Worldwide Golf September 2023

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G O L F

M A G A Z I N E

SEPTEMBER

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E A S T ’ S

2023

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M I D D L E

RIVALRY

RENEWED F E A T U R E 44 TH RYDER CUP

FOCUS

DONALD AND JOHNSON TALK EXCLUSIVELY TO WORLDWIDE GOLF

S H A N E LOW RY

RYDER CUP HOPEFUL SET FOR WENTWORTH DEFENCE

Worldwide Golf is the Official Media partner to the DP World Tour in the Middle East and the official magazine of the Emirates Golf Federation

+ CALLAWAY CB WEDGE + 2024 SCHEDULE + SOLHEIM SHOWDOWN

VOICE OF THE TOUR

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BEN COWEN,

DP World Tour Chief Tournament Business Officer

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ith three months of our 2023 campaign remaining, there is plenty still to play for on the DP World Tour this season, however the recent summer break provided an opportunity to look ahead to next year as we unveiled our new-look 2024 global schedule.

It will feature a minimum of 44 tournaments in 24 different countries, including two new events - the Dubai Invitational at the Dubai Creek Resort from January 11-14 which starts the calendar year, and the Bahrain Championship at the Royal Golf Club from February 1-4, which marks our return to the Kingdom for the first time in 12 years and which ends our run of four consecutive events in the Middle East.

Also new for 2024 is the creation of three distinct phases to our season which will build momentum across the Race to Dubai and guarantee even more drama and excitement throughout the campaign.

Our 2024 season begins with Phase One featuring our five Global Swings - the Opening Swing, the International Swing, the Asian Swing, the European Swing and the Closing Swing. These will each celebrate and showcase the global nature of our Tour, whilst grouping tournaments together based on location to make it easier for our members to travel from event to event.

In addition to new Bonus Pools for the best performers in these Swings, players will also be able to qualify for Rolex Series events as well as into the newly created ‘Back 9’ – Phase Two of our season - which brings together nine prestigious tournaments in September and October with elevated Race to Dubai points.

This phase will also benefit from a new exemption category which enables the leading available 15 players from the top 70 on the final FedEx Cup rankings to play in the ‘Back 9’ events, further enhancing our fields as we build towards to newly introduced ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’ – the third and final Phase of 2024.

The Play-Offs comprise two Rolex Series events in the Middle East, the Abu Dhabi Championship, and the DP World Tour Championship, with the top 70 players followed by the top 50 players on the Race to Dubai qualifying for each event respectively.

Those two events will provide a spectacular finale to the 2024 season, which will be the third since the European Tour Group’s

main Tour became the DP World Tour at the start of the 2022 campaign.

Traditionally, our schedule has tended to be unveiled around October, so this announcement was made significantly sooner than it normally would be.

Compiling a global schedule is always a considerable challenge and a process that takes many months. It requires extensive collaboration with our many partners, federations and venues, as well as a number of other stakeholders, including our partner Tours. Changes made to one tournament can often have a knock-on impact on others, and for 2024 we also had the Olympic Games in Paris to factor into the equation.

When you are working on a schedule for one season, you also have future years to consider as well. It’s not as if you put one schedule announcement to bed, take a few weeks off and then start thinking about it the following year. It’s an ongoing, iterative process.

Already, we have discussions in progress for events we hope will come onto our schedule for 2025, including in new territories. So far, the DP World Tour has visited 51 different countries since our inception in 1972, and as our sport becomes more popular around the world, it opens up new possibilities.

The Ryder Cup is always an event that attracts new audiences to golf. It’s when our game enters the mainstream, and this month’s contest at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club on the outskirts of Rome promises to be another incredible showcase for our sport.

It might be Europe versus the United States, but the Ryder Cup has global appeal and for us as a global Tour, that is important. The pathway system we have created through our partnerships with other Tours encourages talent from all four corners of the world to compete on the DP World Tour, and already this season, players of 12 different nationalities have won on our Tour.

It is my role to provide a schedule which showcases this diversity by offering global playing opportunities for our current and future stars. But without doubt, it is the talent and skill of our players which enable me to do that, by continuing to attract fans and sponsors to our game.

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Contents S E P T E M B E R

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14 The 2024 DP World Tour schedule is out, boasting six events in the Middle East, including the newly formed DP World Tour Play-offs.

Starter

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18 LUCKIEST BALL ON EARTH One of the UAE’s favourite amateur competitions returns ahead of the DP World Tour Championship.

20 PGA TOUR STAT PACK

We look back at some of the most interesting stats from the 20222023 PGA Tour season.

Features

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26 SOLHEIM CUP

Finca Cortesin GM & former UAE resident Francisco de Lancastre gives us exclusive insight into this month’s Solheim Cup.

38 SHANE LOWRY

The Irishman gives us the lowdown on his BMW PGA Championship defence and what it means to be a Ryder Cupper .

44 SWINGING CELEBS Find out who we can expect to see from the world of entertainment at this month’s BMW PGA Pro-Am.

30 RYDER CUP PREVIEW

The biennial clash returns for its 44th edition this month. Who will win at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club?

32 RYDER CUP CAPTAINS We speak exclusively to Luke Donald and Zach Johnson ahead of the showdown in Rome.

ISSUE No.260 SEPTEMBER 2023 • Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd • Published in Dubai by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd • PO Box 24677 • Dubai, UAE (Tel) +9714 340 3785 Editor-in-Chief: Alex Gallemore • Editor: Thomas Wragg (tom@wspdubai.com) • Publisher: Mike Gallemore (mike@wspglobal.com) • Multimedia Journalist: Will Kent (will@wspdubai.com) • Production/Design: Shamshad Nayakkan • Editorial Panel: Mike Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Thomas Wragg, Will Kent • Photography: Getty Images • June 2009 SSN 1- 46805671 • Approval UAE National Media Council: Ref.816 30/5/2007 Trade License No. 1/104375/15280 • Worldwide Golf specifies that post-press changes may occur to any information given in this publication and takes no responsibility for goods or services advertised.

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Distributed by: Al Nisr Distribution LLC, PO Box 6519, Dubai, UAE

Contents S E P T E M B E R

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2 0 2 3

Columns

Instruction

Find out how the Master PGA Professional nearly ventured down a very different career path.

CHASING DISTANCE

46 PETE COWEN

50

Padraig Harrington provides an insight into how to drive the ball further.

52

PRESSURE SHIFT PROWESS A simple tip to help better your swing this season from Yas Acres pro Marc Arnold.

49 DAVID HOWELL The Englishman gives us the lowdown on Europe’s chances in the Ryder Cup.

54

SWING SEQUENCE Take an in-depth look at Justin Thomas’ swing as explained by pro Jonathan Craddock.

QUICK9

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ROBERT MACINTYRE

Gear

The Scotsman answers nine weird and wonderful questions.

58

CALLAWAY CB WEDGE The new season is here in the UAE and this latest release is worth a look if you’re in the market for an upgrade.

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WHAT’S HOT? We take a look at some of the hottest products on the market.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Will Europe be Ryding high?

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t the time of writing my latest Editor’s Letter, there’s still a lot up in the air regarding the Ryder Cup. Will Brooks Koepka get one of the six Captain’s Picks from Zach Johnson despite being a LIV Golf player?

Does Justin Thomas deserve a place in the team after his poor season? Who will gain a spot on what is set to be a very different looking European side? And where on earth has Ludvig Aberg suddenly sprung up from?!

By the time you’re reading this, we should have the answers to most of those questions but I’ll give my two cents on them anyway ahead of the biennial showdown at the end of this month. I believe Brooks should get a pick despite playing regularly on LIV Golf. He’s produced the goods this year in the Major Championships, winning one and finishing runner-up in another, so I think he’d be quite hard done by should he not be on the plane. Is there an argument that he could cause some friction in the dressing room? Of course, but it seems that Brooks, and DJ, haven’t created as many divisions in the game over the past year compared to their LIV counterparts.

Next up, should JT be on the team? Not for me. He’s played poorly this year and only managed three top tens all season.

There are a ton of guys on that U.S. side who are playing far better golf that have earned the right to represent their nation in Rome.

We took a deeper look into why JT is running so cold on page 54 – his stats last season compared to this year are like night and day!

Who will earn a spot on Team Europe? Well, Rory, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland are already in; not a bad trio to lead the line! Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Sepp Straka are no-brainers in my eyes, so that makes nine. Final three looks like it’s between Adrian Meronk, Yannik Paul, Robert MacIntyre, Victor Perez, the Højgaard twins and Ludvig Aberg who seems to have come out of nowhere. MacIntyre’s currently in pole position to grab the final automatic spot, so after removing him from the equation I’d take Meronk and Paul purely on how well they’ve played since qualification started last September. Perez will count himself unlucky should he not make the team, but he’s not played well enough since winning this year’s Abu Dhabi Championship.

As for Aberg, there’s a lot of talk about him of being the next big thing, even from Luke Donald himself, but I just don’t think

you can select a player who only turned professional back in June. I’ve not seen enough of him to tell you how well he would perform in Rome, but I can’t see how he could get in over some of the names previously mentioned. Having said that, if Donald does believe he will be a star for Europe in the years to come, Aberg should be invited to accompany the team and get an experience of what the Ryder Cup is all about – it can only help him in his development. In terms of the overall event, I’m going with Europe to win by a single point with Hovland being the star of the show and winning five from five…you heard it here first.

2024 SCHEDULE It looks like we could be in for a real treat at next year’s Abu Dhabi Championship, which has been moved to November, and the DP World Tour Championship. The two events form the brand-new DP World Tour Play-offs and there is a real possibility that the top 15 players on the FedEx Cup not already exempt could feature in both thanks to a new exemption which allows them to play next autumn after the FedExCup has concluded.

That means the likes of World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, fan favourite Rickie Fowler and three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth could all be spending two weeks out here in the UAE for the culmination of the 2024 DP World Tour season. We’ve heard a lot about the ‘Strategic Alliance’ with the PGA Tour over the last couple of years and it now seems to bearing fruit for events in the UAE – how great would it be if those final two events saw a similar field to the ones we have seen at the Genesis Scottish Open since it became a co-sanctioned event with the PGA Tour!.Maybe those two tournaments could join the co-sanctioned events in the future as they certainly hold enough prestige to offer both Race to Dubai and FedEx Cup points. As well as the announcement of the play-offs, we’ll also have two new events in the Middle East in the form of the Dubai Invitational and the Bahrain Championship. You can read all about them in this magazine as well as gain an exclusive insight into the pair and the Middle East’s importance to the Tour as a whole from their Head of the Middle East, Tom Phillips.

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Thomas W ragg

COURSE

MARCO SIMONE Photography: Getty Images

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

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ocated on the outskirts of Rome with spectacular views of the Eternal City, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club is a golfing haven which boasts the signature 18-hole Championship course that will play host to a drama-filled week of Ryder Cup action this month.

It will be the first time that the clash has been staged in Italy and no stone has been left unturned in designing a golf course specifically with the drama of match play in mind. The extensive 18-month renovation, which was

completed in 2021 by European Golf Design together with Tom Fazio II, has created a masterpiece with the layout rerouted not only to provide numerous risk and reward opportunities but also to maximise the natural rolling countryside terrain, which will provide spectators with unrivalled vantage points of the on-course action.

The magnificent vistas of St Peter’s Basilica and of the Castle of Marco Simone add a stunning backdrop to the drama on course, with the stars

of European and American golf set to create a spectacle unlike any other when the 44th edition of the biennial clash gets underway on September 30.

