Sharjah hosts India-UAE Friendship Cup Golf Tournament

By Deepak Arora

SHARJAH (UAE), Dec 20:

Saturday was an unusual cold morning. Despite that all roads from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras al-Khaimah were leading to Sharjah.

Businessmen and diplomats started early morning from their homes in different emirates of the UAE to reach the Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club to play the India-UAE Friendship Cup Golf Tournament.

The Friendship Cup saw participation from Ambassador and Consul Generals from Thailand, India, Malaysia, South Africa and Korea and leading businessmen and senior executives from different emirates and India such as Ajay Kapoor, Ashok Kumar, Sudhkar Murthy, Sanjoy Das, Vivien Verma, Dhruv Verma and Deepak Arora.

Despite the unusual morning chill, nearly 40 participants arrived much before tee off time of 7.30. After a usual ceremony of a group photograph, the golfers headed for their carts.

The officials and staff of Sharjah Golf Club had done excellent arrangements with all the carts lined up with each cart having printed score cards of each participant and other required accessories like well sharpened pencils, tees and clean towels.

Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Peter Harradine, the Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club boasts a 9 hole. If played twice, this wall to wall grass oasis provides a par 72 layout that stretches in excess of the 7,300 yard mark.

The course is a pleasure to play but is a challenge to par. It has vast water features, generous fairways, large and challenging bunkers and unique undulations; all of which ensure this golfing paradise offers a fair but tough test to every level of golfer and one you will relish time and time again.

The golfers took about 4 hours to complete the 18 holes at the third round of the first edition of the first India-UAE Friendship Golf Cup. After shower and change, the gathered together for lunch and award ceremony at a banquet hall overlooking the beautiful golf course. Their faces were beaming with excitement after a satisfied game and anxiously waiting for the announcement of winners.

Thailand Ambassador Warawudh Chuwiruch and Consul General from South Africa and India Manabile Shogole and Anurag Bhushan were seen freely meeting the participants to discuss the nuances of the golf and having discussions on how to further expand business and cultural ties between India and the UAE.

The participation of so many diplomats showed how popular India is in the UAE.

Speaking at the award ceremony, India’s Consul General Anurag Bhushan said “through this tournament we are using golf as a medium to further strengthen the relationship between the two counties, especially between the business communities.”

“This tournament is a bridge between Emiratis and Indians,” he added.

India’s Consul General Anurag Bhushan distributed the prizes. The winner of the third round of India-UAE Friendship Golf Cup was Vivien Verma and the Runners Up was Samarth Bahl. The winner of the Longest Drive contest was Sanjoy Das and winner of the Closest to the Pin contest was Anurag Bhatnagar of Sports One. The lucky draw winner was Manabile Shogole, Consul General of South Africa.

Anurag Bhushan also handed over the participation memento to Vinay Bhatia, Assistant General Manager of Bank of Baroda and to Misss Iryna from Danube.

The first round of the four-city India-UAE Golf Tournament was inaugurated on August 29 at Dubai. The second round the India-UAE Cup was held on November 1 at Abu Dhabi.

The fourth round of the Friendship Cup will be held in February at Ras al-Khaimah. And the grand finale will be held in Dubai on March 14.

This unique series has being conceptualized and managed by GolfLAN, a renowned golf consultancy company that allows golfers across the world to gather at a unique platform.

GolfLAN, which launched its UAE operations in June this year, is committed to making golf accessible to a much wider population in the UAE through their innovative product "Elite Golfer's Club" membership card, according to Dhruv Verma, CEO, GolfLAN.

Dhruv Verma said "the membership allows golfers to play hassle free golf across 30 plus golf courses in India and over 90 golf courses worldwide at unbelievably subsidized rates."

He said "We have seen participation from all the affluent Indians and Emiratis in all the three rounds till now. Some of the names include Anurag Bhushan, Cousel General India; Parth Sarkar, Global CEO, Hinduja Global Solutions; Ajay Kapoor, Non-Resident Business Head, National Bank of Abu Dhabi; Ashok Kumar, Managing Director Cambria General Trading; Sudhakar Murthy, Group CEO Acore Group; Deepak Arora, Editor of TheTribuneOnline.com, Frank Cimafranca, Consul General Philippines; Ahn Seong-Doo, Consul General Republic of Korea; Manabile Shogole, Consul General south Africa; and Hisahi Michigami, Consul General Japan.

