Five things to know ahead of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic.
Final week in the Middle East
The DP World Tour returns to Ras Al Khaimah and Al Hamra Golf Club for the second successive week for the Ras Al Khaimah Classic, marking the end of a four-week run in the Middle East.
Last week, the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah hosted the DP World Tour for the first time, following back-to-back Rolex Series events in neighbouring Emirates, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively.
Challenge Tour Roots
This week’s venue may have had its first outing on the DP World Tour last week, but it’s not been a stranger to professional golf tournaments in the past.
Al Hamra Golf Club previously hosted the European Challenge Tour from 2016 to 2018, with the Challenge Tour Grand Final taking place in 2018.
Jordan Smith was the first player to triumph at Al Hamra, which helped him move to the top of the Challenge Tour Rankings and ultimately earn his Tour card as the winner of the Challenge Tour in 2016. Last week, the Englishman showed how comfortable he felt around the course, finishing as the runner-up to Nicolai Hojgaard on his first trip back to Ras Al Khaimah.
Nicolai eyes RAK double
Nicolai Højgaard will return to Al Hamra Golf Club hoping to make it back-to-back titles and equal his brother Rasmus’s winning haul of three victories on the DP World Tour.
The 20-year-old produced a stunning display which yielded a four-stroke victory last week, and the big-hitting Dane is feeling confident he can claim back-to-back titles in the United Arab Emirates after finding the rhythm with his driver.
“It’s been one of my focus points after the first two weeks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – my driving. It’s always been my strength it’s just about keeping it in play and last week it just clicked. I didn’t hit many fairways but you don’t have to hit many fairways here.
“I just tried to free up a bit more, just play golf instead of overthinking and navigate it to the fairways and that helped me a lot so that’s what I’m going to try do this week. If I keep my focus on the right things and free up and commit to what I have to do, I definitely have a chance again this week.”
Al Hamra Golf Club
Al Hamra Golf Club is just under an hour’s drive from Dubai International Airport, and is known as one the country’s hidden gems.
Opened in 2007 and designed by Peter Harradine, the 7,235 yard, par-72 course is most recognisable for meandering around four inter-connected open water lagoons merging seamlessly with the water of the Arabian Gulf. It is also notably the first plastic-free golf club in both the country and the region.
Hero Challenge
New for this week at Ras Al Khaimah was an innovative ‘Hero Challenge’, where 26 Teams of two Professionals competed during a ‘Texas Scramble’ format over holes 10-18 on Tuesday.
Daniel Gavins and Callum Shinkwin claimed the title at Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah after the English duo teamed up to card eight birdies in the nine-hole Texas Scramble event for a winning eight under total.
The innovative team event was broadcast on television around the globe as well as on YouTube and social media, where fans could watch the stars of the DP World Tour in a more relaxed atmosphere – chatting regularly to on-course commentators and with some players miked up throughout their round.
In a classic better-ball scramble format, birdies were key and Gavins and Shinkwin looked unstoppable from the word go, birdieing every one of the first seven holes to storm into the lead. A par at the eighth briefly stunted their progress but a four at the par five 18th hole laid down the gauntlet early on.
Many teams tried, but none could get within touching distance of the Englishmen, who earned a two-stroke victory over the field with an eight under score of 28.
