Scott Jamieson’s extended run of fine form in the UAE continued as he claimed a share of the lead on Day 1 of the first Ras Al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital.
The tournament at Al Hamra Golf Club is the Scotsman’s fourth DP World Tour event in a row in the Emirates.
The UAE swing has suited him. First, he finished tied for 13 at the Aviv Dubai Championship around Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates back in November.
He started his 2022 season by holding the lead for three days at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links, before having to settle for a share of 10th.
He also figured on the leaderboard at the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic last week, then finished tied-35th.
He is immediately back in contention on the tour’s first trip to RAK. Jamieson fired a 7-under-par 65 in the opening round, to share the lead with Dubai-raised Sebastian Heisele.
“I just picked up where I left off at the end of November, and I did a bit of work but nothing dramatic,” Jamieson said of what has prompted his uptick in performances.
“[There were] no great overhauls which I’ve maybe been guilty of in the past, instead of just improving on what I have a little bit here and there.
“I think being ready mentally was key, being ready to hit the ground running and thankfully I was able to do that.”
Jamieson and Heisele made the most of the calm conditions early in the morning on a course which generally gets buffeted by a sea breeze off the Arabian Gulf more appreciably in the afternoons.
Brandon Stone, who was one of three players to finish within a shot of the lead, said as much after his round of 66.
“I think it’s obviously a lot more forgiving than the last couple of weeks. Yas Links and Emirates Golf Club have been extremely challenging,” Stone said.
“We found ourselves this morning without a breath of wind, with pins that we can get to and the greens are true as anything, about a foot and a half slower than last week [at the Classic].
“Overall the course is there to be played, I hope the wind gets up a little bit and gives us a little bit more of a challenge over the next two weeks, but overall it’s a fantastic venue.”
The late starters were certainly challenged, as the wind blew significantly in the afternoon, making scoring tricky for some of the leading names in the field.
Richard Bland, who was runner up after a playoff with Viktor Hovland at the Classic on Sunday, had to settle for a 1-under par 71 on his 49th birthday.
Danny Willett was at 1-over after 12 holes, before a run of four successive birdies. The 2016 Masters Champion finished at 3-under, four shots behind the leaders.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Results
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE%20Warriors%20fight%20card
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How%20champions%20are%20made
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TO%20CATCH%20A%20KILLER
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Book%20Details
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Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.4-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20366hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E550Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESix-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh360%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900