Elements combine to challenge UAE's best

Dubai: Combine the demanding Greg Norman designed Earth Course, a blustery wind, a wisping shamal and temperatures in the high 30s and all the ingredients are present to create an interesting day's play in the first of the 2010 UAE PGA's 5-part Patrons' Summer Alliance series.

On a day where these elements joined forces to provide a challenge for some of the UAE's best players, resulting in a few forced early retirements, one familiar face in the form of Callum Nicoll, the Els Club, took hold of the professional ranks to claim victory by shooting a 2-over par 74.

"It wasn't easy to get the ball close to the pin, strategy really came into play so I had to be very careful with club selection," he said. "I was pretty happy to shoot 2-over in today's conditions and stay ahead of Peter [Holland]."

An outstanding performance from amateur Matthew Turner saw him finish the day with a gross 73 and claim the title in the amateur division.