Local amateurs vie for place in DP World Tour Championship

Fire course hosts Luckiest Ball on Earth Grand Final

The Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates is set to host some of the best local amateurs in the region on Sunday October 23  when the DP World Tour Championship’s Luckiest Ball on Earth Grand Final gets underway.

A total of 22 qualifying events have taken place at 20 golf clubs across the UAE with over 1,000 golfers locking horns for their chance to take part in the Grand Final to win a spot alongside one of the European Tour’s top 60 on the Race to Dubai at the prestigious Rolex Pro Am for the 2016 DP World Tour Championship.

As if meeting golfing greats such as depending DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy, The Open Champion Henrik Stenson and Masters Champion Danny Willett is not enough, a ‘money can’t buy’ invitation will await the Grand Final winner as ‘the Luckiest Ball’ champion will get to enjoy an exclusive Championship Beach Party at Nasimi Beach, Atlantis, The Palm which will be attended by all the players.

The winner will also get two VIP Hospitality tickets to watch the DP World Tour Championship action in style at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Thursday November 17 to Sunday 20 November.

Nick Tarratt, Director of European Tour – Dubai said: “It is great to see this Luckiest Ball on Earth initiative grow each year amongst all the golf clubs in the UAE through the help and support of the Emirates Golf Federation.

“This three-month activation through qualifying rounds, the Grand Final and the ultimate winner’s prize energises the golfers in the UAE and we are hopefully, directly and indirectly, connecting with the 10,000 local golfers playing the game throughout the country with the strong message of the DP World Tour Championship.”

The Luckiest Ball on Earth series has proved one of the most popular golfing initiatives in the region since it was launched in 2011 when Kevin Barrett of Arabian Ranches Golf Club won his spot in the Rolex Pro-Am.

Since then Ornella Parigi (Saadiyat Beach Golf Club) in 2012, Maureen Platt (Emirates Golf Club) in 2013, Dipesh Makwana (Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa) in 2014 and Jairaj Gorsia, who teed it up with Ryder Cup star Rafa Cabrera-Bello last year, have enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime experience of lining up next to some of the game’s biggest names.

An 18-hole individual Stableford playing off the Signature Tees will be the format of the Luckiest Ball on Earth Grand Final, which means the Fire Course will play to around 6,800 yards.

The event will begin at 12:30pm with a two-tee start for the 20 finalists. There will also be prizes on offer for Ladies’ Longest Drive, Men’s Longest Drive and Nearest The Pin.