From left: Ramy Essam, Director of Sales, Alkalive, Andreas Pfister, General Manager, InterContinental Doha, Fahad Nasser Al Naimi, General Secretary, Qatar Golf Association, Mohd Faisal Al Naimi, Event Manager, Qatar Golf Association and Gary McGlinchey,
Craig Lawrie - son of Open Championship winner Paul Lawrie - is one of the 22 professional players, who will be competing at this year’s Qatar Open Amateur Championship at the Doha Golf Club (DGC), organisers of the event announced yesterday.
The mixed field of amateur and professional players will be vying for the seven qualifying spots up for grabs at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters tournament, which will be held from March 7 to 10 at the DGC.
The top amateur player will lay his hands on the Qatar Open trophy and qualify for a place in European Tour event in Qatar along with three pro players and an as many Qatari players.
The three-day event organised by Qatar Golf Association (QGA) with support from Qatar Olympic Committee, InterContinental Doha Hotel, Doha Golf Club, Royal Air Maroc and Alkalive, will take place from February 14 at DGC.
Craig, 24, who turned professional in 2013, will be competing in a field of 100 golfers drawn from a total of 33 countries.
This is the second year running that QGA has added the professional division to the amateur event.
Fahad Nasser Al Naimi, General Secretary of QGA said the introduction of the professional division has made the event, which is into its 33rd edition, has made it more interesting.
“This year we have increased the quota of Qatari players, who will qualify from the Qatar Open to the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters tournament, from two to three.
This is with a view to promote local talent. The move to add the professional section to the tournament has been welcomed by many players and has added a new twist to the event,” said Fahad.
10 Qatari players, namely Saleh Al Kaas, Ali Al Shahrani, Jaham Al Kuwari Salman Al Khanji, Arnav Jain, Fahad Mir, Abdulrahman Al Dehaimi, Abdulaziz Al Buainain, Abdulrahman Al Shahrani and Adel Al Hamad are also competing in the event.
Out of the ten, three of them, with the best finish in the tournament will get a chance to play in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters tournament, organisers said.
The tournament will be play in a individual stroke play format, with half the field advancing to Saturday’s final round play on February 16.
Besides Craig, the other professional players are Thomas Strandemo, Adrian Meronk, Guiraud Alexis, Mateusz Gradecki, Steven Troup, Niclas Johansson, Jordan Massey, Mike Elliott, David Moreland, Scott Puzey, Morgan Jackson, Rocco Sanjust, Victor Riu, Michael James Steyn, Darryl Gwilliam, Mike Toorop, Peter Erofejeff, Todd Clements, Craig Lawrie, Anwar Ali, Jean-Michel Hall, Lucas Norman and Alfie Plant.
Massey, Elliott, Moreland and Ali are the four professional players who are based in Qatar.
Last year, rising Pakistani teen Ahmed Baig registered a one-shot victory to top in the event dashing the hopes of Morocco’s Ayoub Omar.
In the professional category, it was England’s Joshua White who won while two-time winner on the European Tour, Simon Khan, finished second while Jean-Michel Hall came third, in an all English sweep in the pro category.
Among the Qataris, Ali Al Shahrani and Saleh Ali Al Kaabi were the best and qualified for the European tour event.