Luke Donald’s team will have the advantage of prior course knowledge with the last three Italian Opens played at the course with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick all teeing it up in 2022. Also, the last three Italian Open winners have been European in Nicolai Højgaard, Robert MacIntyre and Adrian Meronk.

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2024 SCHEDULE Photography: Getty Images

GOLF’S

GLOBAL TOUR

THE 2024 DP WORLD TOUR SCHEDULE

A BREAKDOWN PHASE ONE – THE ‘GLOBAL SWINGS’

T Golf fans in the Middle East are set for a bumper two-week festival of golf at the culmination of the 2024 DP World Tour schedule, with the Abu Dhabi Championship and DP World Tour Championship forming the final two events of the season in what will be known as the DP World Tour Play-offs.

he Abu Dhabi Championship, which moves from its traditional January slot to a new date of November 7-10, will feature the leading 70 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings while the top 50 at the end of that tournament qualify for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai from November 1417, where the DP World Tour’s Number One player will be crowned – both tournaments remain Rolex Series events.

The schedule also features two new tournaments, both in the Middle East, – the Dubai Invitational (Jan 11-14) and the Bahrain Championship (Feb 1-4), while the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and the Ras Al Khaimah Championship both return.

Showcasing diverse international players, cultures, countries and venues, the 2024 season also features a host of new enhancements across its entire 13-month global odyssey, with members competing for an overall record prize fund of $148.5 million (excluding the Majors).

The 2024 Race to Dubai will feature three new and distinct phases – five innovative ‘Global Swings’ from November 2023 to August 2024; an historic ‘Back 9’ from September 2024 to October 2024; and the previously mentioned ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’ in November 2024.

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Joining the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Abu Dhabi Championship and DP World Tour Championship as Rolex Series events will be the Genesis Scottish Open (July) and the BMW PGA Championship (September) – tournaments which will continue to showcase the Tour’s leading players and innovation.

The Volvo China Open (May 2-5) returns to the schedule for the first time since 2019, while there are also date changes to two more existing tournaments besides the Abu Dhabi Championship – the Danish Golf Championship (which moves to Aug 22-25) and the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, (Aug 29 – Sept 1). The Nedbank Golf Challenge Hosted by Gary Player moves into December and will be one of the opening events on the Tour’s 2025 schedule.

Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “Our 2024 season will see our members come together to compete across a global schedule, with greater opportunities and rewards than ever before.

“The many new and original enhancements we have introduced will guarantee drama and excitement for our fans, our broadcasters and all our stakeholders across the entire season and means, more than ever, that every week counts on the DP World Tour.”

This phase will comprise five individual ‘Swings’ – the Opening Swing, the International Swing, the Asian Swing, the European Swing and the Closing Swing – and will run from November 2023 to August 2024. Each Swing will have its own individual Swing Rankings.

• The Opening Swing will run from November 2023 (Fortinet Australian PGA Championship) to December 2023 (AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open) • The International Swing will run from January 2024 (Dubai Invitational) to March 2024 (Jonsson Workwear Open) • The Asian Swing will run from March 2024 (Singapore Classic) to May 2024 (Volvo China Open) (*) • The European Swing will run from May 2024 (Soudal Open) to July 2024 (BMW International Open) (*) • The Closing Swing will run from July 2024 (Genesis Scottish Open) to August 2024 (Danish Golf Championship) (*)

(*) While points accrued in the Major Championships will count on the Race to Dubai Rankings, they will not count in the Swing Rankings.

Each Swing will have its own identity and its own Champion who will each earn $200,000 from an overall $1million Bonus Pool. Swing Champions will also qualify for each of the ‘Back 9’ events.

At the conclusion of the Global Swings phase, a further $1million Bonus Pool will then be shared amongst the leading ten players on the Race to Dubai (who have played a minimum of eight ‘regular’ Global Swings events outside the Major Championships and co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open).

The International Swing includes a new Pro-Am event – the Dubai Invitational played at Dubai Creek Resort from January 11-14 – as well as the Bahrain Championship, which marks the Tour’s return to the Kingdom of Bahrain for the first time since 2011.

PHASE TWO – THE ‘BACK NINE’ This phase will encompass nine of the DP World Tour’s most historic tournaments and national Opens and will run from August 2024 to October 2024.It will begin with the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo (August 29 – September 1, 2024) and will

end with a tournament to be confirmed from October 24-27, 2024.

In addition to exempt DP World Tour members, the leading 15 non-members from the top 70 on the FedEx Cup will be eligible to play in these events and qualify for the

The five Swings will also offer qualification into the first three Rolex Series events: • The leading member (not otherwise exempt) from the Opening Swing will qualify for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

• The leading member (not otherwise exempt) from each of the International Swing, the Asian Swing and the European Swing will qualify for the Genesis Scottish Open.

• The leading member (not otherwise exempt) from the Closing Swing will qualify for the BMW PGA Championship.

The overall top performers from the Global Swings will be rewarded with qualification into Phase Two of the season, with ten spots in each of the ‘Back 9’ events for the highest ranked members (not otherwise exempt) within the top 110 on the current Race to Dubai Rankings.

season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

The top 110 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings at the conclusion of this phase in October will earn their DP World Tour cards for 2025 while the top 70 qualify for Phase Three, the DP World Tour Play-Offs.

PHASE THREE – DP WORLD TOUR PLAY-OFFS This phase, running in November 2024, will comprise the two final Rolex Series events of the season: the Abu Dhabi Championship and the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

The Abu Dhabi Championship, which moves from its traditional January slot

to a new date of November 7-10, will feature the leading 70 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings while the top 50 at the end of that tournament, qualify for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai from November 14-

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17, where the winner of the Harry Vardon Trophy will be will be crowned.

At the conclusion of the DP World Tour’s 2024 season, the leading ten players will share a $6million Bonus Pool.

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2024 SCHEDULE Photography: Getty Images

Tom Phillips

“ The Lowdown

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ith six Middle Eastern events announced on the 2024 DP World Tour schedule, we caught with the Tour’s Head of Middle East, Tom Phillips, to find out more information on the two new additions, the Dubai Invitational and Bahrain Championship, what we can expect from the new DP World Tour Play-offs and how this part of the world continues to play a pivotal role for the European-based circuit.

Worldwide Golf: We’re starting 2024 with the Dubai Invitational, which will be a Pro-Am tournament at Dubai Creek. Firstly, how much are you looking forward to DP World Tour golf returning to the venue for the first time since it hosted the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in 2000 and is there any more information you can give us on the event?

Tom Phillips: I think the Dubai Invitational is going to be a great addition to our schedule.

It’s an evolution of the Invitational hosted by

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Abdullah Al Naboodah which was first played in 2007 and has been a very popular Pro-Am with our players and amateur guests over the last 16 years. Abdullah joined the European Tour Group’s Board of Directors earlier this year and whilst he has always worked closely with the Tour, he is now doing so on a more formal basis. In a sense, it is a similar scenario with this tournament now officially becoming part of our 2024 Race to Dubai and it will give the event another dimension.

With the PGA TOUR’s season finishing towards the end of August, there is an opportunity for these players, as well as our leading dual members, to play in our ‘Back 9’ events once their participation in the FedEx Cup events is over. We’ve already seen an increasing number of these players at the BMW PGA Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in recent years.”

The intention is to play the Dubai Invitational every two years, with the Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi, first played this past January, kicking off the calendar year during Ryder Cup years. Dubai obviously has some fantastic golf courses and we’re delighted to be showcasing Dubai Creek to our global audience. In terms of the format of the Dubai Invitational, there will be 60 professionals and 60 amateurs. Teams will comprise one professional and one amateur, with the Pro-Am competition taking place over 54 holes. The professional competition will be 72 holes with no cut, and only the pros will compete in the final round.

WWG: We’ve seen the success and the strength of field at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, do you hope the Dubai Invitational can replicate this in the years to come?

TP: Abdullah has an extensive network of contacts across the Middle East, and with the foundations established since the Pro-Am was first played in 2007, it will continue to be an important event for amateur guests across the region and beyond. As I mentioned earlier, it’s also been a popular tournament with our Tour players, many of whom like to start the year in Dubai and utilise the fantastic facilities and weather to prepare for the season ahead. The Dubai Invitational will form a double-header with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic - our first Rolex Series event of next season and I think that will be a very appealing way to begin the 2024 calendar year for players. We already have some exciting announcements lined up, so watch this space…

WWG: How exciting is it to see the DP World Tour return to Bahrain for the first time since 2011?

TP: I’m really pleased we’re returning. It’s 12 years since we last played a DP World Tour event in the Kingdom of Bahrain, so it will be great to go back there.

Following the Dubai double header and the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, the Bahrain Championship will be our fourth consecutive tournament in the Middle East as part of our International Swing.

That will be a really strong start to the calendar year, and I think it will also be a course and tournament that the players will really enjoy.

WWG: The Abu Dhabi Championship moving before the DP World Tour Championship makes a blockbuster end to the season. What can fans expect from the brand-new DP World Tour Playoffs in this two-week festival of golf?

TP: We’ve traditionally had a strong Middle East presence on our schedule at the start of the calendar year, but now having two consecutive Rolex Series events in November also enhances the spotlight on this region at end of the season as well. The Race to Dubai will really gather momentum across the season with the introduction of the five Global Swings, followed by the Back 9, culminating with the DP World Tour PlayOffs. Players will be trying to finish inside the top 70 to secure their spot in the Abu Dhabi Championship and then the top 50 for the DP World Tour Championship. The pressure will really build, along with the drama and the excitement for the fans.

WWG: With the leading available 15 players from the top 70 of the FedExCup who are not DP World Tour members being exempt into the final nine events before the play-offs in a bid to qualify for both the Abu Dhabi Championship and DP World Tour Championship, how exciting is the prospect that the likes

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of Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa, Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth could be playing out here next year?

TP: With the PGA TOUR’s season finishing towards the end of August, there is an opportunity for these players, as well as our leading dual members, to play in our ‘Back 9’ events once their participation in the FedEx Cup events is over. We’ve already seen an increasing number of these players at the BMW PGA Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in recent years, and you can also see the appeal of say coming to Europe to play in the Open de France and staying in Paris, or the Open de España and spending time in Madrid.

That will only help further enhance these fields and there is also the opportunity for DP World Tour members who aren’t already exempt to qualify through their Race to Dubai ranking and their performances in the earlier Global Swings. I think it is a great innovation, especially with it being the leading 15 available non-members from the FedEx Cup top 70, which means we could see a number of different PGA TOUR members crossing the Atlantic for different events on the ‘Back 9’ and bringing something a little different to those fields alongside our DP World Tour members. It also gives these PGA TOUR members the opportunity to try to qualify for the DP World Tour Play-Offs, where they will be considered ‘in addition to’ in terms of the field composition, again, enhancing these tournaments whilst preserving the opportunities available to our core membership.

WWG: With six Middle Eastern events on the schedule, this part of the world continues to play a pivotal role in the DP World Tour’s schedule. How do you see the next five years playing out? Can we expect even more tournaments in the Middle East?

