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.

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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.

Sebastien Gros (right) with Ali Mohamed, director of Operations at the NewGiza Golf Club after his two-shot victory over Yorkshire rookie David Hague

FRENCHMAN Sebastien Gros is determined to resuscitate his career this year.

And the two-time Challenge Tour winner made a brilliant start in that direction by claiming the inaugural NewGiza Open.

Gros said: “This is fantastic. I have worked very hard this winter along with my team.

“To get a win so early in the season is surely going to give me a lot of confidence going forward.”

The Frenchman took full advantage of the easier opening stretch of NewGiza Golf Club’s stunning course built in an old quarry against the backdrop of Cairo’s famous Pyramids.

Gros made three birdies in his first four holes, and then added two more in a round which saw him hit 16 greens in regulation.

“I missed the green on the eight and had a poor tee shot on the 16,” said Sebastien Gros.

“Those were the only two holes where I had to battle for pars. It was very solid otherwise.

“I got off to a good start and was very pleased when I two-putted for birdie from 95 feet on the third.

“That was a very good first putt to tap-in distance despite facing two or three breaks,” Gros added.

“Immediately after that, I hit what was possibly my best shot of the day on the fourth – a five-iron against the wind to about six feet.

“It was after that fourth hole that I felt I could win this. My long game was very good throughout the day once again, and even though I missed a few other birdie chances, I putted well too.”

The 31-year-old – who lost his European Tour card in 2018 after playing at the highest level for three years – started the final round two shots behind overnight leader Curtis Knipes.

But having overtaken the 2018 English Champion of Champions, Gros finished two ahead of eventual runner-up David Hague.

Gros played a second straight bogey-free round on his way to a five-under par 67 that was one better than his second-round 68 to post 13-under.

It proved enough to claim the winner’s cheque of $13,500 and moved him into second place on the Journey to Jordan rankings, with a place in next year’s Dubai Desert Classic going to the eventual MENA Tour Order of Merit winner.

Hague close to victory at NewGiza in just second start on MENA Tour

YORKSHIRE’S former England amateur international David Hague charged through the field with a seven-under par 65 on Thursday.

Young Hague, who decided to turn pro after securing his card at the MENA Tour Qualifying School, almost turned his second start as a professional into a dream win.

Last year’s Lee Westwood Trophy winner could have finished much better than his eventual 11-under total.

But Hague paid the price of making a late bogey on the par-five 17th hole.

Hague entered the MENA Tour Qualifying School as an amateur, turned pro right after securing his card.

And he was delighted with his performance this early in his professional career, having faded out of the race for a Walker Cup call-up against the Americans at Hoylake last year, after being a regular in the England set up for three years.

“I got off to a hot start and was eight-under par through 13 holes,” said Hague.

“Slightly disappointed with the finish as I missed a birdie chance from six feet on the 15th, then three-putted from 15 feet on the 17th hole for my only bogey of the day.

“I also missed an eight-footer on the 18th,” said the 23-year-old, from Malton and Norton GC, near York.

“But seven-under par is a great round and I am really pleased with the way I have played, especially after missing the cut last week in Jordan.”

•Castle Royle’s David Langley, who finished tied eighth at NewGiza, leads the Journey to Jordan after two events, following his victory in the Journey to Jordan No. 1 last week.

Sebastien Gros trails Langley by $735 as the players prepare for the third of the 11-strong schedule for the firts half of the MENA Tour season.

Purcell takes third on MENA Tour debut

IRELAND’S Conor Purcell made a great start to his MENA Tour career as well, finishing tied third after a closing 67.

The Portmarnock pro, who played in Great Britain and Ireland’s Walker Cup defeat against the Americans at Hoylake, in September, finished alongside the promising Swede Niclas Weiland, who carded a 68.

Overnight leader Knipes meanwhile never got going after a triple-bogey seven on the par-four eighth hole.

The Essex ace, who qualified to play in last year’s Open at Royal Portrush, finally finished tied fifth at nine-under par, along with Scotland’s Scott Henry and Dorset’s Abu Dhabi-based pro Luke Joy, after both shot 69s.

The MENA Tour by Arena next moves to Muscat, Oman, for the Ghala Open from February 17-19.

The winner of the tournament gets a spot at the European Tour’s Oman Open, held the following week.