The winner of the first Dubai round was Deepak Yadav, Managing Director, Garushi Garment from India; and the winner of the Abu Dhabi round was Shakar Haldar, who is a caddy from Noida Golf Course. He was allowed by the Ambassdor of India, Mr T P Seeetharam, to play in the Abu Dhabi edition. He played so well that he emerged as a winner. A great initiative by the Indian Ambassador to promote talent among the caddies.

Each Golf Course in UAE is state of the Art and world famous. The event started with the Jumeriah Golf Club which hosts the world famous Race to Dubai. A Club that has witnessed participation from the top golfers from across the world including Rory Mclroy.

Then the event moved to Sadiyat Golf Club in Abu Dhabi which is known for its beauty as it funds alongside the coast line. And third round was held at Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club.

The final round of the first edition of the India-UAE Friendship Cup will be held on March 14 at the world famous Emirates Golf Club which is the official host of the Desert Classic, European Tour etc. This course is also the home course of Tiger Woods whenever he visits Dubai.

Dhoni retires from Test cricket, Kohli to take over

MELBOURNE, Dec 30: Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has retired from Test cricket "citing the strain of playing all formats", and Virat Kohli will lead the team in the fourth Test against Australia in Sydney, the cricket board said Tuesday.

The shock announcement came minutes after Dhoni faced reporters in the wake of India's draw in the third Test against Australia in Melbourne, which conceded the four-match series 2-0 to the hosts.

Dhoni, 33, said nothing of his retirement plans during the post-match media conference at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the news was broken on the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI's Twitter feed.

"MS Dhoni has chosen to retire from Test Cricket with immediate effect," it said.
"Virat (Kohli) will be the captain for the 4th and Final Test against Australia."

Long considered Dhoni's heir apparent, Kohli led the team in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide, scoring back-to-back centuries in his debut as captain and earning plaudits for his aggressive approach despite the cliff-hanging loss by 48
runs.

Wriddhiman Saha is to be named India wicketkeeper for the fourth Test after standing in for the injured skipper in the first Test in Adelaide.

The BCCI later issued a statement saying the wicketkeeper-captain would now concentrate on one-day internationals and Twenty20 cricket, a surprise move given most senior cricketers generally forgo the shorter formats of the game in a bid to preserve their Test careers.

"One of India's greatest Test Captains under whose leadership India became the No. 1 team in the Test Rankings MS Dhoni, has decided to retire from Test Cricket citing the strain of playing all formats of Cricket," the statement said.

"BCCI while respecting the decision of M S Dhoni to retire from Test Cricket, wishes to thank him for his enormous contribution to Test Cricket and the laurels that he has brought to India."

Dhoni's overseas record of late, however, has been disappointing. The team was whitewashed 0-4 in England (2011) and Australia (2011-12) under his leadership. Besides the team also suffered defeats in South Africa and New Zealand and had been beaten by England yet again this summer.

Yet the wicketkeeper-batsman remains one of the most successful captains ever for India, having led the side to the top of ICC rankings in Tests and ODIs.
Dhoni played 90 tests for India since making his debut against Sri Lanka in Chennai in 2005, a year after playing his first one-dayer.

He has since scored 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09 with six centuries and 33 half centuries.

Dhoni has also taken 256 catches and 38 stumpings, as well as becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper to take nine dismissals in a match - achieved in the just completed third test.

Dhoni took over from Rahul Dravid as India captain in 2007 and led the side in 60 tests - 27 wins, 18 losses and 15 draws.

India's Atwal claims thrilling one-shot victory at inaugural Dubai Open

DUBAI, Dec 21: India’s Arjun Atwal ended a frustrating four-year title drought by winning the inaugural Dubai Open by one stroke on Sunday after Korean teenager Wang Jeung-hun bogeyed the final hole.

Atwal, a former Asian Tour number one, trailed by one heading into the par five 18th hole at the magnificent Els Club Dubai but emerged victorious with a closing birdie while a nervous Wang posted a six following a wayward second shot which ended in a bush.

