Flawless Heraty claims emotional win at Sahara Kuwait
REPORT BY VIREN VARMA
KUWAIT CITY — With thoughts of his
ailing father occupying his mind, Joe, Heraty kept his composure to win the
inaugural Sahara Kuwait Championship, providing a fitting climax to a fantastic
week of golf at the MENA Golf Tour’s inaugural event in the city today.
The 25-year-old Englishman from Leeds closed with a
bogey-free, five-under 65 to finish at 13-under par, two clear of his compatriot
Daniel Owen, who signed for a brilliant six-under 64 to climb up the
leaderboard.
It was Chile’s Matias Calderon, who made the
biggest move, firing a brilliant 62 that matched the course record set on
Monday by Heraty as he shared the leading amateur award with Brazil’s Tiago
Lobo.
In a reflection on the rising standards of
amateurs on the MENA Golf Tour, the South American duo joined England’s Jordan
Garnish in a tie for third overall on 10-under.
It was young Heraty, whose father was
diagnosed with brain tumour last week, who took centre-stage with a flawless
round to get over the line for his maiden win on the MENA Golf Tour.
“This is for you, Dad,” an emotional Heraty
said after receiving the winner’s trophy and a cheque for $9,000 from Yousef
Abdulaziz Al Qatami and Wael Abdulrahman Al Welayti, both members of the Sahara
Kuwait’s golf advisory committee.
“It feels just unbelievable at the moment to
what I have achieved. It was a tough week, but I managed to keep my emotions in
check. Made lots of birdies and didn’t hit any disastrous shots,” said the Yorkshireman.
England’s Owen also went bogey-free, picking
up two shots on the front nine and four on the back nine, his flawless round
showing it’s just a matter of time before the Bahrain-based professional
inscribes his name on the MENA Golf Tour trophy.
Young Lobo was equally delighted to share
leading amateur award with Calderon, whose course record-equalling 62 was
studded with nine birdies and one bogey.
“It was a pleasure to play on this course
which was set up nicely. I drove the ball well and created lots of birdie
opportunities with my wedges. I may not have struck the ball that well in the
final round, but managed to hole more putts which kept the round going,” added
the 18-year-old Sao Paulo native who is based in Dubai.
The MENA Golf Tour travels to Oman next week
for the Ghala Open to be held in Muscat from October 24 to 26. The event will
be followed by the season-ending Tour Championship a week later.
Labels: MENA TOUR
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