TP: The Middle East has undoubtedly been a very important region for the Tour for a number of years now, and with the various changes we’ve introduced for 2024, it’s prominence and significance will continue to grow. In addition to the six DP World Tour events we’ve announced for next year, we will also have Challenge Tour events through our partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation. Of course, DP World, the title partner of the European Tour group’s main Tour, is headquartered in Dubai and our season long contest, which culminates with the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, is known as the Race to Dubai. The first Tour event in the Middle East was played in 1989 and over the past 34 years we’ve progressively grown our presence and relationships in the Middle East. We have a strong team of staff established here now too. We are all very proud to be play a role in developing the Tour’s legacy in the Middle East and we’re very grateful for the support we have in this region.

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STARTER LUCKIEST BALL ON EARTH Photography: Jonathan Walley

Luckiest Ball on Earth series returns The eagerly awaited Luckiest Ball on Earth series returns to golf clubs across the UAE this month, with amateurs across the country vying for a ‘money can’t buy’ opportunity to play alongside some of the game’s biggest names in the star-studded DP World Tour Championship, Dubai Pro-Am.

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irst launched in 2011, the Luckiest Ball on Earth competition has proven a sure-fire hit with the UAE’s amateur golf scene, giving them the chance to rub shoulders with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm at the fifth and final Rolex Series event of the season at Jumeirah Golf Estates, which takes place between November 16-19.

Qualifying tournaments will be held at 20 golf clubs across the UAE from September 2 – October 22, with the leading players from each event booking their spot at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Fire course for the Grand Final on November 4.

Prizes this year include clubhouse tickets for the DP World Tour Championship, tournament merchandise, Prosports vouchers and the coveted top prize of a spot in the Pro-Am, which will go to the leading man, woman and junior from the Grand Final.

The annual competition is open to all golfers who hold an Official Club Handicap recognised by the EGF (maximum 28 for men and juniors and 36 for ladies).

“We are thrilled to offer this ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to local golfers across the United Arab Emirates,” said Tom Phillips, the DP World Tour’s Head of Middle East.

“We encourage golfers of all ages to get involved in this unique initiative that gives amateurs the chance to rub shoulders with their golfing idols at the seasonending DP World Tour Championship.

“We would also like to send our thanks to the 20 clubs involved and the Emirates Golf Federation who sanction this wonderful local golf initiative.”

Last year’s winners were paired with DP World Tour winner Joakim Lagergren and finished the ProAm in second place, just one point behind Rory McIlroy’s team.

“I came to watch the DP World Tour Championship in 2021 and dreamt of playing there,” said Deepak Nicholas, the leading man in last year’s series.

“Making it to the final and winning a place in the Pro-Am was a dream come true. I never thought I would get the opportunity.”

Anna Jentgen, last year’s leading female, added: “It was a very new experience as it was the first Pro-Am I had ever competed in. It was an inspiring experience but I also felt a lot of pressure because I was watching Joakim who always played the perfect shot!”

Golfers are urged to contact their local club for more details on how to enter the Luckiest Ball on Earth series.

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P G A T O U R S TAT PA C K Photography: Getty Images

PGA TOUR STAT PACK

Hovland set a new PGA Tour record for one-year earnings with $34.5 million, including his prize money, FedExCup bonus and Comcast Business Tour top 10 bonus

Hovland won three times in 2023 and had a further six top ten finishes on the PGA Tour

He is currently on an active streak of 27 events without a missed cut. The last time he failed to play the weekend was at the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open

The 25-year-old finished the season in third spot for Birdie Average on 4.41. The Tour average was 3.65

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iktor Hovland came through a final round tussle with Xander Schauffele to win the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship, just a week after emerging victorious at the BMW Championship, and get his hands on the FedExCup title at East Lake.

It was a fairytale fortnight for the Norwegian, who had started the final event two strokes behind Scottie Scheffler, as he now sets his sights on helping Europe reclaim the Ryder Cup at the end of this month.

“It’s been a great year,” said Hovland. “I feel like I’ve taken a lot of steps this season, contending in more Major

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Championships, I finally won in the U.S., I won a big tournament, Jack’s event, and honestly, after that I felt like I’ve gotten so much better and it was very pleasing to see.

“And then obviously the last couple weeks have just superceded that. It’s been pretty surreal. Obviously you dream about it, but these things happen when you don’t really expect them. It’s just awesome.” Over the next few pages, we look at some of the key stats over the course of 2022-2023 PGA Tour season.

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STARTER

P G A T O U R S TAT PA C K Photography: Getty Images

In his rookie season on the PGA TOUR, Eric Cole topped the leaderboard for most birdies this season with an incredible 438 over 32 events.

Stephan Jaeger finished second on 424.

438

4.519

326.3

The sixth hole at Oak Hill Country Club’s East Course was the toughest of the season, with players averaging 4.519 strokes on the 503-yard par 4. They were just 30 birdies there during this year’s PGA Championship and a whopping 214 bogeys or worse.

Rory McIlroy led the way in driving distance with an impressive average of 326.3 yards.

Tour average for the season was 299.9.

33

459

Xander Schauffele recorded the most consecutive cuts made with 33 – a streak that is still ongoing.

The last time the American failed to play the weekend was at the Masters Tournament in 2022, but he still has some way to go in matching Tiger’s record of making 142 consecutive cuts.

Luke List hit the longest drive of the season after smashing one 459 yards down the 7th at Kapalua Resort. Despite the mammoth drive, the American only made par on the 532-yard par 4.

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STARTER

P G A T O U R S TAT PA C K Photography: Getty Images

Tom Hoge is on active streak of 200 holes without a three-putt. To put that into perspective, the Tour average is 30 holes.

0.037

100’3”

Viktor Hovland has had plenty of problems around the green over the last few years, but he dramatically improved this season. Last year the Norwegian was one of the worst three players in SG: Around the Green, losing an average 0.651 strokes, whereas this year he gained 0.037 strokes.

Harris English holed the longest putt of the season with a monstrous 100ft 3in effort on the sixth at TPC Scottsdale. Unfortunately for English, it was just a par save and he would go on to miss the cut after rounds of 72 and 79 at the WM Phoenix Open.

200

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Scottie Scheffler finished the season with 17 top ten finishes in 23 events. That record included two wins, two runner up finishes and making every cut this season.

190.95mph 47.69% Big-hitting Cameron Champ was once again the man to beat in fastest ball speed this season, with the American averaging 190.95mph off the tee.

Brian Stuard was at the bottom of the leaderboard with an average of 156.73mph.

Taylor Montgomery was hot with the flatstick this season, holing nearly half his putts at the first time of asking. He ended the season with 721 one-putts from a total of 1,512 holes.

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40.68%

Kyle Westmoreland has a statistic that nobody wants. The American finished in last place for ‘Rough Tendency’ with 40.68% of shots from the tee finding the thick stuff. Si Woo Kim was top dog at avoiding the rough, with his ball ending up there 218 times from a possible 1,014 fairways.

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FEAT URES

SOLHEIM CUP SHOWDOWN Photography: Finca Cortesin

SOLHEIM CUP

Showdown THIS SEPTEMBER SIGNIFIES A MOMENTOUS OCCASION FOR WOMEN’S GOLF AS THE SOLHEIM CUP MAKES ITS DEBUT IN SPAIN MARKING AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE TOURNAMENT’S HISTORY. FLICK THE PAGE TO READ EXCLUSIVE INSIGHT FROM FRANCISCO DE LANCASTRE, THE GENERAL MANAGER OF FINCA CORTESIN, THE PRESTIGIOUS HOST VENUE FOR THIS YEAR’S EVENT. Worldwide GOLF 26

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FEAT URES

SOLHEIM CUP SHOWDOWN Photography: Finca Cortesin

signature hole since the day we started, our 13th hole which is par four with a beautiful green complex, that’s normally a hole that people remember just because of the beautiful environment. Every hole is different and strong on its own, but these two will be the ones people will probably enjoy the most.

FINCA CORTESIN & UAE COMPARISONS In terms of service and amenity that you have in the UAE it’s very similar to Finca Cortesin.

Here, we really look after the experience you have on the day. As a rule we don’t take more than a 100 golfers day to make sure everyone has a great experience, it’s a different set up in the UAE but in terms of experience, course condition and all of that stuff, it’s similar.

SPAIN CAN’T WAIT TO HOST THE SOLHEIM CUP

People here in Spain are used to big golf events because it’s a golfing nation with the likes of Seve, Jon Rahm, Carlota Ciganda and many others. There are Spanish players that are ambassadors of golf in Spain. You can definitely see the fans getting behind the event. Being located in our region in southern Spain is a huge element as we are a normal destination for a lot of people to come and play golf. Everyone feels very comfortable in Andalucía, Costa del Sol, our region. It makes it easier as well for the fans to have an excuse to come and see the tournament. It’s such a global event now which is great to see. The promotor is targeting to 70 to 75 thousand for the week. That will be very focused on Friday, Saturday, Sunday so great numbers for the tournament. I’m sure that it will help to create a superb atmosphere here at the golf club.

SOLHEIM CUP PREDICTIONS

I think it’s going to be very close. If you look at the rankings both teams have amazing players right up there at the top of world golf. Suzann Pettersen, the captain for the European team, has been here at Finca Cortesin a lot already. She loves the place and she has some good ideas for what she wants in terms of course set up. That’s the advantage of being the home course captain.

Stacy Lewis, the American captain, she came

De Lancastre spent time working at several UAE clubs before returning to Finca Cortesin

T

eam Europe are hoping to secure a third consecutive victory in this biennial event, building on their impressive 15-13 triumph at the Inverness Club in Ohio just two years ago.

Suzann Pettersen’s side will enjoy home advantage at the stunning Finca Cortesin and there may even be a small flavour of the UAE golf industry on show at this year’s event. The club’s current general manager De Lancastre spent several years working in Dubai as well as Abu Dhabi and is now playing a pivotal role in the management of the upcoming Solheim Cup.

DE LANCASTRE ON HIS LIFE IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY

I started my career at Monte Rei Golf & Country Club which is in Portugal. I was there for five years, and then for three years I was working at the Els Club in Dubai. Following that I had two years as the Director of Golf at Finca Cortesin. Then, I went to Abu Dhabi where I was Director of Golf at Saadiyat, and then Cluster Manager for the three clubs in Abu Dhabi including Yas Links. But now, I’ve been back at Finca Cortesin as general manager for two years and really enjoying it.

REFLECTIONS ON WORKING IN THE UAE The UAE is a great place for golf in the world.

If you work in the industry it’s a great school.

You learn a lot about the different ways of managing large clubs with large operations.

You are very lucky in the UAE to have many of the best tournaments in golf, being exposed to that is a great opportunity for anyone who works in the golf industry there.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE SOLHEIM CUP

It’s great. We’re very involved as the host venue, with the entire resort involved in hosting this huge event. We’re going to have two areas of focus, obviously the golf course is the key element to it but also the players and the teams will stay in our hotel. Our hotel is one of the best hotels in Spain, in Europe, so it’s great to be able to host them here to make sure they have the Finca Cortesin experience.

That’s something many aren’t used to as they will be in a hotel outside the golf course. It’s really easy for them while competing in a big tournament.

THOUGHTS ON FINCA CORTESIN

It’s a really great course. It’s a Cabell Robinson architecture design, and it’s a track with elevation. It’s long, has amazing greens and

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it’s definitely a match play golf course. I think it’s a course that suits this style of format because of how it’s designed and laid out.

The agronomy is extremely good here, so the conditions the players are going to find are always tournament conditions. If you visit us as a guest or client from the Middle East region, you will be used to it. Our service levels are what you would find there as well so from start to finish of the guest journey we are looking after you. It’s a real highlight.

