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Golfers set for ‘luckiest ball on earth’

A once in a lifetime chance to play with one of the top 60 players on The European Tour in the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai Rolex Pro-Am will be the ultimate prize when amateur golfers across the UAE tee off in the qualifying rounds of the tournament’s ‘Luckiest Ball on Earth’, which get underway on Friday.

Twenty-one events will be staged at 20 clubs affiliated to the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) with each winner going through to the Luckiest Ball on Earth Grand Final on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on October 13, a press release said. In addition to the 21 club event qualifiers, the top three UAE nationals in The President’s Cup have also been invited to compete in the Grand Final.

The DP World Tour Championship Rolex Pro-Am takes place on November 12 on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, 48 hours before The Race to Dubai reaches a dramatic conclusion with the $8 million DP World Tour Championship (November 14-17). The Luckiest Ball on Earth competition for 2013 gets underway at three UAE

clubs on Friday with amateurs getting their campaigns underway at Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Al Dhafra Golf Links and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.

Now in its third year, the Luckiest Ball on Earth initiative has proved to be a huge success with the nation’s keen amateurs. The annual competition is open to all golfers aged 18 or over who hold an Official Club Handicap recognised by the EGF (maximum 28 for men and 36 for ladies).

In 2012, Italian Ornella Parigi of Saadiyat Beach Golf Club became the first female winner of the Luckiest Ball on Earth and won a place alongside Australian Marcus Fraser in the Rolex Pro-Am. Parigi also won the Longest Drive prize, which she received at the pre-event Championship Beach Party from European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady. Northern Ireland’s Kevin Barrett of Arabian Ranches Golf Club was the first winner of the Luckiest Ball on Earth and played alongside former European Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari in the 2011 Rolex Pro-Am. “We are excited that more than 1,000 golfers from all over the UAE will take place across 21 events this September to be in with a chance to play with one of the top 60 golfers on The European Tour,” said Nick Tarratt, director, European Tour International, Dubai Office.

“Our Luckiest Ball on Earth competition gets bigger and more competitive each year and we wish them the best of luck as they chase that covered place in the DP World Tour Championship Rolex Pro-Am.

Our thanks and appreciation go to all of the clubs as well as to the Emirates Golf Federation for its continued support of the Luckiest Ball on Earth.” Tickets for the four-day DP World Tour Championship are free of charge and can be obtained by registering online at the event website www.DPWTC.com.

2013 Luckiest Ball on Earth qualifying events

• September 6 – Arabian Ranches Golf Club (Monthly Medal); Al Dhafra Golf Links (Monthly Medal); Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (Rosewood Medal)
• September 7 – The Track – Meydan Golf (Quench The Thirst Open); Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club (Mashreq Medal Championship); Al Badia Golf Club (Monthly Medal)
• September 13 – Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club (Monthly Medal); The Address Montgomerie Dubai (Monthly Medal); Emirates Golf Club (Gents’ Monthly Medal); Sharjah Wanderers Golf Club (Monthly Medal).
• September 14 – Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club (Monthly Medal)
• September 19 – Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa (Monthly Medal)
• September 20 – Al Hamra Golf Club (Monthly Medal); Al Ghazal Golf Club (Monthly Medal); Yas Links (Monthly Medal)
• September 21 – Abu Dhabi Golf Club (Monthly Medal)
• September 23 - Emirates Golf Club (Ladies’ Monthly Medal)
• September 27 – Jumeirah Golf Estates (Monthly Medal); Tower Links Golf Club (Monthly Medal): Abu Dhabi City Golf Club (Monthly Medal)
• September 28 – The Els Club (Monthly Medal)