Muscat: Tyler Hogarty hit five under 67 to reach 12 under to win the season-ending Mena Tour Championship at Muscat Hills Golf and Country Club in Oman on Tuesday while Craig Hinton secured the Mena Golf Tour Order of Merit title.
Hogarty, 24, from South Africa sealed his first win on tour finishing two shots clear of England’s Luke Joy, who staged a compelling fightback with a back nine of 30 on his way to a course-record equalling 66.
Sweden’s Per Barth occupied solo third on nine-under after carding final round 67, one clear of England’s Jordan Garnish and two off Stuart Archibald who matched Joy’s low score of 66.
“Obviously, I feel delighted to get over the line this time around after coming close to winning on so many occasions,” said Hogarty.
“I played quite consistently during the week and stuck to my game plan which was to take advantage of the par-5s and not to get frustrated.
“I pitched in for from about 25 yards from an eagle on the second and then holed a 25-footer from the fringe for a birdie on the 15th and that proved crucial to winning the championship,” he added.
Six birdies
Joy, who made the turn at level par, reeled off six birdies, including four in a row from the 13th, to post a creditable second.
Fellow Englishman Hinton finished in a tie for 25th on two under after a final round 69, but it was enough to land him the Order of Merit title with a total earnings of $39,338 (Dh144,494).
England’s Todd Clements returned a 68 to win the amateur division at seven-under, but it was India’s Rayhan Thomas who comfortably topped the order of merit standings with 329 points, well ahead of England’s Benjamin David (231 points).
Morocco’s Ahmad Marjan won the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award for being the best professional in the Mena region while Saudi Arabia’s Othman Al Mulla took the honours in the region’s amateur division.
The top three professionals on the Order of Merit and the leading amateur will be invited to compete in the 2017 Omega Dubai Desert Classic in addition to earning full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour and exemptions into the final stage of the Asian Tour Q-School.
Players ranked between six and 15 will be also be exempt for the final stage of the Sunshine Tour’s Qualifying School in a move aimed at providing players with more opportunities to play at a higher level.
Mena Tour Championship results
1.Tyler Hogarty (South Africa) 12-under
2.Luke Joy (England) 10-under
3.Per Barth (Sweden) 9-under
Leading amateur:
Todd Clements (England) 7-under
Order of Merit standings:
Professionals:
1. Craig Hinton (England) $39,338 (Dh144,494)
2. Luke Joy (England) $38,355
3. Zane Scotland (England) $34,195
Leading Amateur:
Rayhan Thomas (India) 329 points
Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award (Mena Division):
Leading professional: Ahmed Marjan (Morocco)
Leading amateur: Othman Almulla (Saudi Arabia)
