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MENA Golf Tour 2012

The MENA Golf Tour is back. 5 venues across the UAE and for the first time, not just on the MENA Tour but professional golf as a whole, Saudi Arabia. Over 140 golfers, both professional & amateur are competing on the 2012 Tour. Jake Shepard is defending champion & Ahmed Al Musherrekh begins life as a pro-golfer after becoming the first UAE golfer to turn pro.

1. Dubai Creek Open

Date: 24th - 26th September
Prize Money: $50,000
Par: 71
Length: 6,967
Course record: 63 - Lee Westood & Darren Clarke

MENA Tour 2012 Winner: Zane Scotland

Player Profile: Zane Scotland ENG 30

Turned Professional: 2003

Zane Scotland qualified to play at The Open in 1999, and 4 years afterwards turned professional. In 2007 Scotland earned his place on the European Tour, but during 2008 he failed to establish himself and a year later was back to competing on the Challenge Tour.

Dubai Creek Open Highlights

2. Abu Dhabi Open

Date: September 30th - October 3rd
Prize Money: $50,000
Par: 72
Course record: 66 - Stephen Dodd

MENA Tour 2012 winner: Ross McGowan

Player Profile: Ross McGowan ENG 30

Ross McGowan won his first European Tour event in 2009 at the Madrid Masters where he shot a 12 under par 60 in his third round. McGowan finished second at the first DP World Tour Championship Dubai and was ranked 12th in the Race to Dubai.

Abu Dhabi Open Highlights

Order of Merit - After two events

Ross McGowan has moved atop the Order of Merit standings after his emphatic victory in the Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open, the second event on the MENA Golf Tour, at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.
The 30-year-old Englishman, starting the final day on Wednesday two shots off the pace, closed with a superb 67 to win the $50,000 event by six shots from his nearest challenger Roland Steiner of Austria.
His first win since the 2009 Madrid Masters earned McGowan, who is still recovering from a wrist injury he sustained in 2012, the top prize of $9,000 (Dh 33,058).

1. Ross McGowan (England) $12,028

2. Zane Scotland (England) $9,365

3. Stephen Dodd (Wales) $9,005

4. Roland Steiner (Austria) $6,000

5. Muhamad Munir (Pakistan) $4,420

3. Dirab Golf Championship

Date: October 7th - October 10th
Prize Money: $50,000
Par: 72
Length: 7,280

Adrian Flaherty

Tom Bushell speaks to MENA Tour commissioner Adrian Flaherty on Day One at the Dirab Golf and Country Club.

MENA Tour 2012 winner: Shafiq Masih

Shafiq Masih has moved into third place in the Order of Merit standings following his thrilling playoff victory in the American Express Dirab Golf Championship, the third event on the MENA Golf Tour, on Wednesday.

The Pakistan ace, starting the final day three shots off the pace, beat his nearest challenger Craig Smith of Wales at the first extra hole after both finished level at eight-under in regulation.

With this victory, which carried a cash prize of $9,000 (Dh33, 058), Masih has accumulated a total of $10,563 (Dh 38,800) in earnings from the first three events of the tour to narrow down the gap on leaders England’s Ross McGowan ($12,028 or Dh 44,177) and Zane Scotland ($10,803 or Dh 39,680).

Order of Merit - After three events

1. Ross McGowan (England) $12,028

2. Zane Scotland (England) $10,803

3. Shafiq Masih (Pakistan) $10,563

4. Stephen Dodd (Wales) $9,005

5. Craig Smith (Wales $7,347

4. Ras Al Khaimah Classic

Date: October 14th - October 17th
Prize Money: $50,000
Par: 72
Length: 7,200

MENA Tour 2012 winner: Mohammad Munir

Mohammed Munir maintained his dominance with little fluster to complete an emphatic wire-to-wire victory in the Ras Al Khaimanh Classic, the fourth event on the 2012 MENA Golf Tour, on Wednesday.

Starting the day two in front, the Pakistan number three easily navigated through the final 18 holes with four birdies, one bogey and no major trouble in his closing 69 to finish on 12-under-204, a good four shots ahead of England’s Zane Scotland.

The Scottish duo of Tom Buchanon and David Law shared the third place on seven-under while England’s Tyler Hogarty topped the amateur division, finishing one-over-par 217.

Order of merit - After four events

1. Zane Scotland (England) $ 16,803

2. Muhamad Munir (Pakistan) $ 14,074

3. Ross McGowan (England) $ 12,028

4. Shafiq Masih (Pakistan) $ 11,044

5. Stephen Dodd (Wales) $ 9,636

5. Shaikh Mactoum Dubai Open

Date: October 21st - October 24th
Prize Money: $50,000
Par: 72

MENA Tour 2012 winner: Stephen Dodd

The script finally held good as Stephen Dodd dug deep into his experience to win the Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open, the fifth and the penultimate event on the MENA Golf Tour, at Al Badia Golf Club on Wednesday.

Starting the final round one behind, the three-time winner on the European Tour closed with a 69 to go 11-under for the tournament, winning the title – his first since the 2011 Welsh National PGA Championship -- by a good two shots ahead of English duo of Zane Scotland and Martin LeMesurier.

Order of merit - after five events

1. Zane Scotland (Scotland) $21,803

2. Stephen Dodd (Wales) $18,363

3. Mohammed Munir (Pakistan) $16, 276

4. Ross McGowen (England) $12,028

5. Shafiq Masih (Pakistan) $11,565

6. MENA Tour Championship

Date: October 28th - October 31st
Prize Money: $75,000
Par: 71
Length: 6,612

With a host of players firmly in the hunt, the battle for the title of MENA Golf Tour Number One promises to go down to the wire when the season-ending Tour Championship gets under way at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club on Monday.

MENA Tour 2012 winner: William Harrold

William Harrold birdied the closing hole to see off a determined challenge from Stephen Dodd and win the MENA Tour Championship at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club on Wednesday.