Abu Dhabi: Sana Tufail, the Abu Dhabi-based 15-year-old golfing prodigy who plays off a plus-one handicap, is mounting a serious campaign for a deserved invite into the Dubai Ladies Masters from December 14 to 17.
Winning four local titles since her return from a tour of England and Scotland over the summer, Tufail has just added the Ras Al Khaimah Junior Open to her list of honours so far this season, as she maintains her grasp as the leading junior female in the region (lowest handicap in the GCC.)
Beating even the boys in a field of 27, she hit a junior and ladies course record four under par gross 68 at Al Hamra Golf Course on Saturday to go with her recent third consecutive Abu Dhabi Junior Girls Championship Open gong and monthly medals there for October (73) and November (72).
Having already won the Al Hamra Ladies Open at the RAK course last season, the British School Al Khubairat student hit four consecutive birdies to be four under 32 on the turn and found herself six under after 16 holes. Dropping her first shot of the round on the 17th followed by an overshoot on the 18th green left her with a 68 gross to take the title by four shots from her nearest rival. Bilal Belaid (72) was gross runner-up on a countback from Ryan Thomas.
Net winner Dhruv Nair took main honours with a score of 59, while Mikhail Pinto picked up second place on 63.
UK experience
Having improved with experience in the UK over the summer, where she narrowly missed the cut in the Ricoh Women's British Open Pre-Qualifier, finishing half-way in a field of 128 amateurs and professionals at ‘The Berkshire', Sana is now averaging 71 gross in tournaments. She missed out in the Order of Merit Ladies opener at Al Ain last month by three shots with a second placed 70-74, forcing Lindsay Brown to pull off a career best 72-69 with back to back birdies.
The summer also saw Sana finish in the quarters of the South England Ladies Championship, 12th at the English Girls U15s championship, mid-table at the British Girls Open and top-ten among the U18s at the British Ladies Strokeplay.
Last season, Sana won three of nine Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Ladies Order of Merit events and finished second only to Lindsay Brown.
She's twice won the EGF Junior Order of Merit in 2007 and 2008 and won the nett ladies in 2009, twice running up in the ladies gross 2010 and 2011.
With her current form, father Haris Tufail feels she could now be ready to compete in a professional competition for the first time in her fledgling career, after already gaining enough exposure from three consecutive Pro/Am appearances at previous Dubai Ladies Masters events.
Haris said: "On a good day she can make the cut. Provided she stays consistent long-term and plays well she can do it. She's been working hard on her approach shots and it is beginning to pay off."
