Dubai-based Josh Hill shot a final-round 72 for nine-under par total and claim — wire to wire — the 2021 Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship held at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.
Hill, starting with a one-stroke lead over Denmark’s Victor Svendsen on Thursday, took advantage as the Dane opened up with triple bogeys on holes two and three. He had a steady round of two birdies and two bogeys.
Another Dane, Frederick Birkelund, became Hill’s closest challenger, also playing in the same three-ball group along with Svendsen and Hill, and his four-birdie round saw him level with Hill on the 54th tee, but a par from Hill and a bogey by the Dane meant Birkelund had to settle for second place.
Round of the day and best for the week was a 65 by India’s Yash Majmudar, who was level par after seven holes but a hot streak of six birdies and an eagle on hole 15 in his last 11 holes, with just one dropped shot on hole 12, saw him move up to third overall on his own.
The leading Arab national in the field was Elyes Barhoumi of Tunisia, who completed his tournament with a final round of 75 for a 54-hole total of one over, to finish in 11th place.
With this win, Hill earns an invitation to play in the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, an $8 million Rolex Series event to be played at Yas Links from January 20-23.
Hill accumulated 12 birdies and an eagle during the three-day tournament and just five bogeys over the championship yardage, set-up at 7,175 yards. The tournament is sanctioned and supported by the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) as well as a qualifier for R&A world amateur ranking points.
Hill, 17, said on collecting his trophy and invite: “I am excited to have won the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship against such a strong field. To receive an invite for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is a great opportunity for me to test my game against some of the best players in the world, including the likes of Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa plus so many more exceptional players.
“2021 has been a tough year for everyone with another disrupted year with Covid, but hopefully next month’s Rolex Series event will help me kick-start my 2022 season. It is a very important year for me. Thank you to Abu Dhabi Sports Council for arranging the invitation.”
Hill has previously won the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship in 2019 and received an invite to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2020 where he missed the cut after rounds of 74 and 76.
Final standings
J Hill (Eng) -9
F Birkelund (Den) -8
Y Majmudar (Ind) -6
T Bishop (Wal) -5
V Svendsen (Den) -5
Z Chegwidden (Eng) -4
K Egan (Ire) -3
A Balala (Ken) -2
