Dubai Moonlight Classic presented by EGA.Issue 4, 30th October 2021

SPECIAL REVIEW EDITION

SATURDAY

OCTOBER 30, 2021

ISSUE 4

BRILLIANT BRONTE They all fought the Law but the Law, Bronte that is, won

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NEWS

I don't think people understand how hard it is to be an athlete and the scrutiny that you're under.

Win a bit of a blur for Bronte

W

ith Annika Sörenstam (twice), Lexi Thompson and Shanshan Feng (four times in five years) happily hogging nearly half of the event’s 15 editions between them, Dubai’s annual Ladies European Tour stop boasts a roll call of champions of rare, albeit very familiar, pedigree.

Courtesy of Bronte Law’s scintillating final round on the Faldo Friday, the Dubai Moonlight Classic now also has one of those scarcely believable, storybook winners to celebrate too.

The 26-year-old Englishwoman produced two absolute clutch shots down the stretch to close out a stunning final round 64 and snatch the €260,000 event from under the nose of desperately unlucky Mexican Maria Fassi.

Right up till her penultimate hole, this looked to be Fassi’s tournament, a chance to seal her maiden main-tour professional title wire-to-wire. Indeed, the powerful 23-year-old LPGA Tour player barely faltered all week, adding rounds of 71-68 and some sublime final round iron shots to her course record equalling 63 on Wednesday.

Sometimes though, you just have to doff your visor to a player on an absolute tear.

With a fairway wood to 10-feet to set up eagle on the par-5 16th, her penultimate hole, Law dramatically nabbed the lead. She then sealed the deal with a flushed, pin-seeking iron on the par 3 17th, a shot so pure Law turned and walked away with the ball barely halfway to the green. Law almost ironically missed the three-foot birdie putt and her chance to be a joint owner of the course record, but it mattered not, the giddying eight under circuit taking Law to -15 and a crazy one stroke win over Fassi.

Even Law couldn’t quite believe she was the one celebrating her maiden LET win and not Fassi.

“It’s a bit of a blur really,” Law said.

“I just went out and was trying to post a number. I said to my caddie Ken yesterday ‘let’s go out and try to shoot seven-under tomorrow’ and I’ve gone one better. It’s a bit surreal right now actually, I’m just so happy to be back here [in the winner’s circle]…it’s been a while.”

It has been nearly two and a half years since Law captured the LPGA Tour’s Pure Silk Championship, the same year she played a starring role in Europe’s Solheim Cup triumph at Gleneagles in Scotland.

Friday’s floodlight heroics finally put to bed any doubts about her decision to make what she described as a ‘radical’ swing change two years ago deigned to ensure career longevity and greater repeatability under the blow torch of situations just like yesterday.

“I can’t really put it into words, it was one of the hardest things ever (to get back), and at times I didn’t know whether I could do it. This is my seventh week in a row, and before this I couldn’t play three weeks in a row before struggling with back problems and my body hurting all the time,” Law said.

“I probably wouldn’t have been here if I was still doing the same thing, I wouldn’t be able to sustain the same volume of golf, so I’m so glad that all

the work is starting to pay off. It’s hard when things aren’t going your way and you feel like the world is against you, but I’ve got a lot of people that have stuck by me, and I owe them a lot.

“It’s the hardest thing in the world and I don’t think people understand how hard it is to be an athlete and the scrutiny that you’re under. You question yourself at times and it’s so hard to pull yourself back through that, but I’ve trusted the process and obviously it’s working.”

Indeed. So too is the return to the LET. “I have so many friends on the LET that I’ve grown up playing golf with so to share it with them is something very special, it feels a lot closer to home than the States and it’s a really nice feeling.

“I love Dubai, I love coming here, I really enjoyed my time here last year and I love coming here and playing something different. That element with the lights is something else you have to factor in and I think it’s one step closer to growing the game which is ultimately what we’re trying to do.”

The last word went to Fassi and deservedly so. Just like how she played inside the ropes, Fassi handled the tough moment with aplomb.

“I think I played good golf all week, but Bronte shot eight-under today. It’s never nice to lose but to lose when she played like that and very much deserved to be crowned champion today [is slightly easier to stomach].

“I’m very happy with how my game has been in the last few weeks. I really enjoyed my first experience here in Dubai and looking forward to coming back next year.” ◼

NEWS

SIMON SAYS IT WAS A CLASSIC T

his year’s Dubai Moonlight Classic presented by EGA has captured the imagination, with thousands visiting the tournament village on the Thursday and Friday night to enjoy the action and the chilled-out vibe provided by the Truckers UAE team.

Tournament Director Simon Corkill was delighted with this year’s edition. “The tournament’s been absolutely fantastic and it’s great to be able to host this event at such a great location. It’s been wonderful to see everyone out here enjoying themselves with fantastic golf.”

