Jay Mullane (Jumeirah Golf Estates) shot a first round one under par 71 to lead The Els Club Men’s Open supported by Caesars Palace Dubai.
This 36 hole strokeplay event is the 13th of 17 qualifying events for the 2022 – 2023 Men’s Gross Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Order of Merit and is being played from the Blue Tee course.
Mullane, currently 10th in the EGF OOM, playing off a +5 handicap, birdied holes three and five to be out in 35. Bogeys on holes 10 and 12 were followed by impressive birdies on 15 and 16 and then by two pars to finish for a back nine of 36.
One shot behind is home player Andrew Burmester (The Els Club) with a level par round that threatened to be better, but a costly bogey – bogey run on the same 15 and 16 slipped him to second place.
Last year’s champion 13 year-old Louis Klein (Czech Republic), who is also a junior member at The Els Club, shot an opening round of 74 to be three shots back of the leader.
The second round of The Els Club Men’s Open takes place tomorrow (Sunday) with the leaders out last in gross order alongside The Els Club Ladies Open, the latter an 18 hole event, with a 33 player field including the top three in the 2022 – 2023 EGF Ladies Gross Order of Merit: Aoife Kelly (Trump International GC), Jamie Camero (The Els Club) and Lara El Chaib (ADGC).
Tom Rourke, GM at The Els Club, said, ‘We have had a great day one of The Els Club Men’s Open with 130 players and we needed a handicap ballot to restrict the field. We look forward to the Men’s day two and the Ladies’ event tomorrow. We have had an impressive take up of entries with 36 players in today’s Men’s event boasting a plus handicap, and we thank all players for their support.’
Round One Gross Leaders (Par 72, Blue Tee course)
1 - J. Mullane (JGE) 71 (-1)
2 - A. Burmester (The Els Club) 72 (Par)
3 - A. Axelsson (The Els Club) 73 (+1)
4 - L. Klein (The Els Club) 74 (+2)
- P. Whittaker (Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club) 74 (+2)
- C. Gassauer (Austria) 74 (+2)
