Now 45, Dunn recalls his former days in the Emirates where he won a number of the then UAE Golf Association (now EGF) Order of Merit events
By Nick Tarratt, Khaleej Times Guest Golf Writer
After enjoying a 20-year career in the professional ranks, Dubai-born golfer Simon Dunn has come full circle and returned to his roots – the amateur ranks.
Khaleej Times caught up with 45-year-old UAE resident to talk about his golf story, which makes for rather interesting reading.
“I started playing golf at the Emirates Golf Club as a 13-year-old,” he said. “We were family “members because they had tennis courts and I used to be a decent junior tennis player.
“I remember the junior group golf sessions at EGC with some of the pros, like, Greg Schofield, Elliott Gray and Adrian Flaherty among others. My first serious coach one-on-one was with Mark Gregson-Walters. I also did some great coaching with Wayne Johnson,” he added.
Dunn’s parents have been in the Middle East and the region since the mid-1970s. Dunn was born in Dubai at Rashid Hospital in 1979.
“We were in Dubai and Abu Dhabi until the early to mid-1980 then left but came back again in 1992 which is when I joined Emirates Golf Club,” continued Dunn.
“My first golf handicap was 18 at 13 years old and I was down to single figures pretty quickly. I qualified and played in my first Asian Tour event as an amateur when I was 16 at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club in 1995.”
Reflecting on his amateur days, Dunn said: “I won a number of the then UAE Golf Association (now EGF) Order of Merit events locally but didn’t have much success in the UK. I did win at college in the States, and at one time had the four best stroke averages in the country and ranked as high as 20th on ranking stats.”
Talking about a pivotal phase of his career when he took a major decision, Dunn said: “I turned pro in 2003 after Asian Tour Qualifying School where I played through all stages of the school and got a partial status for that year.”
Recalling his professional highlights, Dunn continued: “I won on the European Professional Development Tour (ETP) in Germany in 2003 which secured my Challenge Tour card for the following year.
“My best finish in Asia was at the Volkswagen China Masters 2006 where I finished third behind Retief Goosen and Michael Campbell who are both former US Open champions. My highest OWGR was 625 in 2006.”
Dunn regained his amateur status in September 2023 – he had not competed as a professional for two years and requested the change of status through the EGF.
He now plays off a handicap of +4.3 but has been as low as + 6.3.
Workwise Dunn has been working full-time in various operations and managerial roles since 2010.
Dunn is now an active golfer playing in many EGF Order of Merit events. Last year he finished tied 6th in the 2023 – 24 Men’s EGF Order of Merit and won the 2023 Al Zorah Men’s Open as well as representing Team Amateurs in the Annual Dubai Golf Trophy.
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