Dubai: The UAE’s top 16 amateur golfers are set to take on the professionals in the Ryder Cup-styled Dubai Golf Trophy this weekend.
The first round at Emirates Golf Club will feature a foursomes and fourball format on Saturday, followed by a singles second round at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club on Sunday.
In 14 previous editions of the tournament, the amateurs have only upstaged the professionals twice in 2005 and 2007. But amateur captain John Fellingham will be looking for a third win despite the odds being stacked against his team.
“In team sports, results are sometimes difficult to predict,” he said. “Who would have thought the Europeans would have dominated Ryder cup golf for so long. At the starting gate, everyone is equal, it really does depend on desire and commitment, not just talent.”
Professionals captain Stephen Munro added that the favourites would have to be on their guard.
“It is a great honour to captain this year’s professional team,” he said. “The event is always very competitive and I am sure the amateur team will be stronger than ever. However, I really do feel that our team is strong enough to come out on top this year. We are all looking forward to getting things under way on Saturday.”
Chief executive officer of organisers Dubai Golf, Christopher May, said that despite the fierce rivalry the idea of the competition was to bring everyone together.
“The Dubai Golf Trophy is a superb event to be a part of, there is always a very competitive spirit between the two teams, which leads to some interesting competition and results,” he said. “The professionals have been dominant in recent years and the amateurs are looking to claim back victory in 2014 and end their losing streak.
“The objective of the event is really to raise the profile of golf in the region and to bring players from clubs all over the UAE together. Qualifying for the event is always an honour for the golfers involved and it is great to see such a diverse range of ages of players taking part this year, the youngest of which is Rayhan Thomas, who at only 14 years of age has qualified for the second consecutive year.”
The top 16 amateurs and professionals on either team are drawn from the local Emirates Golf Federation and UAE Professional Golf Association end-of-season Order of Merit standings.