•For details of the players entered in the Ghala Open click here.

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Curtis Knipes faces a final round challenge from two-time European Challenge Tour winner Sebestien Gross who trails the Essex rookie by three shots in the MENA Tour’s NewGiza Open

CURTIS Knipes faces a final day threat from France’s European Challenge Tour winner Sebastien Gros in the MENA Tour’s NewGiza Open.

Rookie Knipes may well have to rely on his three shot cushion as he seeks a maiden win in his just his second MENA event.

The two-time Essex Amateur Champion, from Chelmsford Golf Club, played in the tougher afternoon session to stay ahead of the field

The teenage pro shot a four-under par 68 in the second round of the $75,000 NewGiza Open, the first-ever MENA Tour event in Egypt.

The 19-year-old former England junior started the day from the 10th tee with a two-shot lead at NewGiza Golf Club, which has Cairo’s famous Pyramids as a a backdrop.

Curtis made the turn at one-under par with a bogey on the 18th.

Knipes’ second nine was even better as he picked up three shots without dropping any to take his 36-hole aggregate to 10-under, having shot 66 on Tuesday.

“I was happy with that round. It’s always good to follow up a good first round with a solid second to keep yourself in contention,” said Knipes, who qualified for last year’s at Open at Royal Portrush.

Knipes, who is playing only his second event as a professional, added: “Tomorrow is obviously a big day for me.

“It’s the first time leading the MENA Tour and being in the final group of the day. I will just try and approach it as I have done every other day.

“I can’t control what others are doing. I am just going to go out there and shoot the lowest round that I can,” said the 2018 English County Champion of Champions.

England’s 19-year-old Bailey Gill shot the best round of the tournament so far – a seven-under par 65 – to climb to second place at nine-under.

Twenty-two-year-old Gill, who hails from Worksop and plays at Lindrick Golf Club, started with a bogey on the 10th hole, his only mistake of the day.

“It was very cold out there in the morning and I was first off, said the player from the same Nottinghamshire town as Lee Westwood.

Gill added: “I hit a driver and wedge into the 10th yesterday, and it was a driver, three-iron today.

“But I played well after that,” said Gill, who matched the course record at NewGiza Golf Club.

“I will continue doing what I have been doing so far. Just stick to my notes and put up a performance that is hopefully good enough.”

Gros ‘lost motivation’ with no card

SEBASTIEN Gros, who lost his European Tour card after the 2018 season, was bogey-free for his round and hoping to get back to winner’s circle tomorrow.

The former European Tour player, who is a two-time winner on the Challenge Tour, was in tied third place alongside the promising Swede Niclas Weiland.

Both players shot successive round of four-under par 68

Gros said: “Always happy with a bogey-free round. I played well and hit 17 greens in regulation so I did not have to worry too much about getting my pars.

“I just wish I was as efficient as yesterday on the greens, but I should not complain after a 68,” added Gros.

“It was good to finish with a tap-in birdie on the 18^th after I missed chances on every hole from the 14^th to 17^th.

“The last year was very disappointing, but it was very hard to motivate myself to play on the Challenge Tour after spending three years at the highest level on the European Tour,” said Gros giving an insight into the mental challenges players face trying to get to the top.

“My friends told me some very good things about the MENA Tour and how it can be a great preparation for the season, and I decided to come” said Sebastien.

“Hopefully, tomorrow I will be in contention over the last nine holes.”

Conor Purcell, the promising young star from Ireland, was even par for the five par-five holes on the new Egyptian course.

But the last year’s Walker Cup player – who claimed the 2019 Australia Amateur Championship, still shot a 67 to rise to fifth place on seven-under.

The Portmarnock member, who made his first appearance in a pro event in last year’s ISPS Handa Vic Open while still an amateur, made his pro debut in November’s New South Wales Open, having reached No. 10 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Purcell, who has signed for American management firm Wasserman, also received an invite into the Emirates Australian Open, at The Australian GC, in December, as the Australian Amateur Champion, but missed the cut by seven shots.

•Click here for live scoring from the third and final round of the NewGiza Open.

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Chelmsford Golf Club’s Curtis Knipes shot a superb 66 – with no bogeys – to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the NewGiza Open, on the MENA Tour’s first visit to Egypt

ESSEX’S Curtis Knipes was the main man in only his second start as a professional on the opening day of the $75,000 NewGiza Open.

