The top three players in the European Challenge Tour Rankings were given some extra inspiration ahead of this week;s Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club as Andrew Johnston, Moritz Lampert and Byeong-hun An got up close and personal with the famous Claret Jug before enjoying a closest-to-the-pin contest.
The three young stars were challenged with a testing wedge shot into the ninth green from across the lake at the 16th tee and they revelled in the opportunity to take each other on in a friendly contest ahead of the real battle, which begins tomorrow - Wednesday, November 5.
Englishman Johnston currently leads the Challenge Tour Rankings on €181,115, some €46,318 ahead of German Lampert on €134,796, while An lies in third place on €132,023.
All three will play together in the First Round at the breath-taking Al Badia Golf Club where the top 45 players in the Challenge Tour Rankings battle it out for the 15 European Tour cards on offer.
While Johnson, Lampert and An have all secured their path to The 2015 Race Dubai, they all had their game faces on as they look to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Thomas Bjørn, Tommy Fleetwood and Henrik Stenson by topping the end of season Rankings.
They struck balls towards the ninth green in the shadow of the awe-inspiring Al Badia clubhouse, in a casual game of closest-to-the-pin as one of the most famous trophies in golf sat just inches away.
The Open Championship Trophy was present at Al Badia as the stunning Dubai venue hosted an R&A Rules of Golf School ahead of the Challenge Tour’s season finale.
