎﻫﻴﺔ‬ .‫واﻟﺨﺪﻣﺎت اﻟﻤﻤﻴﺰة‬

Radisson Blu Residence <<<

RADISSON BLU RESIDENCE

The Ultimate in Luxury and Flexibility

HE Marina area of Dubai has grown into one of the most popular places for tourists visiting the emirate to stay. It’s also an increasingly popular spot for business travellers coming on either short or long term trips and the range of accommodation options is mindboggling. But whether you’re visiting the region for a golfing holiday, a lengthy business trip or a family vacation, the Radisson Blu Residence Marina offers an unrivalled combination of flexibility and luxury. Located right in the heart of the Marina, with its huge array of restaurants, Malls, cafes and bars - and just a 5-minute walk from the beach - this excellent hotel offers 152 spacious studios, one bedroom, and two bedroom apartments, fully furnished and equipped with the beautiful Italian décor of Matte Nunzati. The residence is uniquely designed with a minimalist style and will appeal to those with an eye for chic elegance. The apartments offer a fully equipped

kitchen, balcony, complimentary highspeed Internet access and covered parking. All rooms are equipped with a mini bar, voice mail, direct dial telephone and individual safe. All these coupled with the Radisson BLU services concept including one touch service, where you can arrange concierge, room service, wake up call, laundry and housekeepingwhatever you need at a touch of a button 24 hours a day. There’s also an exquisite outdoor swimming pool with a relaxing pool bar and a shaded kid’s play area as well as a fully equipped Marsa Wellness Centre with sauna and gym facilities. In addition to having the ﬂexibility of making home cooked meals in your own apartment, the dining options at Radisson Blu Residence, Dubai Marina include Wok Hei- Asian restaurant, Mamma Mia – Italian and The Marsa Pool Terrace, serving snacks.

The hotel is perfectly located for a golfing trip to Dubai with the famous Emirates Golf Club, and the pristine Montgomerie Dubai, just a pitching wedge away while the excellent 9-hole Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa can be reached with a short drive down the Sheikh Zayed Highway. www.radissonblu.com/hotel-dubaimarina

WorldwideGolf - /Ñ j¿ 2014 | 39

BALL TESTING

BY CRAIG VANCE

Srixon Z Star

Srixon Z Star ar XV

Titleist Pro V1x

Titleist Pro V1

The Srixon Z Star ball showcases Srixon’s unique ‘Spin Skin’ technology, a high grip coating applied to the outside of the ball that is designed to increase friction between the ball and the clubface by 20%, improving spin control on approach shots, especially in wet conditions. Srixon’s revamped ‘Neo Energetic Gradient Growth’ core reduces spin off the face of the driver while delivering consistent distance and carry off the tee.

Newly developed by Srixon, the 344 aerodynamic ‘Speed Dimple’ is a defining feature of the Z Star XV. It is designed to reduce air resistance in order to maintain ball speed while delivering a lengthy ball flight and stability in wind. Like the Z Star, this fourpiece ball also carries Srixon’s ‘Spin Skin’ technology.

Similar to the Pro V1, the Titleist Pro V1x is right up there as one of the best designed golf balls in the market. This four-piece ball has a dual core that is soft enough to keep driver spin to a minimum, ensuring maximum distance off the tee. However, a specifically designed outer core and inner mantle work to increase spin on approach shots, striking the ideal balance.

As a market leader, the Titleist ProV1 prides itself on delivering superior control and unparalleled feel. The Pro V1 is engineered to offer unwaveringly consistent ballflight while giving the ball a very soft feel around the greens. A soft core ensures less spin off the tee, leading to more distance. Durability is a notable feature of the Pro V1 with a revamped urethane elastomer cover ensuring that the ball will resist scuffing better than others.

RRP: 60 AED per sleeve

RRP: 80 AED per sleeve

RRP: 60 AED per sleeve

THE TEST

RRP: 80 AED per sleeve

Worldwide Golf Equipment Editor Craig Vance tests the leading balls from the top manufacturers.

40 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

Brought to you by

Callaway Speed Regime 2

C Callaway Speed d Regime 3 R

Callaway claims the SR2 is designed to have the best aerodynamic performance for swing speeds between 90-105mph. It has an incredibly soft urethane coating which gives the golfer maximum control on and around the greens. The SR2’s ‘HEX’ pattern is specifically engineered to optimise lift and drag while maintaining a ball flight that holds its line even when it’s windy.

Like its predecessor, the Callaway SR3 strives to match the technology of the golf ball with the speed of the golfer’s swing. Its unique ‘HEX Aerodynamic’ pattern is engineered to cut down drag at high speeds, ensuring longer and more consistent ball flight off the tee. A soft urethane cover allows for more control on approach shots to the green while a thin inner and outer mantle is constructed to reduce driver spin.

RRP: 65 AED per sleeve

Ta l TaylorMade d To Tour Preferred X The TaylorMade TP X scores well when it comes to distance. Its ‘REACT Core’ technology and dimple pattern ensure healthy carry in the air even in windy conditions. TaylorMade’s new ‘Soft Touch’ cover material and ‘Spin Mantle’ technology are designed to promote greenside spin and controlled approach shots. RRP: 60 AED

Nike RZN Platinum Nike advertises its RZN Platinum as a ball that is designed to reduce excess spin while still providing sufficient feel and control around greens. Its ‘Speedlock’ technology offers a more smooth transfer of energy off the clubface while the fourpiece interlocking ‘RZN’ core gives it a truer flight path and more carry. RRP: 80 AED per sleeve

per sleeve

RRP: 65 AED per sleeve

At the Address Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 41

THIS IS D.N.A. FEEL ADVANCED

SNUGFIT TONGUE Advanced design envelops the top of the foot. ™

CHROMOSKIN LEATHER Engineered for lightweight performance & feel.

F TF ™ FIT-BED Fine Tuned Foam for optimum comfort & support.

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3D FOAMCOLLAR™ Moulds to provide a precise ﬁt.

NITROTHIN™ TPU OUTSOLE Streamlined design & enhanced stability.

footjoy.co.uk/dna

Brought to you by

HAVING used the same ball for as long as I can remember, when I was asked to do a product test on all the top balls in the market using the latest TrackMan technology I was excited to see whether I had fallen for the advertising propaganda all these years, or if I was actually using the best ball on the market. Most amateurs would think the leading balls from all the top manufactures would be quite similar, and that telling the difference would be near impossible to the naked eye. I’ve got to admit that when I was asked to do this product test I was thinking the same. However, as you’ll see in the results, the difference in flight and feel was astonishing when tried back to back.

Craig Vance Worldwide Golf Equipment Editor Handicap: Scratch Swing Speed: 104mph average

KEY Driver

6 Iron

Calculated on TrackMan averages based on carry, dispersion and total distance

Wedge

Calculated on carry, accuracy, and spin rate

Calculated on TrackMan averages based on spin rates, feel and durability.

Nike RZN Platinum After all the hype I had heard I was surprised and a little disappointed with this ball, if I’m honest. The ball feels sticky to the touch and the same off the clubface. The TrackMan stats showed this was one of the lowest spinning balls with all three clubs, which was a shock considering how it feels. However, the ball does boost confidence around the greens and is very soft off the putter face, but looking at the stats I can understand why players such as Rory, with such high swing speeds, can get the true performance from the RZN.

Driver

6-Iron

Wedge

23 Total

TaylorMade Tour Preferred X The TaylorMade TP X, has the same low spinning characteristics as the Nike RZN Platinum but feels even softer oﬀ the clubface. With the driver it was arguably one of the best on test, not only for overall length and carry but for accuracy as well. The wedge showed to have one of the lowest spin rates and wouldn’t check up on the greens as some of the other did. But overall a great all-round perfomer.

Driver

6-Iron

Wedge

25 Total Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 43

BALL TESTING

THE TEST

BY CRAIG VANCE

All brands were tested u using a driver, 6-iron & 50°wedge

Srixon Z Star The Z Star feels a little softer than the Star XV which gives it the feeling of control and spin around the greens but it also feels like I’m losing a little bit of distance with the driver. There was exactly 6 yards diﬀerence betwen the two balls in total distance. Having said that, distance isn’t always the main factor I’m looking for. Shorter courses like Jebel Ali are an excellent venue for this type of ball.

Driver

6-Iron

Wedge

23 Total

Srixon Z Star XV The Srixon Z Star XV feels very similar to the Callaway SR3, quite firm off the face but a nice mix between distance and control. The ball would be a little firm for courses like The Track Meydan but would be an excellent choice around Tower Links and The Els Club. The ball didn’t excel in any areas, it just did them all very well.

Driver

6-Iron

Wedge

24 Total

Titleist ProV1 X Being aadvertised as the “No.1 ball in Golf” I was expecting it to be head and shoulders above tthe rest and I was not let down. The longest oﬀ the tee in both carry and total yardage, yardag g plus the exceptional feel and control over the ball with mid and short irons makes make es this the all round performer for any courses in the Middle East. Viewing the statss you yo can see how the ProV1X manages the spin so eﬀectively and how Titleist are marketing mar rket the ProV1X to all handicap ranges due it is versatility and performance.

Driver

6-Iron

Wedge

9.5

28 Total

44 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

Brought to you by Golf House

Titleist Titleist ProV1 ProV1 The ProV ProV1 remains the ultimate short game ball, where feel and spin control is a premium. The control oﬀ the face and feel are second to none but, as expected, it premium was one of the shortest in overall distance oﬀ the tee. With a six iron the distance was improved, impr just three yards down on the ProV1X. The ball is well suited to most courses b but this being slightly softer than a few tested here today, the ideal track to use this b ball around would be Yas Links where the feel around the links greens is a must. Sti Still the go-to ball when it comes to a premium on the short game.

Driver

6-Iron

Wedge

25 Total

Callaway SR2 The Callaw Callaway way SSR2 was a shock to me. The feel and sound from the strike was excellent. exce cellent. The ce T ball feels easy to control on the long and short shots and performs peerforms excellently e on the statistics. This ball would suit most courses cours ses and most m handicaps from 0 to 28. The swing speed packaging is a gre great eat idea as it gives you an idea of where Callaway sees the ball best performing. perf rfforming.

Driver

6-Iron

Wedge

24 Total

Callaway SR3 The Callaway SR3 is nearly up there with the ProV1X. It’s slightly down on distance and feel compared compar to the Titleist and also a little firmer off the face than the other tested. The lower spin compared to the SR2 results in a lower ball Callaway (SR2) te flight with less ca carry but more roll. The SR3 feels solid with the driver and six iron but generates a lot o of spin with the wedge. The Abu Dhabi National Club is the perfect venue for this ba ball due to length and receptive greens.

Driver

6-Iron

Wedge

26 Total

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 45

3GHR RTLLDQ S@JD @CU@MS@FD NE NTQ 'NS &NKE NÆ¤DQ @U@HK@AKD VGDM XNT SDD NÆ¤ ENQ GNKDR NM SGD BG@LOHNMRGHO BNTQRD @S #TA@H "QDDJ ADSVDDM @L @MC MNNM 2TMC@X SN 3GTQRC@X DWBKTCHMF OTAKHB GNKHC@XR ADENQD SG 2DOSDLADQ 4 $ 1DRHCDMS $# $&% ,DLADQ $# (E XNT VNTKC KHJD SN OK@X K@SDQ HM SGD C@X SDD NÆ¤ @ESDQ OL VHSG NTQ 3VHKHFGS &NKE OQNLNSHNM @KKNVHMF XNT SN OK@X @R L@MX GNKDR @R XNT B@M ENQ SGD @OOKHB@AKD GNKD Q@SD U@KHC TMSHK SG 2DOSDLADQ Rates include shared golf cart and range balls before play. %NQ QDRDQU@SHNMR OKD@RD BNMS@BS #TA@H "QDDJ &NKE 8@BGS "KTA NM NQ DL@HK BQDRDQU@SHNMR CTA@HFNKE BNL QDRDQU@SHNMR B@M AD L@CD TO SN RDUDM C@XR HM @CU@MBD NE OK@X VVV CTA@HFNKE BNL

Brought to you by

CONCLUSION

WATCH FOOTAGE FROM OUR DAY OUT AT THE MONTGOMERIE & LISTEN TO JASON ASHLEY TALK ABOUT WHAT MAKES TRACKMAN SO SPECIAL.

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TEST WINNER: TITLEIST PROV1X Overall, two manufactures that stood out for me were Callaway and Titleist. The Callaway was a shock as I was expecting thee TaylorMade or Nike balls to perform better. However, the Callaway balls felt and sounded great oﬀ the clubface with all three ee clubs used. That said, I’m pleased to say that I hadn’t fallen for all the advertising propaganda for all these years and I had, in n fact, been using the best ball on the market, the Pro V1X. The Pro V1x not only feels and sounds the best but the ﬂight and distance nce is far superior to all the balls tried. The spin around the greens feels exceptionally easy to control and when trying to shape the he ball it feels very responsive to the shot I’m trying to play. Overall I would recommend the Pro V1x for all standards of golfers after seeing the TrackMan stats. – Craig Vance, Worldwide Golf, lf,

We’ve looked how the latest balls are perfoming on the TrackMan but what balls have the current stats leaders opted for on both The European and PGA Tours?

Driving Distance Bubba Watson – 314.1 yards Driving Accuracy Joe Durant – 75.20%

Ball: Titleist ProV1X

Driving Distance Nicolas Colsaerts – 309.6 yards

Ball: Titleist ProV1X

Driving Accuracy Adilson Da Silva – 81.3%

Ball: Srixon Z Star

Ball: Callaway SR3

Putts per Round Justin Leonard –27.78

Ball: TaylorMade Preferred

Putts per Round Colin Montgomerie – 28.1

Greens in Reg Chad Campbell – 72.79%

Ball: Titleist ProV1X

Greens in Reg Magnus A. Carlsson - 76.7%

Ball: Titleist ProV1

Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 47

WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST <<

Greg

NORMAN

IT’S GREAT TO SEE GOLF SMILING AGAIN

ongratulations to Rory McIlroy on winning The Open in the style of a true Champion. He appreciated the benign conditions at Royal Liverpool and took full advantage. His two opening rounds of 66 got him off to a good start but his two eagles finish over the last three holes on Saturday won him the Claret Jug on Sunday. Rory went for it and he got all that he deserved. The ninth and tenth holes on Sunday were pivotal for him, from a momentum standpoint, but midway down the home stretch the nerves started to show a bit, you could tell the pressure was starting to get to him. Nonetheless, over the closing holes his demeanour was impressive. Rory really kept it together and went on to win well. McIlroy has now won three Majors in four years and he has since joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to have won three Majors before their 26th birthday. Quite an impressive feat and group to be a part of. The other guy who impressed me a lot was Rickie Fowler. He never gave up. He kept pace with Rory almost shot for shot and, had a few more putts dropped in for him, he could have been a real threat right to the finish. He has recently elevated himself into this group of players who can contend consistently at the Majors. The new generation of young players are stepping up to the plate and we’re going to enjoy an interesting time ahead. My take on The Open is that we are witnessing a new era in the game. Golf seems to go in 12-15 year cycles of great golfers. We’ve seen the Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson era and then the Tiger Woods era where he dominated the game

for that period of time. Now Rory is leading the new generation of good and great young golfers, maybe over a forthcoming cycle of 12-15 years. You can see the new wave of younger players coming through. Adam Scott, already a Major winner, is always likely to be in contention in every event he plays. The Aussies are stepping up and throwing a few names into the competition hat, as I’ve also been impressed with Marc Leishman, who, as we saw over The Open weekend, has been knocking on the doors at the Majors as well.