The 19-year-old, who came through Final Qualifying to play in The Open at Royal Portrush last summer, fired a superb, bogey-free 66 to take a two-shot lead.

Knipes’s six-under par round gave him top spot on the leaderboard The first-ever MENA Tour event in Egypt.

At the 7,351-yard, par-72 Thomson Perrett & Lobb-designed golf course, Knipes made full use of the calmer early morning conditions.

The Chelmsford GC member was quick off the block with five birdies in his first seven holes, but then battled hard as the wind picked up.

The former England junior interntional then proceeded to make nine straight pars, before picking up his only shot on the back nine – on the par-five 17th hole – to open up a handy two-shot lead at the top.

A happy Curtis Knipes said: “Obviously, very pleased with a bogey-free round.

“It did get a little frustrating to make nine straight pars after such a hot start because when you are on a roll, you want them coming,” added Knipes, who is a two-time Essex Amateur Champion.

“I had good birdie chances on the ninth, 12th and 15th, before I finally made one on the 17th.

“I thought I hit a good three-quarter pitching wedge shot into the par-five hole, but was left with an 18-feet downhill putt and I luckily rolled that in,” said Curtis.

“I really like the golf course. It’s a good layout and it is in great condition. The greens are a bit tricky, but they are rolling nice.”

Why Curtis Knipes has pedigree of Faldo, Lyle, Westwood & Fleetwood

SEVEN players shot rounds of 68 to be in tied second place, but none could get closer to Knipes, the 2018 England Champion of Champions – a title won by the likes of Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, Lee Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood.

That group included Scotland’s Scott Henry, promising Swede Niclas Weiland, France’s Sebastian Gros and Lancashire’s former England international Joshua McMahon, Wiltshire’s Robbie Busher, Joe Heraty, Leeds, and Tom Sloman, the Somerset Walker Cup player.

The reigning Professional Journey to Jordan champion, South Africa’s Maither Keyser started his 2020 campaign with a two-under par 70, which left him tied for the 15th place.

That round included an eagle and four birdies.

Henry, a past winner on the Challenge Tour, had an almost diametrically opposite start to that of Knipes, missing birdie chances on his first six holes, including the second from five feet and on the third from about a foot.

“I was really struggling with my putter on the first few holes,” said the 2012 Kazakhstan Open champion.

“But I was happy with the way I was hitting the ball, controlling it well especially with my irons.”

“A lot of missed chances, but I am happy with a four-under par start. I am playing good and just need to sharpen up the putter a bit and hopefully, I will be contending.”

Busher and Heraty continued to show the form that helped them finish winner and joint runner-up in last week’s Troon Abu Dhabi Pro-Am, while Sloman continued his strong start to the MENA Tour in Jordan, where he finished tied second.

Castle Royle’s David Langley, winner of last week’s Journey to Jordan No. 1, started well with a 70.

UAE’s only professional, Ahmed Al Musharrekh fought back well from being two-over after six holes to finish on 71.

•To follow the progress of Curtis Knipes and the chasing pack in the second round of the NewGisa Open, click here.

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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.

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South African M G Keyser has eyes on the prize at this week’s MENA Tour’s Journey to Jordan Tour Championship. Picture by MENA TOUR

ESSEX’S James Allan will be looking to make up for the disappointment of missing out on the EuroPro Tour’s biggest prize by claiming the MENA Tour’s Journey to Jordan Tour Championship at Ayla Golf Course.

The top 60 players on the MENA Tour’s order of merit tee it up in Jordan’s Aqaba, on Tuesday, for the 54-hole shoot-out with the incentive of three starts in the European Tour’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic, in January, up for grabs.

Allan, who won his first MENA event at the Abu Dhabi Open, in early October, lost a play-off against Sweden’s European Tour veteran Mikael Lundberg, at the EuroPro Tour Championship, in Spain, at the end of that month.

It cost him a European Challenge Tour card as well as the first prize of £22,540 as he finished in 10th place on the Race to Desert Springs Order of Merit.

Left-hander Allan had to birdie the last two holes at Desert Springs to force the play-off having been the 36-hole leader.

