The Mena Golf Tour, the developmental tour that took root in the UAE, continues to go from strength to strength, with 2016 set to be its biggest year thus far. Organisers announced some major developments Sunday at Emirates Golf Club.
Ground-breaking partnership
The tour has entered into a three-year tie-up with the Sunshine Tour, the lead men’s circuit in South Africa. As a result, the five top professionals on the Mena Tour Order of Merit will earn full playing rights on the Sunshine Tour, while players ranked 6-15 will be exempt into the final stage of the circuit’s Qualifying School.
Added incentives
Three new Mena Tour tournaments will be co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour, with each field comprising 60 players from Mena, and 60 from the Sunshine and The Big Easy Tour combined. The Mena Tour will also receive 20 invitations for each event on the Big Easy Tour, another developmental tour, based in South Africa. In return, Mena will reserve 10 spots in each event for its two South African siblings.
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An increased schedule
The Mena Tour calendar has increased from 11 events last year to 21, which includes the inaugural Q-School to take place February 13-16 at Almenara Golf Club in Cadiz, Spain. It will travel to nine countries, with new stops in Spain, South Africa, Egypt and Kuwait. Beginning February 13, the 2016 season concludes on November 29, at the Mena Golf Tour Championship at Katameya Dunes Golf Club in Cairo.
Gaining OGWR recognition
The next step for the Mena Tour is to offer Official Golf World Rankings points. The tour has long campaigned for world ranking points, and now fulfils several criteria, including staging an official Q-School and a formalised relationship with a member federation tour. A letter was sent to the OGWR on Sunday to confirm the tour’s viability, and their case will now be reviewed. A decision, expected to be positive, is anticipated within the next two months.
Major kudos
Darren Clarke, the 2011 British Open champion and 2016 European Ryder Cup captain, is also patron of the Mena Tour. He said: “As you can all see from the facts and figures, this is another major boost and a major step forward for the Mena Tour. This is the fastest growing professional golf tour in the world, and with these exciting times ahead, with the help of the Sunshine Tour and indeed all the events that we’ve had already, this is only going to go in one direction.”
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Arab world’s inactivity
“Support from golf federations in the Arab world, I’m sorry, but it’s zero,” said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the Mena Tour. “It doesn’t exist, because I don’t think they actually understand what it means. I have been very good and careful over the past years not to say anything. But its reached a stage where thereby they are actually a hindrance, rather than somebody who wants to help and make this happen.”
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