The 41-year-old Indian, one of four overnight leaders at the final tournament of the 2014 Asian Tour season, ended the day of high drama by signing off with a six-under-par 66 and a winning total of 16-under-par 2727 while Wang carded for a 67. Scotsman Simon Yates took third place following a 68.

“This one feels really special,” beamed Atwal, whose last victory came at the 2010 Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour.

“I think the last time I won on the Asian Tour was 2008 (Maybank Malaysian Open). I've gone through some really tough times the last few years with injuries and losing my card on the PGA TOUR and all that stuff. It was at a point where I almost wanted to quit. Thanks to a few of my family and friends, I didn't, and here we are.”

After opening his week with a 73, Atwal said his putting clicked that he needed only 27, 24 and 25 putts over the last three rounds after taking 34 strokes on day one. “I just found a little something in my putting. I adjusted to something that I used to do because the greens in Asia are a little bit slower than the ones I'm used to on the PGA TOUR. Just making that adjustment got me rolling the ball a little bit better, so I made some putts,” he said.

Atwal paid tribute to Wang, who looked so much in control of the final round before dropping those late bogeys to hand the Indian his eighth Asian Tour title and the top cheque of US$90,000.

“It was like just more relief than anything else that the day is over. I was feeling a little bit with my nerves but it was a gift today. I haven't won a tournament like this where someone has actually gifted it to me. I got lucky,” said Atwal.

“He's a great young player. I couldn't believe he's only 19. He's old enough to be my son. It's a tough loss for him but I'm sure he's going to win a lot,” added the Indian, who has played on sponsors’ invitations in his last five tournaments on the Asian Tour.

The-19-year-old Wang, who has not missed a single cut this season, produced a flawless outward 31 and led by three shots at one stage before his late blemishes. He opened the door for Atwal with a second bogey of the day on 17 when he three-putted before missing a 10-foot par attempt on the last hole.

“I had a lot of pressure. I just tried my best. I don't have any regret. I think I did my best,” said Wang. “I just tried to play my game, but I cannot do that because of the pressure.”

The Korean youngster paid dearly for a poor three wood second shot into the final green which ended up in a bush in the desert wasteland and failed to get up and down to force a play-off. “I tried to cut the shot into the green because if I swing a poor shot, it's over. I'm trying to control the ball,” he said. “I’m still happy with my season. I hope to learn from this.”

In the top-60 fight on the Order of Merit to earn playing rights for 2015, Aussie Jake Higginbottom fired a superb 64 for tied fourth place which pushed him up from 65th to 53rd place while Thailand’s Namchok Thantipokakul finished tied 19th to move up one rung to 60th place for the last Tour card of 2015.

“I knew I had to go out there and go low to try to keep my card. I played well. I felt I played well all week but just couldn’t get anything into the hole. It was nice to hole a few putts today. It’s either back to Qschool or not, so I had nothing to lose,” said Higginbottom.

Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland started the day one off the lead but was never a factor as he signed off with a 72 for tied 15th place.

The Dubai Open is promoted and organised by golf in DUBAi. The Els Club Dubai is situated within the sprawling Dubai Sports City where the par-72 course combines links style golf with traditional 'classical era' design. Opened for play in 2008, the course stretches 7,538 yards and was named as ‘Best New International Course’ by prestigious US magazine, Links, and “Best New Facility of the Year” by Troon Golf.

Scores after round 4 of the Dubai Open being played at the par 72, 7538 Yards The Els Club Dubai course (am - denotes amateur):
272 - Arjun ATWAL (IND) 73-65-68-66.
273 - WANG Jeung-hun (KOR) 71-67-68-67.
275 - Simon YATES (SCO) 71-67-69-68.
276 - Jake HIGGINBOTTOM (AUS) 72-71-69-64, Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) 74-69-65-68.
277 - Carlos PIGEM (ESP) 70-73-68-66, Daisuke KATAOKA (JPN) 73-66-68-70, Pariya JUNHASAVASDIKUL (THA) 68-72-67-70, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 71-69-67-70, Jbe KRUGER (RSA) 70-72-64-71.
278 - Bryce EASTON (RSA) 69-71-69-69, MO Joong-kyung (KOR) 70-71-68-69, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 69-69-69-71, Shiv KAPUR (IND) 71-66-69-72.
279 - Unho PARK (AUS) 75-68-69-67, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 75-70-67-67, Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA) 70-71-67-71, Darren CLARKE (NIR) 72-71-64-72.

