MENA Tour event report and scores

SPAIN’S CANIZARES WINS DIRAB PLAY-OFF AGAINST CRAIG HINTON

NEWS RELEASE FROM MENA TOUR

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia— Gabriel Canizares played out the drama to the last shot, winning the American Express Dirab Championship in a playoff against Craig Hinton for his maiden success on the MENA Golf Tour here on Wednesday.

Canizares, the overnight co-leader with England’s Luke Joy, needed a birdie at the last to edge the Englishman, but settled for a par en route to a closing 70 to extend the play as the two finished tied on 11-under in regulation.

Both players parred the first extra hole — the par-4, 18th — but Hinton missed the green on the second with an errant approach which resulted in a bogey while the Spaniard held his nerve to walk away with a par which was enough to seal the victory.

“I am really very excited to win this one. It wasn’t easy out there, but I am glad that I managed to get over the line,” said the Spaniard after receiving the winner’s trophy and a cheque for $9,000 from Shaikh Khaled Abunayyan, president of the Dirab Golf and Country Club, and Fahad Al Guthami, COO of American Express (Saudi Arabia) Ltd in the presence Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.

“I was a bit nervous going into extra holes as my playoff record isn’t all the great. It’s 50-50. I think I got a bit lucky (on the second extra hole) when Craig failed to find the green,” said Canizares who, with this win, has proved that sporting prowess runs in the family.

“The competition on the (MENA) tour is very stiff and one needs to shoot at least 10 under to be in contention and that speaks volumes of the standard of golf here,” said the 41-year-old Spaniard, whose father Jose Maria is a European Tour veteran while brother Alejandro plies his trade in Europe.

England’s Hinton, who led by a good three shots after the opening round, raced to four-under after the 15th but a dropped shot after a wayward drive on the 17th blew his chances of winning the title as he closed with a 69.

“That bogey made the difference. And then I didn’t hit a good shot on the second playoff hole. I had my chances, but just couldn’t close the deal,” he said.

England’s Joy stumbled out of the gate with two bogeys on the first four holes and failed to recreate the brilliance he showed in shooting a course record 64 in the second round. His closing two-over 70 meant he finished fourth on seven under, three behind Thriston  Lawrence of South Africa,

Lawrence, who carded the final day’s best score of a 68, started with a flourish, firing back-to-back birdies before making the turn at three under. The bespectacled professional dropped a shot on the par-3, 11th, but made two more gains on 14 and 17 to round off a good day at work.

Morocco’s Mehdi Saissi continued his recent run of good form, winning the MENA Division for the second time in row. The 24-year-old, who turned professional earlier this year, reached four under for the tournament after carding a final round 70 to finish three shots ahead of his compatriot Ayoub Lguirati.

Lguirati, however, had the consolation of topping the overall amateur division, on one under, two clear of England’s James Allan. “Winning the amateur division was a goal of mine and I am glad that I have achieved it,” said Lguirati.

The MENA Golf Tour travels to Dubai next week for the Golf Citizen Classic at Els Club, starting on Monday.

American Express Dirab Championship results:
     par 216 (3x72)

205 Craig Hinton (England) 65 71 69, Gabriel Canizares (Spain) 65 70 70 (Canizares won sudden-death play-off).
206 Thriston Lawrence (South Africa) 70 68 68
209 Luke Joy (England) 71 64 74

211 Carlos Balmaseda (Spain) 73 67 71
212 Mehdi Saosso (Morocco) 74 68 70, Sixto Casabona-Navarro (Spain) 71 69 72
213 Mariana Ochoa (Spain) 70 68 75.
214 Chris O'Donnell (England) 70 72 72, Fredrik Lindblom 71 71 72 
215 Ayoub Lguirati (am) 69 74 72, Xavier Puig (Spain) 69 71 75

			216 James Betts 73 73 70 217 James Allan [Am] 68 71 78
			Elliott Oxlade [Am]		69	71	78	218
			Diego Suazo		74	70	74	218
			Ramon Mestre		72	73	73	218
			Karl Ableidinger		73	76	70	219
			Joe Heraty		73	69	77	219
			Trevor Marshall		71	77	72	220
			Mustapha El Maouas		76	73	71	220
			Victor Bertran		72	74	74	220
			Clarke Lutton		76	75	70	221
			Shafiq Masih		72	71	78	221
			James Ashman		75	71	76	222
			Tom Boys		72	80	71	223
			Karim El Hali [Am]		74	76	74	224
			Josh Taylor		77	73	74	224
			Haydn McCullen		76	73	76	225
			Paul Bucan		77	74	74	225
			Bouchaib El Jadiani		78	76	72	226
			Lee Corfield		78	75	73	226
			Ben Russell		79	74	73	226
			Faisal Al Salhab [Am]		79	73	74	226
			Ryan Smith		78	73	75	226
			Adam Ward		77	74	75	226
			Albert Sanchez Garcia		76	74	76	226
			Daniel Suchan		79	76	71	226
			Mohammed Bellaroussia		77	77	73	227
			Matthew Scarfone		73	74	81	228
			Ali Alsakha [Am]		75	76	77	228
			Yasin Ali		79	75	75	229
			Sergi Nogué		78	78	74	230
			Othman Almulla [Am]		79	72	80	231
			Faiyaz Amlani		78	74	80	232
			Amine El Malki [Am]		80	77	76	233
			Kenny Benoit		81	75	79	235
			Man-Seob Kim		78	80	79	237
			Prince Khaled Saud Al Faisal [Am]		74	82	81	237
			Benjamin David [Am]		73	81	87	241

Missed the Cut

		James Sayer [Am]	36	89	91		180 (*)
		Dan McLaughlin [Am]		88	86		174 (*)
		Omar Hariri [Am]		88	77		165 (*)
		Ali Belhareth [Am]		80	82		162 (*)
		Reid Perry [Am]		78	82		160 (*)
		Mark Chamberlain		78	81		159 (*)