Oman- Azaan excited to be part of field featuring major winner

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) One of the region's popular golf series, the MENA Golf Tour, may have decided to skip Oman this year, but the sultanate's leading amateur golfer, Azaan al Rumhy, will represent the sultanate at next week's Dubai Creek Open at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club.

Azaan confirmed that he would be taking part in the prestigious tournament and was looking forward to a 'good performance.'

'I am excited for more than one reason to take part in the event. Firstly, the Dubai Creek Open comprises a strong field and I will be one of the 21 amateurs in the fray and secondly, the star-studded line-up of pros comprise a major winner in Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, the 2016 European Ryder Cup captain,' said Azaan.

'With legendary Clarke in the field, I am sure every player will be charged up to give his best. It will be great fun and I am excited to take part in the same event that features Clarke, who had won The Open Championship at Royal St George's in 2011,' said Azaan.

Besides Azaan, Saudi Arabia's Othman Almulla, who won last year's Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation award for being the best amateur in the region, will be hoping to keep the good work going in his division.

The 49 year old Clarke is also the MENA Tour patron and will join defending champion and Dubai Creek prodigy Rayhan Thomas in a strong field, blazing with the ranks for 15 winners on the tour at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club where the

Ulsterman jointly holds the course record of a 63 with Lee Westwood and Australia's Benjamin Eccles.

It is Clarke's second appearance in a MENA Tour event after the 2015 RAK Classic where he finished in a tie for second, but his regular inputs have been instrumental in putting the tour on a trajectory for growth.

The mere presence of Clarke is expected to stoke the fire of motivation in a field that includes the English duo of Zane Scotland and Lee Corfield who between them share 14 MENA Tour wins.

A full field of 120 players, including 21 amateurs, will tee it up on Monday, promising an absorbing contest, though coping with hot and humid conditions could present its own challenges.

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