Sharjah to host third round of India-UAE Friendship Golf Cup on Dec 20

By Deepak Arora

SHARJAH (UAE), Dec 16: The Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club will play host to the third round of the first edition of the India-UAE Friendship Golf Cup on December 20.

Supported by the Consul General of India and presented by Danube and Bank of Baroda, this initiative aims to use golf as a platform to foster learning and cultural exchange between Emiratis and the UAE’s sizeable Indian community.

“The overwhelming response to the first two rounds of the India-UAE Friendship Cup is a testament to the popularity of golf. The vision of this tournament has to been to use the sport of Golf as a medium to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries, especially between the business communities of the two countries. This tournament is a bridge between Emiratis and Indians,” said Anurag Bhushan, Consul General of India, who is offering full support to the project.

“I am confident that golf enthusiasts from Sharjah and the Northern Emirates will come out for what is certain to be a hotly-contested competition and a great day out,” said Anurag Bhushan.

The Indian Consul General said "the relationship between India and the UAE is already close. There is a great role of the UAE in India's growth story."

He said "when the Indian and Emiratis businessmen play golf new ideas will emerge to expand trade between two countries."

Anurag Bhushan said "The bilateral trade between India and UAE for 2013-2014 is $ 59.6 billion. However, for 2012-13 it stood at $75.4 billion and India and UAE were each other's top trading partners. On the account of relaxation of gold imports restrictions back in India it is expected that the trade will once again recover."

With respect to bilateral investments, he said total FDI from UAE to India is estimated to be US$2.70 billion (April 2014) and ranked as eleventh biggest investor in India.

Responding to a question on how does the Friendship Golf Cup is adding to the India-UAE relations/bilateral trade, Anurag Bhushan said "this event has seen participation from a lot of businessmen, senior executives who have flown in from India to participate. They have experienced the infrastructure and facilities available in UAE by way of their visit and we are confident that this will lead to strengthening of business relations between the two countries."

On the contribution of the Indian expats in UAE, Anurag Bhushan said the Indian community in the UAE is the largest expatriate community in the country, with estimated population of around 2.6 million.

Around 65% of the Indian community belong to the blue-collar category workers (employed mostly in construction companies, municipalities, agricultural farms), roughly 20% are white collar non-professional (clerical staff, shop assistants, salesmen, accountants etc) and remaining 15% are professionals and businessmen and their family members.

The golf course club house will also host a special exhibition showcasing photographs from previous editions in addition to a host of exciting competitions and other entertainment for the golfers and their families and friends.

The first round of the four-city India-UAE Golf Tournament was inaugrated on August 29 at Dubai. The second round the India-UAE Cup was held on November 1 at Abu Dhabi.

The fourth round of the Friendship Cup will be held in February at Ras al-Khaimah. And the grand finale will be held in Dubai on March 14.

Anurag Bhushan said "Its being played in all the four key cities of UAE which have the infrastructure to host a golf tournament. The thought behind covering all the cities was to spread the and reach out to the business community across all the key cities of UAE."

This unique series has being conceptualized and managed by GolfLAN, a renowned golf consultancy company that allows golfers across the world to gather at a unique platform.

GolfLAN, which launched its UAE operations in June this year, is committed to making golf accessible to a much wider population in the UAE through their innovative product "Elite Golfer's Club" membership card, according to Dhruv Verma, CEO, GolfLAN.

Dhruv Verma said "the membership allows golfers to play hassle free golf across 30 plus golf courses in India and over 90 golf courses worldwide at unbelievably subsidised rates."

He said "We have seen participation from all the affluent Indians and Emiratis in both the rounds till now. Some of the names include Anurag Bhushan, Counel General of India in Dubai, Parth Sarkar, Global CEO, Hinduja Global Solutions, Ajay Kapoor, Non-Resdident Business Head, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Frank Cimafranca, Consul general Philippines, Ahn Seong-Doo, Consul general Republic of Korea, Manabile shogole, Consul general south Africa, and Hisahi Michigami, Consul general Japan.

