Ryan Lumsden’s win on the MENA Tour came in just his third start at the Journey to Jordan No. 2 at Greg Norman’s Ayla Golf Club

SCOTLAND’S Ryan Lumsden showed just why he is considered one of the finest emerging talents in the game as he overcame a last-hole hiccup to earn his first professional win.

He claimed first prize of $13,500 after winning the Journey to Jordan No. 2 in just his third start on the MENA Tour.

Lumsden first win in an Official World Golf Ranking event was by one shot over Essex’s equally-promising Curtis Knipes.

London-based Lumsden made a double-bogey six on the tough 18^th hole at the Greg Norman-designed Ayla Golf Club, on Wednesday.

But the Royal Wimbledon GC man, who went to Wellington College, near Reading, before heading to the States for four years on a golf scholarship in Chicago, had done enough to post a two-under par final round of 70.

That took his tally to eight-under for the tournament – one better than Knipes, who closed with a 68 to post seven-under.

“Don’t ask me about the 18th, but I am delighted to get the win,” said Lumsden, who had a two-shot lead to sleep on before third round.

“I felt really good about my game the whole day. Got off to a good start and was four-under through six holes.

I then made great putts that barely missed on the next two holes. On the ninth, I hit a wonderful drive and had just about 200 yards.

“But it was at the bottom of a divot and I could not risk the water on the left so had to lay up and the birdie putt lipped out.

“Went through a little bit of a rough patch on the back nine, but I was able to make some good swings after that.

“I will think back about the 18^th hole and process what I did wrong there – but very happy to get the job done and hopefully, we can carry it on from here.

“There wasn’t one defining or key moment today. The par save on the 15^th was great, but so was the up-and-down for birdie on the 17th. I just played solid golf throughout.”

The Northwestern University star, who will start in the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic, on the PGA Tour, in May – after winning the Byron Nelson Award while a US collegiate golfer in 2019 – was fast out of the blocks.

The Chicago university graduate made birdies on the first, fourth, fifth and sixth holes. He then missed birdie chances on the seventh, eight and ninth holes to make the turn at four-under.

That was three shots clear of Somerset’s Walker Cup player Tom Sloman who had been two behind going into the last round.

Lumsden’s first bogey of the day came from the greenside bunker on the par-three 12^th hole.

And he was lucky not to get wet on the short 13^th when he hooked his tee shot way off the mark.

Lumsden made a crucial par save from 20 feet on the 15th before a clutch birdie from the bunker on the penultimate hole gave him the necessary cushion to go down the 18th – with Knipes already in the clubhouse on seven-under.

Ryan Lumsden found the fairway bunker on the last – took three shots to get to the green – and three-putted for a six and the victory.

•To see the final results at Ayla Golf Club, click here.

Ryan Lumsden (right) celebrates his victory in the Journey to Jordan No. 2

Knipes knows his time will come

NINETEEN-year-old Knipes, who turned professional at the start of the year like Ryan Lumsden, recorded his best-ever finish on the MENA Tour.

His 68 included just one bogey, which came on the fifth when he chunked a wedge shot from the middle of the fairway.

But that was the only mistake made by the Chelmsford GC member who was MENA’S leading amateur on the Journey to Jordan Order of Merit in 2019.

“I played pretty well today,” said Knipes, who was the English Champion of Champions in 2018 – a title won by Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood and Sandy Lyle in the past.

Knipes, who qualifed to play in last year’s Open at Royal Portrush, added: “The conditions were very fair and I did have a number in mind for the final round.

“I wanted to get to 10-under par – so a 65. That was not to be, but I am very happy with the runner-up finish,” said Knipes, a two-time Essex Amateur Champion.

“Very happy with the way I have started as a professional. I had four top-10s in five starts and even though I felt I let go a couple of chances to win, I know my time will come. I just have to be patient.”

There was a five-way tie for the third place with Sweden’s Ake Nilsson (69) reaching six-under alongside Hertfordshire’s Jamie Rutherford (65), Gloucestershire’s Mitch Waite (68), Sloman (70) and Essex’s Benjamin David (70).

Chelmsford Golf Club’s Curtis Knipes was second – his best-ever MENA Tour finish

Langley earns Trophee Hassan II start

REWARD: David Langley

CASTLE Royle’s David Langley secured a start at the European Tour’s Trophee Hassan II by topping the Journey to Jordan money list at the halfway stage.

The winner of the first event of the season at the same Ayla Golf Club, shot a 70 in the final round to finish tied 35th on his return to Aqaba.

Yorkshire’s David Hague, the only other player who could have overtaken Langley in Jordan this week, was tied 30th.

The winner of last week’s Bahrain Open, from Malton & Norton Golf Club, could not surmount the difference in earnings between the two rookie winners.

However, the star of the day was the 23-year-old Lumsden, who is expected to move to inside the top-1000 on the Official World Golf Rankings with his triumph.

•To see the Journey to Jordan Order of Merit, click here.

