Dubai: Asian Tour veteran Yasin Ali will be looking to rid himself of his choker’s tag when the fourth edition of the 10-stage Mena Golf Tour gets underway with back-to-back events in Morocco later this month.
The 31-year-old Kenyan born Briton missed his best chance to win an event on Tour at the Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open in 2011, but he three-putted on the final green to hand the title to fellow Englishman Zane Scotland, who has since become the tour’s most decorated player with five wins.
“I have been close, but not close enough to close the deal,” said Ali. “Golf can be a could-have, should-have done this or that sport.
“It’s all a question of getting that first win. When and where it will happen, I don’t know. All I know is, I just want to progress with my golf after some difficult years.”
Ali captained the England Boys team at 18 and just missed out on the Asian Tour Rookie of the Year award in 2006 after an injury.
“I injured my elbow in 2007 and that ruined my season,” he said. “I have been trying to get back to that level since then, but it’s taken me a while. I hope this edition of the Mena Golf Tour is the start of something.
“I have played a couple of the Challenge Tour events in Morocco, but that was a long time ago. It will be the first time I will be playing in Mohammedia and Rabat. I have heard a lot of good things about the courses there from fellow Mena Golf Tour players and they say they are just fantastic. I am sure it will be fun to play there. I am looking forward to it.”
The Royal D’Anfa Open will take place in Mohammedia on March 17, followed by the Royal Dar Es Salaam Open in Rabat a week later.
After back-to-back events in Morocco, the schedule resumes in mid-September with the eight-week ‘Gulf Swing’, which includes four stops in the UAE and one each in Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia before returning to the UAE for the season-ending Tour championship in November at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club.
With each event boasting a prize fund of $50,000 and the Tour Championship carrying $75,000 in prize money, a total of $525,000 (Dh1.9 million) will be up for grabs for members of the tour, which is being held under the auspices of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation with support from Omega and Mercedes-Benz.
Previous winners of the Mena Tour Order of Merit are — in chronological order — Jake Shepherd, Stephen Dodd and Zane Scotland.