ON THE SIGNATURE HOLES

We have a couple of holes which people normally like the most. The course has a lot of variety in terms of design which is great, and you gave some visually stunning holes.

One thing we’re doing for the tournament is to change the routing for the first six holes.

Hole number one is going to be our normal hole number four, which is drivable par four with a lake. So everyone on the first tee will be able to see the entire hole, which is a great feature. It also creates a fantastic match play situation, because it’s drivable and you have a lot of water. From the start they’re going to have decisions and think about what they’re going to need to do. It’s going to become a very recognisable hole in the future. Also, our

as well. She loved the golf course. We have Bermuda greens which is common in the UAE but not so common in this part of the world.

Obviously the American players are also used to playing on Bermuda greens. I think it will be very interesting and the fans will be able to take advantage of that.

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SPOTLIGHT RYDER CUP

Photography: Getty Images

THE TH 44 RYDER CUP

After what seems like an eternity and a ton of distractions with the emergence of LIV Golf, the 44th Ryder Cup is finally upon us with Marco Simone Golf & Country Club set to play host to three days of action-packed, drama-filled matchplay golf in Rome.

You’d expect the Americans to come into the clash brimming with confidence after the emphatic and record-breaking triumph over the Europeans at Whistling Straits, which left Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter - Europe’s only winners in the singles – in tears. But Europe have plenty to shout about this time around, with McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland all in fine form while some of America’s star names have struggled in recent months, including Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa. Will the formbook play a vital role in this month’s edition? We’ll find out pretty soon!

TEAM USA LOOKING TO END DROUGHT

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Team USA last winning on European soil. Two years after the Americans produced one of the most dramatic victories in Ryder Cup history with a narrow win in front of raucous crowds at Kiawah Island in South Carolina, they arrived at The Belfry in 1993 full of confidence led by eight-time Major winner Tom Watson. After a balanced opening day, Saturday was a tale of two halves. The Europeans raced out to a 7.5-4.5 advantage, taking three of four possible points from the morning foursomes matches. The Americans came roaring back in the afternoon, turning the tide in the fourballs format and cutting the deficit to a single point. Europe won 3.5 of the first five points on offer on Sunday, but the Americans turned the contest on its head by not losing a game in the next seven singles matches to post a narrow 15-13 win. Since then, Europe have won six on the bounce at home, with the American side coming closest to a victory at Valderrama in 1997 and Celtic Manor in 2010, where they lost by a single point on both occasions.

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ROOKIES

The 44th Ryder Cup will have at least three rookies playing on the U.S. Team after Max Homa, Brian Harman and Wyndam Clark sealed their spots last month, with the latter two both winning Major Championships this season. At the time of writing, the European team currently only have one rookie in an automatic qualification spot in the form of Robert MacIntyre, who took a huge leap up the European points list with a runner-up finish at the Genesis Scottish Open, just losing out to Rory McIlroy by one stroke. Sepp Straka, Yannik Paul and Adrian Meronk are all on the bubble for the Europeans while Sam Burns and Cameron Young look likely to receive a pick from Zach Johnson for the American side. Another name that is being hotly debated is rising star Ludvig Aberg, who only turned professional in June after becoming the first player

to earn PGA Tour status via PGA Tour University. Donald has made it known that he has a lot of admiration for the Swede, with former pro Nick Dougherty revealing: “He (Donald) told me there have only been a few players that he’s played with for the very first time that have the ‘wow’ factor. One of them is Rory. That was back in 2008 at the Dunhill Links. Now he says Ludvig Aberg is one of those guys as well. He said his driver is a huge weapon, he makes the game look effortless. He added that as long as he continues to show form, he will definitely be considered for the Ryder Cup team. ... This guy is going to be a superstar.” It seems a hell of a gamble to pick someone who has only played a handful events as a pro, but Donald will know better than any of us whether Aberg has what it takes to help dethrone the American contingent.

WORLD RANKING

On paper, the U.S. are set to have the better team at Whistling Straits with five of their six automatic qualifiers occupying the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) – only Wyndham Clark is outside in 11th place. U.S. players have also won

three of the four Major Championships this season, whereas the Europeans only have one Major to their name and a total of four players in the top ten. But that is a big improvement for the European side, who only had Jon Rahm in the top ten last

BROOKS KOEPKA IN OR OUT?

If you win a Major Championship the same year as the Ryder Cup, you’d expect to be in the squad, right? Phil Mickelson didn’t when he became the oldest winner of a Major by winning the PGA Championship in 2021 and Brooks Koepka could be the next man to miss out despite lifting the same trophy earlier this year. The American, who joined LIV Golf last year, defied the odds by playing his way into the automatic six qualifers by just playing Major Championship golf, where he won one, finished

runner-up at the Masters, 17th at the U.S. Open and 64th at The Open Championship. Koepka was in the top six for the majority of the year before being bumped out in the final counting event by Xander Schauffele and must now rely on a pick from Zach Johnson. It seems an almost impossible scenario to not take him given his form, but with the animosity that LIV Golf has created in the game, could his status as one of their star names compromise his chance of a Captain’s Pick?

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time out, with McIlroy in 14th – his lowest ranking in the 12 years prior. If you were to pick the two teams based solely on World Ranking, the leading 12 American players rank on average 11.4, while the Europeans rank 25.6.

FEAT URES

UP FOR THE CUP Photography: Getty Images

UP FOR THE

CUP As the golfing world eagerly anticipates the next chapter of the Ryder Cup, the spotlight turns to the two Captains who will guide, inspire, and strategise on behalf of their respective teams.

N

o role carries quite the weight and prestige as that of the Ryder Cup Captain. As fairways transform into battlegrounds and greens into arenas of camaraderie and competition, the Captain steps onto the stage as the conductor of a symphony of talent, strategy, and passion.

For Luke Donald and Zach Johnson, the role of Captain is arguably the pinnacle of their respective careers, which has seen Donald reach the summit of the game as World No.1 and Johnson collect two Major Championships at The Open and Masters Tournament.

We caught up with the duo ahead of this month’s biennial clash to find out more about the work that goes into the role, what we can expect in Rome and their inspirations from golf’s greatest contest.

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FEAT URES

UP FOR THE CUP Photography: Getty Images

“

Luke Donald It’s been great to see some of those potential rookies win on both sides of the Atlantic, or go close in some of the biggest tournaments.

“

which has helped me be around players both in Europe and America. The Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year was an important part of our preparation too. A team event was something I was very keen to reintroduce to the Tour schedule from the moment I got the captaincy, and I was delighted with how it went. We also had a barbeque at the Genesis Scottish Open for as many potential players and caddies as possible, and it was great to get everyone together there ahead of the final push for places.

Worldwide Golf: Which possible rookies have stood out to you in recent months at the DP World Tour events you’ve played in?

Luke Donald: We are fortunate to have a great depth of talent in Europe. Many players with previous Ryder Cup experience are in good form and are in, or around, the automatic qualification spots, but we also have a significant number of players playing really well who are seeking to make the European Team for the first time. It’s been great to see some of those potential rookies win on both sides of the Atlantic, or go close in some of the biggest tournaments.

I don’t really want to single out anyone in particular at this stage with the team yet to be finalised, but I’m encouraged by what I have seen.

WWG: How were you feeling ahead of your first Ryder Cup appearance back in 2004 at Oak Hills Country Club, and what advice would you give to those players that are going to make their first appearance this year in Rome?

LD: Enjoy it and embrace it. The Ryder Cup is such a unique event. It’s hard to fully understand that until you are part of it, but it has given me some of my best experiences and memories on the golf course. Golf is an individual sport, but in the Ryder Cup you are playing for something bigger than yourself. In Italy, we will have an incredibly passionate crowd behind us and it is a wonderful opportunity for the players involved to be part of something special.

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WWG: Will course experience influence your picks at all?

LD: I will take a wide range of factors into account with my Vice Captains when choosing my six picks. The golf course at Marco Simone is obviously one of those, but we will also look at the stats which Edoardo Molinari provides and also the overall make-up of the team once we know the automatic qualifiers, to ensure we have the right blend.

WWG: How much have you spoken to players over recent months? Is there daily communication? And if so, what about?

LD: I’ve had regular communication with potential team members both at tournaments and away from the course. I’ve also maintained a pretty full playing schedule

WWG: The US team are heading to Rome two weeks early to see the course. What do you make of that move? Will the European side do anything similar following the BMW PGA Championship?

LD: We will be travelling to Rome in between the Horizon Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship. So, we will be there immediately after the American team. Some of our potential players obviously have previous experience of Marco Simone from playing in the Italian Open there over the last three years, but it will be great to get everyone together. The full team will be confirmed on September 4, which is the Monday of the Irish Open, so this will be the first chance to spend time together as a team - I’m very much looking forward to it.

WWG: Is an experienced player like Padraig Harrington a key consideration as a pick considering the majority of Ryder Cup veterans are not eligible this year?

LD: I don’t think our team is going to be lacking Ryder Cup experience. There are several players who are pushing to be in the team who would be playing in their third Ryder Cup in Rome, and there are others who have even more experience than that. Remember also, the US Team had six rookies two years ago and won the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

For me, it is about finding the right balance and as I said in an earlier answer, there are a number of factors and considerations we will take into account to achieve that.

WW: How much of a motivation is avenging that emphatic defeat at Whistling Straits two years ago?

LD: It’s a big motivation. We were certainly upset at the manner of how we lost two years ago, and we are determined to ensure that doesn’t happen again. There is, however, no question that the United States team will be very strong once again – they always are. But I am excited about how the European Team is shaping up. We have some hugely talented and in-form players, and we also have the motivation of not only trying to win back the Ryder Cup, but also trying to extend our proud record on home soil in this great event.

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WWG: Which Ryder Cup player has had the most influence and impact on your career?

LD: I think if you asked most European players that question they would probably say Seve. We all owe him a debt of gratitude - for what he did for the European Tour and for the European Ryder Cup team. He put our Tour on map in terms of the global stage with his flair, charisma and success in Majors, and he blazed a trail for those of us who have followed him. His partnership with José María Olazábal is the most successful by miles in Ryder Cup history and he just had this incredible passion for the event. I won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth a couple of weeks after we lost him in 2011 and he was in my mind then, just as it was when we had the incredible comeback at Medinah a year later with José María as our Captain.

WWG: If you could pick three wildcards from any era of the Ryder Cup, who would you chose and why?

LD: That is always a very hard question to answer as we’ve had so many great European Ryder Cup players over the years who have contributed to our collective success at different times in their careers. So to narrow it down to three is so tough, but again, I think it is safe to say Seve would have one of those spots.

FEAT URES

UP FOR THE CUP Photography: Getty Images

“

Worldwide Golf: Steve Stricker got six Captain’s Picks rather than four last time out. Did you decide to stick with that formula due to the success of the team at Whistling Straits, and why do you think six picks is better than four?

Zach Johnson: Having the freedom of six picks just made sense…especially given the landscape of professional golf right now.

The main reason for six picks is because it’s an “away game” and there could be the potential in formulating a team based on the golf course and what that course demands.

Zach Johnson For Team USA, the past is the past. This is a new team with new players on a common mission.

“

WWG: How important is your trip to Marco Simone Golf & Country Club two weeks before the event going to be, given the fact that none of the leading U.S. players have played in the Italian Open since it moved there?