Display of Passion Another name that has been consistently on the leader board, but who had just not quite made the leap yet to Major Champion, is Sergio Garcia. His undeniable talent allows him to keep coming close, Major after Major but for him, he simply has to bite the head oﬀ the snake once and he will keep on doing it. I would love to see him win a Major and I believe he will do it soon. These younger guys wear their heart on their sleeve. The passion, the emotion and the dermination they have is something for all to witness and enjoy. This display of passion, blended with pure talent, is unlike anything we have seen in a long time and I believe that the game of golf will be better with the newly acquired sense of openness and integrity. With the exception of Phil Micklelson who will always smile his way through a tournament whether he wins or loses, we’ve been through a stoic period of time where there hasn’t been a lot of smiling on the golf course. Rory, in particular, leads the charge

with this open-hearted approach to the game. It’s very refreshing. He says what he feels. That’s good for him and it’s good for the game. The galleries need to see the ivories flashing as the players walk down the fairways. You’ve got to show you’re having fun. It’s only human nature to get frustrated with a poor shot or a bad bounce but, most importantly, the guys at this level have got to show the world their love for the game. We’ve enjoyed the era of players like joker Lee Trevino, Sam Sneed, Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen walking around with a smile on their faces. A lot of today’s youngsters are still trying to find their feet but they have a fun-loving approach to the game. Whether Tiger makes it back to where he was we’ll never know until it happens. Tiger’s future is in his hands and therefore all we can do is sit back and watch. If you look at all the things that have happened to him since 2011 it is bound to have taken its toll. Right now, he seems to have lost his approach to the game. He’s going to find it harder and harder to succeed and he seems to have a sort of sea anchor on him. While he tries to convince the world that everything is OK, I think what has happened to him over the last few years has disrupted his approach, and his game and he looks like a different person and player out there. The 2014 Major Champions thus far have made me believe that we can all look forward to a new and exciting era of golf ahead. Led by the likes of Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott, we are bound to see the energy and enthusiasm that the game deserves back out there week after week. Q

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 51

<< WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST

Gary

Player

PLAYERS UNITE FOR WORTHY CAUSE

HE morning after The Open Championship I hosted my Berenberg Gary Player Invitational at the Wentworth Club, which helps raise money for The Player Foundation and Depaul UK – both charities involved in helping young people across the world. Wentworth has always been like a home away from home for me. It holds so many great memories from great matches in the Match Play Championship – a title I won five times there, and the course is always in immaculate condition. We were joined on the day by Fred Couples, Rickie Fowler, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Jason Dufner, Jason Day, Marc Leishman, Brandon Grace, Ian Woosnam, Darren Clarke, David Howell, Louis Oosthuizen, Alvaro Quiros, Suzann Pettersen and Carly Booth amongst many others and plenty of celebrities including Ronan Keating, Jonathan Joseph and Heikki Kovalainen. Australian Marc Leishman, fresh off a share of fifth place at The Open, led his team of Kelsey MacDonald, Nicklas Backstrom and Stephen Irvine to win the title with a tremendous score of 21 under par. It was wonderful to see this fantastic group of professionals join our cause at Wentworth, seeking to provide a brighter future for underprivileged

children. This year was yet another unique and memorable event. With the support of our wonderful sponsors, like Berenberg, we are able to deliver some of the world’s ﬁnest golf experiences and, in doing so, create powerful fundraising platforms for those less fortunate than ourselves. The Gary Player Invitational series continues to grow with the generosity of our sponsors – Berenberg, SAP, Rolex, NetJets, Lavazza and Callaway – and we pride ourselves on the guest experience at our ‘union of golf and giving.’

Martin Kaymer Martin Kaymer said: “I have had the privilege of receiving valuable information and knowledge from Mr. Player for many years now. For almost as many years, we have talked about coming together for one of his events and ﬁnally here we are. Mr. Player has done a lot of good for many people and causes around the world. “The world keeps changing and, more than ever, I feel that words from more experienced people than yourself should be listened to. A day with Mr. Player is like nothing else, and I was delighted to be in his presence once again.” Suzann Pettersen said: “Everyone knows about

Gary Player’s achievements on the course, as well as the many successful initiatives to beneﬁt the game and the people who love it. “Golf has provided us the opportunity to give back to such great causes as The Player Foundation, and this is, perhaps, the most rewarding aspect of our careers. I was thrilled to help Gary at this year’s event at Wentworth – a venue I’ve never before competed at, which made it doubly exciting.” Jason Day, added: “I had heard so much about Mr. Player’s worldwide charity event series. We play a lot of tournament golf throughout the year and attend many Pro-Am events, but this is one that I’ve really wanted to attend for some time now. Oﬀ the back of such a high-pressure week as The Open, it was great to join so many of my peers and leading ladies Tour Professionals for the event to raise funds for charity.” The Berenberg Gary Player Invitational is part of the world-leading Gary Player Invitational charity golf event series, which has raised in excess of $50 million for charities worldwide. The next Gary Player Invitational is in Shanghai in November, followed by Sun City in South Africa later that month. Q

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 53

<< WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST

David

Howell

MY OPEN DIARY Y

ou are well aware that it was Rory McIlroy who lifted the Claret Jug at Hoylake to be crowned the “Champion Golfer of the Year” and it’s his name and not mine that is now engraved on golf’s oldest and most famous trophy. I hope an insight into my Open Championship campaign and my preparations for Royal Liverpool might make for interesting reading – the before and after, so to speak. So, taking a look at my prospects prior to The Open, how am I feeling about my game? How have my preparations gone? And finally, what are my chances? To answer the first of those questions we need to go back in time a little, to the PGA Championship in May and a missed cut at our flagship event at Wentworth. Being honest, I played poorly. The first part of the year had been poor and I knew things had to change and decisions needed to be made. Phil Kenyon, one of The Tour’s putting consultants was quickly brought onto my team. I’m renowned for being a great putter but that label becomes tiresome when you know yourself that you are putting horribly. With almost immediate effect Phil pointed out that I was not aiming where I wanted the ball to go – quite a crucial little nugget of information I would say. The second decision was to have a snapshot view of my swing from my old coach, Clive Tucker. His views were taken on board, and after a couple of days’ work with my long term coach, Jonathan Wallett, a decision was made to try and make changes to my swing.

No easy feat This is no easy feat, especially mid-season, and when you’ve been playing for so long that you have just received a commemorative ice bucket from The European Tour for having played 500 events, it is even harder. However, with a top ten ﬁnish in Sweden the following week I was emboldened to continue the swing work. My putting has been sensational for the past month and as I write this I am happy to say I feel that I’m swinging the club as well as ever, and

54 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

hitting the ball equally well. For someone known for being self-deprecating this is, indeed, a bold pronouncement. All this sounds like a potent mix. So how have my results been? Well, encouraging without being able to shout about it. One poor hole on Sunday in the French Open cost me a top 15 finish and a lacklustre weekend in the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen left me in 35th spot. My preparations for The Open itself have been great. An early morning round on Monday to weigh up the course, an afternoon of high quality practice on Tuesday and another early round on Wednesday was all good preparation for possibly my only Major championship start of 2014. I had the honour of hitting the opening tee shot on Thursday morning at 6.25 am in the company of David Duval and Robert Karlsson (it was good to see Robert playing well again – finishing a shot better than me, tied for 12th place). Starting The Open in itself was a thrill – you don’t often get the chance to get the oldest Championship in golf underway. Having to get up at 4.0am was not quite so thrilling. So what did I think of my chances? This is how I saw it: My confidence is building by the day, my game is in as good shape as ever, and the last two times I have played on links courses I have performed well. I expect nothing, as expectations are dangerous for the mind, but I feel if I can put to good use the experience those 500 Tour starts have brought me, tap into the confidence that winning last year afforded me – and at an Open venue I might add – I see no reason why I can’t produce my

best ever Open Championship performance. If I do that, and the luck is with me, I might just find myself in contention… ….well, I opened with a 72, followed with two 70s and finished with a 68. It could have been better but a share of 15th place with Francesco Molinari and Stephen Gallacher wasn’t too bad. It took me from 101st place in The Race to Dubai to 68th place – six places off qualifying. One quick mention about The R&A and two initiatives they have undertaken: Firstly, during my practice rounds at Hoylake I noticed the simplest of ideas on the big screens dotted around the course – multiple choice Rules quizzes for the spectators to learn from, and the pros, too, as I found out. Congratulations to Peter Dawson and his R&A team on a great idea. On a more serious level it’s great to see that The R&A are holding a Rules of Golf seminar at Al Badia Golf Club in Dubai in early November during the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final. The Rules are complicated, unfortunately, and most pros are guilty of not knowing enough, but events like these give anybody the chance to brush up and become competent with the Rules. For any golf administrator or PGA Pro in the Middle East this is a wonderful opportunity, with time to spend watching the stars of tomorrow playing in the Challenge Tour’s final event where the top 15 finishers will earn their European Tour card for the 2015 season. It sounds like a win–win to me. Q

Pete

Cowen

‘VE always said the one thing that makes everyone look ordinary is age. Tiger Woods might have been physically fit coming into The Open week but like a footballer returning from injury he needs to be match fit to be back to his best. Every time Tiger enters an event he believes he can win it. He’s always thought that way and why not? However, what’s happened in the last five years is the quality of players has just got better and winning a Major now is harder than it was before. Tiger will and can still win Majors, there’s no doubt about that, but so can half the ﬁeld these days. You need the breaks to go your way and be in great form, no matter who you are. Rory’s win at Hoylake was a great result and he won the Major so many believed would evade him. Ok, the dreaded wind didn’t blow and he could hit those unbelievably high-ﬂighted long iron shots with pinpoint accuracy. Could he have done that in gale force conditions? - I doubt it but the weather was the same for all the players and Rory came out on top. He’s been able to adjust to links conditions and I’m sure he will be up for defending his title at St Andrews next year, whatever the weather. The one thing the R&A got right this year was the ‘roar factor.’ The crowds saw great scoring, thanks to fair rough and the lack of wind, and the atmosphere was exactly what they wanted. Hoylake was buzzing and the leaderboard was full of fresh young players. Rory is a class act with an exceptional talent and when he’s on his game there’s no one better. I’m sure he will secure the Grand Slam but I doubt any

TIGER’ STILL GOT IT BUT YOU CAN’T IGNORE YOUTH player will dominate the game in the manner in which Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have done. Some people say to me that you can make a great player with 10,000 hours. What a load of rubbish. A great player needs one thing ﬁrst – TALENT. You can't train a carthorse for 10,000 hours and expect it to win the Derby against thoroughbreds. The only thing you can do with talent or exceptional talent like Rory’s is to nurture it and for this reason I think Michael Bannon has done an unbelievable job. A great talent can also be ruined if it isn’t brought on the right way. Handling the pressures of expectation is hard to deal with if you are a talented player, especially one who has achieved top amateur honours. One player who has recently done just this is Matthew Fitzpatrick. He might not have Rory's talent but he's going to be a big name in the game. He just doesn't suﬀer from stage fright. The lad has got nerves of steel and in this game this is a talent in itself. To have this ability at such a young age is unheard of. So now I'm about to head over to the States

to work with my players in preparation for the WGC- Bridgestone Invitational and the final Major of the season, the US PGA Championship. Rory is obviously flying high but I believe Henrik Stenson will win at Valhalla. I'm not just saying this as his coach but I get a feeling he's got something to prove. He was unlucky not to get things going at The Open. He's striking the ball as well as ever. He even led the fairway stats at Hoylake but just couldn't get it going. I texted him this time last year to say he will win the FedEx Cup and I've got the same feeling he will go on to have a great end of season. He just needs to get his putting boots on. The US PGA Championship will see all the in-form players, especially the young ones, up there but Sergio, McDowell and Dustin Johnson are looking good at the moment. As I said earlier you can never write off Tiger. I wouldn't be surprised if he wins at Firestone, where he has a fantastic record, and then the US PGA Championship will be a whole new talking point. Q WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 55

HOSPITALITY ON THE 18TH Overlooking the 18th green of the magnificent Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the exclusive Hospitality Pavilion offers an unrivalled setting to watch the European Tour’s top 60 players battle it out in the ﬁnal event of the 2014 Race to Dubai. For tickets call +971 (0) 567 359 852 or email HOSPITALITY@DPWTC.COM

10% EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT UNTIL 31 AUGUST, 2014

HENRIK STENSON MOVES INTO JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES PARTNERSHIP

umeirah Golf Estates has signed an exclusive two-year partnership with world number three golfer, Henrik Stenson, to become an Oﬃcial Ambassador for the golf and residential development. Henrik will support the venue’s domestic and global marketing activity, including personal appearances, media and PR. Henrik’s Tour apparel will now feature the Jumeirah Golf Estates logo on the left-hand sleeve of his shirt, which started with last week’s BMW International Open in Cologne, Germany. Henrik said: “I’m delighted to be working with Jumeirah Golf Estates. I have a longstanding association with Dubai since living there with my family, and with Jumeirah Golf Estates becoming one of the world’s leading golf developments. I’m proud to be an Ambassador for them. “Last season was one of the greatest of my career, capped oﬀ perfectly by winning the DP World Tour Championship and The Race to Dubai titles at Jumeirah Golf Estates. I can’t wait to get back there and to stay in my new Dubai home.” Yousuf Kazim, Jumeirah Golf Estates’ General Manager, said: “Today’s announcement of Henrik joining us as an Ambassador signals another positive stepping stone in the evolving development of Jumeirah Golf Estates. As residents continue to move into our community and membership grows, the next step will be the opening of the main clubhouse prior to the upcoming DP World Tour Championship in November.”

Neal Graham, Jumeirah Golf Estates General Manager, Club Operations, who was in Germany for the press launch with Henrik, said: “We are into our sixth year sponsoring The European Tour and DP World Tour Championship, with a recently announced extension through to 2017. I’m delighted that we’ll be able to amplify this sponsorship through our partnership with Henrik, who is the perfect choice as Ambassador for our business. We look forward to welcoming Henrik and his family to our community.” Since bursting onto the scene in 2000, Henrik has gone on to win 12 tournament titles including the DP World Tour Championship, the Deutsche Bank Championship, the Tour Championship, the Players Championship, the Dubai Desert Classic, the BMW International Open, the Nedbank Challenge, the World Cup of Golf and the World Golf ChampionshipsAccenture Match Play Championship. In 2013 Henrik was arguably golfer of the year, dominating on both sides of the Atlantic and winning the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup and The European Tour’s Race to Dubai titles. Henrik also posted his top finish in a Major, finishing runner-up to to Phil Mickelson at The Open Championship at Muirfield. In 2014, Henrik has already recorded five top-five finishes, including last month’s BMW International Open in Germany where he finished runner-up after a four-player shoot-out, and will feature strongly in The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, which will be his third Ryder Cup outing.

Last season was one of the greatest of my career, capped off perfectly by winning the DP World Tour Championship and The Race to Dubai titles at Jumeirah Golf Estates. I can’t wait to get back there and to stay in my new Dubai home. - Henrik Stenson

Pictured: Henrik Stenson with Neal Graham, Jumeirah Golf Estates General Manager, Club Operations.

Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 57

INSTRUCTION MATHEW PARKER SENIOR TEACHING PROFESSIONAL PGA EUROPEAN TOUR PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE

THE BIG TAKEAWAY 58 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

BY- Bryan Smyth, Golf Professional at Emirates Golf Club

I CALL THIS POSITION 1. The left shoulder and left hand initiate the takeaway. FEEL (Arms must remain long - keep the elbows together). Check points - Triangle and Club Face. Start your swing well, finish well, and the rest will take care of itself.

Everyone loves to have a nice takeaway. I’m not talking about a home delivery, but instead how the club and body should move in the first part of the swing. I fully understand that the takeaway is not the be-all and end-all of every golfer’s chance to strike a ball clean and straight, but it remains one part of the swing that I find myself continually needing to correct with my students in order for

us to work on other aspects of the game. Firstly let’s talk about the purpose of the takeaway. This part of the swing is 100% the initiation of the backswing. Width needs to be created and body rotation needs to be started. The clubface should not be a main factor but should remain “square”. Keep the focus on width and rotation.

