ABU DHABI // Miki Mirza has endured a frustratingly slow start to his defence of the UAE amateur order of merit title, but the Dubai Creek-based golfer is hoping that his victory in last weekend's Yas Links men's open propels him into overdrive for the second half of the season.
Mirza, 29, an Indian-born Canadian, was the only player in an entry list of 108 to break par over the tough Yas course. A solitary blemish on his card - a bogey at the 17th - had Mirza fearing that his round of 71 would not be enough.
"All those in contention at the turn seemed to go in the opposite direction so in the end I had two shots to spare," Mirza said.
That was his winning margin over Ahmed al Musharrekh, his fellow Dubai Creek member and the most accomplished of a strong golfing family featuring his elder brother Abdulla and the younger Hassan.
In turn, Ahmed's respectable score of 73 gave him a one-stroke win over Joele Neale, another former order of merit winner, who claimed third place ahead of James Cook, another Emirates Golf Federation entrant.
Mirza's other big achievement last year was qualifying for the amateur wild card in the Omega Desert Classic. He was unable to repeat that feat this year but believes another triumph in the order of merit is within his reach.
"I would really like to finish on top again," said Mirza, who stepped up his pursuit of the leader Michael Harradine, winner of the Sheikh Rashid Trophy.
"I was lying fourth before Yas but the three ahead of me [Harradine, Daniel Hendry and Abdulla al Musharrekh] didn't have the best of weekends, so I may have improved my position considerably There are a few strong events coming up and I'm looking forward to strengthening my challenge."
The tournament attracted 108 entries, including 12 overseas players from the United Kingdom, South Africa, Qatar and Lebanon, and it also carried prizes for the best net performances.
Leading the way in that division was Juan Carlos Alfonso, who is registered with the Emirates Golf Federation off a handicap of 13. His gross score of 79 enabled him to romp home by five shots.
Meanwhile, Mohammed al Banna turned in a consistent performance to win the UAE National Monthly Tournament at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club. Playing off an 11 handicap, al Bana scored 39 points.
wjohnson@thenational.ae
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Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
