Players expected to flock to amateur event

Dubai: More than 160 golfers are expected to compete in a nine-event amateur series, which begins next month.

The 2008/09 TNT Amateur Order of Merit Golf Series consists of nine events, all played at Dubai's Arabian Ranches Golf Club, with the leading 20 players qualifying for the Grand Final in May next year.

The format of each event will be Individual Stableford and to qualify a player must compete in at least four of the qualifying rounds.

The average from their best four points totals forms their overall score.

The winners of each of the nine events automatically make the Grand Final as long as they compete in at least four events.

Bryan Moulds, Regional General Manager of TNT, said the last series was a major success and they were aiming for a repeat.

He said: "After the response from our 2007/08 series we immediately renewed our contract with Arabian Ranches Golf Club for the 2008/09 Series.

"We were overwhelmed with the commitment from players in the UAE to the series.

"As it is the only series in the UAE spread over nine months hosted at the well conditioned Ranches layout, we felt the exposure and presence of TNT was well supported by the Club."

Welcoming

Elliott Gray, the club's Golf Operations Manager, said: "We look forward to welcoming over 160 players into the 2008/09 TNT Amateur Order of Merit Golf Series over the next nine months at Arabian Ranches.

"We had tremendous support in last season's series and our intention and commitment is to make this new series better than the previous one."

In order to enter, players must have a handicap of 28 or less and must be aged 18 or over on October 1st 2008.

Event dates

Day 1 Q1 October 9

Day 2 Q1 October 18

Day 3 Q2 November 13 Day 4 Q2 November 27 Day 5 Q3 December 6 Day 6 Q4 January 15 Day 7 Q5 February 21 Day 8 Q6 March 21 Day 9 Q7 April 9

Grand Final May 2