WORLD AMATEUR MATCH RACE Tournament Magazine / April 2025
APRIL 2025
New Season Start 1st May 2025
WAMR 2025 is just around the corner – and this year, your road to Dubai just got shorter, smarter, and more exciting!
Host Your Own Golf Event
Earn money by organizing your own golf events, where the winner qualifies directly for one of the upcoming World Finals in Dubai.
A magical final week in Dubai has just come to an end – and now, we’re gearing up for what’s next! Only a few days remain until a brand-new and exciting season of the World Amateur Match Race kicks off on May 1st.
World Amateur Match Race 2025 introduces a fresh, simplified tournament format designed to take the player experience to the next level.
Since its launch in 2021, Happy Sport Organizer DMCC has taken the golf world by storm. In just three years, we've built what is now the fastest-growing amateur golf tournament in the world. With over 50,000 participants, more than 25,000 new sign-ups annually, and players from over 7,500 golf clubs across the globe, this movement is growing at record speed.
This incredible momentum has also opened up new cross-marketing opportunities, where we –together with our local licensed event partners – offer exclusive rights in selected markets worldwide.
In 2025, more than 300 local events are expected to take place as part of the World Golf Challenge series, with winners qualifying directly for one of our prestigious World Finals in Dubai – where dreams come true.
In this edition, we’re excited to share unforgettable memories from the recent World Final in Dubai, introduce the improvements we’ve made ahead of the May Season Start, and tell you more about the opportunity to become an Event Partner.
We hope you enjoy reading this edition – and the spring and summer ahead.
StenHaakanAakerlund
Tournament Director & CEO
World Amateur Match Race
Carlo Álvarez / Juan Roberto Jimenez from Mexico together with Kitan Gbadebo / Ben Dowell from Canada at the World Final in Dubai, April 2025.
IN THIS ISSUE
6 Memories from the final in April
Exciting memories and exhilarating moments from the WAMR World Final held in Dubai in April2025
12 New Season Start in May 2025
WAMR 2025 features a brand-new, simplified tournament format designed to enhance the player experience
15 Make Your Own Golf Event
Read more about the opportunity to become an Event Partner to Make your own golf event something extraordinary
our players landed at Dubai International Airport
We gave them a warm welcome before whisking them away to the luxurious Vida Creek Beach Hotel, their home for the next 5 nights and a welcome ceremony in the evening.
LEADERBOARD
The following day was like Christmas morning for our players as they eagerly anticipated the first round of golf at the iconic TrumpGolf Club.
After the first two individual rounds at Trump Golf Club, it was Eddie&JohnRyan from Ireland who topped the leaderboard with a four-shot lead over DaveLylykandJoseph Kirk from Canada. Just one shot behind them were WinstonChengandHansBrekelmans, from Netherlands.
LEADERBOARD WORLD
In the third round, played at Dubai Creek Golf Club in the formatofBetterBallStrokePlay, it was the two teams from South Africa — with DamionvanAlphenandJustinVanAlphenin one team, and GertJacobusKuhnandZanderKotze in the other who posted the best scores of the day. They finished one shot ahead of LeonLiang andKangPeng from New Zealand, which allowed them to climb several spots on the leaderboard after a tough start of +7 and +8 in the opening individual rounds.
LEADERBOARD WORLD FINAL DUBAI
Heading into the final round, EddieandJohnRyan from Ireland held a five-shot lead over LeonLiang andKangPeng from New Zealand, as well as LukeDrakeandScottDean from Australia
The last round was played atMontgomerieGolf Club in the format of TexasParisScramble StrokePlay.
LEADERBOARD WORLD FINAL DUBAI
The A Division – World Amateur Match Race
With a final round of five under par, the Irish duo EddieandJohnRyan held on to their lead and secured the victory with a four-shot margin over LeonLiangandKangPeng, andLukeDrakeandScottDean.The Irish team was overjoyed with their victory and expressed during the prize ceremony that the days in Dubai had exceeded all their expectations.
In the category for teams who qualified through Event Partner events, IanForsythandMartinSmithfromAustralia claimed the World Final title with a dominant performance, finishing 34 strokes ahead of Joshua Staples and Tim Hitchcock from New Zealand.
LEADERBOARD
LEADERBOARD WORLD FINAL DUBAI
The A Division – World Amateur Match Race
Only a few days left until the next season of the World Amateur Match Race kicks off on May 1st
Don't wait to register a team for you and your best golf buddy – and compete for a chance to reach the nextWorldFinalinDubai!
WAMR 2025 features a brand-new, simplified tournament format designed to enhance the player experience
SIGN-UP NOW
WHAT'S NEW FOR WAMR 2025?
64-TEAM MATCH PLAY KNOCKOUT: FEWER MATCHES TO REACH DUBAI, REDUCING THE ROUNDS FROM 11 TO JUST 6.
HIGHER WINNING ODDS: YOUR CHANCES OF REACHING THE FINALS HAVE DOUBLED!
LONGER SCHEDULING WINDOW: ENJOY 28 DAYS TO SCHEDULE EACH MATCH, MAKING IT EASIER TO COORDINATE.
CLOSER MATCHES: COMPETE AGAINST THE 64 CLOSEST TEAMS INSTEAD OF 128, MINIMIZING TRAVEL DISTANCES.
2025
Winston Cheng / Hans Brekelmans from the Netherlands at the World Final in Dubai, April
BECOMEANEVENT PARTNERWITH GLOBALIMPACT
FULLCONTROLANDCUSTOMIZATIONOF YOUROWNGOLFEVENT
You have the creative freedom to design and organize your golf event exactly as you envision it, ensuring it aligns with your brand, goals, and audience.
REVENUEGENERATIONWITHOUT SIGNIFICANTSTARTUPCOSTS
All entryfees, additional revenue streams, and sponsorships are retained by you as the event partner. As an event partner, your risk is never greater than the licencefee to be the event partner.
EXCLUSIVEACCESSTOAPRESTIGIOUSWORLDFINAL
Over the years, our World Finals in Dubai have evolved into an exceptional and unique experience. Here, golf on world-class courses combines with wonderful camaraderie among finalists from around the globe, turning this captivating week into a fantastic 360º lifestyle experience and fostering new friendships.
Want to learn more about becoming an Event Partner?
We’ve created a short presentation that shows just how simple and powerful our concept is – and how you can become a part of it.
