Dubai: Sixteen of the UAE’s leading professional golfers take on their amateur counterparts in the Ryder Cup-style Dubai Golf Trophy at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club on Saturday and Emirates Golf Club on Sunday.
The amateurs will look to end the professionals’ seven-year winning streak, although they have only ever upset the pros twice in 15 stagings of this event — in 2005 and 2007.
Six of the amateurs’ team are under 18 years of age this year, with 15-year-old Rayhan Thomas playing in his third Dubai Trophy. Having won all of his previous six matches in the event, he looks like a key player for the amateurs, especially after winning this year’s amateur Order of Merit.
With this in mind, amateur vice captain Chris Alderman said this could be the underdogs’ year.
“This is the strongest amateur team that I have seen in the Dubai Trophy,” he said. “We have a fantastic mix of experience and young talent and preparations for the tournament have been extremely positive.
“As a team we have spent a long time working together on our strategy and pairings as I believe that a combination of planning, enthusiasm and talent are what make us a force to be reckoned with during this year’s event.
“There is a real passion between the team to bring the trophy back to the amateurs and I think we have the players and desire to achieve that this year.”
Professional captain Callum Nicoll said that, despite the strength of the amateurs, his side was ready to extend their winning run.
“The Dubai Trophy is a great event for the region and both the professionals and amateurs see the event as one of the highlights of the local golfing calendar,” he said.
“It is a great honour to captain the professionals this year. I have been on the winning side three times now and am looking forward to another exciting event in 2015.
“The event is always very competitive and the amateurs look strong this year, however we have a great team of professionals playing and we are now looking forward to getting things under way.”
