Dubai: The professionals lead the amateurs by three points after Friday's first two rounds of the golfing season showcase, the Dubai Trophy, at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. There was everything to play for, however, as the two teams entered singles play at Emirates Golf Club yesterday to decide an overall winner.
Scores were level at four apiece after the four-ball betterball opening round. Amateurs Pontus Frederiksson and Daniel Hendry held on, winning the 17th to go one up while halving points on the last hole against pros Stephen Deane and David Gray. Subsequently Gray pulled out sick in the second round and remains a doubtful starter today.
Other pros Malcolm Young and Paul Hubner along with Ross McArthur and Mark Bull recorded solid early points for the professionals but there were surprises in store in the form of father-and-son amateurs Vikram and Aditya Judge who pulled their game back to draw against Stephen Hubner and Fraser McLaughlan. They were two down with two holes to go but 16-year-old Aditya parred twice to halve the honours — this despite his father battling a cartilage injury in his knee.
Also drawing were Khalid Yousuf and Joel Neale against Richard Sheridan and Steven Munro. The amateurs were up until the 10th hole only for the professionals to pull it level and hold the game helped by a big put on the 16th from Yousuf.
Deciding putt
Left to scrap it out John Mills and Ivan Lawson were five up with four holes to go against Simon Payne and Andrew Pilfold. Pilford and Payne pulled it back only for Lawson to win the point for the amateurs on the 18th with a six-foot putt.
Pros Craig Martin and George Kasparis won their match with Alex Chakwani and Steve Bennett thanks to two birdies on the 16th and 17th holes. Tied with three to go, they won on the 18th while amateurs Miki Mirza and Ahmad Al Musharrakh recorded an expected win in their match.
The afternoon's foursomes play ended 5.5 - 2.5 in favour of the professionals despite Gray's injury offering the amateurs a point by default. Easy points were won by Malcolm Young and Paul Hubner who finished five up with four holes to spare, and Simon Payne and Andrew Pilford who were four up with three holes to go.
The amateurs' only resistance came in the form of Alex Charawani and Dino Varkey who finished two up with one hole left and Khalid Yousuf and Joel Neale who drew their game on the 18th against Ross McArthur and Mark Bull to offer the underdogs a glimmer of hope against their mentors.
Vikram and Aditya lost their match with Stephen Hubner and McLaughlin with the pros two up with a hole left, largely down to Vikram's knee injury which reduced his drive but son Aditya more than made up the deficit in a closely fought affair.
Other pro wins came from Jamie Wood and George Kasparis plus Richard Sheridan and Steven Munro who ended all hope for the amateurs in a strong afternoon showing.
Amateur captain John Mills said: "We're three points behind — all to play for for tomorrow — I still think we can win it, there's been bad news one guy's gone off to hospital, he's not well [David Grey]. We're hoping he's back.Vikram's injured his knee we'll have to find out if he's playing tomorrow. The pros put up a good show this afternoon we thought we had a very good chance with some good pairings. We had a good morning four all and we would have been very happy coming out with four all this afternoon. But it wasn't to be unfortunately."
Pro captain Luke Cantelo added: "The boys have done very well this afternoon, some good wins and they really stuck in all day. They've done exceptionally well I'm very proud. Tomorrow is another day. Guys who struggled today may come out all guns firing tomorrow ..."
RESULTS
Fourball Better Ball (amateurs left)
4-4
WIN Fredriksson & Hendry - Deane & Gray
Abd Al Musharrakh & King - Young & P Hubner WIN
Vikram & Aditya Judge - S Hubner & McLaughlan SHARED
WIN Mills & Lawson - Payne and Pilford
WIN Mirza & Ahm Al Musharrekh - Wood and Matthews
Charawani & Bennett - Martin & Kasparis WIN
Varkey & Saab - McArthur and Bull WIN
Yousuf & Neale - Sheridan and Munro SHARED
Foursomes (amateurs left)
DEFAULT WIN Abd Musharrakh & King - Deane & Gray
Fredriksson & Hendry - Young & P Hubner WIN
Vikram & Aditya Judge - S Hubner & McLaughlan WIN
Mirza & Ahm Musharrakh - Payne & Pilford WIN
WIN Charawani & Varkey - Martin & Matthews
Bennett & Lawson - Wood & Kasparis WIN
Yousuf & Neale - McArthur & Bull SHARED
Mills & Saab - Sheridan & Munro WIN
Singles Order
11.05 Yousuf - S Hubner
11.15 Saab - Mcarthur
11.25 Bennet - Wood
11.35 Mills - Deane
11.45 Ahm Musharrekh - Kasparis
11.55 Neale - McLaughlan
12.05 Varkey - Munro
12.15 Hendry - Payne
12.25 Lawson - Pilford
12.35 King - P Hubner
12.45 Mirza - Matthews
12.55 Abd Musharrekh - Young
13.05 Charawani - Martin
13.15 A Judge - Bull
13.25 Fredriksson - Sheridan
13.35 V Judge - Gray (tied match)
