MENA TOUR breakthrough for Scot
Aberdeen's Clarke Lutton scores first win as a
pro in Dubai's Golf Citizen Classic
MENA TOUR NEWS RELEASE
DUBAI — Aberdeen-born tour pro Clarke Lutton survived a big
test of nerve to win the $50,000 Golf Citizen Classic by one shot for his maiden
success - worth US dollars 6,063 - won the MENA Golf Tour at The Els Club, Dubai today.
Four in front overnight, the 27-year-old
Birmingham University PGA course graduate closed with a two-under 70 to reach 13-under 203 for the tournament,
seeing off a strong challenge from Trevor Marshall of New Zealand on the home
stretch.
Lutton's earlier rounds over what he considers his home course were 67 and 66, his lowest ever scores on the MENA Tour.
Lutton’s playing partner, Stuart Archibald of
England carded a final round 69 to finish solo third on 206, three
shots ahead of his compatriot Zane Scotland.
Paul Doherty, leader of the MENA Tour Order of Merit coming into this event, finished joint seventh on 211 with rounds of 70,72 and 69.
Slovakia’s
young prodigy Jakub Hrinda provided a new twist to the script, winning the
amateur division on four under after Morocco’s overnight amateur leader Ayoub Lguirati
stumbled to a four-over 76.
Despite
the searing afternoon heat, Dubai-based Lutton kept his cool when it mattered most to seal
the deal, becoming the second Scot after Paul Doherty, to have his name inscribed on a MENA (Middle East North Africa) Golf Tour trophy.
“I am
just ecstatic. Just can’t describe how I am feeling about my first win as a
professional. It wasn’t easy: a big test of nerve indeed,” said the Aberdeen
native after receiving the winner’s trophy from Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman
of the MENA Golf Tourat the Els Club.
“I think
playing the tournament with an aggressive mindset did the trick. It was my
short game in the final round that really kept me going as I made some good up-and-down
pars. The birdie on the 14th was crucial when I holed a long 12-foot
putt which kind of steadied my nerves,” said Lutton, who turned professional in
2007.
New Zealand’s Marshall had his chances, but
could not capitalise on the par-5s which he played in level par on the final round.
on par-5s, he played at level par.
“When you are chasing down a big four-shot
lead, you need to do well on all the par-5s, but that didn’t happen. All credit
to Clarke, who really played well and deserved to win,” said Marshall.
Slovakia’s Hrinda attributed his victory in
the amateur division to solid golf all week. “I didn’t make silly mistakes,
which was the key,” said the 15-year-old, who is a 10th grade
student at Doha College.
“I would like to thank college for all their
support. Certainly, I would like to play more often on the tour and will do so
once I am done with my studies,” said Hrinda.
Morocco’s Mohammed Bellarousia won the MENA
Division for professionals on three-over 219 while Saudi Arabia’s Khaled Attieh
took the honours in the region’s amateur division.
The MENA Golf Tour travels to Oman next week
for the Muscat Hills Golf Citizen Championship
MENA TOUR
Golf
Citizen Classic
Els Golf Club, Dubai
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 C Lutton (Sco) 67 66 70
204 T Marshall (NZ) 70 67 67
206 S Archibald (Eng) 71 66 69
209 Z Scotland (Eng) 71 68 70
210 C Hinton (Eng) 72 70 68, G King (Eng) 70 70 70
SELECTED TOTALS
211 P Doherty (Sco) 70 72 69 (T7)
219 T Innes-Ker (Sco) 73 72 74 (T30)
221 C Nicoll (Sco) 73 75 73 (T40)
Labels: MENA TOUR
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