But the 25-year-old – who won Gog Magog’s prestigious Lagonda Trophy four years ago – came up shy when Lundberg made an up-and-down par at the 18th on the third time of asking despite finding the greenside trap and Allan made a bogey five.

The Chelmsford GC member has already played in the Dubai Desert Classic twice as an amateur – having won the MENA’s Amateur Order of Merit in 2014 and 2015.

James Allan is currently ranked third on the Journey to Jordan, but faces a strong field – some with Challenge Tour experience – including South Africa’s M G Keyser, who already has a MENA Tour win to his name in 2019, and tops the Journey to Jordan after the penultimate event.

Only three professionals have a chance to be crowned the MENA Tour’s No. 1 – Keyser, Australian Daniel Gaunt and Allan.

Chelmsford’s James Allan, whose maiden MENA Tour win came at the Abu Dhabi Open, in October. Picture by MENA Tour

M G Keyser said: “It’s the same as any other week. I really can’t predict what others are going to do.

“I can only control myself. I have had a couple of good weeks on the Asian Tour before coming here and I played well in the practice round.

“So, just go out there, have fun, and hopefully, at the end of the day, I am still at the top,” added Keyser, who will win the Journey To Jordan by finishing solo second or better.

Apart from the honour of being called the No. 1 on the MENA Tour – sponsored by Arena – in both its professional and amateur categories, there is also the substantial winner’s cheque of $18,000 for the pros to be decided on Thursday evening – plus plenty of playing opportunities to aspire for.

The overall professional Journey to Jordan champion and runner-up, the leading player on the ‘Final Five’ Order of Merit and the Leading Amateur will earn their spot at the Dubai Desert Classic, at Emirates Golf Club, from January 23-26.

The No. 1 also receives invites to the European Tour’s Made in Denmark tournament, and the 2020 Diamond Cup – co-sanctioned by Japan Golf Tour Organization and the Asian Tour.

The overall runner-up will be invited to two leading Asian Tour events – the 2020 Bank BRI Indonesian Open and the season-ending Indonesian Masters (Dec 12-15).

The player finishing third in the overall Journey to Jordan will receive invites to two European Challenge Tour events.

The fourth-placed player gets two Asian Tour starts, while the fifth-placed player will be assured of a Challenge Tour invitation.

Keyser, winner of the Troon Series Dubai Open leads the Professional Journey To Jordan, having earned $44,361, while Burhill Golf Club’s Surrey based Australian Daniel Gaunt, is second on $36,474.

Greenkeeper Gaunt, making a comeback to competitive golf after giving up professional golf this year, won the Troon Series Al Zorah Open.

Former European Tour star Matthew Baldwin is third at $27,820, followed by James Allan on $27,037, and Frenchman Robin Roussell ($25,190).

But Baldwin and Roussell, who have recently finished their season on the Challenge Tour, have opted not to play this week, with the Frenchman heading to Leopard Creek for the European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Colchester’s Benjamin David, who is in sixth place on the rankings, can secure some of those coveted Tour starts by winning the event and leap-frogging Baldwin.

Knipes copies Allan’s route to Dubai

bridge’s Curtis Knipes is aiming to repeat James Allan’s MENA Tour’s Amateur Order of Merit wins to earn a place at the Dubai Desert Classic, in January. Picture by MENA TOUR

ON the Amateur Journey To Jordan rankings, Essex’s Curtis Knipes is in pole position with 21,662 points, followed by 15-year-old Josh Hill with 19,705 pts.

Hill generated worldwide headlines when he became the youngest player ever to win an Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) event last month at the Al Ain Open.

Knipes, who has a lead of 1,957 points over Hill, said: “It would be nice to win the Journey To Jordan and play the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

“I felt that the Open Championship at Royal Portrush was a bit of a wasted opportunity, so it would be nice to test myself again,” said the Abridge GC member, who came through Regional and Final Qualifying to earn a sport at the first Open held in Northern Ireland in 58 years.

“You never know what can happen if I play well there,” added Knipes, who was the 2018 England County Champion of Champions.

“Having said that, I am just trying to compete against the pros as I have done in every other tournament this year. Try and focus on the winning score and see how well I can play.”

Fifth-ranked Arjun Gupta, from India, who has 4,342 points, also has an outside chance of getting his hands on the Amateur Journey To Jordan crown.

