Cream of UAE golfing talent to showcase skills in Dubai Trophy

Dubai: The cream of golfing talent in the UAE will display their skills when the eighth edition of the Dubai Golf Trophy, featuring the country's top 16 professionals and top 16 amateurs from the UAE PGA and UGA Orders of Merit, gets under way at Emirates Golf Club's Wadi by Faldo course on May 24.

The two-day event, sponsored by Dubai Golf, will follow a singles and doubles matchplay format, similar to the Ryder Cup, with eight fourball matches in the morning followed by eight foursome matches in the afternoon on the first day, and 16 singles on the second day.

Since its inception in 2000 as a social season-ender, the tournament has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the major highlights of the amateurs' season despite the domination of pros, who have won it six times while the amateurs winning in 2005 and 2007.

The amateurs, led by Steve Kelly, are running high on motivational ammunition, hoping to hold on to their title they won last year with a massive 21-11 margin.

"As Captain of the 2008 amateur team I have a great act to follow with the amateurs having had such a strong performance last year," said Kelly.

Friendly rivalry

"I am sure both teams will be keen to impress and play the game in the spirit we have come to enjoy over previous years. I look forward to renewing the friendly rivalry with Elliott Gray and his team.

"It was a privilege and an honour to have had Dave Wall select me as his Vice Captain for the 2007 tournament. I have chosen Paul King of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club as my Vice-Captain for this year's event," said Kelly.

However, the professionals are keen to regain the prestigious trophy back from the amateurs. "Like all previous years, the Dubai Golf Trophy means a lot to each player selected to represent their respective side.

"I'm sure it will be another tremendous two-day match between the amateurs and the professionals and hope that the spirit of all the matches played equals that of last year. I really enjoyed my time being Vice Captain last year assisting Captain Alan MacKenzie and have selected Justin Parsons from The Montgomerie Dubai to be my playing Vice Captain this year," commented Elliott Gray, the Captain of the professional team. "Steve Kelly is a good friend and I know he will want to keep the trophy in the amateurs' cabinet, but lets see what happens, as we all know, in golf anything can happen!"

Grand final on Saturday

The 26-player draw has been published for the Grand Final of the 2007 - 08 TNT Amateur Order of Merit Golf Series to be held at Arabian Ranches Golf Club on Saturday.

The elite field have all qualified by virtue of being in the top 20 and ties in the eight-event series TNT Order of Merit held throughout the season at Arabian Ranches Golf Club. In addition the winners of the Qualifying Rounds also are in the Grand Final field. The winner of this Saturday's 18-hole Stableford format with full handicap allowance will join Mark Clifton (17) (UGA) and Francisco Giles (5) (DCGYC), who all receive invitations to participate in the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters pro-am.

Source: Gulf News