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 59

INSTRUCTION ALASTAIR BROWN PGA PROFESSIONAL EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

BASIC CHIPPING The short game is all about ball flight control. For this to be consistent you need to control your club speed and control your club loft. Choosing the correct flight for the shot and which club you are going to use to get the desired outcome is crucial. A chip shot spends most of its time rolling on the ground and for this type of shot I would select anything from a 5 iron to a PW depending on how much rough grass I have to carry the ball over. Keys to the Set Up The correct set up will enable a pendulum swing and gravity can work for you instead of having to fight it. t Get closer to the ball and set the club shaft more vertical – a pendulum always works best when the weight is under the handle as opposed to out from it t Let your arms hang from your shoulders and hold the club where they naturally hang soft. This will shorten the club and give you better control over the club t Align your clubface and body parallel to your desired target line – do not open the body

You can see the diﬀerences in the pictures. In the correct picture (main image) my eyes are more over the ball and my hands closer to my body. This will make the pendulum swing more connected and less eﬀort.

Summer Packages with The Academy at Emirates Golf Club

In the picture on the right you can see the ball is in the centre of my stance, my left foot has been ďŹ&#x201A;ared open to allow me to ďŹ nish the swing easily and most importantly the natural loft is still on the club as I have kept a neutral shaft angle. My eyes and sternum and focused directly down on the ball.

During the swing you can see the club shaft pointing at the target line at the top of the backswing and in the ďŹ nish position. Notice how my clubhead is shallow or low to the ground. Because of a great set up it is much easier to keep the club online.

I want to control the speed of the motion so I do not want to over accelerate the club on the downswing. Remember a pendulum moves at the same speed back and forward. Allowing the weight of the club to drop through the ball is the best method. There is minimal wrist hinge in the right wrist on the back swing and the same in the left wrist in the ďŹ nish.

Ĺ&#x17E; $MG@MBD XNTQ F@LD VHSG @ Q@MFD NE RTLLDQ KDRRNM O@BJ@FDR Ĺ&#x17E; /QHBDR RS@QS EQNL $# Ĺ&#x17E; U@HK@AKD TMSHK SG 2DOSDLADQ

/KD@RD BNMS@BS NQ DL@HK DLHQ@SDR@B@CDLX CTA@HFNKE BNL VVV CTA@HFNKE BNL

CEO & Founder of eGolf Outlet

Dean Cheesley

62 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

The Middle East's Largest Online Golf Store

EGOLF OUTLET LEADING ONLINE REVOLUTION After running a successful online golf business in Australia, real estate attorney Dean Cheesley moved to Dubai six years ago and started eGolf Outlet, the Middle East’s first, online golf retail store. Worldwide Golf spoke exclusively with Dean at The Els Club Dubai.

WORLDWIDE GOLF: What made you want to start an online golf store here in the Middle East? Dean Cheesley: We launched the business in 2011. I’m a qualified lawyer and have been practising law for over 12 years now. I started with online retailing in Australia where I set up an online golf business in 2005. Back then I simply established an online store and began trading as more of an interest or hobby than anything else. However over the years it quickly developed into one of the leading retailers in the country. I had a great team and it was and still is a very competitive market in Australia in terms of online retail. Entrepreneurship and golf are two things I’m very enthusiastic about. Even though I’m a trained and qualified lawyer, I definitely have more of an entrepreneurial streak, which is something quite unique for a lawyer! I enjoy doing this because I’m able to fuse my passion of golf with business. I understand the eCommerce sector so when I relocated to Dubai it was a natural move for me to set up online again, so we launched eGolf Outlet. WWG: When did your passion for golf begin? DC: Ever since I picked up a golf club at the age of nine I was addicted to the game. I’m a golf addict and it’s something I’m so passionate and enthusiastic about, so when it comes to

eGolfOutlet, it’s not like a job – it doesn’t feel like I’m working. I’m here to build this business and one of the things I identified when I moved to Dubai in 2008 was that there was no online retailer in the region. Having built the business in Australia and ultimately selling it before I left, I saw the opportunity for an experienced online retailer to open and operate an online store in the Middle East. From my perspective there were two initial drivers to setting up the business. The first was to bring a bit more affordability for the everyday golfer and the second was to increase accessibility for those wanting to start the game but considered it too expensive to try.. Due to our location, the pricing of much of the equipment is very high in the region compared to other parts of world. So when we first started off the business it was all about pre-owned equipment. We have a trade in programme on the website where customers can instantly value their pre-owned clubs. We offer an on the spot cash price or 20% extra if they choose eGolf Outlet store credit. In addition, we have over 1,400 brand new products on the site, including clubs, balls, bags, accessories, and ladies equipment as we are an authorised online retailer for many of the leading brands. WWG: You mentioned that when you came out here you were the first online golf store. Does it surprise you that here we are in 2014 and you’re still the only online golf store in the region? DC: In a way I’m surprised that we’re still the only ones in this space but we’re doing it well and we’ve developed great relationships with our suppliers and secured exclusive online arrangements for certain brands. It’s important to remember that there are golfers here who choose to shop on the internet from the US or from the UK and other parts of the world. Our objective is to try and get that customer to shop locally here in the UAE and support local businesses and our economy. The benefit of buying from us rather than the US is that you get at the quickest, a five-seven day delivery time from the US. Some orders can take two to three weeks to be delivered. With eGolfOutlet, all orders placed by 4pm each day are delivered the next day throughout the UAE, and our shipments reach the other GCC countries in two days. Typically we cannot compete on price with the US, but we back our prices up with a high-quality service and our turnaround times are quicker. Ultimately it’s proving to be great success.

Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 63

The Middle East's Largest Online Golf Store

WWG: How has the traffic on the eGolf Outlet website fared over the last year? DC: We’ve got some great traction going now with respect to activity on the website. Our customers are getting used to the brand and they’re getting used to using the website. Many who have tried it recommend us to their friends because they’ve received great service. One of the key analytics in our business to understanding it’s development is to analyse the daily or monthly hits to the site. To give you an idea, in the month of June we were up to 39,000 hits in just that month and that’s up from 24,000 in January this year which is up from 18,000 in June 2013. So we’ve seen our monthly site traffic double in twelve months and as a result of that our revenue is growing which means we’re able to then offer a bigger range to the customer. WWG: How has your relationship been with local golf clubs in the region? DC: We have a customization service where we customise golf bags. We sell them through our site but very soon they’ll be available at some golf clubs in the Middle East. We have a great relationship with many of the clubs in the region, who stock VEGA Golf, IOMIC Grips and Radius putters, brands that we distribute in the region. WWG: As a practicing lawyer, do you find it difficult to find the time to do both at the same time because things seem to be going strength-to-strength with eGolf Outlet. DC: I thoroughly enjoy practising law and derive a huge amount of fulfillment from it but from a juggling point of view it was getting far to challenging to handle both. You won’t find me complaining though as I’m passionate about what we’re doing eGolf Outlet and the concept we’ve been able to bring to the region!

egolfoutlet.ae Tel: + 971 (0) 4 338 5770

WWG: Tell us a little bit more about the customization services that eGolfOutlet offers? DC: We started with the

custom golf bags through the eGolf Outlet earlier this year and we’ve been picking up quite a considerable amount of business. We have a broad offering in terms of the custom golf bags and it’s something that’s quite unique. We have 20 different bag styles that a customer can choose from as a starting point that includes Tour bags, cart bags, lady bags, we even have stand bags and shoe bags. We allow the customer to choose from these different bags styles and so we’ll sit with them with our designers and we’ll come up with a complete design for them. We allow the customer to choose their fabrics, their materials and they can choose all of their different colours. Then we get into the embroidery service and the customization service – we also have side panels available on the golf bags for embroidery and also the front panels where you can include your name or your company branding. We don’t just do it for companies, we do it for a lot of individuals as well. We do it for golf societies where you might have the champion of the society winning a customized bag as a winning prize.

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Summer 2014 - WorldwideGolf | 65

So how does a non-golfer develop and launch a swing aid that has been embraced by top coaches and players around the globe?

he Swing Plane Perfector is a regular sight in golf academies all over the world. It’s even seen out on the range during Tour events. But what makes this game improvement aid unique is the man behind the whole thing. Les Coe isn’t a golfer or a chief desgner with a leading golf brand but a regular guy who spent most of his working life in the publishing industry. We caught up with Les to find out why no one else had the vision to develop something so simple but so effective.

WWG: Les, the professional manner in which the SPP has been produced isn’t that of a publisher tinkering around in his garden shed. Surely you had some prior experience in engineering design? LES: From a small child I have always buried myself away and made things for myself, mainly from my MECCANO set. Then, as a young man I was involved in motor racing and developed a love for engineering. I designed and made The “COEMOTOR DELTA SIX” A six cylinder two-stroke engine of a configuration never used before. Although the majority of my career was spent as a publisher I never felt that my true love was in this sector. Indeed, it would often be mentioned that I came alive if I had to design a new office for the company. I would, of course, design the office furniture as well. Throughout my life I have always been involved with property design and have designed and built a number of houses. I’ve always had a desire to understand how things work and see whether I can improve things. In recent years I’ve designed a number of specialist greener and more efficient heating systems for properties and I’m currently engaged with a new product for the coffee industry. 66 | Worldwide Golf - Summer 2014

WORLDWIDE GOLF talks to LES COE beginner would beneﬁt immensely as he/she would practice the exact same swing plane angle the coach has assigned to them with every shot and at every practice session, with or without the coach being present. The correct angle is instilled in their muscle memory, rapidly allowing the coach to move on to other aspects of their game – and they always have a base setting to refer back to.

ABOVE: Michael Bannon, Rory McIlroy’s coach, on the range with a client and the Swing Plane Perfector.

WWG: How many SSP have been produced so far and which countries have they been distributed to? Les: The SPP has been available since October 2013 and we have manufactured 10,000 units so far. From the outset we distributed to all European countries and the USA. The word soon spread and we are now also supplying Japan, China, and Australia. We have even been asked by one inﬂuential client in the Middle East for a Titanium bespoke SPP and a precious metal version for a birthday present.

WWG: OK. That’s not the typical mindset of a publisher and it does explain things! But how does a non-golfer suddenly get the idea to design a product that Tour players are using to keep their swing in shape? Les: I had Golf lesson in 2012 when I noticed a coach sticking an alignment stick in the grass. It occurred to me that it must be difficult to duplicate the exact angle for every practice session using this method. And you certainly couldn’t use this method in an indoor range as the floor is made of concrete. After discussing this at length with my coach for the day, a very technical and clever man by the name of Paul Holland, he said: “ If there was something on the market that could overcome these problems, all coaches and players would benefit from it. ” That was it! That was all the encouragement I needed. I was away. Using Paul as a sounding board throughout the development we achieved the final product in the course of about twelve months – producing five prototypes. WWG: What challenges did you face trying to get the SSP from concept to the finished product? Les: Our biggest challenge was to make it small, light, and virtually indestructible. It had to be small enough to be carried in the golf bag of the coach or students all the time and it had to last the lifetime of its owner. WWG: We’ve seen Rory McIroy’s coach Michael Bannon using it but how can a beginner get the SPP to improve their game, or is it designed for the better golfer in mind? Les: No, it’s suitable for all levels of golfer. The

WWG: If you could do it all again, what would you do differently? Les: I don’t think I would change anything at all if we were to do it all again. The whole project could not have gone better. The SPP has been embraced from the outset by some of the world’s best coaches and players. I have enjoyed immensely meeting so many of them and learning from my interactions with them. I consider myself very lucky and privileged in that respect. WWG: Have you started playing golf as a result of the SSP? Les: I don’t play golf at the moment as my schedule does not allow me enough time, although I am certainly developing a real love for the game. I admit that I’m a bit of a geek and I”m intrigued with the intricacies and ﬁner points of the game. I’m attempting to read THE GOLF MACHINE by Homer Kelly, much of which is going way over my head. I have promised myself to set aside one and a half days a week at my earliest opportunity to give golf my best shot. I don’t think I will be a natural golfer, but I’m prepared to put the hours in. My aim would be to play a round in under a hundred within six months although I have no great expectations on how feasible this ambition is. WWG: What’s next on the drawing board after the SPP? Les: I really don’t know what my next project might be. I get asked every week by someone to look at new ideas. Some are golf related and others have nothing whatsoever to do with the game – some good and some not so good. Creating new things is what really excites me. I have always done it and I can’t imagine life without it. For more information go to: www.swingplaneperfector.com or scan the QR code below

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Fitzpatrick, ‘the new Rory,’ heading for National Bank of Oman Golf Classic

HE teenage sensation who is increasingly being hailed as the new Rory McIlroy, Matthew Fitzpatrick, stepped up his successful campaign towards stardom by finishing tied for 48th place in last month’s US Open Championship and immediately accepted a sponsor’s invitation to play in the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic at Almouj Golf The Wave, Muscat, on Thursday, October 30-Sunday, November 2. The 19 year old was only one of 11 players, which included the victorious US Open winner, Martin Kaymer, to shoot under par on the final day. Fitzpatrick’s 69 earned him an 11-over par total of 291 and another trophy for becoming low amateur, to follow the same prize he earned at The Open Championship at Muirfield last summer. “To have one of the most exciting young prospects in world golf, Matthew Fitzpatrick, playing in the 2014 National Bank of Oman Golf Classic, is a considerable compliment to the status of our tournament. It will be interesting to follow the progress of Matthew in the professional ranks in the run-up to the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic at the end of October,” said Ahmed Muslamy, CEO of the National Bank of Oman. Fitzpatrick, who turned professional prior to last month’s Irish Open, commented: “The National Bank of Oman Golf Classic was one of the most exciting

68 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

events on the European Challenge Tour last season, so it will be great to play at this year’s tournament. Travelling the world and visiting different countries was one of the things I was most looking forward to about turning professional – hopefully, I can play well and make my trip to Oman one to remember.” The Sheffield-born Fitzpatrick is frequently compared to Open Champion Rory McIlroy. Like the Northern Irishman’s achievements, Fitzpatrick’s have been nothing short of spectacular. He became the first Englishman since 1911 to lift the USGA’s oldest trophy in winning the US Amateur at Brookline, Massachusetts, last August. The previous month he had earned the Silver Medal for being the top amateur at Muirfield, tying for 44th place. The 2012 Boys Amateur Champion was Great Britain and Ireland’s leading point scorer at the 2013 Walker Cup and last September he was awarded the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Despite missing the cut at the Masters Tournament by just one stroke in April, earlier this yea,r he finished tied for 23rd at the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage the following week. Fitzpatrick played a practice round on Pinehurst’s No. 2 course with Rory McIlroy on the Tuesday before the US Open and then played the first two rounds with Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose. “Rory was a great help,” said Fitzpatrick. “It was nice to speak to Rory and pick his brains about a few things.

He said that I can ask him any questions I have, so that’s nice. It was good ﬁnding someone like that who’s willing to help me and show me the ropes, and he’s certainly done that and more. “I really enjoyed it. It was a great week. My aim was to win the low amateur, and to achieve it is pretty pleasing. It’s been great playing with some of the biggest names in the game and to close with a 69 was a great way to ﬁnish and a great way to end my amateur career at the US Open.”

