Saeed Al Balooshi helps lead UAE under 15s to team victory

A victory in the team net category and a third-place finish for Saeed Al Balooshi complete a successful performance from the UAE Under 15s team at the inaugural GCC Under 15 Golf Championship in Oman.

The trio of Al Balooshi, Mahmood Skaik and Mohammed Abdulla Saeed picked up a score of 145 in the final round, following an opening 143, to beat teams from Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Al Balooshi’s individual scores of 73 and 71 made him the third-best performer in the tournament.

Jason Frogratt, a coach with the Emirates Golf Federation, was delighted with their performance.

“Our goal was for the boys to enjoy the experience and play to their handicaps, especially as this was their first overseas major event for both Mohammed and Mahmood,” he said. “This is exactly what we did, and fortunately [we] won first place in the team net category.

“Hopefully this will give the team good momentum to progress to the next level”.

Elsewheree, Frenchman Alexander Levy won the first European tour tournament of his career, holding off a spirited charge from England’s Tommy Fleetwood in the China Open. Levy, 23, the overnight leader, showed few nerves as he plotted his way around Shenzhen’s par 72 Genzon Golf Club in 69 for a total score of 19 under and the US$530,000 (Dh1.95m) winner’s cheque.

“I didn’t feel a lot of pressure on the golf course because I was confident,” Levy said.

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