In terms of all the different entertainment on site, Simon said: “We’ve got world class golf as well as Truckers UAE, the come and try sessions for ladies and everything else. It’s been really successful and I’m looking forward to the next one.” ◼

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LEADERBOARD Rank 1 2 3 4

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READY-TO-MOVE-IN PARKSIDE HOME

Name (Country) Bronte Law (ENG) Maria Fassi (MEX) Esther Henseleit (GER) Pajaree Anannarukarn (THA) Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) Moriya Jutanugarn (THA) Olivia Cowan (GER) Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) Magdalena Simmermacher (ARG) Alice Hewson (ENG)

R1 68 63 72 69 64 69 65 68 71 67

R2 69 71 66 67 71 68 71 69 68 71

R3 64 68 66 69 70 69 71 70 68 69

Par -15 -14 -12 -11 -11 -10 -9 -9 -9 -9

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Editor-in-Chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer

Chief Commercial Officer Anthony Milne

Group Editor and Managing Partner Ian Fairservice

Publisher David Burke

Editor Kent Gray Art Director Clarkwin Cruz

General Manager – Production S. Sunil Kumar Assistant Production Manager Binu Purandaran

Images Tristan Jones/LET, Getty Images, Supplied by Falcon and Associates

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GOODBYE MY OLD FRIEND

Dame Laura lifts lid on her club change E

agle eyed golf fans would have spotted that Dame Laura Davies is no longer wielding her trusty 2 iron around the Faldo. Truth is, the veteran has swapped her trademark club for a hybrid.

The English legend explained that the trade came about because of an ongoing struggle to generate the required clubhead speed. She said: “The two iron was my favourite club so I was a bit disappointed when I decided to make the switch. I just felt my club head speed did not really come sufficiently enough, making it hard to get the ball on the proper flight path.

“It’s taken me a month to get used to the hybrid and I’m still not 100 percent comfortable with the new one but it’s getting there. You can hit it on the range all you like but you need to hit enough in tournament play to get really comfortable with any club – it’s a work but in progress but I think I’m just too old for a 2 iron now.” ◼

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, CHIARA S ON HER WAY

ONE TO WATCH

S

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ometimes scores alone don’t do the full, momentous occasion justice.

That was the case for Chiara Noja after the Jumeirah Golf Estates-attached 15-year-old finished the 15th Dubai Moonlight Classic presented by EGA, her first event as a professional, T-47th.

Even though Noja finished above just eight other players, the German teen was comfortable with her week’s work.

“A journey,” was how Noja succinctly summed up her rounds of 73-72-75.

“I think I played a lot better than I scored over the last three days. I struggled a little bit converting those opportunities. I can’t walk off it too disappointed though, it was my first one.”

It is understood Noja is headed to King Abdullah Economic City for the 2nd Saudi Ladies International this week. She’ll go armed with many lessons learned on the Faldo at Emirates Golf Club.

“The game changes from one day to another so I can’t expect to wake up and become Nelly Korda…” Noja said.

“But I am in a better place that I was previously. I do need to work on certain aspects of my game heading into the next few tournaments but I’m pretty positive.

I can score and transitioning back into tournament golf especially back here on the LET, It is a little bit of added pressure, but I’ve dealt with that pretty well.”

“I’ve done a good job making sure I’m in the right headspace and keeping my cool out there. I handled some of the situations out there today really well.

“I’m flying out in two days and going to do some practice on course. It’s going to be a transition because it will be during the day and not night golf. A little bit of practice here and there and course strategy and see how the game develops.” ◼

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SUPERSTITIONS

SPOOKY SEASON

With Halloween just around the corner it’s definitely spooky season and below are a few of our favourite golf superstitions: Karolin Lampert

“I don’t play with the number four – I never have a ball with number four on it. I feel like I play a high number if I use a four, so I never play with it. Also, I always have five tees in my pocket.”

Esther Henseleit

“I always use the same tee if the drive before was good, and I always use the same ball marker and number. If I play badly with the number, I usually switch it out the next day.”

Chiara Noja

“I have this Jumeirah ball marker and it has to be paired with a specific pitchfork. On another note, my dad’s super superstitious, he only wears blue on tournament days and I’m not allowed to!”

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PICTURE ROUND-UP Lee-Anne Pace

Ariya Jutanugarn Olivia Cowan

Davide Lantos presents a commemorative plaque to the Emirates Golf Club

Maria Fassi

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TRADITION

, What s the deal with the Dallah?

Meaning coffee pot in Arabic, the Dubai Moonlight Classic’s ‘Dallah’ trophy is synonymous with the United Arab Emirates and its cultural traditions.

Representing both heritage and the determination each player commits to achieve victory, the trophy has been a staple ingredient within the tournament since its inception 15 years ago.

Chinese sensation Shanshan Feng has lifted the ‘Dallah’ a record four times while the legendary Annika Sorenstam won the trophy the first two times the tournament was played back in 2006 and 2007.