ZJ: The practice round trip to Rome to play Marco Simone is just massive. It gives the team the ability to see the course before the week of the tournament. It is great from a team building standpoint, more time together the better. If there is foul weather during the prep time of the Ryder Cup week, our guys won’t feel rushed to play more

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rounds. It also is an unencumbered time away from media, fans, etc to just work!

WWG: Just following on from that, have any of the players been to play the course at all? If so, what has the feedback been like from them?

ZJ: Not to my knowledge.

WWG: Team USA are looking to end a 30-year drought on European soil this year. What do you think has been the key to that home success for the Europeans and how do you put a stop to it?

ZJ: Well, the European team is just really good! The Euro fans push them and they respond. The system they’ve implemented has proven to be successful. They seem to figure out proper tandems that yield efficiency and success.

For Team USA, the past is the past. This is a new team with new players on a common mission. If we embrace the difficulty of the situation and acknowledge the magnitude of the situation, all this becomes is a great opportunity to do what they do best… compete. That simple.

WWG: Your four Vice Captains, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Fred Couples and Davis Love III, have plenty of experience in the game and competition. What standout qualities does each player bring to your team and how much have you leaned on them in the leadup to the event?

ZJ: All of my VCs are just tremendous people first of all. They are willing to serve, that’s admirable. They want what is best for the players. Period. I will lean on them for a number

of items from the most mundane to the heaviest of issues. They all have an immense amount of experience in the game and as leaders. The younger generation really wants to be around these guys…which is huge! That synergy from the leaders to the players is vital.

WWG: The Ryder Cup is known for its intense atmosphere and pressure, especially when playing away from home. How do you mentally prepare yourself and the team for such a high-stakes competition?

ZJ: 1. This is a great opportunity to show off 2. Welcome the pressure 3. Want to feel uncomfortable 4. Embrace the difficulty 5. Fixate on where your feet are right now 6. Control the controllables WWG: How much have you spoken to players over recent months? Is there daily communication? And if so, what about?

ZJ: I try to communicate to the potential team members on a periodic basis. I don’t want to bog down their thought processes so I just

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tell them to stay the course and try to win each week. The Ryder Cup will work itself out. Focus on your own golf rather than this September.

WWG: Which Ryder Cup player has had the most influence and impact on your career?

ZJ: I really cannot single any one player or person out. I appreciated how Payne Stewart conceded the 18th hole in 1999 to Colin Montgomerie, I admired how Darren Clarke found the courage to compete after his wife passed away (and I had to play him in singles!). I firmly give Seve a lot of credit for bolstering the popularity of the Cup all around the world, specifically mainland Europe. I love how all of my captains have led with a selfless agenda.

If you could pick three wildcards from any era of the Ryder Cup, who would you chose and why?

ZJ: Tiger Woods…he’s the goat. Ben Hogan, so intimidating. Jack Nicklaus, the OG.

FEAT URES

SHANE LOWRY Photography: Getty Images

TIME TO DEFEND THOMAS WRAGG CAUGHT UP WITH SHANE LOWRY AHEAD OF HIS DEFENCE OF THE BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP AND A POSSIBLE SECOND OUTING AT THE RYDER CUP IN ROME.

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FEAT URES

SHANE LOWRY Photography: Getty Images

“It’s probably like it’s a bit cliché, and maybe, you know, people might not believe me too much, but I do think that the British and Irish fans are the best fans in the world when it comes to golf. They are the most knowledgeable and especially when you go down to around Wentworth. The crowds down there are very knowledgeable about golf. They know when a good shot is a good shot and they know when a bad shot is a bad shot. They give you a lot of respect, it’s just a great place to play golf and a great place to play a tournament.”

RYDER CUP HOPES

Lowry edged out good friend Rory McIlroy by one stroke at last year’s BMW PGA Championship

Amongst a surreal 2022 BMW PGA Championship, which saw 18 players from LIV Golf compete, Sergio Garcia withdrawing after the first round and jetting off to a college American football game and Queen Elizabeth II passing away, Shane Lowry emerged victorious to become a two-time Rolex Series winner after edging out Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy.

L

owry did not drop a shot all week at the prestigious Surrey venue, sinking a birdie at the last for a final-round 65 and a 17 under total, but he faced an anxious wait as McIlroy, in the group behind, gave himself an eagle putt at the 18th which would have forced a play-off.

McIlroy’s 23-foot effort just stayed above ground, and he signed for a 67 to finish in a tie for second alongside Rahm, who had set the target with an impressive ten under par round of 62 earlier in the day, leaving Lowry to celebrate his first victory at an event he loves, and where he had previously recorded nine top-20 finishes.

“I’ve had a few chances to win around Wentworth,” said Lowry.

“I remember in 2014, there was one that I think I had a two-shot lead with about six holes to go, I think I doubled 13, and Rory ended up beating me. I finished second that year. And then there was another year where I was in the lead and Alex Noren shot 62 on Sunday to beat me. When I saw Rahmbo shot 62, I was like, ‘oh, here we go again’.

“I suppose I just kind of stuck in, kept trying to give myself chances. It’s a course that I love playing and that I love playing well on, so I see my way around there very well, and like to be honest,

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you never doubt Rory, but I was playing the last hole thinking, there’s no way he can beat me here, there’s no way he can make eagle here and he almost did, but thankfully he didn’t and I got my hands on the trophy.”

BIG GAME PLAYER

With the triumph, it took Lowry’s tally of victories in prestigious events to four, with the previous three coming at The Open Championship, the Abu Dhabi Championship – a Rolex Series event – and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

You’d probably also include his maiden win at his home open in that, with Lowry thrilling the bumper crowds at County Louth by emerging victorious at the Horizon Irish Open back in 2009 as an amateur – he remains the last amateur to win on the DP World Tour.

“I always feel like I prefer playing and I feel like I perform better in the bigger tournaments,” he said.

“You get certain places, bigger crowds, bigger field. And ever since I set foot on Wentworth for the tournament, I always felt like this is one of the biggest tournaments in the world.

The job BMW do to build out what they do for the players and the spectators and the hospitality, everything just feels like a massive tournament in there.

In news that will no doubt be music to Lowry’s ears, general admission tickets for the weekend have sold out for the second consecutive year, with over 100,000 spectators expected to line the fairways throughout the week at the fourth Rolex Series event of the 2023 season.

If Lowry were to use the crowd’s energy and lift the trophy again, he would become the first player to successfully defend the title since Luke Donald did so in 2012.

“I haven’t even thought about it but yeah, when I get to Wentworth in a few weeks, I’m sure I’ll be thinking about trying to defend my title,” he added.

“Wentworth is always one that you mark in your calendar, this is one that you’re definitely going to play in and want to do well in, but when you go in as defending champion, it’s extra special.”

“I’ve won a few tournaments and I’ve got to do that a few times but this one will be cool. I’m obviously very hopeful that I’m going to be a part of the Ryder Cup team, and I think a lot of the Ryder Cup team will

be there playing. It will be a good send-off for them from the Tour. I think it will be nice to be there. It’s always been one of my favourite events but this year it’s definitely going to be extra special.”

The victory at the DP World Tour’s flagship event last year was a timely one for the sixtime DP World Tour winner in the first week of qualification for the 2023 European Ryder Cup team, but things haven’t gone as well for his automatic qualification chances following that victory.

The Irishman currently resides outside the top 50 on the Race to Dubai Rankings and failed to make the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Play-offs last month after only

“

I suppose I just kind of stuck in, kept trying to give myself chances.

It’s a course that I love playing and that I love playing well on, so I see my way around there very well.”

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posting one top ten since that memorable weekend in Surrey last September.

That form has seen him drop outside of the top six automatic spots for Luke Donald’s team, with the likes of Matt Fitzpatrick and Sepp Straka above him on the Worlds Point list and Yannik Paul and Adrian Meronk holding a healthy lead on the European points list – that quartet of players are also outside the six automatic picks at the time of writing.

That leaves Lowry needing another Captain’s Pick just as he did in 2021 from Padraig Harrington, who duly delivered to give his good friend a maiden outing in the biennial clash at Whistling Straits.

FEAT URES

SHANE LOWRY Photography: Getty Images

The 36-year-old spoke openly before about the pressure of trying to play his way onto that team – has he managed to cope with that better this season despite not playing his way into the top six automatic qualifiers?

“Sometimes it does weigh on your mind a little too much but I feel like I’m pretty good at putting the Ryder Cup to the back of my mind now,” he explained.

“I remember I should have made the team in 2016. It definitely got in my way at that time. But I feel like over the last few years, I’ve been better at going to each tournament and taking each tournament as it comes and each day as it comes and trying to play as good of golf as I can and everything else will take care of itself. It’s certainly something that I’ll need to do and I’m sure the other guys trying to make the team will need to do over the next few weeks is try to put it to the back of your mind as much as you can and focus on the job as hand, which will be playing good golf in the tournament you’re playing at that time. And hopefully when it comes to it, if I’m there, I’ll be part of a winning team.

“I think that’s the big goal for me because making the team is good and all, but you want to go there and you want to contribute and you want to win the trophy, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s not just about being there, you know.”

You’d be hard pressed to find many fans, journalists and Tour golfers who don’t think Lowry will be one of Donald’s picks when he announces them the week of the Horizon Irish Open at the beginning of the month. Not only is he a larger-than-life character in the locker room, he’s also an absolute fan favourite amongst spectators in Europe, and right here in the UAE.

It’s pretty easy to spot where Lowry is on the course at either the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Abu Dhabi Championship or the DP World Tour Championship – you simply just have to look out for the thousands of fans flocking to watch him in action. Bar Rory McIlroy, he arguably draws some of the biggest crowds at that trio of events and around the globe. With that in mind and a maiden home Ryder Cup outing on the horizon, the prospect of tens of thousands of fans chanting his name at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club must surely whet the appetite.

“I think I’ve got a lot of attributes that work well in a Ryder Cup, and I think, you guys have said this, I’ve not said this, but the fans seem to like me,” he said.

“People seem to like me. It’s something that can help. At the end of the day you’re out there trying to hole putts and win points. You don’t get any points in the Ryder Cup for being liked by the fans. You still want to be out there and you want to be clinical and you want to be aggressive and you want to get the job done. Like I said, I feel like I’ve got a lot of good attributes that work well in the Ryder Cup. “In the last Ryder Cup, there were literally no European fans. It did make a difference. It was very hard to get any momentum going during the tournament. It was very hard to, no matter what European players do, you couldn’t really hear them, whereas I’d imagine when it’s the home support and you hear your team holing putts, it can give you a huge boost in little things like if you’re down in your match or if you’re struggling with something.

“If you look over the last number of years, home advantage has had a big part to play in it. Hopefully that will be

the case again this year. I’m sure there will be a lot of people traveling from all over Europe, Italy, there will be a lot of Italians there and it will be a great Ryder Cup. “It looks like we might be underdogs.

Although I would argue that we have some of the best players in the world on our team. And yeah, we’ll see what happens when it comes to the third week in September.”

America may well be the slight favourites in this month’s contest, but with Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland leading the way for the Europeans, backed up by the likes of Lowry, Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick, the Ryder Cup could well be in Lowry’s hands come October 1st.

“

People seem to like me. It’s something that can help. At the end of the day you’re out there trying to hole putts and win points. You don’t get any points in the Ryder Cup for being liked by the fans.”