It is being played in all the four key cities of UAE which has the infrastructure to host a golf tournament. The thought behind holding the Friendship Cup in the four cities was to spread the message of harmony across all the key cities of the UAE.

The response from the local people and the Indian expats has been fantastic. All our events have been heavily over booked with not event a single slot available on the day of the event to accommodate any special requests, added Dhruv Verma.

The winner of the first Dubai round was Deepak Yadav, Managing Director, Garushi Garment from India; and the winner of the Abu Dhabi round was Shakar Haldar, who is a caddy from Noida Golf Course. He was allowed by the Ambassdor of India, Mr T P Seeetharam, to play in the Abu Dhabi edition. He played so well that he emerged as a winner. A great initiative by the Ambassdor to promote talent among the caddies.

Each Golf Course in UAE is state of the Art and world famous. The event started with the Jumeriah Golf Club which hosts the world famous Race to Dubai. A tournament which see participation from the top golfers from across the world including Rory Mclroy.

Then the event moved to Sadiyat Golf Club in Abu Dhabi which is known for its beauty as it funds alongside the coast line.

The final round of the the first editon of the India-UAE Friendship Cup will be held on March 14 at the world famous Emirates Golf Club which is the official host of the Desert Classic, European Tour etc. This course is also the home course of Tiger woods whenever he visit Dubai.

Howell Eyes ‘Home Win’ at Inaugural Dubai Open

By Deepak Arora

DUBAI, Dec 15: David Howell of England will be relishing the opportunity to challenge for a ‘home win’ when he competes in the inaugural Dubai Open at The Els Club Dubai this week.

The Dubai resident will join the strong line-up at the US $ 500,000 Asian Tour event with the aim to recreate the magic of his victory at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic back in 1999.

“It has been a long time since I won in Dubai but memories of that win are still fresh. The win was special because it was my first victory on the European Tour. It is something I still cherish today,” said the affable Englishman, who beat compatriot Lee Westwood by four shots for his win in Dubai.

Since that victory, Howell has clocked over 500 appearances on the European Tour and taken his tally of professional wins to five, which includes winning the inaugural HSBC Champions in 2006 where he battled head-to-head with former world number one Tiger Woods.

Howell, who was ranked inside top-10 on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) that same year, was sidelined shortly by a string of injuries which hampered his career.

The two-time Ryder Cup winner, however, kept his desire burning through adversity and staged a tremendous comeback victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2013.

With his career back on track, Howell is looking to keep the momentum going. “As in life, ups and downs are part of golf. I love playing golf and that keeps me going.

It will be fun to play alongside top players on the Asian Tour.

“They are as competitive as anyone and one has to play good, solid golf over four days to have any chance of winning the tournament, which is a great addition to Dubai’s golfing portfolio,” said the 39-year-old, who occasionally works as a commentator and analyst for TV channels.

Mohamed Juma Buamaim, vice chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAi, said: “We are thrilled to welcome David to the Dubai Open. He's a strong character, one who is self-assured enough no matter what the situation is.

“If he reached the top 10 of the world rankings, it was because of exemplary work ethics and a dedication to the game. And that has contributed to his reputation as one of the most respected and well liked golfers in the world.

“I am sure the emerging talents from Asian Tour will look up to him for inspiration. I would like to thank David for lending his support to the Dubai Open.”

The Dubai Open is promoted and organised by golf in DUBAi.

The Els Club Dubai is situated within the sprawling Dubai Sports City where the par-72 course combines links style golf with traditional 'classical era' design. Opened for play in 2008, the course stretches 7,538 yards and was named as ‘Best New International Course’ by prestigious US magazine, Links, and “Best New Facility of the Year” by Troon Golf.

Godrej Golf Cup held at Qutab

NEW DELHI, Dec 14: As many as 128 Golfers participated in the Godrej Properties Golf Cup held at Qutab Golf Course here on Sunday.

Anmol Puri with 31 points was declared Overall Gross Winner of the tournament held on a day with overcast sky heralding the arrival of winter in Delhi.

