Dubai: With the Dubai Trophy now a distant memory, inner rivalries within local amateur and professional circles are stoked again as the Order of Merit season looks to tee-off once more.
No longer part of a team, for that Ryder-Cup styled weekend where the best sixteen professionals play the top sixteen amateurs, the emphasis is now firmly back on the individual.
And the individuals who will have the most expectations to live up to are the respective professional and amateur Order of Merit winners from last season; Simon Payne and Miki Mirza.
Gulf News caught up with the form guys to see how preparation for the new season was heating up.
Thirty-nine-year-old Simon Payne, originally from Australia completed his third win in four years last season. Competing on the local PGA UAE tour since 2005 he's recorded second, first, first, third and first-place finishes.
Natural ability
However this season could be a ‘tough one' admits the Tower Links club member.
"I'm going to need a lot of fitness work to get into the swing of things this year — it's going to be a determined effort to retain my title. I've let my fitness slack and relied upon natural ability but that will only take you so far," said Payne, who notched up three wins last year from the 20 event series.
With consistency his lynch-pin Payne added: "I definitely think I can do it. I just realise I have to put in a lot of hard work to keep up with the young guys."
Payne acknowledged he will have to keep up with the likes of Callum Nichol who finished second last season despite only joining half-way through the term.
He missed out on qualification to the Abu Dhabi Championships and Desert Classic by all of a shot last year but will be looking to change that this term.
Meanwhile, Canadian Miki Mirza, aged 29, is just as defensive of his debut Emirates Golf Federation Amateur Order of Merit title, having been in contention since 2004 he's finished 58th, fifth, second, seventh, fifth and first. The amateur season kicks off on October 21 at the three-day Shaikh Rashid Trophy at Al Badia, The Els and Jebel Ali Resort and Spa.
"I'll have to take it one event at a time. Obviously the Musharrakh brothers, Dino Varkey, Vikram Judge and Paul King will be up there as usual but there's the added threat of Daniel Hendry who could make a jump," said the Dubai Creek member.
Now you can learn to play golf in just seven days with Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club. The programme is designed to get a beginner into the swing of things within a week, with a three hole match at the end. Everything's covered from swinging, driving, chipping, pitching, putting and bunkers. Each class is an intensive one hour 7-8pm from Sunday to Saturday. Classes run twice a month from October until May at a cost of Dh475 for adults, Dh375 for children. This includes a 90-minute individual lesson within a month of class completion to keep you going and one month's academy membership so you can keep on practising. Course dates commence - October 10, 24, November 7, 21.
Registration for the third Gulf News Senior Open is now in full swing. The event, for gents aged 50 plus, consists of strokeplay over the 6,531 yard, par 72 Blue Tee course on November 27. Admission costs Dh60 for Golf Members, Dh295 for Club Members and Dh365 for EGF members. To register visit:
www.arabianranchesgolfdubai.com or email francois@arabianranchesgolf.ae