LOWRY ON WHAT IT MEANS TO PLAY IN THE RYDER CUP AND POTENTIAL PARTNERS “I feel like if I get to Rome, I can add a lot to the team. I feel like I’m a good team player and I feel like I can play with anybody.

Who would I like to play with? I’m not sure, to be honest, if I’m on the plane and I’m in the team room in Rome and Luke tells me to play with someone, I’ll play with someone. That’s the way it is.

I think I’d be good for maybe a couple of rookies that would be on the team. I think I would be able to hopefully maybe take one or two guys under my wing if I was needed to and bring them along and help them enjoy the week as much as they can leading up to it and when you get into it,

make people realise how much this actually means.

I think before I played at Whistling Straits, I obviously thought I knew what the Ryder Cup meant but after you play in it, you realise what it actually means to the players, to the Tour, to all the staff that are there all week. You know, it’s not just the 12 players. There’s a couple of hundred people there on the European side that work so hard in the build up to it and the week of it that it means so much for everyone.

Yeah, I think I can try and make people realise what this actually means for the Tour and for everyone around there.”

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Lowry made his Ryder Cup debut in 2021 at Whistling Straits. From three matches, he picked up a point alongside Tyrrell Hatton in the Saturday fourballs.

The Irishman got 2019 off to a flyer by winning the Abu Dhabi Championship, before going on to claim the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush

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FEAT URES

SWINGING CELEBS Photography: Getty Images

The best Pro-Am in golf?

One of the most highly-anticipated Pro-Ams in world golf returns to the BMW PGA Championship this month with a host of star names set to take on the West Course infront of packed out British crowd.

The annual event which takes place on the Wednesday of tournament week welcomes celebrities from all walks of life, and this year is extra special with legendary footballer Gareth Bale

set to tee it up alongside some of the game’s best. Read on to find out a little more on the Welshman’s game, while also getting the lowdown on who else we can expect to find out there.

Gareth Bale

Ben Stokes

The Welshman gained widespread recognition while competing for Tottenham Hotspur prior to his highprofile move to Real Madrid which involved a world-record fee in 2013.

During his tenure in the Spanish capital he achieved remarkable success by securing five Champions League trophies, three La Liga titles, one Copa Del Rey victory, and three Spanish Super Cups. He scored a total of 106 goals in 256 appearances for Los Blancos.

The former winger also played a pivotal role in propelling Wales to the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016, contributing three goals to the team’s impressive journey.

Throughout his footballing career and particularly in his post-retirement phase, the sportsman has exhibited a strong affinity for golf, frequently being spotted on the golf course.

And as of the conclusion of 2022, at the age of 33, he maintained a handicap of two, a testament to his skill and dedication. Some people are just annoyingly good at every sport!

Tom Holland

Hollywood star Tom Holland, renowned for his portrayal of Spider-Man in Marvel’s iconic superhero films such as ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ and ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’, is also set to grace this year’s BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am. The accomplished British actor catapulted to prominence by taking on the lead role in the theatrical production of ‘Billy Elliot’ in London’s esteemed West End back in 2008.

Since then, he has swiftly ascended as one of Hollywood’s most dynamic and versatile young talents, captivating audiences with his performances.

Despite his soaring achievements in the realm of acting, the 27-yearold also possesses another skill that resonates with him – that of a skilled amateur golfer, boasting a commendable and impressive handicap of five.

Adding to the allure of the Pro-Am event is the familial touch, as the A-list star will be joined by his twin brothers, Sam and Harry Holland. Sam, a budding culinary artist, and Harry, a burgeoning actor and director, have both carved their own paths in the entertainment industry.

Stuart Broad

Also gearing up to conquer the renowned West Course ahead of the fourth event in the Rolex Series of the season is none other than England cricket star Ben Stokes.

Now the captain of the nation’s test cricket team, Stokes has consistently showcased his mettle on grand stages. The 31-year-old etched a memorable performance into the history books during the 2019 Cricket World Cup final, crafting an unbeaten score of 84 to level the match, followed by a crucial contribution in the Super Over to earn himself the title of Man of the Match.

In the same year, he assumed a pivotal role that enabled England to ultimately secure a 2–2 draw in the 2019 Ashes series.

His monumental 135 not out in pursuit of a record-breaking 359 stands as a testament to his incredible abilities.

The Englishman is also a solid golfer and is a mid-handicapper who has playing the game for several years, while he also mentioned DP World Tour venue Leopard Creek Country Club as one of the best courses he’s played.

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The 37-year-old may have recently announced his retirement from Test cricket, but his sporting endeavours haven’t ended there with the fast bowler now set to tee it up on the West Course this month.

Throughout his illustrious cricketing career, Broad has consistently proved his tremendous abilities in all formats of the game. His remarkable feat of achieving over 500 Test wickets solidifies his status as one of the finest fast bowlers of his generation.

Known for his fiery spells and adaptability to various conditions, the Englishman’s memorable performances include instrumental contributions in Ashes victories and crucial moments in major tournaments.

Away from the spotlight of the cricket field, Broad is continuing to better his golf game. He’s a natural right hander who bowls right-arm seam, but is a left handed batsman. You’re probably now wondering how he plays golf after reading that statement.

Think Phil Mickelson, or Brian Harman. Well, perhaps not quite to that standard of player, but he’s a lefthander mid-handicapper. If you ever get a chance to watch Broad hit a golf ball take notes as he hits it a mile!

PETE COWEN COLUMN

FLIPPING BURGERS INSTEAD OF PICKING UP BALLS PETE COWEN EXPLAINS HOW A TRIP TO THE STATES NEARLY MADE HIM THE OWNER OF THE FIRST MCDONALD’S FRANCHISE IN ENGLAND.

W

ith Rome just round the corner this will be the first time in three decades I’ve not attended the Ryder Cup. The reason? I just don’t have any of my players in the field, but there is a very outside chance I get a last-minute call from Brooks Koepka, but I highly doubt he will make Zach’s list.

It’s a shame and who knows where this PIF and Tour merger will end up. One thing is for certain it’s not going to be easy. Brooks and Bryson would make Team USA stronger and considering the Americans have not won in Europe since 1993 they might have made all the difference, as the Europeans are starting to look the stronger team. It is going to be a close battle, something I wouldn’t have said at the start of the year. Also, who would have thought at the beginning of the season I would not be booking a ticket to Rome.

It will feel weird not being on the European range, but imagine if Brooks made it and I had to stand on the American side of the range! Guess I’d have to cordon off my own neutral area.

I’ve just got back to the range in sunny Rotherham having spent time with Brooks and my other players at the LIV Golf event in Bedminster. I bumped into Donald Trump on the range, and regardless of what people might think of him, he’s not shy of confidence and belief. He was wearing a cap with the number 45 on one side and 47 on the other. When I asked him what they represented he replied: “I was the 45th President of America and will be the 47th!”

He’s certainly got the support of LIV Golf, as nearly all the events in America next year are forecast to be on Trump courses.

Pete showing Brooks how it’s done, although we know who Ricky would prefer to caddy for!

McCowen?

While in America I had a flash back to the early 1970s when I was playing over there and I went to a McDonalds for the first time.

I was blown away at the value it offered, especially for a skint touring professional. It got me thinking how much of a success it would be back home in England. I got together with two other friends in 1972 to see if we could borrow the money to bring the franchise over to Britain. We had a site lined up and a business plan pitched to the bank. Unfortunately, the bank declined our proposal and I returned to the professional golf circuit.

Two years after our pitch, McDonalds opened their first franchise in England. Just imagine if the bank had approved our loan, things might have been a lot different.

Instead of flipping burgers in Sheffield I ended up picking up range balls instead. But looking back, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved. Two local Major winners and countless champions all over the world have put in the graft in the bays here at the academy. The most notable being Matt Fitzpatrick and Danny Willett. I’ve worked with the Matt over the years on the ranges around the world, along with Mike Walker and Nick Huby who have been instrumental in helping both Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick from an early age. Imagine if one day they both qualify for the same Ryder Cup team. Now that would be one I’d go to watch. In fact, I’m off to see both in Switzerland, as Alex has been invited to play at the Omega European Masters at Cran-sur-Sierre Golf Club.

It’s also hard to believe this will be Matt’s first event on the DP World Tour this season having been based in America for most of the year. Both will need to make some adjustments to the altitude in Switzerland. Matt has the notes and experience from winning the event back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. It typically plays a club more, so you need be aware of the effect on spin at altitude. Low spinning drives can just fall out of the sky, which is why you will see players opting for a three wood off the tee instead.

It will also be the last event for players to shine in front of Luke Donald for that Ryder Cup pick. The one player I would seriously consider is Nicolai Højgaard, as he’s got fire power to take on the longest of players on American team. Plus, it is always a good idea to introduce rookies to the team. Robert MacIntyre and Yannik Paul will be right up there and like Højgaard, MacIntyre has won in Italy.

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DAVID HOWELL COLUMN

WORLD CRAVES A CLOSELY CONTESTED RYDER CUP DAVID HOWELL L

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ast month the 2024 DP World Tour schedule was released and the new look schedule incorporates five distinct swings from December through to the end of August, with bonuses attached to each swing and a spot into the next Rolex Series event up for grabs it is hoped there will be more storylines created throughout the regular season.

September onwards will see the ‘Back 9’ swing take place where the fields will incorporate many of our dual members who have been battling it out on the new look PGA Tour schedule.

With the FedExCup Play-offs having finished, the schedule opens up for our Tour to take centre stage and host some of the worlds finest players at some iconic venues around the globe. St Andrews, Wentworth, Paris National and Royal County Down to name but a few will play host to truly world class fields, and then finally the Play-offs that will take place in the UAE. The Abu Dhabi Championship will host the top 70 players before one final cut is made to the top 50 players who will once again compete for the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Its a strong schedule with plenty of incentive to play well and often for the bulk of the membership, with an acknowledgement that our dual members will be concentrating on the PGA Tour at the start which has also seen many changes for next season.

In a world that is still fractured, and that has incorporated a new tour in LIV Golf along the way, it’s a strong schedule that our young ambitious players will enjoy, visiting five continents with millions to be won for the best players it has never been a better time to be on the DP World Tour.

Of course, ten cards will once again be up for grabs on the PGA Tour at the culmination of everything so there really is an abundance of reasons to play well in 2024. Interestingly the following year will see some of the players who have failed to hold onto their PGA Tour cards come back into the system as well and as time moves on I believe we will see much more movement between the 2 Tours going forward.

That is all in the future of course but first we have a Ryder Cup just around the corner and with both Captains electing to have six picks this time around there is much intrigue as to who will make the teams. Both Captains have their problems but ultimately there is a host of talent to choose from.

Zach Johnson has the LIV golfers to consider and thats not an easy position for any captain to face, but one would think that Brooks Keopka would feel very hard done by not to make the Team, but there is more to a team than the golf itself, only Zach and his players will know how the team harmony will work out and this adds a lot of spice to this edition for sure.

Luke has a different set of problems and opportunities but above all else he has a strong core at the top of his team, Rory Rahm and Hovland are three genuine contenders for best player in the world. Hatton, Fleetwood, Lowry, Rose most likely make up the middle order, then its a young talented bunch to pick from.

Straka, the Højgaard twins, MacIntyre, Meronk, Yanick Paul and the new kid on the block Ludvig Aberg, the driving machine.

Ludvig really would be a wildcard pick having only just turned pro but he is tipped for the top of the world game and you never know, for me however either one or both of the Højgaard twins deserve a place before Ludvig having proven themselves as regular winners on Tour, super problems to have if you are the Captain.