The post Ryan Lumsden breaks MENA Tour duck in third start to win Journey to Jordan No. 2 appeared first on Golf North.

Royal Wimbledon’s Ryan Lumsden leads the 2020 Journey to Jordan No. 2 at Ayla Golf Club, after two rounds – and wants to record his maiden MENA Tour win in just his third start

ROYAL Wimbledon’s Ryan Lumsden has been knocking on the door since his MENA Tour debut last month… today he has the chance to grab his maiden victory.

He has what could be a crucial two-shot lead after an extremely windy second round of the $75,000 Journey to Jordan No. 2 at the Greg Norman-designed Ayla Golf Club.

The London-based Scotsman shot a superb bogey-free 69 to take his 36-hole tally to six-under – two clear of Somerset’s Walker Cup player Tom Sloman (70) and Essex’s Benjamin David (71).

Lumsden will be playing the Byron Nelson Classic on the PGA Tour in May after winning the 2109 Byron Nelson Award while in his final year at Northwestern University – the same Chicago college where Luke Donald played golf.

Lumsden, who qualified for the 2018 US Open as an amateur, was pleased with the way he handled himself on a difficult day.

“It was a little windier and touch trickier than yesterday, but I played solid,” said the former Scottish international.

“It was all about missing it in the right places and hitting smart shots. I kept the ball out of the wind pretty nicely,” added Ryan.

He started with a birdie on the par-four 10th, then made an up-and-down on the par-five 17th – before making his final birdie of the day on the third hole where he wedged it to tap-in distance.

“I just hit one bad shot today, on the par-four seventh hole, and it did not get into the water and stayed on the edge,” said Lumsden. “But the game was pretty consistent, and my lag putting was good.”

After back-to-back 69s, Lumsden was relishing the chance to test himself again in a final round after recent near-misses.

He played the last two holes to one-over and lost in the play-off in the Qualifying School at Ayla GC, in January.

At the Journey to Jordan No. 1 on the same course in February, he was one shot off the lead, but had a poor final round.

Last week in Bahrain, Lumsden was two-over for the last four holes to lose by two as Yorkshire’s David Hague became the latest rookie winner on the MENA Tour in 2020.

“I have been learning from those mistakes and trying to figure out how I can play the golf I have been playing when I am down the stretch and get over that hump and get my first win on the MENA Tour,” added the 23-year-old, who earned his first Official World Golf Ranking points in Bahrain.

“I have been thinking about it lately. I did a much better job in Bahrain last week,” Lumsden revealed.

“My mistakes weren’t really mental out there. Just a couple of good shots ending up in positions where I did not think they would.

“I just need to stick to the process of hitting one good shot after another.

“It’s really going to be a case of staying in the moment and not letting my head get in the way and thinking ahead.

“I just see it as another opportunity to figure out my stuff coming down the stretch and I see it only helping me down the line,” added Lumsden, who was named in the original Walker Cup squad a year ago, but did not earn selection to play America at Royal Liverpool.

Knipes chasing down Lumsden

ANOTHER Essex pro – Curtis Knipes – playing in his first season as a professional, stayed in contention in the race to catch Lumsden after a level-par 72.

That tied him for the fourth place at three-under par alongside American Ben Schlottman (68), Dorset’s MENA Tour veteran Luke Joy (70) and the Swedish pair of Filip Lundell (70) and Ake Nilsson (71).

Overnight leader Mitch Waite started in sensational fashion by making an eagle on the par-four 10th hole after driving the green.

But four subsequent bogeys dropped the Gloucestershire player – who played in the World Amateur Team Championship for England two years ago – down to solo ninth place at two-under.

Sloman, who has been a picture of consistency in his debut season on the MENA Tour, was two-over par after eight holes.

But the former England international, who turned pro after playing for Great Britain & Ireland against the USA at Hoylake, in September, pulled it back with four birdies coming in.

They included two in his last two holes, the eighth and ninth, having started from the 10th.

The race to earn the start in the Trophee Hassan II on the European Tour was still on between David Langley and Hague.

Langley made the cut on the number, while Hague was tied 34th and will need to finish inside the top-10 depending on his rival’s finish to get the start in Morocco, in May.

Hague, playing in the same group as Sloman, was one-over at the turn and replicated his playing partner’s scores on the closing two holes to add a 71 to his overnight 69.

The cut came at nine-over with 49 professionals and one amateur – India’s Arjun Gupta – proceeding to the final round on Wednesday.

•To follow live scoring click here.

The post Rookie Lumsden looking for first win as he leads Journey to Jordan No. 2 by two shots appeared first on Golf North.

Mitch Waite has headed to the MENA Tour after three promising appearances on the European Challenge Tour and leads the Journey to Jordan No. 2 at Ayla Golf Club

GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S Mitch Waite has been trending in the right direction in recent weeks on the MENA Tour.

And the former England international provided more evidence of where his game is headed by taking sole possession on top of the leaderboard on a windy opening day at the $75,000 Journey to Jordan No. 2, on Monday.