Anmol Puri with 40 points was the winner in 0-12 Handicap category and Kaushik Dutta with 37 points was the first runner up.

In the 13-24 Handicap Category Ajay Kumar Bisht with 45 points was declared as the winner and Cdr Satish Mehta with 44 points was the first Runner Up.

The Godrej Winner was Lokesh Malhotra with 40 points.

Sanjeev Sarin won the prize of Closest to Pin (2 feet) and Cdr Satish Mehta won the Longest Drive (Overall Winner with 280 Yards).

Lipsky crowned 2014 Aaian Tour Order of Merit Champion

CHONBURI (Thailand), Dec 14: David Lipsky of the United States was crowned the 2014 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion as his closest challenger Anirban Lahiri failed to narrow the gap at the Thailand Golf Championship on Sunday.

The Korean-American waited anxiously at the clubhouse after he stumbled to a final round three-over-par 75 to finish in tied 38th position as Lahiri contended at the US$1 million Asian Tour event.

The talented Indian needed at least a top-four result at the Thailand Golf Championship to extend the Order of Merit race to next week’s Dubai Open but fell short of his target when he settled for tied sixth following a 73.

Lipsky was delighted to end a successful year on a high note in a season where he became the first Asian Tour member to win at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland in September. He also enjoyed four other top-10 results including a second place finish at The Championship in Singapore in May.

He sits atop the summit with earnings US$713,901 while Lahiri is currently in second place with earnings of US$602,833. Prom Meesawat of Thailand is placed third with winnings of US$527,921.

“This win means a lot to me and I’m feeling a lot of pride. This is something which I aspired to do. Winning a co-sanction event and doing all this in one year is something which was unexpected because I did it so fast but now I know that if I play well, I can compete against the best.

It has been an up and down year for me and this week is a perfect example. I thought I was playing well but ended up in 38th place. Overall the year has been good and reflecting back on it, I couldn’t have been more proud of what I’ve accomplished,” said Lipsky, who earned US$

Playing in his third year on the Asian Tour, the 26-year-old Lipsky announced his arrival on the region’s premier Tour when he won the 2012 Qualifying School in Thailand. He went on to win his first title at the HANDA FALDO Cambodian Classic in the same year.

“Each and every year my goal is to become a better player. Improvement isn’t a straight line. You have ups and downs but this Order of Merit win is something I will always cherish. I’ll think about my goals after I’ve enjoyed this a little bit longer!” he said.

Lipsky tipped his cap to Lahiri, who pushed him to the limits in the Order of Merit race.

“Hats off to Anirban because he has played phenomenal this year and I know he is tired after playing in so many events It was a good fight with Anirban towards the end,” said Lipsky.

Lahiri was gracious in defeat but vowed to come back a stronger and better player. “I’ll be back and winning the Order of Merit is definitely one of those things I want to do in my career.”

“Lipsky and I both fought and battled it out really hard. It is a huge thing for David to win the Order of Merit after becoming the first Asian Tour member to win at the Omega European Masters. He deserves everything he will get for winning the Order of Merit,” said Lahiri.

Lipsky, Lahiri, Prom to headline the inaugural Dubai Open

DUBAI, Dec 12: The Asian Tour’s top-three players, American David Lipsky, Anirban Lahiri of India and Thailand’s Prom Meesawat, will headline the inaugural Dubai Open next week alongside 30 other Tour champions and four former Order of Merit winners.

The US$500,000 tournament will make its debut at The Els Club Dubai from December 18 to 21, marking the Asian Tour’s first foray to Dubai which many believe is a positive development for the region’s premier Tour.

The season-ending tournament next week will crown the new Asian Tour number one which Lipsky could wrap it all up at the on-going Thailand Golf Championship this week but for the likes of second-ranked Lahiri and third-ranked Prom, winning the Dubai Open would certainly be the icing on the cake for a memorable season.

Former Asian number ones Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, who has also won twice this season to raise his career tally to a record 18 titles, and Indian trio Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and a resurgent Jyoti Randhawa will also be at The Els Club Dubai hunting for the Dubai Open crown.