Somewhere from within that bunch is a European Team filled with power and ambition which could prove to be a potent mix. For sure on paper the US team is higher ranked, but when I list those names above I cant help but feel the European side will be a match for anyone. But the pressure is on, it’s been 30 or so years since Europe lost on home soil, and Luke will not wish to be that captain.

Luke is a cool calculating man, in Bjørn and Olazábal he has two of the most passionate European players by his side, then he has the Italian brothers on the sidelines to help bring that local flavour to the ball park, the Molinari brother are national treasures within the Italian golf scene and Colsaerts is the man that reminded the world just what a rookie can do with his opening performance alongside Westwood back in 2014.

While the back room staff cant hit the shots, I feel sure that group will make good decisions and create a wonderful atmosphere for the team to blossom within. If the Europeans can get the off course decisions right that could well prove to be the edge that one of these sides will need. For what it’s worth, putting trust in the young talent we have is a must, these players are just desperate to experience the thrills of a Ryder Cup and I think all of them will not just cope but excel in the heat of battle.

Marco Simone will prove to be a wonderful venue for a Ryder Cup, with three drivable par 4 holes and an 18th that falls away down the hill to a green guarded by water some 600 yards away there is plant of opportunity for drama, as if the Ryder Cup needs any so it should be a cracker of an event.

Most importantly a closely contested match is what the world craves to see again after the thumping we took at Whistling Straits, but if we have to settle for a runaway European victory then so be it!

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I N STR UCTION C H A S I N G D I S TA N C E Photography : Getty Images

CHASING

DISTANCE P

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ádraig Harrington has taken to the PGA Tour Champions like a duck to water, with his dominant performances helping him capture five titles, including the U.S. Senior Open, since joining the circuit last year.

But the biggest standout from his maiden season was the Irishman’s astonishing distance off the tee.

Never renowned as a bomber during his prime, Harrington is now driving the ball farther than ever, topping the Tour’s driving stats last season with an average of 308.7 yards – more than ten yards ahead of the next longest driver on Tour.

So, how did the two-time Champion Golfer of the Year average nearly 309 yards off the tee in 2022 at the age of 51?

“It’s complicated at one level and it’s quite simple at another level,” said Harrington in a recent chat with Me and My Golf.

“If you want to hit further, you’ve got to hit it harder. And to do that, you’ve got to break a lot of inhibitions.

“I got a launch monitor in 2003 and my top ball speed was 169mph on the old vector cameras. By 2008 I could get 190mph ball speed doing a Happy Gilmore and could do

So, how can us amateurs improve our distance off the tee?

“I say this to pretty much every amateur – you’ve got to hit at least 20 balls once a week with no interest in hitting them straight.

You’ve got to be purely focused on getting the clubhead to go as fast as it can. You’re trying to get to a limit on the range that you can back off on the course.

“Anybody pre-1990 that plays the game moves their feet and hands during set up, and this adds speed. The more aggressive your feet are, the more speed you’ll get. It also makes you look like a better player when you waggle compared to standing stiff over the ball – you look terrible!

“You’ve got to be athletic and move your feet. You should never be still, everything I do is in a beat.”

But perhaps Harrington’s biggest secret, which nobody seems to have noticed until he let the cat out of the bag, is that he has a different grip that he uses only for his driver.

“Nobody has ever noticed this and I’ve been doing it for three years,” he said.

“Every other club I use a single overlap grip.

On my driver, I use a double overlap. The closer yours hands are together, the faster they go.”

that for four hours and get faster and faster, but it wasn’t transferring to the course.

“I changed my attitude around two to three years ago – now I want my first swing to be the best, not my 150th swing. I used to peak around 70 swings in, so that’s why you see me take three vigorous practice swings out on the golf course as generally my third of fourth swing is quickest at this stage.

“The simple answer to hitting it longer is to lose some inhibitions, stop trying to hit it straight and just swing at it.”

It’s a small adjustment, but which allows him to release a little extra energy into the clubhead for more power overall.

With Harrington playing well and hitting it further than ever before, he’s certainly not out of the quesiton for a Captain’s Pick for this month’s Ryder Cup. The European Team will be without many of their old guard following Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter all defecting to LIV Golf - could Harrington possibly fill the void?

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INSTRUCTION

PRESSURE SHIFT PROWESS Photography: Will Kent

Pressure Shift Prowess BY

MARC ARNOLD

SENIOR PROFESSIONAL YAS ACRES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB,

marcarnoldgolf

One of the main faults I see with the members and guests here at Yas Acres Golf & Country Club is their inability to move their pressure towards their trail side. This may seem a small part of the movement, but it can have huge implications on the quality of your golf shots. With the help of my fellow teaching professional Jaco Stander, I’ve demonstrated a quick bit of advice hopefully you can use the next time you’re on the range practicing your game.

CORRECT

movement with his entire body. He’s stay centred over the ball, but shifted the pressure in his feet. There’s a difference between shifting your weight, and shifting your pressure.

With this loaded and stable right side,

Jaco is then able to create more hip turn with his sternum slightly closer to his right foot at the top of the backswing. Then, you can turn and lead into your lead side more effectively with more speed and power which leads to better shots.

WRONG

opposite to that. As the pressure is now on the left foot through the backswing, it’s also quite common to see a reverse pivot. From here, a lot of players will then move back onto their right side during the downswing

which affects the attack angle and the path. It’s not stable and can cause a lot of inconsistent strikes. I encourage all players to pay attention to their pressure shift, especially in the first part of the backswing.

As Jaco moves the club towards hip height in the takeaway, he’s also shifting pressure into his trail side almost instantaneously. However, he hasn’t done this with a cumbersome

In my lessons, I often see the lead knee moving away from the golf ball in the takeaway which then puts a lot of pressure into the lead side.

This isn’t what we want; we want the

Utilising the ground correctly and shifting your pressure is vital to better ballstriking. Watch Marc explain this tip in greater detail by scanning the bar code to the right!

LOOK OUT FOR THE VIDEO AT WorldwideGolf Worldwide.Golf

EXPERIENCEGOLFING GOLFINGEXCELLENCE EXCELLENCEDAY DAYAND ANDNIGHT NIGHTAT ATYAS YASISLAND'S ISLAND'SPREMIER PREMIERGOLF GOLF&&COUNTRY COUNTRYCLUB CLUB EXPERIENCE EXPLORE NOW EXPLORE NOW

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STAT AT TACK

JUSTIN THOMAS Photography: Getty Images

JT’S RUNNING

COLD

THIS SEASON HASN’T GONE TO PLAN FOR FORMER WORLD NO.1 JUSTIN THOMAS. THE AMERICAN FAILED TO MAKE THE FEDEXCUP PLAY-OFFS AFTER A POOR RUN OF FORM SAW HIM MISS FIVE CUTS IN HIS LAST NINE STARTS, WITH JUST TWO FINISHES IN THE TOP 50. HE ALSO MISSED THREE OF THE FOUR MAJOR CUTS THIS YEAR, WHICH INCLUDED A FIRST ROUND 11 OVER PAR 82 AT THE FIRST ROUND OF THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. That form could also see him miss out on a spot on Zach Johnson’s U.S. Ryder Cup Team, with Thomas failing to qualify automatically and needing a Captain’s Pick. The 30-year-old is 16-5-3 in his career in Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups, but based on the stats below, does he deserve a place over the likes of Rickie Fowler, Cameron Young and Brooks Kopeka?

2022 PGA TOUR STATS

4TH

STROKES GAINED TOTAL: 1.680

50TH PAR 3 BIRDIE OR BETTER LEADERS: 14.90%

85TH

1ST

3RD

STROKES GAINED PUTTING: .091

SCORING AVERAGE: 69.84

BIRDIE AVERAGE: 4.58

1ST

5TH

12TH

PAR 4 BIRDIE OR BETTER LEADERS: 22.60%

PAR 5 BIRDIE OR BETTER LEADERS: 54.27%

BOGEY AVOIDANCE: 13.38%

2023 PGA TOUR STATS

40TH

144TH

104TH 39TH SCORING AVERAGE: 70.50

BIRDIE AVERAGE: 3.99

91ST

76TH

13TH

157TH

STROKES GAINED TOTAL: 0.711

PAR 3 BIRDIE OR BETTER LEADERS: 13.31%

STROKES GAINED PUTTING: -0.222

PAR 4 BIRDIE OR BETTER LEADERS: 17.45%

PAR 5 BIRDIE OR BETTER LEADERS: 52.29%

BOGEY AVOIDANCE: 17.73%

DESPITE HIS LACK OF FORM, FLIP THE PAGE TO FIND OUT WHY JONATHAN CRADDOCK, PGA PROFESSIONAL, USES THOMAS’ SWING AS AN EXAMPLE WHEN SHOWING HIS STUDENTS HOW TO CREATE POWER WITH DYNAMIC BALANCE.

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INSTRUCTION

SWING SEQUENCE Photography: Getty Images

7

BY JONATHAN CRADDOCK PGA PROFESSIONAL, PETER COWEN ACADEMY

JUSTIN THOMAS

J

SWING SEQUENCE

ustin Thomas is one of the most exciting and popular golfers on the PGA Tour, and one of my model players when showing my students how to create power with dynamic balance.

The American is one of six players in PGA Tour history to win 15 times as well as two Majors before his 30th birthday, joining Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Rory McIlroy and Tiger

The shaft of the club is now matching the shoulder angle. Hips matching address position with his knees slightly more flexed indicating the downforce he’s creating. Also note his shoulders are still facing back towards the camera.

Fantastastic fundamentals here as the former World No.1 maintains a lovely dynamic posture with his arms hanging beneath is shoulders.

4 JT’s left arm position matching his shoulder angle. This is perfect due to the combination of the arm, hand and club movement coupled with his body action. Left knee below right, left hip below right and left shoulder below right. These are text book positions.

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Look at the potential stored power of JT’s dynamic body movement into the ground.

Hips opening up with shoulders still facing the camera. This allows him to move the arm, hand and club action down on plane without any manipulation.

Beautifully in the position of delivery with the butt of the club parallel to his target line.

Note how the clubface is still square. I see too many golfers in this position trying to turn which opens the clubface as opposed to creating the correct down force.

Woods. His father Mike is his coach and has been teaching him the game since he took it up as a youngster. Mike’s a PGA Pro and the former Head Pro at Harmony Landing Golf Club in Kentucky.

We can certainly see the PGA coaching heritage in JT’s swing with such solid foundations and one any aspiring golfer should also try to implement to improve consistency.

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3

Notice JT’s left knee. He’s begun his swing with the dynamic movement of his body working cohesively. His arms are passive and clubface is square matching his spine angle.

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There are many positives to list in the American’s swing but the main one to highlight is his ability throughout the movement to maintain balance and therefore his spine angle.

6

The 30-year-old stretches to the top of his backswing fully rotated more than 90 degrees with his upper body whilst still maintaining his posture. His right arm is now raised above the shoulder angle, creating a large amount of coil and potential power.

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The club is in the perfect position with his arm structure out in front of his upper body. Trailing elbow angle matching the shaft which is the hallmark of a great ball striker.

JT starts his transition with his lower half and notice how his left knee has started to uncoil in the other direction, or is becoming less visible. This movement allows his club to shallow slightly and produce pressure down into the ground.