The 24-year-old from Bristol made a three-putt bogey on his final hole – but five birdies before that ensured an opening card of 68 to lead on four-under par at Ayla Golf Club.

The 2018 Hampshire Hog winner holds a one-shot lead over playing partner Benjamin David and Curtis Knipes – both from Essex – and Surrey-based Scot Ryan Lumsden, from Royal Wimbledon.

Waite said: “I have not played too well around here, so I had a slightly different mindset this week to go and shoot the best that I possibly can.

“I am lucky I played with good guys – David and Sloman – and they played well as well,” added Waite, who finished tied 37^th in the Journey to Jordan No. 2 last year.

“I had a decent start today, went a bit quite in the middle and kept playing well on the back nine.

“I hit two good shots into the 18th but ended up with a bogey,” said last year’s EuroPro Tour member Waite, who secured his MENA Tour card by finishing 10th at January’s Qualifying School B, in Jordan.

Mitch Waite, winner of the 2018 Hampshire Salver and Hampshire Hog, at North Hants GC.
Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

“It’s just one of those things, and I have got to take the positives from this. I was five-under par through 17 and shot a 68 which was a good round.”

The Felton Golf Club member started working with coach Liam James, based at The Belfry while his friend Will Donald is his mental coach.

“I have come out this year with a better mental frame and probably better technically,” said Mitch, who was largely unknown before his win at North Hants – the home club of Justin Rose – just two years ago.

“I did not have any status and just played on invites in 2019. But it was a slow year and I did not get going,” said Waite, who rocketed up the England rankings two years ago.

He was picked for Great Britain & Ireland against Europe, in the St Andrews Trophy, in Finland, and featured on the winning England team at the Home Internationals at Conwy GC.

That lead to his selection alongside Hoylake’s Matthew Jordan, who is on the European Tour in 2020 after his maiden win on the Challenge Tour last year, and Staffordshire’s Gian-Marco Petrozzi for the Eisenhower Trophy where he played alongside the likes of PGA Tour winner Viktor Hovland and Denmark twins Rasmus and Nicholai Hjøgaard.

Waite revealed: “I have worked on all departments of the game and very much looking forward to what 2020 has in store.”

Waite, who turned pro late in 2018 after finishing runner-up at the European Amateur, and was a semi-finalist at The Amateur Championship, has had a good start to the year.

He played the three Sunshine Tour events in South Africa that were co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour on invites.

The South West pro made all three cuts and was tied seventh in Cape Town.

Mitch, who first found his liking to South Africa on a winter warm weather trip with former Gloucestershire team-mate Joe Long in 2017, now sits 13^th in the Challenge Tour Race to Mallorca Rankings.

He is three spots behind fellow MENA player Harry Ellis, from Hampshire, who was fourth in Cape Town.

“It would be nice to get a playing status on Challenge Tour,” said Waite. “Obviously, I want to win and getting it on the MENA Tour would be great.

“But these are things you cannot rush. I look at Hague, Langley and Bailey Gill and they have all gone and won events in their first few weeks as a pro.

“And here I am, have been a pro for more than a year and still haven’t got my first win.

“I can get down upon myself, or I can keep doing the right things and stay patient knowing that my week will come.”

Surrey-based Scot Ryan Lumsden is a shot behind Mitch Waite in the Journey to Jordan No. 2

English quartet in chasing pack

THERE are plenty of former England internationals in the chasing pack at Ayla Golf Club.

Somerset’s Walker Cup player Tom Sloman, the third player in Waite’s group, shot 70 to be tied fifth alongside Sweden’s Ake Nilsson on two-under.

Middlesex’s Pavan Sagoo, Hertfordshire’s Jamie Rutherford, Dorset’s Luke Joy and Filip Lundell, winner of MENA’s Qualifying School B at Ayla, were tied seventh at one-under after carding 71s.

In the race between David Langley and David Hague to secure the Trophee Hassan II start on the European Tour, Yorkshireman Hague was slightly ahead of his rival – even though both players had a start to forget.

Hague, from Malton & Norton GC, opened with a 75 and Berkshire’s Langley, from Castle Royle GC, shot 77.

India’s Arjun Gupta was the best-placed amateur in the field, tied 20th after a 74.

•To follow live scoring in the second round of Journey to Jordan No. 2, click here.

The post Patient Mitch happy to Waite for first professional win after good start in Jordan appeared first on Golf North.

Tiverton GC’s Harry Konig, who qualified to play in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic last month, returns to Ayla Golf Club where he won the MENA Tour Championship in November.

DEVON’S Harry Konig returned to the scene of the greatest triumph of his career so far, hoping to capitalize on his happy memories when he won the Journey to Jordan Tour Championship in November.

The 2020 season of the MENA Tour by Arena gets under way today (Monday) with the $75,000 Journey to Jordan No. 1 at Jordan’s stunning Greg Norman-designed Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba.

Among the several intriguing storylines at the start of the season is Konig, who was celebrating his 25th birthday on Sunday.