Main image: The new McIlroy? 2014 US Open Championship top amateur Matthew Fitzpatrick asks for advice from Rory McIlroy during their practice round together at Pinehurst No.2 Above: Matthew Fitzpatrick poses with his Silver Medal for being the leading amateur at the US Open Championship, ﬁnishing tied for 48th place.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR CHALLENGE TOUR GRAND FINAL

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR UPDATE JORDI García Pinto continues to lead the European Challenge Tour Rankings with €94,572 in prize money. The Spaniard won the Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open in France by three shots over fellow countryman Carlos Aguilar to cement his position at the top of the rankings. Twenty-two-year-old German Mortiz Lampert followed up his win at the Karnten Golf Open with an impressive victory at the Fred Olsen Challenge de Espana to move to second place while Englishman Andrew Johnston moved to third following his win at the Scottish Hydro Challenge. Jake Roos recorded a rollercoaster victory at the Agean Airlines Challenge in Bavaria to jump to fourth place on the rankings. The win was the Englishman’s second victory of the season after he won the season-opening Barclays Kenya Open in March. The National Bank of Oman Golf Classic takes place at Al Mouj Golf, The Wave, Muscat, Oman from October 30-November 2. After the conclusion of the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic the top 45 players on the Challenge Tour Rankings will compete at the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club from November 5-8. The top 15 players on the Challenge Tour Rankings at the conclusion of that event will win places on the 2014/2015 European Tour.

AL Badia Golf Club will once again play host to the climax to the European Challenge Tour season with the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final, taking place November 5-8. The season-ending event will see the Tour’s top 45 players battling it out over four days to try and secure one of the all-important top 15 places on the Challenge Tour Rankings and a coveted European Tour card for the 2014/2015 season. As well as being treated to a wonderful golﬁng spectacle local golf fans are also being given the opportunity to play a crucial role in the success of the event by working as volunteers, assisting with scoring, marshaling and even caddying! Should you be interested in being a volunteer over any of the four days please email tim.neil@ihg.com. - Please note any volunteer who can commit to more than one day will be given priority.

HATTON BAGS OPEN SPOT

yrrell Hatton, who graduated from the Challenge Tour last year after finishing sixth at the seasonending Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final at Al Badia Golf Club, showed that he is cut out for life on The European Tour by finishing in a tie for fourth at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. Hatton fired a final round score of 3-under-par 68 to finish six shots behind winner Justin Rose and secure his second top-five on The European Tour. The result also gave the 23-year-old from Buckinghamshire a last-minute place at The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. Going into the Scottish Open, there were three places up for grabs for the 143rd Open Championship for the highest-ranked finishers in the top 10 of the event who had not already qualified. Runner-up Kristoffer Broberg took the first of those three spots while Hatton took the next and Scott Jamieson of Scotland secured the final place.

WorldwideGolf - /Ñ j¿ 2014 | 69

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HEADING HIGH H

USSAIN SAJWANI is the founder, Executive Chairman and CEO of DAMAC Properties, the Dubai based international luxury real estate developer. Listed among the 100 most globally influential Arab Nationals, he is one of the region’s top businessmen and has a proven track record of building successful international businesses across a variety of sectors. An Economics graduate from the University of Washington, Hussain Sajwani started his career as a Contracts Manager in GASCO, a subsidiary of

ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company). After a short time, he established his own business and in 1982 he started his own catering venture. He was one of the pioneers of the property market expansion in Dubai. In the mid-1990s he built several hotels to accommodate the growing influx of people coming to the emirate to do business and trade. In 2002, he identified the market opportunity and established DAMAC Properties, which has grown to be among the largest privately-held property development companies in the Middle East. Hussain Sajwani

holds the position of Chairman for a number of other Middle Eastern companies. DAMAC is a listed trading company on the London Stock Exchange. In the last quarter, the company has achieved 94% growth in revenue and 80% growth in profitability. Here he talks to WSP Publisher, Mike Gallemore, about the overwhelming success of DAMAC and the intriguing business relationship with Donald Trump and the Trump International Golf Club at AKOYA by DAMAC that has captured the imagination of the golf and property world.

“DUBAI TODAY IS GROWING. IT’S REALLY MINDBOGGLING. A SMALL CITY LIKE DUBAI WHICH HAS NO OIL REVENUE, NO LARGE POPULATION, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE LARGEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD AND TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT TOURISM MORE THAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE 5,000 YEARS OF PYRAMIDS OR THE TAJ MAHAL OR HAVE THAT KIND OF ICONIC HISTORY, AND THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH VERY LITTLE HISTORY."

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WWG: Were you pleased with the visit of Donald and Ivanka Trump to AKOYA by DAMAC and with the overall reception he received? HUSSAIN SAJWANi: Absolutely. We always knew that Donald draws big media interest wherever he goes, that was one of the factors in making the decision to work together on the Trump International Golf Club, Dubai and the Trump Estates. His charisma and commitment to get a project done and make it the best in the world was another reason that this collaboration was such a natural synergy between our two companies – both wanting to deliver the very best and the highest luxury in everything we do. WWG: Do you feel that all the complimentary things he said about the Trump course, the hotel, the villas and his excellent partnership with DAMAC was a boost to the project? HS: We were delighted to hear that Donald and Ivanka were pleased with the progress they saw on their visit, although we are working with them so closely, I don’t think they were surprised. The relationship oﬀers the highest level of luxury, not just in creating one of the best golf courses in the world, but also with The Trump Estates – 104 luxurious villas and mansions on a private island at the heart of AKOYA by DAMAC. By combining our talents and strong teams, we are able to bring something really fresh to the market, raising the levels of luxury in Dubai real estate.

"THE TRUMP ORGANISATION HAS UNRIVALLED EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING MANY OF THE BEST GOLF COURSES AND CLUBHOUSES IN THE WORLD. THAT IS WHAT THEY WILL DO IN AKOYA BY DAMAC. TOGETHER WE AIM TO CREATE A WORLD-CLASS GOLF COURSE AND AMENITIES SET WITHIN ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE COMMUNITIES IN THE REGION." – HUSSAIN SAJWANI

WWG: Considering your partnership with the Trump Organisation is only a year old you have come a long way together in a very short time – what is the secret of the success of the partnership? HS: The key is to understand the strengths of each brand and deliver a product which together can exceed the sum of the two parts. The Trump Organisation has unrivalled experience in running many of the best golf courses and clubhouses in the world. That is what they will do in AKOYA by DAMAC. We have more than a decade’s worth of experience in luxury real estate in Dubai and the wider Middle East. Together we aim to create a world-class golf course and amenities set within one of the most desirable communities in the region.

WWG: It’s never easy to create a Championship-standard golf course and a world-class, highest-quality residential community – has it been difficult to keep both sides of the project satisfied? HS: That is why we brought in The Trump Organisation and Gil Hanse – one of the best golf course architects in the world. The Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, will run through the centre of the project. The course will reﬂect the dramatic natural landforms, traditional in the UAE, and the holes will ﬂow from one into the other, creating a seamless natural environment with the villas, mansions and apartments enjoying stunning views of the course, while not impeding

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play. This is successfully achieved through the creative elevation between the course and the property. Gil is known for his minimalistic design, but it’s not part of our plan for this project. The course will feel natural, as will part of its surroundings, but there will certainly be drama. We want to build something that Dubai has never seen before – and we are very excited by the prospect. The course will incorporate wadi-style hazards as a way to combine the inspiration of the desert with a feature that will enhance the playing experience. The water features will be beautiful when viewed with the sunlight, the green grass and the natural form of the course – and there will be a few lakes, too.

DAMAC <<

Donald and Ivanka Trump pictured on the tee with Hussain Sajwani, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DAMAC, at the Trump International Course at AKOYA by DAMAC.

WWG: You have said that what Dubai has achieved in recent years is quite remarkable and the DAMAC Properties success story is an integral part of that success – do you feel that your and DAMAC’s entrepreneurial spirit matches that of Donald Trump? HS: DAMAC Properties has always been an entrepreneurial company and one where we test ourselves every day to push the boundaries of quality and service we oﬀer to our clients. The International Property Awards, recently named AKOYA by DAMAC ‘the best golf development in the world’ at a recent ceremony in London and this is testament to the standards we all set ourselves. WWG: It’s a fascinating relationship between Donald Trump and Gil Hanse with Donald’s showmanship and outgoing personality and Gil’s quiet and unassuming manner – you appear to be the farseeing link that makes it work? HS: Donald and Gil have been working together for a number of years prior to the development of the Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, including being selected to undertake the re-design of the Blue Monster at Trump National Doral in the USA – the home of the World Golf ChampionshipsCadillac Championship. They are both among the most respected names in golf. Gil is a world-class golf course designer who is currently working on the course for the Rio Olympic Games. He was named Golf Architect of the Year in 2009 by Golf magazine. Donald was named in the top ﬁve most powerful people in Golf by Golf Inc. magazine. WWG: DAMAC Properties has been at the forefront of property developing in Dubai. Do you anticipate that the recent boom in the market will continue or do youbelieve that there be a levelling off before it booms again when we get closer to EXPO 20-20?

HS: The fundamentals of the Dubai real estate market have been in place for a long time – and they remain constant. The emirates’ geographical position, with more than a third of the world’s population within a four-hour flight, in conjunction with its world-class infrastructure, its safe and secure environment and a supportive regulatory environment, present unique investment and luxury-living opportunities. The recovery which is underway in the global economic environment is allowing investors to again go out and explore investment opportunities and they are returning to Dubai real estate. WWG: Do you see the overall boom in the property market in Dubai and the UAE continuing in the years to come up to and beyond 20-20? HS: Dubai in particular has continued to witness solid economic recovery and this is reflected in the real estate sector. Strong predicted growth of 4.5% for 2014 will sustain demand for residential property. This explains the continuous solid levels of demand in the market, which is reflected in the growth in rental levels and residential values in the short and medium term, especially with the population expected to double in the next six years. As for the long term, we can’t speculate on the growth rates.

WWG: What is your view of how Dubai has managed to become such an amazing success story in so many different aspects? HS: Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the emirate has grown to be one of the best cities in the world. The real estate market has played a big part in its economic growth and helped to attract overseas investment. Its geographical position and safe-haven status has played a big part in linking the East with the West to become the de-facto place to be for big business and tourism. Over the next six to seven years, as Dubai continues to grow and prepare to host the World Expo 20-20, you can expect to see a strong growth in the number of serviced hotel apartments opening up. We see this as a bigger driver in the tourism market in the coming years and we are taking a leadership position at the luxury end of the sector. It is predicted that tourism will double from 10 million last year, to more than 20 million by 2020, again driving demand for luxury real estate across the emirate. WWG: Do you play golf – or do you have any interest in the sport. If you don’t play golf is it a sport you might take up? HS: I really do enjoy golf, although it’s more of a spectator sport for me. Donald keeps threatening to get me out on the golf course and give me a few lessons. You never know, when the Trump International Golf Club, Dubai opens, he may just get me out for a round! Both our companies have worked very closely to be where we are today and we hope this is not the end of it. This will take us to further milestones. Q

"THE OUTLOOK FOR THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR IN THE UAE AND DUBAI IS POSITIVE, AND THIS IS MAINLY DUE TO THE STRONG ECONOMIC GROWTH EXPERIENCED SINCE 2012." – HUSSAIN SAJWANI

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R&A RULES SCHOOL TO VISIT DUBAI BARNEY COLEMAN:

The R&A Rules School is coming to Dubai during the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club in November. The 3 day School will take place from: Monday, November 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Wednesday, November 5, with a social function at Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinental hosted by the R&A. REMEMBER! Attendees do not have to have taken Level 1 prior to participating in this Level 2 R&A Rules School.

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STUART McMURDO

BUDDY MORIN

KHALED MUBARAK – Secretary-General, Emirates Golf Federation says: “It’s a pleasure to welcome The R&A to the UAE and the region for this important Rules School. With the game of golf developing at such a pace in the UAE and this part of the world, it’s important to both showcase our activities and facilities as well as take the R&A’s advice and use their expert knowledge and experience to help us grow golf.” Hosted by the Emirates Golf Federation The R&A Rules School will be attended by Christopher Hilton, Chairman of The R&A Rules of Golf Committee and R&A Assistant Directors-Rules, Shona McRae and Kevin Barker. Christopher Hilton comments: “It is with great pleasure that we are returning to Dubai in November and to a region that is such a growth area of the game of golf. The R&A Level 2 Rules School is tailored to provide instruction on the Rules of Golf, as well as meeting the demands of those looking for tournamentspecific guidance. We look forward to welcoming delegates from all over the Middle East and the North African region, who have an interest in the Rules, and also to working with the Emirates Golf Federation on this occasion.” Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, said: “We are delighted that The R&A will be hosting a seminar on the Rules of Golf during the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club. Not only is our crucial season finale supported by The R&A, but the Challenge Tour also has an inextricable link with the ruling body, one of which we are very proud. Throughout the season, R&A referees travel to many of our events, providing their unquestionable knowledge of the Rules of Golf and forming strong relationships with our players and staff. Therefore, it is fitting and very encouraging that The R&A will host a Rules of Golf School in Dubai during our prestigious Grand Final. It is news which will provide another boost as we all work for one common goal – to continue the growth of the game in this rapidly-developing golfing region.” Nick Tarratt, Director of The European Tour International Office, Dubai adds: “In the ten years since Dubai first hosted The R&A Rules School, Dubai, the UAE and the Middle East has blossomed as a golf tourism destination and a European Tour hub, with an ever-growing number of world-class tournaments, and spectacular golf clubs, bringing the best players in the world to the region. Due to the expansion of the game in the region it is a farseeing initiative for the Emirates Golf Federation to invite The R&A to again hold this important Rules School, which will attract delegates and interested parties from the region and North Africa to attend. To stage Worldwide Golf - Summer 2014 | 75

R&A Rules School, Dubai the event during the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club is an appropriate gesture, particularly with the DP World Tour Championship, the ﬁnal leg of The Race to Dubai, taking place just a few days later.” James Shippey, Club Manager Al Badia Golf Club, comments: “We are delighted to be hosting The R&A Rules School at Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinental. It will be another key activity that will complement our hosting of the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final during the same week. To have some of the key personnel from the UAE and regional golf industry in attendance will certainly add value and interest to the Challenge Tour Grand Final. We are looking forward to a busy and exciting week.” The course involves both classroom work and on-course practical demonstrations role play sessions which is part of the three level stages of the R&A Rules School: Level 1 - Introductory Rules School; Level 2 - Rules School and Level 3 - Tournament Administrators and Referees. It will ﬁnish with a

certificated examination recognised throughout the R&A’s jurisdiction as reflective of the delegate’s understanding of the Rules. All UAE PGA professionals and golf professionals from the region, golf club officials, management, and also individuals interested in the Rules of Golf are encouraged to participate from both the Emirates Golf Federation and through the Arab Golf Federation. For further information and registration forms contact Bindu Mohandas: bindu.mohandas@egfgolf.com. Entry fee for UAE-based delegates will be Dhs200 per person and overseas delegates will be USD100 per person. A minimum of 40 and a maximum of 90 delegates can be allowed. Delegates will be taken on a first come first served basis.

PENALTY SPOT Ian Poulter pictured with Senior Referee, European Tour, Andy McFee, when The Ryder Cup star incurred a penalty shot during the second play-off hole at the 2010 DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, after he dropped his ball on his marker. The R&A organises The Open Championship, golf’s oldest Major, along with a number of other amateur and junior events, some of which are sanctioned by other golfing bodies. In addition, The R&A assumes responsibility for the administration of the Rules of Golf with the consent of 152 organisations from the amateur and professional game, and on behalf of over 30 million golfers in 138 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. For the USA and Mexico, the USGA is the governing body, an organisation with whom The R&A has jointly issued the Rules of Golf since 1952.

