UAE champion eyes one last shot at professional game

Dubai: Michael Harradine hopes to maintain the consistency of his first men's Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Order of Merit-winning season to mount one last bid for professionalism in next January's Asian Tour Qualifying School.

The 29-year-old member of Emirates Golf Club, who is the son of renowned course designer Peter Harradine, confirmed his first UAE amateur Order of Merit title at the weekend after winning four tournaments in the 12-stage series, chalking up 268.8 points to deny second-placed Paul King (189.3) and third-placed Craig Forrest (187.5). Harradine's victory ends the local golf season and follows the success in the ladies' EGF gross and net merit section for Sana Tufail, the junior boys' gross titles for Bilal Belaid and net gongs for Rayhan Thomas, as well as the girls' net title for Boushra Dalile.

Nice win

Harradine said: "I got a good start at the beginning of the year and managed to keep it going. A few people weren't able to play in all the events whereas I had a few steady and consistent finishes.

"It's nice to win something over a season. Wins don't necessarily win you the series but consistency does. I had a few bad spells but managed to win at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Al Ghazal, Sharjah Wanderers and finished tied for first at Yas Links out of 12 events in total, with some seconds and top fives along the way." Harradine, who quit tennis for golf at 16 years of age, didn't get back into the game seriously until three seasons ago, going on to finished ninth in the Order of Merit 2009/10 and second in 2010/11, as well as winning the 2010 Shaikh Rashid Trophy.

Anything is possible

Now he plans one last shot at professionalism. "My iron play has improved but I'm still struggling with my putting. I'm hitting a lot of greens, but still missing the putts," he said.

"I'll go to England and Switzerland over the summer for a few amateur competitions, then return for the Mena Tour this September. I'd like to give Asian Q-School a try but this depends on my season. If my consistency continues I'll give it a go, if not there's no point.

"I'm a lot older than the other guys but I don't have that much experience. I'd like to play professionally but it depends. I can't go on forever. If it doesn't happen in the next one or two years it will be back to the day job.

"I'd love to get a good result at Q-school and earn a main or minor card — it's a great goal and anything is possible, but obviously it's tough. Only 30 progress to the main tour from some 600 golfers. My game would have to peak over those rounds."