“It is very special to come back to this place. The win last year was life-changing for me,” said Konig.

“I have been in Aqaba for the past four days and played nine holes every day, and I have tried to recreate all the pivotal moments from last year, like the pin location on the 18^th hole on Sunday – and trying to hit shots there,” added Konig.

The West Country golfer secured a spot in this year’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic with that win.

And even though he missed the cut at the Majlis course, Harry enjoyed every moment of it – having admitted he had come close to quitting golf.

“It was the best moment of my life, without a shadow of doubt. I would have liked to score much better,” added Konig.

MENA Journey to Jordan winner Konig: ‘I almost quit’

“I am disappointed, but I am not going to worry about that too much. I prepared really well for that week and I felt comfortable the whole week – but it was a very tough set-up,” said the Tiverton GC member.

“The good thing is that because of Desert Classic, I have spent a lot of time over the Christmas and New Year’s time practicing. I think it is only going to help me play better this season.

“My expectations have definitely changed after last year.

“It’s more knowing in your own head that you can get over the line. I am now going to play to win, rather than just being there.”

Essex’s former England junior international Curtis Knipes – who qualified for The Open Championship at Royal Portrushl last summer, turned pro over the winter. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

Knipes can’t wait to make pro debut

ESSEX’S Curtis Knipes is another player looking forward to a big season on Arena’s MENA Tour having joined the pro ranks over the winter.

Knipes was one of the most consistent amateurs last year on the MENA Tour, finishing second in the Amateur Journey to Jordan.

The 19-year-old former England junior international also qualified for the Open Championship at Royal Portrush last summer after coming through Regional Qualifying at Surrey’s Burhill GC, and then sharing top spot in Final Qualifying at Prince’s, in Kent.

“Very excited about this new chapter in my life,” said Knipes. “Obviously, made this decision to turn pro a couple of months ago.

“I was edging towards it last year, but given the opportunities I have, not only on the MENA Tour but other Tours as well, I think this is the right time.

“I would have been fairly up there on the MENA Tour Order of Merit if I were a pro last year, and then playing the Open Championship gave me a lot of confidence that I can compete with the best.

“It would be nice to win the Journey to Jordan this year and get one of those spots at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

“That’s the main goal, but I also want to be consistent throughout the season and make some money,” added the Abridge member, who played for Essex Boys, Men’s and Colts team over the past five years.

•To follow Harry Konig and Curtis Knipes’ progess in the Journey to Jordan No. 1 click here for live scoring.

The post Why Harry Konig is happy to be back at Ayla Golf Club for MENA Tour season opener appeared first on Golf North.

Daniel Gaunt, who is attached to Burhill GC, in Surrey, was second on the 2019 Journey to Jordan, eaning starts on the Asian and Challenge Tours as well as the Dubai Desert Classic.

MENA Tour players will be able to earn invites to play on the Alps Tour in 2020 as well as having the opportunity to earn starts on the European and Asian Tours plus the Challenge Tour.

In addition to the invites to the European Tour’s 2020 Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January, which are handed out to the leading two professionals on the 2019 Journey to Jordan Order of Merit – plus the top amateur – there are more incentives for MENA members in the New Year.

On top of a schedule which features 11 tournaments in five countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, there will be an extra place in the 2021 Omega Dubai Desert Classic for the professional finishing third on the 2020 MENA Order of Merit.

The Dubai event is the oldest European Tour event in the Middle East, dating from the early 1990s, in which time the views of the city skyline from the Emirates Course fairways have changed beyond all recognition.

The Journey to Jordan professional winner will also receive an Asian Tour country exemption card for the 2021 season, a full card on the 2020 Alps Tour and three Challenge Tour invites, as well as the Dubai Desert start.

The leading amateur will also receive an Alps Tour exemption for 2020 and at least one start on the European Challenge Tour.

The second-placed professional on the Journey to Jordan gets three starts on the Asian Tour, a full card on the 2020 Alps Tour and an exemption to the final stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.

The third and fourth placed professionals on the Arena sponsored MENA Tour also receive full cards on the Alps Tour and a place in the final stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.

The third-ranked player also gets an Omega Dubai Desert Classic spot and two starts on the Challenge Tour.

The winner of the Ghala Open, which is to be held from February 16-19 at Ghala Golf Club, in Muscat, Oman, will receive a spot at the European Tour’s $1.75 million Oman Open at Al Mouj Golf the following week.

MENA Tour strategic adviser David Spencer said: “One of the biggest objectives for us is to provide our members with pathways to some of the main tours and increase their playing opportunities.

“Our announcement today will definitely excite the players. There are a few more invitations which we will reveal in due course.

“We are thankful to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Asian Tour and our new partners Alps Tour in helping us create these wonderful opportunities for them.”

The MENA Tour was established in the United Arab Emirates in 2011 and has grown over the years to become one of the most exciting development tours in the world.

With a minimum prize fund of $75,000 and Official World Golf Ranking points, it offers excellent growth opportunities for professionals and the top amateurs.

