Riyadh: Shafiq Masih moved into third place in the order of merit standings following his play-off victory in the American Express Dirab Golf Championship, the third event on the Mena Golf Tour, last week.
The Pakistani, starting the final day three shots off the pace, beat his nearest challenger Craig Smith of Wales at the first extra hole after both finished level at eight-under in regulation.
With this victory, which carried a cash prize of $9,000 (Dh33,058), Masih has accumulated a total of $10,563 in earnings from the first three events to narrow the gap to leaders England’s Ross McGowan ($12,028) and Zane Scotland ($10,803).
Masih, who finished tied 41st at the Dubai Creek Open and tied sixth at the Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open, the Tour’s first two opening events, will need to keep the momentum going in the remaining three events on the tour if he aims to earn a place in the 2013 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
The top three professionals and the leading amateur from their respective orders of merit will receive special invitations to compete in the longest-running European Tour event in the region.
In addition, the top amateur will be awarded with the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation scholarship. The all-expenses-paid scholarship will see the leading amateur return to Dubai for a five-week intensive training stint.
“Playing in the European Tour event in Dubai would be nothing less than a dream come true. Not for me, but for any golfer from Pakistan,” said Masih who is followed by Wales’ Stephen Dodd ($9,005 or Dh 33,076) and Craig Smith ($7,347 or Dh 26,985) on the order of merit for professionals.
The order of merit for amateurs is led by Michael Harradine, a UAE-based Swiss national. With 78 points to his credit from the first three events, Harradine has established a narrow lead over the English duo of Tyler Hogarty (73 points) and Max Williams (72) going into next week’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic, the fourth event on the tour.
Morocco’s Amine El Malki, who produced an impressive tied-sixth finish in the Dirab Golf Championship, has climbed to fourth place, making a leap of four places.