The tenacious Lahiri has already won twice this season in Indonesia and Macau and with Official World Ranking Points available in Dubai, the 27-year-old Indian is keen to sign off his year on a winning note to give himself a chance of breaking into the world’s top-50, which will come with an invitation to the Masters Tournament in April.

Currently at 71st in the world, Lahiri said: “It's good we have a new tournament in Dubai and I'm definitely looking forward to going there, play some good golf and ending the year on a high.

“Depending on what happens, there's the Order of Merit title to play for and also world ranking points. I want to break into the top-50 by the end of the year and there's definitely going to be lots of motivation going into the last event in Dubai.

It has already been a very eventful year for me on the Asian Tour and a good result in Dubai would simply top it off.”

Thailand’s Prom, who ended an eight-year title drought with a victory in Taipei in September, is looking forward to the newest tournament on the Asian Tour.

“It has been a good season for me and I’m going to try my best in Dubai. I've played in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic before and it's a nice place to visit. I heard the weather is going to be cooler this time of the year and it'll be good to have our last event there.

“It's great for the Asian Tour to return to the Middle East as it has been some time. I've been playing well this season and I look forward to ending the year with a good result in Dubai.”

Other top Asian Tour stars heading to Dubai next week include this season’s winners Mardan Mamat of Singapore, Australian Marcus Both, Englishman Steve Lewton, India’s S.S.P. Chowrasia and Rashid Khan, who is one of the season’s revelations following two victories this year in India and Thailand.

Filipino star Angelo Que, sixth on the Order of Merit, will also be in the elite field alongside Major champion Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland and Englishman David Howell, who is a multiple champion in Europe.

The Dubai Open is promoted and organised by golf in DUBAi.

The Els Club Dubai is situated within the sprawling Dubai Sports City where the par-72 course combines links style golf with traditional 'classical era' design. Opened for play in 2008, the course stretches 7,538 yards and was named as ‘Best New International Course’ by prestigious US magazine, Links, and “Best New Facility of the Year” by Troon Golf.

Lipsky holds Order of Merit edge at Thailand Golf Championship

CHONBURI (Thailand), Dec 11: David Lipsky of the United States fired a one-under-par 71 in the opening round of the Thailand Golf Championship on Thursday to stay firmly in control in the Asian Tour Order of Merit race.

Lipsky’s closest challenger Anirban Lahiri of India matched his score for tied eighth place, two shots behind leaders Thanyakon Khrongpha of Thailand, Marcus Fraser of Australia, Richard T. Lee of Canada and Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei at the Amata Spring Country Club.

Prom Meesawat of Thailand, who still has a mathematical chance of winning the Order of Merit, returned with a 72 for tied 19th place on a wind-swept day at the US$1 million Asian Tour event.

Should the results stay like this at the end of the week, Lipsky, winner of the Omega European Masters in Switzerland, will be crowned the newest Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.

“I didn’t hit it great today but I scrambled well and holed my putts when I needed to. It is very tough out there. The rough is very thick and you need to come into the greens with proper trajectory,” said Lipsky who leads the Merit rankings on US$707,585.

Trailing Lipsky by US$133,518, Lahiri got off to a hot start when he turned in 34 before marking his card with two bogeys. He recovered with a birdie on hole seven to stay in the fight to become Asia’s number one.

“It was really tough out there. I played pretty solid I think, just the middle of my round, a few holes, I let it go a little. I am satisfied, not the best of starts but I am still there. It's not easy to score out there.

“You just got to keep playing. Keep finding the fairways. Keep giving yourself opportunities. I did well with that. Should have made a few more putts, but that's okay. I'm happy,” said Lahiri, a five-time Asian Tour winner.

Battling a back injury, home favourite Prom was delighted to be in the company of Major champion Martin Kaymer of Germany and title holder Sergio Garcia of Spain.

“I’m very happy with my score considering my health and the tough conditions here. It is very tough to play in the wind. If you miss the fairways by a couple of yards, then you still have a chance to approach the green. But if you miss way left or right, then you have to lay up,” said Prom.

“My back is getting better and better. I have to thank the Asian Tour physiotherapist for treating my back. I saw who I was paired with on Tuesday and I really wanted to play! I tried everything to get on the course,” the two-time Asian Tour winner explained.