LEVEL 2 RULES SCHOOL, DUBAI PROGRAMME OF EVENTS NOVEMBER 35 Prior to attending the School in November, it is recommended that everyone completes The R&A Rules Academy at: http://rulesacademy.randa.or

Day One 1.00pm – 1.30pm 1.30pm 1.50pm 2.20pm 2.50pm 3.20pm 4.30pm 5.05pm 5.30pm 7pm-9pm

Registration Introduction Revision of Rules 1-12 Fundamental Principle Play the Ball As It Lies – Rule 13 Tea/Coﬀee Break The Octopus – Rule 20 Relief without Penalty – Rules 23, 24 and 25 Questions & Answer Session Close of Day One R&A/Challenge Tour Welcome Reception

Day Two 9.00am 9.45am 10.30am 11.00am 11.35am 12.00pm 1.00pm 2.15pm 2.45pm 4.00pm 4.45 pm

Hazards – Rules 13-4 and 26 Ball Lost or Unplayable – Rules 27 and 28 Tea/Coffee Break Ball Moved, Deflected or Stopped – Rules 18 and 19 The Putting Green – Rules 16 and 17 Lunch On-course Practical Demonstration Tea/Coffee Break On-course Practical Demonstration The Committee – Rules 2-5, 3-3, 33 and 34 Close of Day Two

Day Three 8.45am 09.15am 11.15am 11.45am 12.30pm 12.45pm 1.30pm 2.30pm 3.00pm 4.00pm

Advice on the Exam Level 2 Exam Tea/Coﬀee Break The Art of Refereeing Explanation of Role Play Session Lunch On-course Role Play Session Tea/coﬀee Break On-course Role Play Session Closing Remarks and Close of School

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STUART McMURDO – 5XOHV 2I÷FLDO What the R&A school means to the region’s golfers: I feel the R&A visiting this region will give all participants a huge boost and drive to promote the Rules of Golf which will spread to the wider golfing community. Dubai is such a fast paced city with various developments all around us. Golf in the region has followed suit and l think the Rules have been left behind a little. Sometimes this aspect of the game can be seen as futile but without the development of the Rules you could see etiquette and responsible play dwindling. It is the responsibility of everyone in the industry to promote the importance of the Rules to all players and this R&A School definitely helps. I was fortunate to be invited to the 2010 R&A Referee’s School, having applied for many years. Whilst l was there The R&A focused on practical experiences which really helped me to develop my knowledge and understanding, instead of just trawling through the Rules Book. Ruling memories My favourite Rules moment to date would have to be when l was called across by the legendary European Tour Referee, Andy McFee, to assist with the Tiger Woods ruling at the 2013 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. The pressure of making sure we had covered all bases before inflicting a penalty on the world’s best player, which we knew would make world news, was intense.

BUDDY MORIN 5XOHV 2I÷FLDO What the R&A school means to the region’s golfers: “The upcoming R&A Level 2 Rules School held in November in Dubai will be a unique opportunity for the region’s amateur golfers, tournament operations administrators, club professionals, and Rules enthusiasts to learn-and-live the Rules in a fun and practical participative setting. With the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club wedged in (pardon the pun!) between the R&A Level 2 Rules School and the European Tour’s season Race to Dubai ﬁnale – the DP World Tour Championship – November will be a month to remember for golf fans in Dubai and in the broader Middle East region. Pull out your Rules books, practice and test your Rules knowledge, and join the R&A Rules of Golf experts in November in Dubai ! ”

BARNEY COLEMAN – 5XOHV 2I÷FLDO What the R&A school means to the region’s golfers: For anyone interested in the Rules of Golf at a professional level or otherwise, I would recommend attending the R&A Rules Course. I attended the School at St Andrews in 2005 and found it a valuable experience. Reading the Rules Book can obviously provide valuable knowledge but I found the practical demonstrations and role plays at the R&A Rules Course to be key to understanding the intricacies of the Rules of Golf. My Rules qualifications have resulted in me acting as a guest referee for the Dubai Ladies Masters, the Dubai Desert Classic and the DP World Tour Championship. Refereeing a Tour event has been described as hours of boredom and moments of terror. I relate to this but I certainly enjoy officiating at these tournaments. I’ve given rulings to all the top pros now, which does make the ladies monthly medal ruling a little less daunting! Ruling memories During my first Dubai Desert Classic a European Tour regular, who will remain unidentified, hit his tee shot onto a natural path, claimed it was an artificial path and that he was entitled to a free drop. I said ‘No’ but he argued the point so I called for a second opinion. The European Tour referee agreed with me and the player thinned his shot over the back of the green and, in a furious outburst, snapped his club over his knee and dropped it in a bin! I was in shock but I learnt the importance of giving your subjective opinion and standing up to the pros, despite a little hostility.

Rabbit droppings! On another occasion I was called to a ruling involving Lee Westwood. His ball was in a bush on the right of the 8th and lying poorly. He asked me if a hole in the sand was that of a burrowing animal? I said there was no such evidence, for example, of rabbit droppings or a foxhole nearby. He accepted the decision and on my way back to the buggy his caddy mentioned he had some raisins in his bag if that was any good? I was reassured that I had made the correct decision, which is always a boost for the conﬁdence!

Ruling memories In the early 80s the procedure for dropping a ball was to face the hole, reach back and drop the ball over and behind the shoulder. Some of us older golfers may remember this relief procedure. It was physically a little awkward and sometimes resulted in rather confusing and funny situations. As a young Volunteer Referee, I officiated at a Ladies Championship in Canada in late October with cold winds, and leaves fluttering around, as the end of the Canadian golf season was nearing its end. Between shots, the ladies kept their hands warm with huge woolen mitts or gloves, with many ladies carrying a flask of some form of a homemade body-energizing remedy. One lady golfer was prudently attired with a lovely winter jacket and cap, warm thick pants, and heavy socks. She had received a ruling for free relief from an immovable obstruction. As the wind was howling and with a hint of early snow, she bravely faced the hole, reached back and dropped the ball correctly over her shoulder, but then couldn’t find where it landed amidst heavy leafy rough. She searched and searched. She then dropped another ball and played this next ball and finished her poor round. In April the following spring, she phoned me laughing hysterically. She asked me if I remembered the ruling. I said “Yes, of course. Terribly wintry unpleasant conditions I recall.” She said, “Yes, well, I found that first ball that I dropped over my shoulder. It never hit the ground! The dry cleaners found it in the hood of my jacket a few weeks ago. ” It’s a little story to show how Golf Rules evolve over time and now the procedure is to stand erect, hold the ball at shoulder height and arm’s length and drop the ball correctly. Q Worldwide Golf - Summer 2014 | 77

AZERBAIJAN OPEN CHALLENGE MAKES GOLFING HISTORY A HIGH quality field is all set to compete on a breathtaking layout for Azerbaijan’s first professional golf tournament, played on the country’s first and only golf course, later this month. The inaugural Azerbaijan Open Challenge takes place in spectacular surroundings in Quba on July 31-August 3. The tournament, hosted at the picturesque National Azerbaijan Golf Club, will see nine of the top ten ranked players on the European Challenge Tour in action. Jordi García Pinto will be looking to cement his place at the top of the European Challenge Tour Rankings while second-placed Mortiz Lampert and third-placed Andrew Johnston will be keen to close the gap. South African Jake Roos, currently in fourth position, will be hoping to secure his third win of the season after triumphing at the seasonopening Barclays Kenya Open in March and the Agean Airlines Challenge. Victory at Azerbaijan will take him straight onto The European Tour under the three-wins-in-a-season automatic qualiﬁcation rule. After playing his last event as an amateur at the US Open Championship in June, Golf in Dubai Ambassador Matthew Fitzpatrick will be one of the biggest draws of the event. The 19-year-old from Sheﬃeld, who was awarded The Silver Medal at the 2013 Open Championship at

78 | WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014

Muirﬁeld, as the low amateur, will be eager to make Azerbaijan the venue for the ﬁrst win of his career as a professional. Graduate of the EGF Junior Programme, England’s Daniel Owen, will be representing The Royal Golf Club, Bahrain. With three European Tour wins under his belt in 2006, Sweden’s Johan Edfors will be the most accomplished golfer to compete in the Azerbaijan Open Challenge. Edfors’ last Tour win came at the 2006 Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, where he defeated Luke Donald by two shots. He also has two Challenge Tour wins to his name, both of which came in 2003. Another Englishman, Garrick Porteous, the 2013 British Amateur Champion who played in last year’s Open Championship and this year’s Masters Tournament, turning pro after the Masters, is aiming to make his mark.

MENA Golf Tour The MENA Golf Tour will be richly represented at Azerbaijan with several of the top professional and amateurs in the region set to make an appearance in the €300,000 tournament. The event will play host to a healthy field of amateurs who will be hungry to make their mark on the Challenge Tour. With 51 points, England’s James Allan will tee-off as the overall first-placed ranked player and leading amateur on the MENA

Golf Tour Order of Merit. The Azerbaijan Open Challenge will also provide a great opportunity for amateur James Yeomans, who currently sits in third place in the MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit, to turn a few heads on the big stage. Joshua White, currently the top-ranked professional on the MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit, will be looking to build on his thrilling wire-to-wire victory at the Royal Golf D’Anfa Open in March as will Lee Corfield, who won the MENA Tour Championship in Al Ain last year and finished third on the 2013 MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit. England’s Zane Scotland, who topped last year’s MENA Tour Order of Merit, will be aiming to be in contention, as will Austria’s Martin Wiegele, winner of the 2010 Saint-Omer Open presented by Neuflize OBC. It will be a colourful and cosmopolitan field competing in the Azerbaijan Open Challenge and it will be fascinating to see who will go forward to do battle at the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic and make it into the top 45 after the tournament at Almouj Golf The Wave, Muscat, Oman from Thursday, October 30 to Sunday, November 2 and qualify to play in the Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club from Wednesday, November 5 to Sunday, November 9. The top 15 players at Al Badia GC will compete to earn the right to play on The European Tour 2015 season. Q

Harradine wins

ANDREW SAY

AT THE ELS CLUB

wins DDF Cup

Michael Harradine clinches the EGF Order of Merit Championship at the Els Club.

Andrew Say walks off with the spoils at the 22nd Dubai Duty Free Cup at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.

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Train like a pro AT ABU DHABI AND SAADYAT

DUPREE WINS A MAJOR

The latest TrackMan equipment is installed at Troon Golf’s Abu Dhabi based clubs

Mark Dupree clinches the Match Play Championship at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club.

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Arabian Lalvani and Gupta begin Summer Series with a win TANISHQ Lalvani and Natalii Gupta – both members of the Junior Elite Programme at Emirates Golf Club – fired a superb score of 41 points over the Faldo Course to take the honours in the opening fixture of the Dubai Golf Summer Series sponsored by GolfLan. The youngsters clinched the top individual prize and overall ladies winner respectively with their 5-under par tallies. The Summer Series sponsored by GolfLan with support sponsors IP Global, Titleist and Worldwide Golf teed oﬀ on the Faldo course on Saturday 28th June and the four event series will be contested over Dubai Creek, the Majlis and the Faldo courses. The ﬁrst event attracted 96 players and despite the Dubai summer heat some excellent scores were posted. Lalvani won the best individual prize on a countback from Suvansh Arora while Asanka White took third place, one point further back. Rayhan Thomas shot an excellent 69 to

take home the best gross prize with Gupta clinching the Titleist-sponsored prize for the ladies category following her tally of 41 points. Also in the prizes for their accuracy on the Nearest the Pin prize holes were Carl Downham and Glory Xavier. Dhruv Verma, CEO GolfLAN, commented: “At GolfLan we are delighted to be involved with the 2014 Dubai Golf Summer Series. The first event was a great success and we are looking forward to the next three fixtures.” The series continues on Saturday 26th July at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Competitors will then take in the Majlis course on Saturday 30th August with the final fixture back at Dubai Creek on 13th September. Prizes, courtesy of Titleist, are on offer at all four events, and the competitor with the best three scores will be crowned the overall champion.

Above: Winner Tanishq Lalvani receives his prize from Dhruv Verma, CEO, GolfLAN.

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EMIRATES GOLF FEDERATION www.emiratesgolﬀederation.com

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@EGFuaegolf

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Winners pictured at the prize presentation with EGF Secretary General Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi (left) and other oﬃcials.

HARRADINE SEALS ORDER OF MERIT CHAMPIONSHIP MICHAEL Harrdine enhanced his credentials as one of the leading amateurs in the region by winning the Men’s Division in the EGF’s Order of Merit Championship at The Els Club recently. Harradine followed a 72 with a 73 to win by three strokes from Rayhan Thomas with Eoin Cunniﬀe taking third place with a 150 total. Thomas had held the lead after shooting a 70 on day one, but the 14 year old could only manage a 76 on day two to open the door for the experienced Harradine. Cunniﬀe opened up with a 78 but shot the best score of day two – a 72 – to take the last place on the podium. Cecelia Krefting won the Ladies Division thanks

to back-to-back rounds of one over par 73 for a 146 total, two clear of Sana Tufail. Youngster Tufail had opened with a 77 but shot the low round of 71 on day two to move up to second place while coming in third was Kim Chiang after she shot rounds of 77 and 76. The Junior Division was combined for boys and girls and taking the honours was the talented Eric Hartzuiker after he carded scores of 81 and 70 to win by two from Matthew Baxter. Hartzuiker also won day two’s low round prize while third place in the Division went to Mikhail Pinto after rounds of 75 and 79. There were also a number of miscellaneous

awards that were handed out for superb play during the 2013-2014 season. Rayhan Thomas won the Junior of the Year Award and Erik Hartzuiker won the Most Improved Junior of the Year. Reema Al Heloo won the Most Improved Emirati Junior of the Year, after winning two NJPL Events and ﬁnishing in the top-3 in three others. Alison Muirhead won the Best Junior Performance of the Year for her win at the Faldo Series Girls U-16 with rounds of 73-76. Lastly, Saeed Al Blooshi, Mahmood Skaik, and Mohammed Abudulla won the Best Emirati Junior Performance of the Year Award with their team win at the GCC U-15 Championship in Oman.

TOBIAS BROTHERS LEAVE THEIR MARK IN AL AIN A TOTAL of 33 teams took the course at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club in the inaugural Emirates Golf Federation Summer Pairs Open recently and coming out on top in the two-day event was the sibling team of David and Robert Tobias. Their winning total of 117 points came courtesy of 43 points on day one in the Betterball Stableford and then scores of 35 from David and 39 from Tobias in day two’s Individual Pairs Stableford format. The father and son pair of Sergio and Sidney De Souza of Dubai had a tremendous second day to ﬁnish in second place as they scored 36 and 38 respectively to add to the 41 points they combined for one day for their total of 115. Taking third place, three points further back, were Chris Grimshaw and Stuart Kent while fourth place went to Stephen Thornton and Daniel Whittaker. Nearest the Pin prizes went to David Crabbe on hole 12 and Sara Donavan on hole 4 while on day two the Pin prizes went to Joe Coppinger on hole 7 and Jonghun Mun on the 17th.

winners David and Robert Tobias are pictured with Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club Captain Larry Benson.

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DUBAI CREEK GOLF AND YACHT CLUB www.dubaigolf.com

DubaiCreekGolf

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ANDREW SAY CLINCHES THE DUBAI DUTY FREE GOLF CUP OVER 100 players took part in the 22nd Dubai Duty Free Golf Cup and in the end it was Emirates Golf Federation member Andrew Say who was victorious with a superb haul of 38 stableford points. “I would like to say a huge thank you to Dubai Duty Free and Dubai Creek for their eﬀorts in hosting such a great event,” said Say after his win. The battle for the Men’s Division was closely contested with Dubai Creek veteran John Fellingham taking top honours with a solid score of 37 points. Mark Hughes took the runner-up spot with 36 points while Michael Nielsen was one shot further back in third place. It was another Dubai Creek

Dubai Duty Free oﬃcials headed by the Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin, President , George Horan, Sinead El Sibai, Vice President - Marketing and Nic Bruwer, Vice President – Human Resources presented the trophy to Andrew Say, overall winner of the 22nd Dubai Duty Free Golf Cup.

member who won the Ladies Division with H.H Choi ﬁnishing with a superb 36 points to take the title. Charmaine Bruwer and Dubai Creek Ladies Open Champion Henna Jodha ﬁnished tied on 33 points and in the end it was Bruwer who edged out Jodha into the runner-up spot via a countback. In the Seniors Division it was KS Kim who recorded 36 points to win

the title while Erik Hartzuiker was crowned the Junior Champion with a solid 33 points. The best gross prize went to Michael McGinley for his 37 gross points. McGinley also took the ﬁrst of the Nearest the Pin prizes for his tee shot on the par-3 ﬁfth hole. Colm McLoughlin, the Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free, said he was pleased to see promising new talent come up at

what was yet another successful Golf Cup. “This is the 22nd year we have been running this event and it is great to see so many up and coming golfers taking part,” he said. “It was another great success and was enjoyed by all. My thanks to all the participants and well done to all the winners and the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club for staging the tournament.”

