Mullane says he played his ‘best’ golf to win Dubai Hills Golf Club Men’s Open

Sam Mullane shot rounds of 70 and 66 for an eight-under-par total of 136 to win the 36-hole Dubai Hills Golf Club Men’s Open, the third qualifier of the 2023 – 2024 Emirates Golf Federation Men’s Order of Merit.

Playing off a scratch handicap, the 20-year-old talent from the Jumeirah Golf Estates, started day one behind first-round leader Nathan Seldon (Dubai Creek) who shot a second-round 72 to drop back and finish in fifth place.

Mullane opened up his second round in the final group alongside Seldon, with four pars before he eagled Hole 5 and birdied the next to make his move.

A bogey on Hole 7 was followed by further birdies on Holes 8, 11, 12, 14 and 16 as he took control of the leaderboard, A bogey on the 486 yards, par 4 18th saw him return the best score of the two days by two shots.

Mullane doubled the 18th hole on day one, not his favourite hole of the weekend.

Three back of Mullane was fellow Jumeirah Golf Estates player Marcus Dutton on 139, following rounds of 71 and 68. Dutton and Viktor Kofod-Olsen of the Emirates Golf Club finished on the same score, but Dutton claimed the Silver Medal by virtue of a second-round score countback after Kofod-Olsen’s rounds of 70 and 69.

Speaking after the prize presentation, Mullane said: “This is my best score at Dubai Hills. Last year I managed a gross 69. I played well especially today and holed some good putts as well as a bonus chip in on Hole 14.”

Mullane is a student at Heriot-Watt University in Dubai and his next event is the 15th King Hamad Trophy in Bahrain over the Royal Golf Club, on November 23 - 25, the winner of which will receive an invite to play in the DP World Tour’s Bahrain Championship February 1 – 4.

This season Mullane is planning to play in the local UAE Men’s Opens and most of the EGF Order of Merit events.

“I changed my grip last week with one of my friends and it seems to be working,” he said. “I have a coach in the UK, but I tend to look after myself and just play golf.

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The Net Division winner was Shoaib Gill from the home club. Playing off a 9 handicap Gill had net rounds of 65 and 68 to win by three shots.

Hess (Scr H’cap. TEC) 70. 70. 140.