James Nash (England) won the 2023 Omega Dubai Creek Men’s Open today (Sunday) with rounds of 72 and 69 to finish on 141, one under par for the 36 hole event.
After yesterday’s (Saturday) rain impacted round one, the field all completed their first rounds this morning (Sunday) in a 7 am shotgun with three players beating the strict gross par of 71.
Tariq El Chaib (ADGC) led after 18 holes with a three under par 68, with two nines of 34 including six birdies, three on either side of the course.
In the afternoon 12 noon shotgun, with play in a fourball format with golf carts, Nash (+4 Handicap) was out in a two over 37. Another bogey on hole 14 followed for him to stand one over for the tournament on tee 15. A brilliant finish of back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16, the latter with a monster 48 foot putt, along with two pars on the final challenging two holes saw him take the title by just one shot, being the only player in the field under par for the two rounds. Nash uses Dubai as his winter base while his official home golf club is Ormskirk GC in England and gave credit for his win to ‘determined golf to keep going and some crucial putts when it really mattered, not just the birdie putts.’
Tied second were Oliver Ravenscourt (EGC) and Joe Jones (Eng) on level par, 142 with rounds of 73. 69, and 70. 72 respectively.
Ravenscourt had the best round in the afternoon by three clear shots and blitzed his finish with birdies on holes 13, 14, 16 and 17, but a closing bogey on the home hole, saw him finish just one shy of the champion, when a birdie would have taken the title.
Jones, plays out of Langland Bay GC, England, and in his three birdie second round 72, he also bogeyed the 36th hole in an afternoon of drama over the closing holes.
First round leader El Chaib had to settle for fourth place on his own with a second round of 75 along with his round one of 68 to finish on one over par for the tournament.
Shot of the day was by Viktor Kofod-Olsen (EGC) who holed his tee shot with a five iron at the 178 yards par three 16th hole today (Sunday) which earned him a Dubai Creek Hole-in-One Certificate as well as helping him take the best gross day 2 trophy with a 74.
In the Net Division, Rishi Chauham (24, EGC) could not match his first round of 63, but his second round 75 was comfortable enough for a four under par 36 hole score to win the Division by five clear shots.
The event was a qualifying tournament for the 2022 – 2023 EGF Order of Merit.
Results (Par 71, Slope 135, Rating 73.0).
Gross Scores:
1st: J. Nash (Eng) 69, 72 = 141
2nd: O. Ravenscourt (EGC) 73, 69 = 142
3rd: J. Jones (Eng) 70, 72 = 142
4th: T. El Chaib (ADGC) 68, 75 = 143
5th: M. Burrow (DCGYC) 72, 73 = 145
Best Gross Day 1: J. Garnett (Eng) 71
Best Gross Day 2: V. Kofod-Olsen (EGC) 74
Winner Net Overall: R. Chauhan (EGC) 63, 75 = 138
Runner-up Net Overall: H. Chandler (DCGYC) 70, 73 = 143 (BB18)
Third Net Overall: P. Jensen (EGF) 67, 76 = 143
Net Day 1: O. Lalani (JGE) 70
Net Day 2: R. Darrah (The Els Club, Dubai) 71
