Sam Mullane (JGE) shot a first round three under par 69 today (Friday) to lead the 36 hole Emirates Amateur Open over the Faldo Course at Emirates Golf Club.
Four birdies on the front nine on holes 3, 4, 5, and 8 saw Mullane out in 32.
A solid back nine of eight pars and a solitary bogey on the par four 18th sees Mullane take a two shot lead and be one of only two players in the 121 player field to break par.
On one under par is Oliver Ravenscroft (EGC) who had an up and down round. A double bogey on hole one was followed by a birdie two on the second. An eagle on five got Ravenscroft under par for his round, but bogeys on 6 and 7 with the remainder pars took him to the turn in 37.
Three birdies on the back nine and a bogey on 11 saw him hand in a card of 71.
In tied third on level par is Dominic Morton (Trump International GC), who had one of the best back nines of the day, three under par 33, with three birdies, an eagle on 16 and a double bogey on hole 15. Morton shares third with Adrian Larsson (The Els Club) who stood on the 18th tee three under par with three birdies and 14 pars on his card but finished the home hole with a triple seven.
Others in contention include 23 year-old James Nash (Ormskirk GC), who won last week’s OMEGA Dubai Men’s Amateur Open at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club with a first round 73 with nines of 36 and 37. Nash has represented the Wales’ Men’s National Team at the Home Internationals and visits Dubai as his winter base.
The second round will be played tomorrow (Saturday) over the Majlis Course in a walking format with the leaders out last.
The event is sanctioned by the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and is a Qualifying Round for the 2022 – 2023 EGF Men’s Order of Merit.
In the Net Division Dorin-Mirel Mateiu (EGC) shot a net 71 off an 8 handicap to be the only player to break net 72 level par.
First Round Leaders (Faldo Blue Tee Course: Slope 133, rating 72.7, Par 72)
S. Mullane (JGE) 69
O. Ravenscroft (EGC) 71
A. Larsson (The Els Club) 72
D. Morton (Trump International GC) 72
J. Selvaraj (Trump International GC) 73
S. Dunn (Tower Links) 73
J. Nash (Wales) 73
L. Klein (AGCC) 73
J. Jones (LBGC) 73