AL HAKIM PIPS THOMAS TO WIN RED HOT OPEN ABDUL Aziz Al Hakim defeated 14-year-old junior Rayhan Thomas in a countback to win the third edition of the Red Hot Open recently. More than a 100 players turned out to compete in the event which provides a different kind of challenge for players as it is played exclusively from the forward red tees. Both Al Hakim and Thomas played extremely well to finish tied with a total of 43 stableford points each. Thomas fired a superb 8 under par 63 without dropping a single shot but it was Al Hakim’s faultless back 9 of 24 points that earned him the title on a countback over Thomas. “I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came and supported the event and also to

the sponsors for their support,” said Al Hakim after the win. “I played a great game and am happy to get my first major win.” With 40 stableford points Mohammed Al Musharrekh took top honours in the Men’s Division with Warren Panting and Chris Alderman finished tied for second just one shot back. The 2014 Dubai Creek Ladies Club Champion, Henna Jodha, added another victory to her name as she took the Ladies Division title with a solid 32 points while Maureen Platt was the division’s runner up with 31 points. Although he narrowly missed out on the overall title, Rayhan Thomas still won the Junior Division title ahead of Abhivridh Sunil who finished with 38 points.

PINGOL SCORES BIG DUBAI Creek Golf & Yacht club was the venue for the sixth staging of the Philippine Independence Day Golf Invitational organized by Filipino Golfers in the Middle East (FIGME) and Gilbert Pingol scored a massive 34 points to win the overall prize and earned himself a round trip business ticket with Cathay Paciﬁc to Hong Kong. The event was attended by the Honorable Consul General Frank Cimafranca and marked the 116th anniversary of the Philippine’s independence.

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CONTACT: Tel : +971 4 295 6000 E-mail: dcgyc@dubaigolf.com

DUBAI CREEK EASE TO 2014 MEN’S SCRATCH LEAGUE TITLE THE Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club’s Men’s Scratch League team triumphed over The Els club for their ﬁrst Scratch League victory since 2003. The Scratch League brings together the best players from each club in the region with 14 teams participating in match play competition over home and away legs. Dubai Creek headed into the second leg with a 4-0 lead and needed only a half point to take the title. In the end it was newly crowned Club Champion Bayhaan Lakdawala and his partner Edoardo Galeppini who secured an impressive 6&5 victory to win the title. Winning team captain John Fellingham praised his team’s performance and lauded them for a great season. “It’s been a pleasure to captain my team to this victory and this caps what has been a great season overall,” he said. “All matches have been played the way they should be with class and friendship and I’d also like to thank all golf clubs involved and especially Mr. Bob Driver for the organising of this event.”

KANE WINS INAUGURAL CREEK KICKS EVENT WITH football fever gripping the nation during the FIFA World Cup, the Dubai Creek Academy launched the inaugural Creek Kicks event, a FootGolf extravaganza played over the nine hole par three course at Dubai Creek. In the end it was young Matthew Kane who combined his football and golf skills to take top honours with a 2 under par score of 25 to become the ﬁrst Creek Kicks Champion.

SPORT2BUSINESS TAKE INTER-SOCIETY CHAMPIONSHIP THE twelfth edition of the prestigious Inter-Society Championship, an event that brings together various golﬁng societies from across the region to the golf course, was held recently and the Sport2Business team emerged victorious with an impressive winning team total of 157 points.

The Dubai Creek DOGFIGHT society clinched second place with a total of 155 while the Indian Golf Society finished in third with 146 points. The Sport2Business pairing of Jonathan Jeffrey and Simon Earl stole the ‘Best Pair’ prize for their combined effort of 45 stableford points

IMPRESSIVE NASR BAGS JUNE MASHREQ MEDAL CHAMPIONSHIP ADNOIS Nasr ﬁred a superb score of 68 to claim top honours at the June edition of the Mashreq Medal Championship. Dubai Creek Club captain Tejan FadluDeen ﬁnished with a 1 under par net 70 to take the men’s Division ‘A’ title while junior member Dhruv Nair took the runners-up spot with a level par net 71. Abdul Meeran put in a great performance to take home the men’s

Division ‘B’ title with a superb net 69 with Robert Tobias ﬁnishing runner-up after a solid net 72. The best gross prize went to Miki Mirza who fought back superbly after a shaky start to ﬁnish with a level par score of 71. In the Senior Division it was Barry Henderson who won the title for the second month running with a 1 under par net 70.

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CONTACT: Tel : +971 4 390 5600

THE ADDRESS MONTGOMERIE www.themontgomerie.com

theaddressmontgomeriedubai

BAE BAGS BINGO BANGO BOGEY WITH the ﬁrst month Individual theme of the Summer series complete, July saw the Team Theme with various two and four person team events taking place. The format for the day was a Bingo Bango Bogey, which saw every player playing matchplay against the golf course. Ji Won Bae came out on top to win with a fantastic score of +8 followed closely in second place by Alan Salem on +7.

FITZPATRICK STEALS U.S. MONTY OPEN

KUK, ZABRODIN, PUJANA AND FEVRE SHINE AT TEAM THEME

THE ‘US Monty Open’ event was an Individual Strokeplay event where a player’s net score was added to the ﬁnal round score of any player playing in The U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst No.2 , North Carolina. Winning on the day was Kerry Fitzpatrick who shot a score of net 67, and made a great choice with eventual winner Martin Kaymer as his U.S. Open pick for a combined score of 136.

THE Team Theme for the Summer Series continued with 12 teams competing in a four-person team event format with the best two Stableford scores per hole counting towards the team score. The morning ﬁeld set some tough scores to beat, however it was the afternoon

ﬁeld that produced the best scoring of the day with the team of Alex Kuk, Valerie Zabrodin, Juan Pujana and Cedric Fevre recording a winning score of 94 points, followed closely by the team of Derek Allan, Anne Allan, Peter Samuel and Peter Morris on 90 points.

PYLE PILES ON THE POINTS IN SUMMER SERIES THE Individual Stableford competition saw a two way tie for ﬁrst place and after a tense countback it was Steve Pyle who defeated runner-up Youngok Youn after both players ﬁnished tied on 38 points.

ALAN SALEM TAKES BINGO BANGO BOGEY HENDERSON & FINLAN TAKE TEXAS SCRAMBLE THE team of Graeme Henderson and Tim Finlan recorded a winning score of 56 net points to prevail in the two-person Texas

scramble event. The duo ﬁnished two shots ahead of runner-ups Tej Ghuldu and Gemma Crompton.

THE ﬁrst event of the Summer Series saw a good turn out with more than 80 players joining in the Bingo Bango Bogey

format. The winner of the day was Alan Salem with a winning score of +13, followed by runnerup Calvin Chung on +12.

KEEP EVOLVING ecco.com

AL BADIA GOLF CLUB www.albadiagolfclub.ae

AlBadiaGolfClub

SAVINA, CONNOLLY, FITCHET AND LORD STEAL SCRAMBLE THE triumphant team of Yulia Savina, George Fitchet, Ian Lord and Noel Connolly combined to win the Al Manzar Scramble after returning an outstanding score of net 58.2. They ﬁnished just 0.4 ahead of the team of Paul Batson, Colin Cordery, Bryan Scatterty and Elizabeth Batson while third place went to Greame Sears, Jeﬀ Tyler, Andy Spinks and Michael Beggs for their net score of 58.9. Noel Connolly, Ian Lord and Yulia Savina are pictured with Ladies Captain Liz Batson and Al Badia Golf Club’s Matt Allanson

DE VRIES WINS RIVOLI MEDAL JURRY De Vries who recorded the best overall net score at the recent Rivoli Medal with an outstanding score of net 68 while Al Badia Vice Captain Colin Cordery took the honours in the gross section with a superb score of gross 77 Kieran O’Connor carded a net 70 to win the men’s ‘A’ Division medal by piping Club Captain Richard to the title. The O’Connors completed the victory parade with Jacqueline O’Connor securing the Ladies division title with a net 77 and a Nearest to the Pin prize to boot. The ‘B’ Division title was won by Dave Lamb after he shot an impressive score of net 70 to take the spoils.

MARK RIX TAKES U.S. OPEN TEE CHALLENGE

Jurry De Vries (right) is pictured with Mark Allanson of Al Badia GC.

THE US Open Championship Tee Challenge saw Al Badia play at its toughest with the black tees brought into play and the wind blowing mercilessly around the course. In the end it was Mark Rix who was the overall gross winner with a score of gross 83. Jurry De Vries took home the Division ‘B’ prize after recording a score of net 71 enroute to being the only player to score sub-handicap for the round. In Division ‘A’ Kieran O’Connor took the spoils and he would have been a strong contender for the gross title had his putter been hotter on the day.

CONTACT: Tel : +971 4 366 3000 E-mail: info@arabianranchesgolf.ae

ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB www.arabianranchesgolfclubdubai.com

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MURNAGHAN MAIDEN RIVOLI MEDAL PAUL Murnaghan claimed his maiden Medal victory in style by carding a round of one under par 71 to win the June Rivoli Medal. After opening with three consecutive pars, Murnaghan got his round going with three gross birdies. He reached the turn one over par and then had a bogey-free back nine with two birdies to clinch the title. Steve Bennett ﬁnished in second with an even par round of gross 72 while Gary Swan took third place

All the day’s winners are pictured with Club Captains Pauline Wallace and Terry Vaughan.

after carding a 73. The best net round of the day in the men’s section belonged to Division ‘B’ champion Jonathan Duncan who posted a net score of 67, edging out Nathan Brown on a countback. The men’s Division ‘A’ was also a tight aﬀair with Liam Reed claiming top honours after posting a net 69

and winning on a countback over Kevin Barrett. In the Ladies Division Emma Ross claimed her ﬁrst gross title, posting an 83 to win by a shot from Karen Evans. Evans also settled for second place in the Net Division with a net 73, losing on a countback to winner Nicky Breeze.

MURPHY TAKES THE MEN’S SUMMER OPEN

Ron Murphy (centre) is pictured with the trophy.

RON Murphy returned a gross score of one over par 73 to win the Men’s Summer Open by two shots over Denver Farrell with Kevin Barrett finishing third place with a 76. In the net Division ‘A’ it was Michiel Blaauw who took home first prize with a round of net score of 67 while Mark Evans finished in second place with a 69. Ian Hannah posted the round of the day with a net 64 to win the net Division

‘B’ (hcp 13 – 28) title, winning the division by a comprehensive ﬁve shots from Andy Granger. “We appreciate the support we receive from the players for this event especially in the height of summer in testing conditions,” said Club Captain Terry Vaughan. “We are very proud of this event being one of the club’s majors and it has produced great champions.”

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CONTACT: Tel : +971 4 375 999

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES www.jumeirahgolfestates.com

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KING OF THE RIVOLI MONTHLY MEDAL

VERTIGEN AND MARCUS PREVAIL AT RAMADAN OPEN MORE than 80 players took to the Earth course to compete in the Ocean View Real Estates Ramadan Open and in the end it was the duo of Martin Vertigen and Marcus Arbourne who were crowned champions after carding an impressive score of gross 78. In the net category Tyrone Evans and Heinrich

Van Der Berg posted an excellent score of net 72.6 to take the division. Second place went to a card playoﬀ between four JGE members with Steve Drake and Gavin Steel prevailing from the father and son partnership of Peter and Monty Stapleton courtesy of a net hole in one on the 17th hole to ﬁnish with a score of 72.8.

TOWER LINKS GOLF CLUB www.towerlinks.com

PAUL King recorded a gross score of 75 on the Earth Course to lead the way at the July Rivoli Monthly Medal. The Division ‘A’ prize went to a back nine card play-oﬀ between David Mundell and Russ Saunders with both scorecards mirroring each other on the back nine until the 18th hole where Mundell claimed victory by a single stroke courtesy of a birdie 4, giving him a net 37 versus Saunders’ net 38. Gavin Steel had the best performance of the day in Division ‘B’ with an impressive net score of 68 while a countback was needed once again to determine second place and it was Chris Forrest who claimed the runner-up spot ahead of Peter Sharpe. Lynne Wylie took the honours in the ladies division while Claire Duce continued her recent run of high ﬁnishes by securing the runner-up spot.

CONTACT: Tel : +971 7 227 939 Email: membership@towerlinks.com

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A NATION OF HEROES THE multi-national team of Gerry Gibson, Greg Maddox, J.I. Park and Derek Fisher posted a stunning net score of 58.7 to win the End of Season Scramble at Tower Links Golf Club. The highlight of their day was Maddox’s monstrous 58 foot birdie putt on the par three eighth. In second place was the team of Miz Abdel Fattah, Oliver Set, Paul Harrison & Simon Payne who fought hard all the way but fell just short, ﬁnishing with a score of net 59.6. Third place went to the foursome of Miller Green, Fiyaz Ahmed, Justin Clarke and Andy Cormack who posted a net 60.1.

KENDALL TAKES 3-CLUB STABLEFORD JOHN Kendall stormed to victory in the ‘three clubs and a putter’ Stableford event with a blistering score of 21 points. The Englishman put on a superb display of ball-striking on his way to winning by three strokes from Joe Wivou with Justin Clarke in third.

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LANKAN DOMINATES LANKAN Udawatta posted a record 24 points in nine holes to decimate the field in the weekly social Stableford. Udawatta posted seven net birdies on his way to finishing three points ahead of runner-up Ashutosh Shukla who posted an impressive 21 points. Paul Williams finished in third place with his score of 20 stableford points

CONTACT: Tel : +971 7 244 7474 E-mail: enquiries@alhamragolf.com

AL HAMRA GOLF CLUB www.alhamragolf.com

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KENDALL CONQUERS RENOVATION CHALLENGE JOHN Kendall took home the Renovation Challenge after collecting 38 points on the recently renovated Al Hamra Golf Club Championship Course. He recorded ﬁve net birdies for 20 points on his front nine holes and closed with 18 points on the back nine. Just one point behind Kendall was runner-up John Feenie while Tim Wade racked up 36 points to ﬁnish in third place after recording two identical nines of 18 points.

HARRIS AND STEWART STAR IN FINALE GREGG Harris and Brian Stewart collected the top honors at the End of the Season Event with Harris finishing on top in the net division and Stewart topping the gross division. Harris posted two net eagles and six net birdies on his way to a superb round of 65 which was enough for him to finish four shots ahead of Annie Robin with Tony Cashman further back in third place. Stewart secured the gross division title with a round of 77, two strokes clear of Andy Prescott while John Kiddie finished in third place with a round of 81. The End of Season Event was concluded with a gala dinner and prize presentation where the father and son duo of Jake and Niilo Maki-

Petaja won the Gross and Net Order of Merits respectively. Tony Cashman was crowned the Men’s Matchplay Champion while the Ladies Matchplay Champion was awarded to Annie Robin. Eric and Rita Engelbrecht were the Pairs Matchplay Champions and the most improved ladies player of the year went to Mags Feenie. Young Maki-Petaja Niilo claimed the men’s most improved player of the season after dropping 13 strokes capped oﬀ by his Order of Merit win The most prestigious award of the evening, The Members Player of the Year, which was voted for by the members, went to Rita Englebrecht.