The 2020 season starts with the qualifying school at Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba, Jordan, from January 20 onwards, when the next generation of MENA Tour players will start their professional careers.

Registration for the qualifying schools are now being accepted online at www.menatour.golf

The post Leading MENA Tour players will also get Alps card on top of Dubai Desert Classic starts appeared first on Golf North.

iverton Golf Club’s Harry Konig admitted he was considering quitting professional golf before his victory in the MENA Tour Journey to Jordan Championship at Ayla GC. Picture by MENA TOUR

EXACTLY three years to the date after turning professional, Devon’s Harry Konig won his first title in dramatic fashion at the $100,000 Journey to Jordan Tour Championship, the season-ending event on the MENA Tour, on Thursday.

The 24-year-old from the West Country seemed out of the reckoning. Konig was three-over through eight holes at the Greg Norman-designed Ayla Golf Club,

But the former Geko Tour player – who admitted he had been considering quitting playing on the mini-Tours at the end of this sason – holed his wedge third shot for an eagle on the par-five ninth.

Konig then played the last five holes in four-under par to finish on 11-under and record a victory that should prove to be life-changing.

Konig had birdied five of the last six holes in the second round, but he saved the best for last.

On the par-four 18th which was playing straight into the wind, he hit a brilliant four-iron from 193 yards to less than a foot for his all-important birdie.

“I just can’t believe it. It’s an experience that I have never felt before, so I am lost for words,” said Konig. “I was never in touch of winning and then I had that finish.”

Konig dedicated the win to his late friend Charlie Watson, who passed away two years ago.

“I was playing so bad,” he said. “And like yesterday, I just told myself to start playing aggressive again and start going for the flags.

“It’s quite a coincidence that I played my first tournament as a professional on November 28, 2016, in Spain on the Gecko Tour.

“And it’s been three very difficult years. Professional golf is hard.

“I had spoken to my parents and was planning to give up playing competitive golf next year.

“And then this happens. I think I will continue playing.”

I am planning to play more in Europe and this gives me two starts on the European Tour and also in the Diamond Cup in Japan.

“These are great opportunities and it is now up to me to make the most out of it.”

But while the winner grabbed the opportunity dangled in front of him, others were left to reflect on missed opportunities.

Hampshire’s US-educated Joshua Grenville-Wood looked all set to secure his first win as a professional as he reached the penultimate hole at 12-under par, but finished with two straight bogeys, starting at the par-five 17th.

Grenville-Wood, who has publicly spoken about his battle with ADHD this year, then missed a par putt from less than three feet on the last to force a play-off, to add to the agony of finishing third in Bahrain earlier in the season.

Challenge Tour stars Todd Clements (67) and Jamie Rutherford (70) of England and Sweden’s Henric Sturehed (69) were already in the clubhouse at 10-under par while Grenville-Wood made it a four-way tie on 206.

•For the final results of the Jordan to Journey click here.

Hill and Keyser earn Dubai Desert Classic starts at Journey to Jordan

Fifteen-year-old Josh Hill the Journey to Jordan Amateur Order of Merit Winner (left) with professional prize winner M G Keyser.

SOUTH Africa’s M G Keyser and Dubai-born teenager Josh Hill both had rounds to forget – but seasons to remember – as they won the Journey To Jordan Order of Merits for the professionals and amateurs respectively.

Keyser, who was in top spot going into the MENA Tour Championship, shot a 79 to finish tied 36th.

But the only two players who could have denied him the honour – Australia’s Burhill-based Daniel Gaunt (69) and Essex’s James Allan (72) – finished tied in 16th place, leaving Hill and Keyser with valuable starts in the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, at the Emirates GC , in January.

Hill, who broke the record of Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa to become the youngest winner of an OWGR-recognised event aged just 15 last month, at the Al Ain Open, sponsored by Arena, was the overnight leader.

But the England junior international just could not get going on the final day, finishing tied ninth on five-under.

As the Tour Championship winner, Konig has won himself a start at the $750,000 Indonesian Masters on the Asian Tour next month.

He also gets a spot in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic for finishing second in the Final Five Order of Merit.

Keyser won the mini-MEMA money list for the last five tournaments.

He finished with total earnings of $45,153 from the season, said the Journey to Jordan win had the potential to change his future.

“I think one of the things every professional golfer looks for is consistency, and that was one of the most pleasing aspect of my season,” said Keyser, who did not miss any cut this year.

The disappointment of being unable to add a second title this year did not last long for Hill.

“I am very excited and I am looking forward to playing at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic,” said Hill.

“I have been to every tournament since I was a five- or a six-year-old and remember getting amazed by the number of people that walked with Tiger Woods’ group when I was there the first time.

“It’s been an amazing season for me, one in which I have learned a lot on the MENA Tour playing with all the professionals.

“I think I have grown as a player. I wanted to finish top-10 in at least a couple of tournaments this season, but I have surpassed my expectations.

“The win at Al Ain was definitely the highlight of the season.”

To see the final standings on the Journey to Jordan Order of Merit click here.

