Qatar Golf Association
33rd Edition – WAGR Qatar Open 2019 – Press Conference
Stage set for Qatar Open Amateur Championship
By Armstrong Vas I The Peninsula
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.
Qatar Golf Association (QGA) general secretary Fahad al-Naimi (centre) and QGA event manager Mohamed Faisal al-Naimi (second right) pose with other officials at a press conference at the Doha Golf Club yesterday.
By Sports Reporter/Doha
More than 100 players from 33 countries will take part in the 33rd edition of the Qatar Open Amateur Golf Championship, which will be held at the Doha Golf Club on February 14, organisers announced yesterday. The three-day Individual Strokeplay tournament has added importance as its winner, top three Qatari players and top three professionals will get to match their skills with some of the best players on the European Tour’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, to be held from March 7. The local spotlight will be on 2017 runner-up Saleh al-Kaabi, Ali al-Shahrani and Jaham al-Kuwari.
“Undoubtedly, this is the strongest amateur tournament in the Middle East. With the event having a WAGR status, the competitors will be keen to collect maximum points and improve their rankings so as to qualify for the big events,” Qatar Golf Association (QGA) general secretary Fahad al-Naimi told a Press conference at the Doha Golf Club yesterday.
“This is one of the oldest tournaments in the region and since last year, the tournament has seen the participation of some of the best international professionals, and we have decided to increase the competitiveness of the tournament. This year’s tournament includes 22 professionals and 80 amateurs,” he said.
Last year, Pakistani teenager Ahmed Baig registered a one-shot victory ahead of Morocco’s Ayoub Omar. In the professional category, England’s Joshua White won while two-time winner on the European Tour Simon Khan finished second as Jean-Michel Hall came third, in an all English sweep in the pro category.
This is the second time professionals are participating in the tournament with the organising committee awarding the best three results from the professionals a spot in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
The four-day tournament will be held at the Doha Golf Club course with 138 top-ranked players in the world competing for the title in the 22nd edition of the tournament. Two-time Qatar Masters champion Paul Lawrie’s son Craig Lawrie will also be vying for the European Tour event slot.
The other professional players taking part in the tournament 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, Anwar Ali, Jean-Michel Hall, Lucas Norman and Alfie Plant.
Qatari team players are coming into the championship with some good performances in the World, Asian, Arab and Gulf Championship. Talking about Qatar players’ chances in the tournament, QGA general manager Gary McGlinchey said: “I think it is a great opportunity for the local players. Saleh al-Kaabi is 4-under par this week and he is hard to beat.”
QGA executive director Mohamed Faisal al-Naimi and InterContinental Doha Hotel general manager Andreas Pfister were also present on the occasion. Royal Air Maroc, InterContinental Doha Hotel and AlKalive are the sponsors for the tournament.
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