Hampshire’s Harry Ellis, who picked up two runners-up spots in October, was ineligbile for the Journey to Jordan, having not been a full MENA Tour member at the start of the season.

The 2017 Amateur Champion, who failed to reach the final stage of last week’s European Tour Qualifying School, in Spain, earned enough points to be sixth on the rankings.

The tournament starts Tuesday with Keyser, Gaunt and Allan forming the final group. They tee off at 11am local time.

•For live scoring from click here.

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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.

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STOKE Park’s Conor Gough produced a sparkling performance to win the English Men’s Amateur Championship at Surrey’s Hankley Common, on Sunday.

The 16-year-old – who claimed the British Boys title a year ago – beat 20-year-old Callum Farr, from Northamptonshire County, 3&2 in the final.

The title adds to the McGregor Trophy he won last year – and dropped a heavy hint to the Walker Cup selectors, who left him out of their 16-man squad in July less than six months after including him in a 29-strong group.

And in winning his national championship Gough became the second youngest-ever winner of the English crown – just missing out on breaking Harry Ellis’ record by four days, after the Meon Valley G&CC teenager broke Sir Nick Faldo’s record in 2012, 37 years after it was set by Hertfordshire’s then 18-year-old future Masters winner.

Gough – who celebrates his 17th birthday in September – spent much of the early part of the season studying for his GCSEs but clearly the enforced break has had no detrimental effect on his golf.

He began the morning round of the final by hitting a 350-yard drive down the first and then holing out from 12-feet for a birdie and seven holes later he was three up after a birdie on the sixth and an eagle on the eighth.

Farr claimed his first hole of the day when he birdied from just off the front of the green at the 10^th but he could never quite reel in his opponent and he was four down heading into lunch before he won the 18^th with a par.

Farr started the second round strongly by winning the first with a birdie and the second with a par.

But last year’s Selborne Salver winner found himself three down again after dropping shots at both the fourth and fifth.

The pair then shared eight birdies between them before Gough sealed victory with a testing four-foot downhill putt for a par on the short 16^th.

“It feels great to win,” said Gough moments after holing the winning putt. “I played really well. I love matchplay and as soon as I got through the strokeplay qualifier I knew I had a good chance.

“I’m proud of myself. I’ve got a couple of big weeks coming up so I hope I can keep things going.

“I’ve got the Boys’ Home Internationals next week and then the US Amateur Championship at Pinehurst.

“I’m really looking forward to that. It’s the same format as this so hopefully I can put in another good performance.”

It was impossible not to feel for England A squad member Farr, who has now reached the last four and the last two in the past two years without tasting success.

“I hit the ball better this afternoon but just couldn’t get the putts to drop,” Farr said. “I’m disappointed, but Conor is a very good player and he deserved to win because he played a lot better than me.

“I got to the semi-final last year and now the final so maybe next year will be my year,” Farr added.

Burnage beaten by Gough in semis

In Saturday’s semi-finals, Saunton’s Jake Burnage – who was looking to cement his own Walker Cup place by adding the English Amateur title to the St Andrews Links Trophy he claimed in early June – lost 4&3 to Gough.

Burnage, who won three times in 2017 to make a late bid to earn Walker Cup selection from virtually nowhere, had beaten The Buckinghamshire’s Will Shackleton 5&4 in the fourth round.

The Devon man then raced into the last four winning by the same margin against Sussex’s Jack Floydd, from Haywards Heath GC, who has been playing on the Alps and MENA Tours this year as an amateur.

Gough had ended Essex’s Curtis Knipes’ hopes of emulating Todd Clements – the 2017 winner – beating the Chelmsford player – who qualified for The Open at Royal Portrush last month – by 3&2.

In the other half of the draw Farr ended the dreams of another Essex hopeful beating Bradley Bawden – who played NCJAA for the University of Memphis’ Tigers team for two years after two years at Eastern Florida State – by 2&1.

That followed a 4&3 win over Walton Heath’s England Boys cap Enrique Dimayuga, who clearly felt at home on another of Surrey’s finest heathland courses, in the quarter-final.

Bawden had beaten recent Tillman Trophy winner Joe Harvey, from Gloucesterdshire’s Kendleshire GC, 2&1 to book his place in the last four.

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