•The MENA Tour’s 2020 season begins with two stages of the Qualifying School, to be played January 20-23 and January 26-29, also at Jordan’s Ayla Golf Club, which proved the ultimate test again this week.

The post Konig shock winner of MENA Tour Journey to Jordan after admitting he almost quit golf appeared first on Golf North.

England junior international Josh Hill, who is just 15, leads the MENA Tour Championship at Jordan’s Ayla Golf Club. Picture by MENA TOUR

DUBAI-born amateur Josh Hill is in sight of a second MENA Tour title after taking a one-shot lead into the final round of the $100,000 Journey To Jordan Tour Championship.

At the Greg Norman-designed Ayla Golf Club, in Aqaba, Hill carded a second-round 69.

His three-under par score took his tally to nine-under – one ahead of Harry Konig (65), Hertfordshire’s Jamie Rutherford (67), Joshua Grenville-Wood (70) and Sweden’s Gabriel Axell (70).

All four professionals are looking for their first win on the MENA Tour.

Fifteen-year-old Hill, who beat the record of Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa to become the youngest winner of an OWGR-recognised event last month at the Al Ain Open, got off to a hot start after his first round of 66 on Tuesday had left him in a three-way tie in first place.

Hill was four-under through seven holes in round two, and even though his ball-striking deserted him a touch on the back nine, he managed to make enough birdies to offset his mistakes.

“I was doing everything so well for the first seven holes, and then made a stupid bogey on the ninth,” said Hill.

“I struggled a bit after that but am delighted to finish at three-under on a tough day.

“I made a three-putt bogey on the 12^th hole, but apart from that, I putted really well, and that really saved the day,” added Hill, who made seven birdies before ending with a bogey on 18^th.

Hill felt the experience of his Al Ain Open win – when he started the final day three shots behind leader Harry Ellis, Hampshire’s Amateur Champion in 2017 – will help him as he dons the role of a front-runner.

“It will be a different challenge and I think what would definitely help is if I get off to a good start like I did in Al Ain,” said the England Boys international.

“But that win proved to me that I have what it takes to win a tournament at this level and that would be a good, positive thought in my mind,” Hill added.

Sweden’s Henric Sturehed, winner of the MENA Tour Championship when it was last played in 2017, shot a two-under par 70 to take solo sixth place, while Luke Joy stayed in touch with a 71 that left him the seventh place.

South Africa’s MG Keyser, the leader of the Journey to Jordan order of merit, is on four-under after a 71.

But with his nearest challengers º Australia’s Daniel Gaunt (73) and Essex’s James Allan (72) – not making any significant move up the leaderboard, he looks on course to win the professionals’ prize on the Journey To Jordan.

Konig said he was “plodding” along and made some good up-and-downs until he decided to get aggressive on the back nine.

The move paid rich dividends as he finished with five birdies in his last six holes to shoot the low round of the day.

Konig said: “I missed making a birdie on the par-five17^th hole, where I missed a putt from five feet.

“That was slightly disappointing, but I did make a birdie on the 18^th which was playing very tough in this wind. I think it is the first time I have made a birdie on that hole.”

Twenty-seven-year-old Rutherford came to Jordan having missed getting into the final stage of the European Tour Qualifying School by just one shot

“I did not putt well at all that day in Spain and it was very disappointing. I went back home and mostly did putting for two weeks before coming here,” said the Knebworth GC member.

“In a sense, it is good that I had this tournament to play and an opportunity to bounce right back,” said the former England amateur international.

Axell, who lost in a play-off at the Ras Al Khaimah Open in October, will try and make amends in Thursday’s final round.

“It’s never good to finish with a bogey, but it wasn’t easy out there,” said Axell.

“However, I am playing some good golf and there is no reason why I should not finish one better than what I did at Ras Al Khaimah,” said the Swede, who made three birdies in a row before the turn.

Grenville-Wood, who finished second in Bahrain earlier this year, said: “It was a grind out there, especially on the back nine.

“I am pretty pleased with the way I kept it going and kept hitting steady shots. I made a pretty good par on the 18^th. So, one shot back, I will take it.”

Grenville-Wood, who played two European Challenge Tour events this season by virtue of his performances on the MENA Tour, has been flying the flag for ADHD sufferers.

He was chosen as an ambassador for the UK’s ADHD Foundation supporting kids who struggle from the condition earlier this year.

The 21-year-old, who was educated in States but also played golf in England as a junior is based in Hampshire while in the UK, and has played more than 500 tournaments as a junior on both sides of the Atlantic.

Grenville-Wood has also played on the Jamega and PGA EuroPro Tour since turning pro in 2017.

•For live scoring from the final round of the MEN Tour Championship click here.

The post Josh Hill on brink of claiming MENA Tour Championship while a 15-year-old amateur appeared first on Golf North.

