McNamara delighted at debut

Dubai: Sean McNamara finished the highest among the three Mena Tour Order of Merit special invitees on the Omega Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard yesterday, ending one under par 287 (72,71,71,73).

Jake Shepherd and Peter Richardson, meanwhile, both scored five-over par 293 — 73,70,75,75 and 70,71,71,81 respectively.

With all three European Tour event debutants having made the cut, the next task was to finish under par, something only 24-year-old American McNamara, who finished above the likes of Colin Montgomerie (five over) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (eight over), could achieve.

Novice professionals Shepherd, Richardson and McNamara were handed byes to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic for their respective first, second and third place finishes in the merit list of the inaugural Mena Tour for developing golfers, staged in the UAE last October.

McNamara attributed his handling of the big stage nerves to caddie Bryan Saltus: "It was really hard to calm down heading into this tournament. The first person I saw on the driving range was Matteo Manassero and my heart rate was going through the roof. But Bryan is a former European Tour golfer and he calmed me down, settled me in and introduced me to everyone. He made it feel more like a regular tournament for me.

"I had lunch with Thongchai Jaidee and I was like: ‘wow this week was really good and I don't want it to end'. It's going to be a slap in the face when I go back to Thailand next week and play on some little mini tour."

Making the cut

McNamara added: "It's been incredible. I can't say enough about the Mena Tour. They gave me the opportunity to be here and I tried to make the most of it and I think I did all right. To make the cut at your first European Tour event is a reward in itself.

"Making the cut was the initial target. But when you are out there you are just really trying to play golf. You are not trying to set targets. I just played hole by hole and tried to forget about all that."

Exposure to such an event has given McNamara focus for the future. He said: "It gives me more inspiration to get to this level so this was a huge positive. Playing a tournament at this level is so exciting and it just elevates your game. This is where I'm trying to get to."