On the local UAE scene the Challenge Tour hosts the second leg of its UAE Swing with the 72 hole $300,000 UAE Challenge at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club starting on Thursday, the seventh event on the 29 tournament Development Tour International Schedule.
Another strong field has been assembled, including last week’s winner at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Ricardo Gouveia with some regional representation of Professionals including Joshua Grenville-Wood (The Els Club), Dominic Foos (The Els club), Othman Almulla (KSA), Shergo Al Kurdi (Jor), Faisal Salhab (KSA) and Steven Munro (ProSports international), who took the Emirates UAE PGA invite spot by winning the Saadiyat Shootout last Monday.
In the Amateur invites, Joe Jones (Wales) and Sam Mullane (Wales) both won EGF WAGR events to take their spots and there are also places for Presidents Cup champion Ahmad Skaik (EGF) and Abou El Ela (Egypt).
The DP World Tour hosts the DS Automobiles Italian Open at Marco Simone Golf & Country in Rome, the venue for the Ryder Cup in just 150 days. The tournament boasts a prizefund of $3.25 million as well as 4,250 Race to Dubai Ranking points and 2,500 Ryder Cup points.
Dubai based Adrian Meronk, currently 12th in the Race to Dubai Rankings, is in the field along with Dubai’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, Adri Arnaus, Nicolas Colsaerts, and last week’s Daily Diary writer from Abu Dhabi Stephen Gallacher.
The Asian Tour returns with The 42nd GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship in Korea. Dubai based Shiv Kapur told GULF NEWS, ‘This is one of the longest standing events on the Asian Tour. It is a classic golf course located in the middle of Seoul, with some challenging green complexes. I have played there a few times and have had success in Korea – I won my Asia Games Gold Medal there. Last time I was there the winning score was one over par. I enjoy the challenge and relish it. I am looking forward to my week ahead.’
‘Last week I was in Dubai I have been getting my body in shape, the foot continues to be a bit of a problem, and after this week we have our off-season and return in August in the United Kingdom,’ concluded Kapur.
Globally, the PGA Tour sees the Wells Fargo Championship being played at Quail Hollow GC, another elevated event, boasting a prizefund of $20 million.
PGA Tour
Thursday 4th – Sunday 7th May
Wells Fargo Championship
Venue: Quail Hollow GC, Charlotte, North Carolina, US
Purse: $20 million
DP World Tour
Thursday 4th – Sunday 7th May
DS Automobiles Italian Open
Venue: Marco Simone GC, Rome, Italy
Purse: $3.25 million
Challenge Tour
Thursday 4th – Sunday 7th MayAbu Dhabi Challenge
Venue: Saadiyat Beach GC, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Purse: $300,000
Asian Tour
Thursday 4th – Sunday 7th May
The 42nd GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship
Venue: Namseoul CC, Seongnam-si, South Korea
Purse: KRW 1,300,000,000
LPGA
Thursday 4th – Sunday 7th May
Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown
Venue: TPC Harding Park, San Francisco, California, US
Purse: $2 million
Champions Tour
Friday 5th – Sunday 7th May
Mitsubishi Electric Classic
Venue: TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, Georgia, US
Purse: $2 million