England junior international Robin Williams on his way to a record-equalling eigh- shot victory against the pro’s in the Journey to Jordan 2, at Ayla Golf Club. Picture by MENA TOUR

ENGLAND junior international Robin “Tiger” Williams equalled the biggest-ever margin of victory on the MENA Tour – winning by eight shots in Jordan this week.

The 18-year-old from Peterborough Milton Golf Club, who has been touted as England’s next world star, produced a grandstand finish to win the sixth leg of the Dubai-based Tour, which can provide invites into some of the European and Asian Tours’ biggest events.

Williams birdied his final five holes to win the $100,000 Journey To Jordan-2 tournament, at Ayla Golf Club, in Aqaba, Jordan.

In the sixth leg of the 2019 season of the MENA Tour by Williams shot a final-round six-under par 66 to finish on 16-under for the 54-hole event.

That was eight better than the second-placed Jack Floydd, another amateur from Sussex.

Ranked 100th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Williams rewrote several records.

The England Boys cap, who was part of the winning Home Internationals team in August, became the third amateur champion in the history of the MENA Tour.

Williams was also the 20th player to lead wire-to-wire. His eight-shot win was the biggest margin of victory in a 54-hole tournament, matching the previous mark set by Matthew Baldwin, also at Ayla Golf Club in the Journey To Jordan-1.

Williams, who played in the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup, made a birdie-birdie start and his lead was never threatened.

Despite making bogeys on the sixth and 13th holes, he was one-under par with a birdie on the par-three 12th hole.

The bogey on the par-five 13th triggered the birdie run which saw the South Africa-born player pick up shots in each of the final five holes.

Williams first became involved in the England Golf regional set-up as a 12-year-old.

As well as helping England win the Boys’ Home Internationals for the fourth year in a row at Ashburnham GC, he also played for his country at the European Boys’ Team Championships.

Williams also competed at the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in September, and a final round 66 at Stoke-by-Nayland GC helped him finish fourth to qualify for November’s second stage.

Floydd, a member at Haywards Heath GC, shot a flawless 67 to finish ahead of  Burhill’s leading professionals Australia’s Daniel Gaunt (70) and South African MG Keyser (69).

The pair have both been winners in the 2019 season on the MENA Tour, and split the combined prize money for the first two places, because of Williams and Floydd’s amateur status.

Essex’s Curtis Knipes (70) completed a fantastic day for the amateurs as he finished tied fifth at six-under alongside Surrey’s Zane Scotland (67) – the MENA Tour’s most successful player, Chile’s Matias Calderon (66) and England’s Benjamin David (70).

You can see the final leaderboard by clicking here.

Another of England’s young stars gaining experience on the MENA Tour is Josh Hill, who is based in Dubai, and has been named in the England Boys team for 2020.

The post Williams beats field by eight shots at Ayla Golf Club in MENA Tour’s Jordan 2 event appeared first on Golf North.

Wellingboro Golf Club’s Meghan Maclaren in the third round of Jordan Mixed Open, at Ayla Golf Club. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

MEGHAN MacLaren could not produce her second win in a month – and more importantly this time against a field of men – as she lost out to Holland’s Daan Huizing in the ground-breaking Jordan Mixed Open, on Saturday.

Having been an outspoken critic of the disparities in prize money between men and women’s golf in the build-up to the event, the Wellingboro GC member was proud of her display as she missed out by a couple of shots.

Meghan, who led the unique 54-hole format tournament by two shots going into the last day, said: “I’m obviously pretty disappointed not to win this week, having been in such a good position.

“But it was still an honour to be here and represent women’s golf alongside two other great tours. It was pretty tight coming down the last few holes, so I think it was great entertainment for everybody watching.

“It was a great concept but none of us really knew how it would pan out. The way the scores panned out throughout the week showed that it absolutely can work with the right thought process and course set-up if people do the research.

“Female golfers have done ourselves proud this week and it’s been a great environment to be in with all three tours. It’s been an honour to be here and it was a great concept and one that I hope can catch on in the future.

“The research that went into it played out with the scores because it was pretty comparable across the three tours, so I’d like to see it happen more often. I think they did a great job considering that it was the first time that something has been done like this – and I think that’s a great sign for the future.”

“In some ways, it felt like just another tournament, trying to get the best score possible at the end of the week. It’s definitely interesting to have different golfers alongside us.

“There are things that the guys can do and we can’t but there are things that the girls do better than the men as well. It was definitely interesting and something that could happen more often.

“It’s not so much frustration as disappointment. It hurts, but that’s golf sometimes. Golf happened. I missed a couple of putts, which doesn’t help and hit a couple of bad shots at bad times.

“You can’t afford to do things like that. It can change so quickly and everyone who plays golf knows that.

“It hurts to not win, but I know, when I get home and think about it, I’ll be proud of what I’ve done this week and I hope that I’ve represented the LET and women’s golf in general as well as possible.

“It deserves a bit of a spotlight and if this kicks things up a bit, then I’m proud of what’s happened.”

Jordan Mixed Open declared a success by Higginbottom

Tournament director Simon Higginbottom believes the experiment of having a third of the field from the LET, the European Challenge Tour and the Staysure Seniors Tour, playing off different tees to match up their games, had been a total success.