MORLEY AND WADE SNAP UP SUMMER SCRAMBLE THE duo of Andrew Morley and Tim Wade narrowly won the Summer Scramble, the first event of the summer season at Al Hamra. A huge field of over 60 competitors teed off in the popular pairs scramble format and in the end it was the winning duo of Morley and Wade who carded identical nines of 2 under 34 for a gross score of 68 and a net total of 64.6. Andrew Thom and David McCreedy finished in second place after carding a gross score of 68 for a net total of 65.2. Just 0.4 shots behind them was the pairing of Richard Aybar and Jonathan Coates who picked up the final podium position with their 1 under gross total of 71 resulting in a 65.6 scramble total. The two special events of the day were collected by Richard Aybar and Annie Robin for their Nearest the Pin efforts on the seventh and 15th hole respectively.

KIDDIE SWEEPS UP SUMMER SKINS JOHN Kiddie continued his good run of form as he picked up the most skins in the ﬁrst of the Summer Skins Series. The event was a blind skins stroke play in which competitors tried to card the lowest score of the day on a hole in order to pick up a skin and their share of the pot. Kiddie carded the best score with a net eagle on the second hole followed by a nett birdie on the third to claim the most skins for the competition. Matt Fountain, Lisa Prescott and Dusan Korcmaros all ﬁnished close second behind Kiddie with the trio claiming a single skin each.

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CONTACT: Tel : +971 4 814 5555 E-mail: jagr@jaresorts.com

JEBEL ALI GOLF RESORT www.jaresortshotels.com

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RANAVAYA ROARS TO VICTORY FORMER member Raj Ranavaya returned to his old stomping ground and clinched the KEGS Golf Day at Jebel Ali with an excellent score of 45 points. Giles Crowter was crowned the winner of the ‘B’ category with an impressive 40 points while Susan Baron was the victor amongst the ladies coming in with 29 points.

YAS LINKS GOLF CLUB www.yaslinks.com

YasLinksGC

CONTACT: Tel : +971 2 810 7777 E-mail: info@yaslinks.com

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BUEHLER CONQUERS THE SUMMER OPEN

HEYWOODS STAR AT ECCO CHALLENGE

VINCENT Buehler ﬁnished with 39 points to take the top prize in category ‘A’ (Handicap 0-14) at The Yas Links Summer Open. Second place was a tough spot to grab but in the end it was Yas Links member Derren Sanders who took home the runner-up spot on the last nine holes with 38 points. David Harvey conquered category ‘B’ (Handicap 15-36) with 36 points while Warawudh Chuwiruch ﬁnished in close second with 34 points. Linda Stotle won the ladies nearest to the pin while Teresa Sheepwash took home the ladies longest drive award after her monster tee shot on the seventh.

THE husband and wife duo of Neil and Yvette Heywood won the ECCO Challenge after recording an impressive 45 points together. The runner-up position was secured by another couple as Teresa and Alan Sheepwash ﬁnished two points behind the Heywoods with 43 points. Third place went to the mother and son pair of Sharon and Darren Hall who returned with 41 points. The men’s longest drive went to Ricus Lehmkhul while the Nearest the Pin award was won by Ivor Prestwood.

COOK TRIUMPHS AT PAR 3 CHALLENGE THE ever popular Titleist Par 3 Challenge was held on the Academy Course at Yas Links and it was David Cook who ﬁnished on top in the individual stableford competition with 21 points. There was a tie for second place with Steve Nash and Linda Stolte both ﬁnishing their rounds two points behind Cook.

DARREN HALLS STEAL THE SHOW DARREN Hall stole the show at the June Members Cadillac Monthly Medal as he carded a stunning gross score of 76 to take the spoils on the challenging links layout. David Harvey prevailed in Category ‘B’ (Handicap 13-36) with an impressive score of net 77 while Elizabeth Campbell took second place with a net 83. In Category ‘A’ (Handicap 0-12) it was Sharon Hall who came out on top after she ﬁnished with a net score of 72 while Brian McClure secured second place with a notable net 73.

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CONTACT: Tel : +971 2 558 8990 E-mail: info@adgolfclub.com

ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB www.adgolfclub.com

@ADGolfClub

abudhabigolfclub

TRAIN LIKE A PRO WITH TRACKMAN RADAR TECHNOLOGY TROON Golf-managed Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club are giving UAE golfers the exclusive opportunity to train like a pro with the latest TrackMan Radar Technology. TrackMan is considered as a world leader in golf ball ﬂight, swing analysis and club data measurements. The TrackMan training programmes are available throughout the summer months through group sessions and one-on-one consultations on request. “The fantastic practice facilities on oﬀer at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, combined with Troon Golf’s holistic approach to golf coaching, enhance the TrackMan experience,” says Head Teaching Professional at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Martin Robinson, who has been teaching in the UAE capital’s Troon properties for three years. “We are using the most sophisticated technology available in the market. TrackMan has set industry standards for accuracy in golf and is used by many of the world’s leading players, including those who have played in Abu Dhabi, like Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy.”

A typical TrackMan lesson will consist of an initial assessment where the teaching professional will examine the golfer’s shots. The technology captures essential data on the path of the club, the angle of the face and the speed and direction of the shot. “The greatest beneﬁt of TrackMan is that we can monitor changes and improvements based on fact, not guess work,” Robinson says. “The learning

curve for the golfer is a lot steeper,” Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will be running TrackMan Test Evenings throughout the summer, inviting golfers to take a 30 ball test using the cutting edge radar software. A ‘combine’ test is then used to grade players in ball-striking ability and will give each golfer a score out of 100.

KIM’S REIGN CONTINUES AS HE THE SUMMER OPEN TITLE

THREE TEAMS TOPPLE PROS IN ‘BEAT THE PROS’ CONTEST THREE teams of ADGC members pulled out all the stops to beat resident PGA professionals Scott McCaw, Steve Outlaw, Danny Jakubowski and Phil Waine at the club’s 1920s-themed ‘Beat the Pros’ contest. The team of Debbie Betts, Alan Betts, Caroline Milford and Robert Milford took the title with an outstanding net score of 56.9 in the 18-hole four player Texas Scramble competition. Finishing in second place with a highly

commendable net score of 59.8 was the team of Donovan Joseph, Nick Baker, Wanni Jefferson and Mark Jefferson who edged out Jung Bin Kim, Young Souk Choi, Gustav Adestrom and Tiago Lobo into third. The club’s resident PGA professionals, who were all dressed in full 1920s golfing gear, could only manage to finish in fourth place with a score of 61, leaving them four shots behind the leaders.

SEVENTEEN-year-old sensation Jung Bin Kim added another trophy to his ever-expanding cabinet after securing the Summer Open title alongside playing partner Pierre Zbinden at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. The victory continues an impressive run for the teenager who only a couple of months ago sealed the HSBC Club Championship. Partnering Zbinden, the pair carded an outstanding score of 63 to edge out the husband and wife team of Karen and Roger Black by virtue of a countback. Third place followed just one shot behind, with Randy Bradley and Ronnie Petty scoring an impressive round of 64. In the special events Andy Tyson won the Men’s Nearest the Pin contest on hole seven, whilst Roselyn Buchan’s superb shot on hole 15 meant she walked away with the women’s Nearest the Pin title.

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SHARJAH GOLF AND SHOOTING CLUB www.golfandshootingshj.com

Sharjah-Golf-Shooting-Club

DUPREE IN CONTROL TO WIN THE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS SINCE October more than 100 club members have competed in the Air Arabia Match Play Championships and after nine-months of competition, four winners were finally crowned from the net singles, net pairs, gross singles and gross pairs categories. Mark Dupree realised his season’s goal by winning a major championship as he defeated his regular playing partner Chandan Vaidya 3&2 in the final to win the singles net trophy. Dupree established a 2-up lead early on in the contest and managed to keep his nose in front until the pair reached the 16th tee. With two holes left in the match, Vadiya’s wild drive from the tee resulted in a seven to Dupree’s regulation par and a 3&2 final result. SGSC PGA Professional Joe Marshall and

member Ian Delahunt claimed the pairs net title with a thrilling extra hole win over Ian Plant and Mark Dupree. With the match all square after 18 holes, a birdie three on the ﬁrst extra hole from Marshall earned the partnership the title, leaving their opponents heartbroken. In the gross singles category it was Ricky Dominguez who won his ﬁrst gross title in his three years as a member by beating all-time major championship record holder Hassan Yazdi 4&3 in

their final. A new edition to the 2013/14 calendar was the Gross Pairs competition. The final, eventually was fought out between the teams of Paul Nightingale and SGSC Head Professional Ben Derbyshire and Roy Holmes and SGSC professional Steve Chambers. It turned out to be another tight match as the two pairs stood all square until the final hole where Holmes holed a 12-foot par putt to win the title for along with Chambers.

RAYMI VAN DER SPEK TRIUMPHS AT 7TH SUMMER OPEN RAYMI Van Der Spek, a Member of the Emirate’s Golf Federation returned a score of 5 under for 41 points to win the 7th SGSC Summer Open Golf Championship, the club’s longest running event. Three points behind Van Der Spek was the duo of Samiuddin Siddiqui and Trevor Jackson who both ﬁnished on 2 under with 38 points. After a countback it was Siddiqui who returned in 20 points versus Jackson’s 19 to lift the Division ‘B’ winner’s trophy with Jackson claiming the runner-up spot. In

Division ‘A’ Abdul Moiz Khan shot a 1 under 37 point round to take home the top prize while Chandan Vaidya came second with 36 points. Sana Tufail carded 17 gross pars for a total of 35 points to win both the gross prizes on offer for the day. The runner-up in the gross division was last year’s champion Hassan Yazdi who finished with a score of 30 points. The final prize of the evening went to Germany’s Mara Ettengruber who topped the Ladies Division with a score of 31 points.

7th Summer Open Champion Raymi Van Der Spek (Red) alongside the Championship’s other prize winners.

EDIANTI CLAIMS MAIDEN SHARJAH WIN EDIANTI Asrawardi posted a winning total of 2-up against the course to win her first Coral Beach Resort Sharjah win. With the tournament being played in the bogey format, Asrawardi’s nine-hole scorecard included a par at the tricky par three 8th hole. Her efforts won her both the Division 2 prize as well as the overall commemorative trophy. In Division 1 it was Emirates Golf Federation Member Gavin Reed who continued to impress in the midweek shorter formats, finishing with a score of 1-up against the course to finish in second place.

SUPER VERMA TAKES FINAL STABLEFORD VIVIEN Verma tamed a field of over 30 competitors to win the final Unitechnik Monthly Stableford of the season. After carding an indifferent front-nine, Verma returned with a stunning back-nine of 23 points to secure a four point win over his nearest competitor Sanjoy Davis.

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Davis claimed the Division ‘A’ prize, pipping Mukti Rai on a countback while Trevor Jackson took the Division ‘B’ section in his ﬁnal event as a member, beating Samiuddin Siddiqui on a countback. Singaporean Ramli Sulaiman took the day’s best gross award with 30 points.

CONTACT: Tel : +971 6 548 7777 E-mail: info@golfandshootingshj.com

KIM SNAGS 5TH CENTRO SHARJAH RAMADAN OPEN YOUNG Duk Kim produced a level-par round of 36 points to win the 5th Centro Sharjah Ramadan Open Golf Champion via a countback over Dubai Creek Club’s Dhruv Nair with the 14-year-old Nair still managing to pick up the top prize in Division ‘1’. In Division ‘2’ it was Emirates Golf Federation member Simon Sinclair who posted a ﬁnishing score of 35 points to top the division. Sinclair won by two points over Noel Connolly of Al Badia Golf Club The Gross Division saw SGSC member John Gould secure the bragging rights as he edged home with 32 gross Stableford points to prevail by two points. The day’s ﬁnal award went to Jiwon Bae of The Address Montgomerie Dubai as she picked up the winning prize in the Ladies Division with a tally of 32 points, winning by three points from her playing partner and SGSC Lady Captain Susie Cottam.

MAX AND GARY HIBBERT STEAL THE SHOW WELSHMAN Max Hibbert upset the field in the June Orient Travel – Malaysia Truly Asia Monthly Stableford as he fired 40 points to win by seven points over his nearest rival. Hibbert, who is enrolled in SGSC’s junior golf development programme, handled himself like a professional on the course to romp away to an easy win. With both a morning and an afternoon shotgun it was Max’s playing partner and father Gary Hibbert who strolled to second place during the morning session by recording a score of 33 points. Meanwhile, Nepalese golfer Mukti Rai finished one point behind on 32 points to secure third place.

SHOGOLE TAKES MONTHLY STABLEFORD SOUTH African Consul General and new Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club member Manabile Shogole returned with an excellent level par round of 36 points to win the Orient Travel – Malaysia Truly Asia Monthly Stableford. Natheer Dalalaa finished one shot behind Shogole and also picked up the winning prize for the afternoon session. There was a close race for the runner-up spot in the afternoon with Y.D. Kim just about managing to see off U.A.E Order of Merit Champion Michael Harradine via a countback, after both golfers returned scores of 31. In the morning shotgun it was scratch team member George Liu who finished in second spot with a score of 30 points while the ever-consistent Rory Thomson was third with a tally of 29 points. The gross prizes of the day went to S.S. Son in the afternoon and to 13-handicapper Brian Murphy during the morning rounds.

AL AIN EQUESTRIAN SHOOTING AND GOLF CLUB www.aesgc.com

CONTACT: Tel : +971 3 702 6400 E-mail: golf@aesgc.ae

Golﬁn Alain

INAUGURAL AL AIN SCHOOLS GOLF EVENT A HUGE SUCCESS Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club hosted its first ever golf event for local schools at its Academy Course. With the support of Eastern Motors, more than 30 students took part in the day-long Al Ain Schools League. “This is something we have talked about introducing in Al Ain for some time now,” said Fraser Mclaughlan, the Head Teaching Professional at the Club. “Having the first event at this time of the year was a slight gamble as we were not sure of the interest it would receive but thankfully the pupils of Al Ain International School, Al Ain English Speaking School and Brighton College, were not put off by the temperature. “There is also interest from a further three schools to be part of the Al Ain Schools League and we will be putting the dates and format together, ready for them when they return after their summer holidays.” The eventual winners were the team from the Al Ain International School, which was made up of Dane Sandford Junior, Daniel Whittaker, Peter Whittaker, Leia Holden, Lewis Chaffen, Ameerah

Participating children with their medals at the prizegiving presentation.

Kohn, Ethan Hynes, Amelie Kohn, Ben Abbot and Holden Stone. Their total score of 8-over par was enough to see oﬀ their competitors with ease. There was nothing to separate the other two schools with Brighton College and the Al Ain English Speaking School both receiving silver medals at the prizegiving ceremony after the day’s play. “It was great to see so many children representing their schools and having a good time,” said Luke Plumb, Tournament Coordinator at the AESGC.

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB ABU DHABI

www.adgolfclub.com www.sbgolfclub.ae

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“The majority of children participating have come through our Junior Programme here, and as the School League grows, it can only encourage more youngsters here in Al Ain to get into golf in a fun and competitive way. “Thanks must also go to Eastern Motors for their support, the teachers and parents who came along to watch the children play and to the children themselves for making the ﬁrst event such a great success.”

