This week in Gulf golf: Canizares clinches Mena title

John McAuley rounds up the week in regional golfing, from the Mena Tour to DP World Tour Championship satellite events.

Spain’s Gabriel Canizares with Shaikh Khaled Abunayyan, president of the Dirab Golf and Country Club, and Fahad Al Guthami, COO of American Express (Saudi Arabia) Ltd, and Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour. Photo Courtesy: Golf In DubaiShow less

Canizares does family proud at Mena event in Riyadh

Gabriel Canizares underlined his family’s golfing prowess with a play-off victory at the Mena Tour’s American Express Dirab Golf Championship in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

The Spaniard, the son of four-time European Ryder Cup team member Jose Maria Canizares and brother of European Tour regular Alejandro Canizares, defeated England’s Craig Hinton on the second play-off hole at the Riyadh track to claim his first win on the regional circuit.

Canizares entered the final round with a share of the lead alongside Luke Joy, then posted a closing 2-under par 70 to finish the tournament on 11-under – forcing the sudden-death clash with Hinton. Hinton, who topped the leaderboard after Monday’s play, was already in the clubhouse having carded a 69.

After both players parred the first extra hole, Hinton’s errant approach led to a bogey, leaving Canizares to brush in his par putt and seal the trophy and a $9,000 (Dh33,000) cheque.

“I’m really very excited to win this one,” he said. “It wasn’t easy out there, but I’m glad I managed to get over the line. I was a bit nervous going into the extra holes as my play-off record isn’t all that great - it’s 50-50. But I got a bit lucky when Craig failed to find the green.”

Canizares said the high scoring in Riyadh reflected the competitiveness of the Mena Tour this season. This week’s event, the sixth of the nine-tournament 2015 calendar, featured 58 players, with 15 countries represented.

“The competition on the tour is very stiff and you need to shoot at least 10-under to be in contention,” Canizares said. “That speaks volumes of the standard of golf here.”

Hinton blamed his failure to land the title on a wayward drive at the 17th, which ultimately led to a costly dropped shot.

“That bogey made the difference,” he said. “And then I didn’t hit a good shot on the second play-off hole. I had my chances, but just couldn’t close the deal.”

South Africa’s Thriston Arthur Lawrence finished third on 10-under, with Joy three hosts further back in fourth.

Meanwhile, in the Mena Division, Morocco’s Mehdi Saissi added to last week’s success at the Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open with another tier honours. He posted a final-round 70 to finish 4-under for the tournament, three ahead of compatriot Ayoub Lguirati.

Leaderboard:

Gabriel Canizares -11

Craig Hinton -11

Thriston Arthur Lawrence -10

Luke Joy -7

Carlos Balmaseda -6

Order of Merit

Paul Doherty (Sco) $16,020

Gary King (Eng) $15,899

Jake Shepherd (Eng) $14,445

Per Barth (Swe) $14,090

Thriston Arthur Lawrence (RSA) $13,782

Order of Merit (AM)

James Allan (Eng) 223

Rayhan Thomas (India) 127

Alex Wills (Eng) 112

Karim El Hail (Mar) 107

Ayoub Lguirati (Mar) 103

Luckiest-ball race heats up

The 21 qualifiers for the 2015 Luckiest Ball on Earth are complete and set to do battle later this month for a pro-am place at the European Tour’s DP World Tour Championship in November.

The overall winner of the Grand Final, to be decided on October 25 at Jumeirah Gulf Estates’ Fire course, will receive an invitation to the play alongside one of the tour’s top 60 golfers at the site’s Earth course two days before the tour’s season-finale gets under way.

The Grand Final victor will also attend the Championship Beach Party at Nasimi Beach, Atlantis, The Palm on November 17 and be awarded two VIP hospitality passes to the Championship Chalet for the Tour Championship, which takes place November 19-22.

The Luckiest Ball on Earth, launched in 2011, has again proved a huge success this year, with 800 participants competing during the past few weeks. The 21 qualifiers, chosen from Emirates Golf Federation-affiliated golf courses, will contest an 18-hole individual stableford. As well as the main prize, there will also be rewards for Ladies’ longest drive, Men’s longest drive and nearest the pin.

Play Dubai, play alongside Ladies European Tour’s finest

The UAE’s aspiring amateur golfers have the opportunity to rub shoulders with the cream of the Ladies European Tour in December, following the launch of Golf Citizen’s ‘Play Dubai’ initiative this week.

Three pro-am places are at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters have been set aside for amateurs who book and play a minimum of two rounds through golfcitizen.com at either Emirates Golf Club or Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club before November 30. They will then enter a draw to win a spot in the pro-am at the closing tournament on the Ladies European Tour, which takes place on the Majlis from December 9-12. The pro-am is December 8.

Two rounds qualify as one entry, with four as two entries and so on. The three winners will be announced on December 1 and will also receive golf in Dubai chalet hospitality tickets.

Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of golf in Dubai, said: “The very intention behind having ‘Play Dubai’ is to encourage amateurs to be part of the fun. Playing alongside top professionals is a dream of every amateur. I am sure the lucky ones will learn quite a few things about the game just watching them play up close and personal.”

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