He said: “When something has never been done before it is difficult to know how it will play out. Before the tournament began, we had the ability to analyse average stroke distances for all categories of players.

“But matching that to the course architecture and set up on this course, this week, to create the fairest possible playing field for all competitors, was our main challenge.

“We had incredible support from all of the players in the field, who allowed us to collect invaluable data from this week, which we can scrutinise in future weeks to get an even clearer picture of how this can be done again.”

The chairman of Ayla Golf Club, Khaled Masri, was also a happy man after the ground-breaking tournament.

He said: “We are really pleased with the great success the Jordan Mixed Open by Ayla has achieved.

“This first-of-its-kind international golf tournament has attracted many golf enthusiasts from around the globe, effectively placing Jordan on the map of major golf events internationally.

“We hope to maintain this growing trend and will continue to welcome new global and regional championships to our world-class golf course.”

•For the full results in the Jordan Mixed Open click here.

Dutchman Daan Huizing with the Jordan Mixed Open trophy. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

The post Meghan MacLaren disappointed to be overtaken in Jordan thriller appeared first on Golf North.

Challenge Tour winner Daan Huizing who held off Ladies European Tour star Meghan MacLaren to claim the first-ever Jordan Mixed Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

DAAN Huizing made golfing history by becoming the first player to win a full-field mixed professional tournament with his triumph at the Jordan Mixed Open.

The Dutchman began the final round at Ayla Golf Club two shots behind overnight leader Meghan MacLaren, who opened the world-first tournament with consecutive rounds of 65 to get to 14-under par.

MacLaren started the final day strong, carding two birdies on her first three holes, but Huizing was able to slowly chip away at the Englishwoman’s lead, and by the time the two golfers reached the 13th tee, they were deadlocked on 14 under par.

The stage was set for a never-before-seen battle down the stretch between a male and female golfer competing for the same first prize.

In the end, it was Huizing who came out on top as he converted three crucial birdies on the closing holes and signed for a four under par 68, which gave him a two-stroke victory.

The win was an emotional one for the 28-year-old, who admitted it was a tough off-season after he narrowly missed out on a European Tour card at last year’s Challenge Tour Grand Final.

“I’m buzzing. It’s a big moment for me. I’ve had a rough time at home recently so this is a really sweet way to prove to myself that I’ve got it. The belief in myself and the people around me, my team and my family, I’m really grateful for their support. I’m honoured. I think it’s an historic event.

The Dutchman who won twice in his first season on the Challenge Tour in 2013, said: “To be the inaugural winner — it’s a special moment. I think it’s a great initiative.

“It was great fun playing in a final group with a Challenge Tour player, a senior tour player and a lady player. It was a great battle.

“It’s a different vibe and very special to be the first winner and I hope it’s something that can be continued in the future.

“I went into the day with a pretty open mind and I knew it was going to take a low round, someone was going to shoot low today. I had a pretty rough start and lipped out a couple of putts for birdie and holed a couple of good ones for par on two and three.

“It wasn’t easy and I didn’t play great. I had a few loose ones to the right yesterday and today again, but I battled really well.

“Mentally I was in really good shape and that’s what got me through. I stuck to my processes, stayed patient and Meghan was playing really, really well.

“She holed a couple of big putts on the front nine but left the door open for me on 10 and 11 and I answered with two really good birdies on 12 and 13.

“The buzz and tension down the stretch was great. It was a fight and it wasn’t pretty at times, but it was a great experience and really valuable going forwards as well.

“There are a huge amount of positives that I can take from this,” added the player who claimed the presitigious Lytham and St Andrews Links trophies in his last season as an amateur in 2012, a rare feat in itself.

MacLaren finished the Jordan Mixed Open alone in second place — two shots clear of Martin Simonsen, who matched the Ayla Golf Club course record with a final round of 64, which moved him 17 places up the leaderboard and into third place.

Forty players from each of the European Challenge Tour, the Staysure Tour and the Ladies European Tour, plus three amateurs, made up the 123-player field and will forever be remembered as a game-changing tournament.

The final grouping comprised of one player from each of the three Tours, and of the 66 players that made the cut, 20 represented the Ladies European Tour, 21 were from the Staysure Tour and 25 were from the Challenge Tour.

In addition, the back nine battle for the win between MacLaren and Huizing created tense drama all the way to the end.

Players from all three Tours were represented in the top five. The best performer from the over-50s contingent was José Coceres of Argentina who finished in a tie for fourth place alongside Challenge Tour players Jack Senior and Oliver Farr.

Thorough research was performed by tournament officials before the event began.

Data on driving distance, approach shot distance, club selection and scoring was collected after each round, and will provide crucial findings to all three tours.

The low-amateur competitor, Emilie Paltrinieri of Italy, carded rounds of 70, 74, 73 to finish the tournament on one-over.

The post Huizing back in the winner’s circle in Jordan appeared first on Golf North.