CONTACT: Tel : +971 2 557 8000 Email: info@sbgolfclub.ae

Saadiyat-Beach-Golf-Club

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB APPOINTS NEW OPERATIONS MANAGER SAADIYAT Beach Golf Club has announced the appointment of Belhassen Ftouhi as the Club’s new Operations Manager. Ftouhi brings a wealth of experience to the new role, which will see him play an important part in the operation of the Troon Golf-managed facility, reporting directly to Paul Booth, Director of Club Operations. In his day-to-day role, Ftouhi will oversee daily operations and maintenance of the golf club, membership and customer services, cost management, marketing, recruitment, development and training. “We are delighted to welcome such an experienced set of hands to the team

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here at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club,” said Paul Booth, Director of Club Operations at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. “We pride ourselves on an unbeatable member and guest service experience, and feel that with his background and achievements at the fellow TDIC-owned Monte-Carlo Beach Club, Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, he is a perfect fit for the new role.” A national Arabic speaker who is also fluent in English and French, Ftouhi began his career in the consumer and hospitality services industry in 2003 as a Flight Attendant member of the Cabin Crew for Tunis Air. He holds a Scientific University –DEUG Level in Geology.

CONTACT: Tel : +973 17 750777

THE ROYAL GOLF CLUB www.theroyalgolfclub.com www.dubaigolf.com

EmiratesGolfClub theroyalgolfclub

RONAN ARMSTRONG CLINCHES THE ORDER OF MERIT RONAN Armstrong took first place in the gross section and third place in the net section of the monthly DHL Order of Merit competition at the Royal Golf Club. His gross score of 75 was enough to push youngster Sam Hobday back into second place in the gross division with a gross score of 77, while Matthew Deakin took third place on gross 78. Deakin topped the men’s net category with a score of 68 while Paddy Gallagher was runner-up on net 72. Sara Thompson won first place in the ladies gross division for the second consecutive month with a gross score of 94. Hanne Hansen was second on 95 and Dena Wales third with 98. Their positions were reversed in the net category with Dena taking first

place on 79 net, Sara runner-up on 80 net and Hanne third with 82 net. Yaseen Le Falher clinched the junior net division of the popular Members’ series with a score of 74 net and Taimur Malik was runner-up with 97 net. After a couple of months at the top of the overall leader board, Rob Lane now has a rival in Ronan Armstrong with the duo tied for top spot. Lane’s wife Debbie still holds onto the lead in the ladies order of merit, although Sara Thompson is closing in on her. Over 60 competitors took part in the July DHL competition. The overall order of merit winners of all three gross categories will be named in December as the Club’s Champions for 2014.

GAVIN CAMPBELL APPOINTED AS NEW DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION

SAM HOBDAY CROWNED SCRATCH CHAMPION

THE Royal Golf Club, Bahrain recently announced the arrival of their new Director of Instruction, Gavin Campbell. Campbell, who comes from Portsmouth, England, joins the club from another Troon-managed property, Rostov-on-Don in south Russia. In the ﬁve years he was there, he increased the number of golfers from three to an impressive 300. “I’m very pleased to be here in Bahrain and at the Royal Golf Club,” said Campbell. “The weather is certainly a big change from Russia! I’m looking forward to working with my fellow PGA Professionals at the Academy on revitalising our existing golf tuition packages and programmes and introducing new and exciting learning opportunities for both seasoned golfers and newcomers to the game.” Campbell took up golf as a child and by the age of 15 he was playing oﬀ scratch. Having represented his county as an amateur on numerous occasions, he turned professional at the age of 21 and graduated through the PGA Programme three years later. Since his arrival at the Royal Golf Club, Campbell has already launched a series of Friday morning golf clinics which are open for anyone to attend. He also put together a series of lessons and camps for youngsters . “Gavin is already a great addition to our team and has

YOUNGSTER Sam Hobday fought off tough competition to be crowned the Royal Golf Club’s Scratch Champion for 2014 after achieving a superb four under par 68 in the final round which, added to his first round score of 77, gave him a gross total of 145. Bahrain national golf team player Nasser Yacoob, who topped the first round with a one over 73, had a slightly less impressive second round of 75, leaving him to settle for the runner-up spot with gross 148. Sultan Al Hakam came third with a total gross score of 156 after rounds of 83 and 74.

some excellent ideas for introducing new golfers to the game and for helping existing golfers improve.” said Stephen Havrilla, General Manager at the Royal Golf Club, “We look forward to seeing the Royal Golf Academy go from strength to strength under his leadership.”

KEEP EVOLVING ecco.com

DOHA GOLF CLUB www.dohagolfclub.com

CONTACT: Tel : +971 4 295 2277

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GUY STRANDEMO’S BACK NINE SEALS THE MONTHLY MUG GUY Strandemo won the June Pretect Monthly Mug with an impressive score of 40 points. Despite the heat, members came out to compete and Strandemo’s score of 40 Stableford points ensured victory over Claes Byberg by just a single point. It was certainly a game of two halves

for Strandemo as after scoring only 17 points on the front nine he went on to record a huge total of 23 points on the back nine, courtesy of three gross birdies. Mitsuyoshi Kaneko won Flight ‘B’ after ﬁnishing with 42 points, three ahead of runner-up Hong

PRATYUSH JAIN TRIUMPHS IN SUMMER LEAGUE MEDAL

Seung Mok, who ﬁnished in second place with 39 points. In Flight ‘C’ it was Paul Swan who came out on top with a huge score of 46 points. Kaneyuki Iseda was second with 42 points. The Ladies division was won by Uzma Mir with an impressive tally of 34 points.

JOHN GALT TAKES BOGEY EVENT

OVER 100 participants took part in the Megarme Summer League Medal where Pratyush Jain took the honours with a fantastic score of net 66 to defeat Simon Davies by three shots. Jain carded gross birdies on holes 6, 12, 16 and 18 while his only bogey came on the penultimate hole. In Flight ‘B’ Warren Dance recorded a net score of 66 to win the division by two shots over Arnav Jain who signed for a net 68. Paul Swan scored a net 66 to win by one over Heinz Durrer and take home the top prize in Flight ‘C’. The Ladies Division was won by Marlene Lebitschnig with a steady score of net 72

JOHN Galt won the second event of the 2014 Megarme Summer League by winning the coveted bogey competition with a score of 6-up against the course. Galt carded gross birdies on holes 4, 10, 15 and 16 to win Flight ‘A’ by two shots from Siegfried Sariowan. The competition was close in Flight ‘B’ with four players tied on 3-up. After a countback,

Stephen Clark came out on top with Adrian Black securing the runner-up spot. A countback was also needed to determine the winner in Flight ‘C’ with Shinichiro Kawabe edging out Doug Grote after both ﬁnished with a score of 4-up against the course. The Ladies Flight was won by Leslie Looker for her score of 2-up.

PALMS GOLF CLUB, INTERCONTINENTAL RIYADH www.intercontinental.com/riyadh

CONTACT: Tel : +966-11-4655000

Palms-Golf-Club-Intercontinental-Riyadh

YOUNG JOO KIM CROWNED BMW CHAMPION YOUNG Joo Kim was crowned the champion of the 2014 BMW Intercontinental Golf Championship after he scored an impressive net 58. Kim was joined by two other players who also ﬁnished with the same score but after a scorecard countback he took home the champion’s crystal trophy and a brand new set of Callaway X2hot clubs. Steph Usher scored a net 60 to win the ‘A’

division (Handicap 0-6) while Danilo Naval secured the runner-up spot with a net score of 63. In the ‘B’ division (Handicap 7-12 ) it was Saudi veteran golfer Saad Al Otaibi and Indonesian diplomat Abdurahman Fachir who both ﬁnished on a score of net 58. In the ensuing countback, it was Saad who was crowned champion while Abdurahman had to settle for runner-up.

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GOLF STYLE 98 SHANE WARNE Leaving the crease and hitting the course

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DRIVING RANGE

TEE TIMES

THE LOOK

Carl F Bucherer, Omega, Rado, Tissot

Hackett London

Volvo V40 T5

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THE KING OF SPIN

SHANE WARNE

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HANE Warne is one of the greatest players and most colourful characters ever to grace a cricket pitch. The Aussie, who retired from international cricket in 2007, is widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. He took over 1,000 international wickets in Test and One Day Internationals and was named the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in both 2004 and 2005. Much of his time these days is taken up with his burgeoning media career but when he’s not in front of the cameras, he spends as much time as he can on the golf course and even runs his own charity event – the Shane Warne Classic.

WWG: What attracts you to the game of golf? SW: It’s a very frustrating game but I think the thing I love most about golf is that the next shot could be a career best. I think if you’ve always got that positive attitude and try to picture your shot – you might pull it left into the trees more often than not – but when you do hit that perfect shot, it’s fantastic. WWG: Did you get the chance to play much golf when you were still playing cricket? SW: We played a lot on our off days – more in the early years than in later years. There’s so much touring and cricket being played these days that off days are generally just rest days but in years gone by they were golf days! I’d still be at the golf club at 11 o’clock at night and everyone would be trying to get us back to the hotel because we had a Test match the next day! We used to play a lot! WWG: Who’s the best golfer out of your fellow former cricketers? SW: Ricky Ponting is probably the best golfing cricketer I’ve played with. I think he’s off scratch, or one, or even plus one. He’s a fantastic striker of the ball but he needs to work on that putting of his!

love the game and I love to get out and play as often as I can. WWG: What are your ambitions on the golf course? SW: Who knows, if all the work starts stopping and I get a few good years to practice and play a lot of golf, then who knows… I might be on the Senior Tour. That would be pretty cool! WWG: You’re from Melbourne, Australia, which is blessed with numerous great courses – which are your favourites? SW: We’re very lucky in Melbourne to have some world-class courses… Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Metropolitan, Victoria… the list goes on. The Capital Golf Club is private but I’m allowed on, so I’m very lucky. It’s a fantastic course – it’s probably my favourite course in Melbourne. The Melbourne courses] are all challenging. The greens are absolutely lightning fast and they’re quite long layouts so if the wind is blowing they can be tough. WWG: What’s the best course you’ve played on? SW: The best course I’ve ever played would have to be Augusta National, which was a pleasure and a privilege.

WWG: What about the worst golfer? SW: Merv Hughes. He’s got the world’s biggest slice and he can’t play some holes but it’s funny to watch – and he’s great company around the golf course.

WWG: Who is your favourite golfer? SW: I would say Adam Scott but Sergio Garcia is one of my good mates. So Sergio and Adam are my two favourites – but Adam is Australian so I’ll have to lead with him.

WWG: What’s your handicap and how often do you play? SW: I don’t play anywhere near as often as I’d like. During my enforced layoff from cricket for a year due to injury in 2003 I got down to 6.7 but in the decade or so since then it’s just gone up and up again! I’m off 10 now. I’d like to get into single figures again but I just need to play more! Sometimes I hit the ball OK, but I absolutely

WWG: Are you looking forward to The Ryder Cup? SW: Yes. I think the last Ryder Cup will be pretty hard to top. Just the way the Europeans came back – it was magniﬁcent. I love watching Ian Poulter in The Ryder Cup - he’s fantastic under pressure. But they’re all pretty special. I hope Sergio (Garcia) gets a gig because he’s a mate. I’m just looking forward to it – it should be pretty spectacular.

WorldwideGolf - Summer 2014 | 9Ö

THE VOLVO V40 T By: Mohamed Suleman

HE V40 is Volvo’s response to the popular premium hatchbacks like the Audi A3 and the Volkswagen Golf. But how does Sweden’s finest fare with its German competitors? We had a little bit of fun with it over a weekend – here’s what we found. Overall, the performance of the V40 was fantastic. Worldwide Golf put the car through its paces by giving it a spin along the highways of Dubai and found that it held its own – and more. A stand-out feature of the V40 is the interactive rear parking sensors that serve as an extremely useful tool when wiggling in and backing out of tight spaces. As with any Volvo model, comfort is a given with the trademark leather seats that we would normally say are more akin to luxury armchairs than simply seats in a car. Although three people would find it a little bit of a squeeze in the backseat, two can fit comfortably with ample legroom and headroom for all. The frameless rear-view mirrors give a classy touch to the overall look of this upmarket hatchback. When it comes to driving feel, the V40 is majestic. The five-cylinder direct injection turbo engine provides a superb pick-up while staying stable and collected around corners. As expected, Volvo has gone above and beyond to ensure that the V40 is one of the safest cars on the road. In addition to the numerous airbags, the car also has electronic stability and braking aids to drastically reduce the chances of a collision. So whether you’re looking for a car with superior feel, a spirited, responsive engine, or a safe and comfortable option for the family, this high-class five-door hatchback will not disappoint you. V40 T5 Technical specs Power Six-speed Geartronic Acceleration (0-100) Max Speed Emissions CO2 Fuel capacity Total weight

254 bhp, 265lb/ft 7.5 L/100 km 5.7 s 155 mph 185 g/km 62 l 1500 kg

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Starting range price: AED120,000

DRIVING RANGE VOLVO V40

Contact for more information about the V40 in the UAE: UAE toll free: 800-8823 Email: volvocars@alfuttaim.ae Website: www.volvocarsuae.com Visit the showrooms Two main showrooms, one located at Dubai Festival City and another in Abu Dhabi.

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TIMES EE

Omega - SpeedMaster Mark II ‘Rio 2016’ Omega’s new SpeedMaster lineup has a distinctively Olympian touch to it. Its barrel shaped steel case is complemented by a ﬁnish that is both brushed and polished. Like the winners’ podium at the Olympics, the three sub-dials are gold, silver, and bronze in colour and rest on a bold black backdrop. If you’re going for gold, the SpeedMaster Mark II ‘Rio 2016’ will take you there. www.omegawatches.com / www.rivoligroup.com

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GOLF STYLE TEE TIMES Tissot - T-Complication Chronometer It’s hardly surprising that when Tissot entered the Tissot T-Complication Chronometer in the International Chronometry Competition, it went on to win not only the ﬁrst but also the second prize in the contest. The T-Complication Chronometer features a battle-worn scratchresistant sapphire crystal complete with an antireﬂective coating. A second counter centred at 6 o’clock gives this watch just that extra touch of class. It’s safe to say that this cutting edge timepiece has elegance written all over it. www.tissot.ch

Carl F Bucherer - Patravi ScubaTec The Patravi ScubaTec collection from Carl F. Bucherer is the watch for divers. This sporty yet stylish timepiece guarantees ﬂawless readability even in the deepest depths of the ocean. The hands and markers are coated with super luminova, a material that will glow light blue in the dark. The Patravi ScubaTec is what you want on your wrist when you’re in the deep blue sea. www.carl-f-bucherer.com

Rado - DiaMaster Ceramic Automatic Skeleton (Limited Edition) If you have a story behind your watch, this Rado will let you speak volumes and volumes about it. Everything from the sapphire crystal front and back to the monobloc high-tech ceramic case make this limited edition series ooze class. This is a Skeleton you don’t want to hide in the closet. www.rado.com

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OOK

Hackett London presents its premium Spring/Summer 2014 Collection. Since 1979, Hackett has been a world leader in men’s and boy’s luxury clothing and accessories. The 2014 Spring and Summer collection features five bold new collections: ‘Hackett Mayfair’, ‘Art College’, ‘The Yorkshire Paintings’, ‘The Artist’s Atelier’ and ‘Tropical Summer.’ A colourful schoolboy look is featured in Hackett’s Spring and Summer Collections this season, with the collared-shirts, blazers and swimwear all offering a wide range of hues right for any occasion. Hackett Mayfair also includes knitwear, allowing for a flexible wardrobe while keeping with the strong, formal Mayfair look. Only the finest British and Italian fabrics, silk and wools are used in this Collection, ensuring maximum comfort and supreme quality.

www.hackett.com/hackett-dubai-polo-shirt Or contact Heba Dajani: heba.dajani@havasprme.com

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Honma proudly distributed in the MENA region by First Investments Establishment, T/A Arabian Golf, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - +966546607950 Available at: Royal Golf Club, Bahrain; Riyadh Golf Courses; Dirab Golf Club; Green Sports and Golf House. UAE Retail Partner

HONMA GOLF CO.LTD.

Your address .... Home of the DP World Tour Championship

Contact: -800Tulip (88547)