Some of the country’s most promising rising stars of the game will face a strong international challenge when the 2024 edition of the Emirates Amateur Open gets underway at the Emirates Golf Club this weekend.
The 36-hole event will be played over the iconic club’s Faldo and Majlis Courses. It is the seventh qualifier for the 2023 – 24 Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Men’s Order of Merit.
As many as 123 golfers will will be seen in action with players having travelled from the Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands and South Africa to Dubai.
A typically strong local UAE participation sees representation from 14 UAE golf clubs as well as the EGF.
Defending champion Sam Mullane (JGE) will be in the final group of the day for round one teeing off at 12.55 pm along with Adrian Larsson (The Els Club). Sam Mullane won the 2023 event with rounds of 69 and 77 for a total of 146, two over par.
The runner-up to fourth place finishers from last year: Oliver Ravenscroft (EGC), Simon Dunn (TLGC) and Louis Klein (Czech Republic) are all in this week’s field.
Ian Brennan, Golf Services Manager at Emirates Golf Club, said: “We are delighted to kick the year off 2024 with such a strong field for our Emirates Amateur Open, one of our flagship events on our EGC golfing calendar.
“We are pleased to see a significant international entry, and a good quality field with handicaps ranging from +6.3 with 75 players having a handicap of scratch or better.”
Former champions of the Emirates Amateur Open include, Dan Byrne (2020) who is playing this year, Reyhan Thomas (UAE, 2015, 2018 and 2019), Michael Harradine (UAE,2014 and 2016), Michael Hoey (NI, 2000), Peter Hansson (Swe, 1997), Hamad Mubarak (Bah, 2001 & 2010), Gary Wolstenholme (Eng, 1995) and Taimur Hassan (Pak, 1992).
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