Dubai: The UAE’s top 16 professionals beat their amateur counterparts 19.5 to 12.5 in the 15th edition of the Dubai Golf Trophy at Emirates and Dubai Creek Golf Clubs last weekend.

Starting the annual Ryder Cup-styled event with foursomes and four-ball games at Emirates Golf Club on Saturday, the amateurs put themselves in a promising position after the morning session with the match tied at 4-4. In the afternoon, the professionals stepped up their game to ensure an 11-5 advantage going into Sunday’s singles.

With the professionals taking a six-point lead into the final round, the amateurs had a mountain to climb. But despite the challenge, the amateurs gave it their all under the guidance of captain John Fellingham and were at one point ahead in four of the seven matches.

Ricky Dominguez and Matthew Naylor tied their match to earn half a point each for their respective sides.

Max Burrow produced a fine performance and got the first point on the board for the amateurs with a 5-3 victory over Luke Plumb to take the overall match scores to 11-6. Following suit was Rayhan Thomas, who made birdies on 15, 16 and 17 to beat Alistair Brown one up and clinch another point for the Amateur team. Paul King also managed a 2-1 victory over Al Ain’s professional, Fraser McLaughlin, to ensure another point for the Amateurs.

But despite Miki Mirza, Bilal Belaid and Eoin Cunniffe posting victories for the Amateurs, the professionals proved — once again — to be too strong a match and it was Anthony Buchanan who sank his par putt on the par four 15th to seal a 4-3 victory over Hassan Yazdi and go the all-important 16th point on the board for the professionals to ensure victory.

The professionals have now beaten the amateurs in 13 of 15 editions of the tournament.

“I’d like to thank the professional team for doing such a fantastic job today and to Dubai Golf for hosting a superb event once again this year,” said professional captain Steven Munro.

Amateur captain John Fellingham added: “I am so proud of my team, they supported each other and gave it their all as well as playing the game in its intended spirit. As captain, I couldn’t have asked of any more from them and I look forward to the Dubai Golf Trophy going on for many years to come.”