13 Despite this being more of a controlled shot, we can still understand how JT creates his energy through these images. He can sometimes leave the ground with his left foot but it’s his ability to stay in posture which leads to consistency and pressure on the ball.

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JT’s left leg is extending, allowing him to not only maintain posture but more importantly create a stable face throughout impact.

We say here at the Peter Cowen Academy he’s matching his movements which in turn reduces inconsistencies.

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The ball’s been collected with the free wheeling movement of the arm, hand and club action. Clubface’s still square following the strike, body is still in wonderful posture which is something I would like everyone who is reading to takeaway and implement.

15

Upper body following the position of which the lower body created. For all golfers who would like more consistency and distance, it’s not just speed but also pressure on the ball.

This is created by the correct positions of the arm, hand and club action.

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Even though JT is so explosive you will never see him off balance which is another secret to his entire movement. Without balance the aforementioned points are almost impossible to create consistently.

GEAR

C A LL A W AY C B W E D G E Photography: Callaway

BY WILL KENT

Callaway CB Wedge

Available with 10, 12 and 14 degrees of bounce

C

allaway have released their latest technology-packed wedge into the market, designed for the mid to higher handicap player with an emphasis on installing maximum confidence on those shorter shots. The brand claim this new wedge is built to deliver forgiveness while retaining incredible spin and feel from 100 yards and in.

The club itselt has a deep cavity back with a slightly larger head and thicker top line. Jaws Grooves extend across the face on 54 to 60 degree options, with standard length grooves on the 48 to 52 degree editions. Urethane microspheres also appear in a Callaway wedge for the first time having appeared in their irons previously. This helps give a softer feel while still ensuring it still sounds as premium as possible. It’s fair to say they’ve delivered a new attention-grabbing option to the wedge market that will no doubt tempt many into a purchase From a shaft perspective, the True Temper Elevate 95 is the stock steel shaft while graphite options are available from Project X Catalyst in 65g, and UST F1 in a WMS flex.

Callaway have also teamed up with Golf Pride to product a specialist wedge grip that’s longer than the standard to enable players to choke down. It’s a nice touch which will no doubt come in handy on those delicate shots, especially from difficult lies.

Both graphite and steel shaft options are available to customers

TEST RESULTS

I’m a mid-handicap player who shot 89 from the gold tees at Arabian Ranches just a few days before, so while I’m happy with my improving standard of golf, I definitely don’t set the world alight. I tested this 56 degree CB wedge using a GC Quad, and I was averaging 85 yards of carry with a launch angle of 32 degrees. My spin numbers seemed in line with what I was hoping for at around 11,000 RPM. Also helping me test this club was Stuart Smith, a custom fit specialist for Precision Golf and former Tour professional. Using the exact same club, he was averaging 110 yards of carry at a launch angle of 24 degrees with similar spin to myself. These numbers were what he would roughly expect so there were wasn’t anything drastically out of the ordinary.

However, the fact he was getting a huge 25 extra yards out of the same wedge did nearly send me home crying!

“

VERDICT

RELIABLE SPIN NUMBERS MAKE THIS WEDGE IDEAL FOR HOLDING THE FIRM AND FAST GREENS IN MIDDLE EAST.” WILL KENT, WORLDWIDE GOLF JOURNALIST

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If you’re a golfer who enjoys nipping the ball off the grass with limited turf interaction with your wedges, then this club is for you. The tri-level sole on the head helped limit any digging into the ground while still ensuring optimal spin. I’m still a long way off Stuart’s impressive distance, but from under 100 yards here in the Middle East you need to be able to hold greens. The spin rate from this CB wedge gave me confidence I could do just that. Some may not like the larger head, but as a player chasing forgiveness and reliability that didn’t bother me. I’m considering a purchase of my own as we look ahead to the new season in Dubai.

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GEAR

T H E L AT E S T

FJ’s Hyperflex has been one of our staff favourites this year.

Great value, super comfortable and stable when loading for those tee shot bombs.

Footjoy ✪✪✪✪✪ Hyperflex AED 945 (Hyperflex Carbon)

The Footjoy Hyperflex and Hyperflex Carbon were released at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at the start of the year and last month at the Czech Masters the limited edition “Good Vibes” colourway edition was revealed to bring some added Summer fun to the fairways.

Custom molded carbon fibre plate maximises stability and torsional flex increasing ground leverage. Wrapping the carbon plate around the FTF+ midsole allows for enhanced structure without sacrificing comfort.

TWO DUROMETERS OF FOAM SPECIFICALLY TUNED FOR GOLF Stratofoam absorbs shock on every step and returns energy to reduce walking fatigue. FTF+ delivers stiffer perimeter support and stability for complete control during your swing.

An integrated thermoplastic saddle wraps your foot for lateral control and the Power Stabiliser design maintains connection to the

ground for maximum energy transfer.

Lightweight engineered performance knit with coated layer to add increased structure and stain protection but maintains incredible all-day comfort and exceptional breathability. The OptiFlex plate provides multidirectional rigidity to support swing stability and natural flexion points for optimal walking comfort Ortholite® Impressions FitBed® provides immediate step-in comfort and moulds over time for a truly custom fit.

Features: ● OptiFlex - Added ankle padding and seamless design locks in your heel with comfort and support. Back pull tab and extra stretch across the foot opening makes the shoe easy to get on. ● Ortholite® - Offers a full rounded toe character with a full fit across the forefoot and instep. ● Athletic profile ● Breathable ● Waterproof

on from 2021, the European Solheim Cup Team PING reveil Following will once again be dressed head-to-toe in performance apparel and fans now have an exclusive opportunity to Solheim Cup PING purchase replica team kit, to show their support for the reigning winners either at home or for those attending the uniforms tournament event in Spain. The first day official uniform pays tribute to the

host nation, with several products featuring a ‘Euro Stripe’ print made from a combination of red and yellow, from the Spanish flag, and European blue. The polo, mid-layer and vest also feature a Team Europe shield of stars logo, further paying tribute to Team Europe.

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TaylorMade Mill Grind 4 Black Wedge

Bushnell Wingman View

PING Traverse Cart Bag

The new MG4 wedges keep the tradition of having a completely milled sole grind that ensures consistency from wedge to wedge since hand polishing allows for varying sole dimensions and angles. The faces look to be a little different on the new wedges with angled micro grooves inbetween the main grooves on the face. These are in play by many of the TaylorMade staff players and it’s easy to see why.

The Wingman View features the same outstanding sound quality you’ve come to expect from Bushnell Golf, with a new LCD screen that provides visual distance and music information. But some might not be fans of the distraction of ‘tunes’ on the golf course, the Wingman also plays audible distances readings for 36,000+ courses along with sound bites. Being fun, well made and practial at a fair price is why we’ve given it five stars.

Jam-packed with all the features needed for trouble-free golf from home to course and back again. With massive cart storage, players styling and ultra-lightweight performance at just 5 1/2lbs the Traverse cart bag can only leave you feeling impressed. With 11 pockets and one being a cooler this is ideal for the Middle East cart golfer. We also love the fun colourways PING has introduced. Espeically the Clubs of Paradise (Above).

AED 895 (Pre-Order eGolf Megastore)

AED 1,215

AED 1,150 (Available at Golf Superstore)

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✪✪✪✪✪

✪✪✪✪✪

PXG Battle Ready II Bat Attack Putter

Nike Air Jordan Fade Away Golf Stand Bag

Titleist ProV1 White 4 Dozen Reward Pack

PXG has made some refinements to elevate both the performance and aesthetics of the new nine models available - one of the popular models returning to the lineup is the Bat Attack putter. This double fang shape possesses contrasting weighted heel-toe wings alongside a sight line and dot for easy alignment. This shape is designed with the high MOI of a mallet, while still receiving the feedback of a blade to inspire confidence on the green.

A reflection of Jordan’s passion for golf, this bag combines innovation and minute details for the player who wants to take their game to the next level. Golf’s wellloved traditions meet a bold, fresh design in the Jordan Golf Bag. A complete bag from top to bottom, it includes a 6-way, full-length divider system and detachable, ergonomic carrying straps. Great bag but the fresh look comes at a price, plus white ages quickly.

The Number One ball in golf doesn’t need an introduction. Ideal for distance and spin but this premium ball’s only weakness is the price. But at the moment you can buy them in four dozen pack for AED 1,050, where they are normally AED 350 a dozen!

So it’s four dozen for the price of three. Get them fast as we are sure this offer will not last long.

AED 2,095 (Avilable at eGolf Megastore)

AED 2,399

AED 1,050

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✪✪✪✪✪ Worldwide GOLF 61

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ARABIAN GOLF CLUB NEWS

Photography: Provided SHARJAH GOLF & SHOOTING CLUB

Hibbert on a high at Summer Open Max Hibbert topped the highly-competitive leaderboard at the recently held Summer Open, with the youngster posting a score of 37 Stableford points despite a double bogey on the fourth. Last year’s champion Mousa Shana’ah was two adrift in second place, while third went to Wenji Lee on a score of 32 points. In the Net Division, SGSC member Shoab Khan posted a brilliant score of 42 points, which included eight net birdies, to claim top spot.

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Mustafa blows the field away Vikar Mustafa was the star of the day at the recently held Four Club Challenge, posting a remarkable net 58, which included a staggering eight net birdies and two eagles.

Maruf Khan posted 67 to finish runner-up, while Shoab Khan was one shot further back in third.

The final winner of the day was Mousa Shanas, who carded a gross 72 to top the Gross Division.

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

Backhouse and Hodgkins dovetail to perfection Head Academy Professional Tim Backhouse and his partner Adam Hodgkins dovetailed to perfection to post an impressive score of net 29, which included five gross birdies, to win the latest Thursday Curry Club event on the front nine of the Fire course. Assistant Golf Services Manager, Adam Stastny and Mark Castell finished in second after carding a net 30, while the pair of David Warham and Richard Green completed the top three on net 31.

Rooney beats the heat

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB, DUBAI

Craig Rooney beat the heat by carding two net eagles and five net birdies en route to scoring 41 points and bagging the Summer Open trophy. In second was Carl Downham who scored 38 points, while Thomas Stephenson posted the same score but would have to settle for third after losing out on a card play-off.

The best gross score went to David Bainbridge with a score of 70, beating his fellow scratch teammates Downham and Stephen, while best ladies score went to Jumeirah Golf Estates Lady Captain, Evelyn Downham.

Ahmed jumping for joy at Summer Open Montgomerie member Rayan Ahmed emerged victorious at the Men’s Summer Open with a solid 2 under par 69 on the Gil Hanse-designed track. He was closely followed by Ahmed Naim and Craig Vance with the duo both shooting 70, but it would be the latter who claimed runnerup on a countback. In the Ladies Gross Division, Trump member Aoife Kelly got her hands on the

title thanks to a birdie on the last to post a level par 71, with Jamie Roslyn Camero one stroke behind in second. Jip Wassink’s impressive net 65 saw him land the Men’s Net Division, while the final winner on the day was Julie Goodall, who edged out Josephine Dubuisson by one stroke to get her hands on the Ladies Net Division title with a net 70.

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BENEFITS • Official WHS handicap, recognized worldwide (applicable for EGF Direct members only) • Discounted green fees at UAE golf clubs • Play in events / competitions and receive awards • Third party and property damage golfer’s insurance www.egfgolf.ae

Q UI CK NINE ROBERT MACINTYRE Photography : Getty Images

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THREE-WOOD: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 degrees) with Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 85 TX shaft

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