Ashok Nigam, Geeta Rai win Maitri Golf Tournament

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Dec 5:

Geeta Rai with 39 points was the Best Lady Golfer at the Maitri Golf Tournament held at the Qutab Golf course here on Friday. The tournament was held under Overall Nett Stableford and the winner was Ashok Nigam with 44 points. The runner up was DP Singh with 39 points and second runner up was Wg Cdr Neeraj Rampal with 39 points.

All the winners received Loka Lifestyle Trophy.

There were several prizes based on overall skills. Biswajit Pandey with 298 yards won the Srixon Longest Drive at Hole Number 1. He received a gift Voucher worth Rs 10,000. Gaurav Bagga bagged the GolfLAN Beat the Pro Straightest Drive at Hole No. 5

Pooja Batra with 5.1 ft won the GolfLAN Closest to the Pin at Hole No. 13. He won gift Voucher worth Rs 10,000.

Vishal Bakshi won the Srixon Furthest From the Pin with 93 yards at Hole No 14

There were three prizes for Gspot Longest Drive at Hole No 16. The winner was Nathan Sundaram with 276 yds and Runner Up was Rahul Khanna with 250 yds. Amongst the ladies, the winner was Namrata Dhir with 178 yds. They all received Golf Travel Bags.

Earlier in the morning, DDA Vice Chairman Balvinder Kumar inaugurated the Maitri Golf Tournament.

Balvinder Kumar, who was the Chief Guest, and Kohinoor Managing Director Gurnam Arora played the symbolic first shot to inaugurate the tournament.

Some of the popular players in the golf circuit who participated in the tournament for a cause included Neelam Pratap Rudy, Pradeep Jain of Silver Glades, Rahul Khanna of Cleveland Sports, DP Singh of Sara Group and Rakesh Batra of Towa Opticals.

Gen Bhopinder Singh, President of Maitri, said that Maitri is a New Delhi-based developmental humanitarian NGO that is committed to facilitating every individual’s Human Rights, especially the Rights to Identity, Dignity and Respect.

He said “this year the Tournament is dedicated towards care and support for Abandoned and Destitute Widow Mothers at Maitri's Old Age Home.”

Maitri had started holding Golf Tournament for a cause in 2001. At that time, Gen Singh said there were only 500 golfers. Now we have around 15,000 active golfers and the number is ever increasing due to the entry of the third generation who are actively participating in this game.

Gen Singh, who retired as Director General of Assam Rifles, said there is no dearth of philanthropists in India. They are keen to support social causes. However, they are scared whether the money would go to the right cause.

Kohinoor Foods Limited was the lead sponsor of the event for a cause. The other co-sponsors include Loka Lifestyle, Cleveland Sports, Westing House, Whirlpool, ORRA, Silver Glades and Towa Opticals.

Why should I ask Dhoni to quit, asks Srinivasan

CHENNAI, Dec 1: Refusing to talk about Mahendra Singh Dhoni's role in his company India Cements, BCCI's President-in-exile N Srinivasan on Monday made it clear that the Indian captain would not be asked to resign despite questions about conflict of interest being raised against him.

Srinivasan, who is also the ICC Chairman, declined comments on the IPL spot-fixing scandal, which is being heard in the Supreme Court right now after Justice Mudgal Committee submitted its investigative report on the matter.

"The matter is in the court. I cannot speak on this," Srinivasan told reporters on the sidelines of an ICC function.

The Tamil Nadu strongman was even more curt when it came to answering questions on Dhoni, who is an employee of India Cements besides being the captain of the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings -- owned by the company.

Supreme Court has made scathing comments on the issue of conflict of interest in the case of both Dhoni and Srinivasan.

"Why should I ask him to resign?" Srinivasan shot back when asked whether Dhoni would be asked to step down.

Asked what was Dhoni's role in India Cements, Srinivasan was once again curtly said, "Why should I tell you."

Srinivasan is under immense pressure to give up his position in the BCCI in the wake of the Mudgal Committee's observations on his role in the scandal.

The committee, while giving a clean chit to Srinivasan personally, has observed that the BCCI chief turned a blind eye to the wrongdoings in the league.

Kohli, Shastri, Fletcher to attend Hughes' funeral

ADELAIDE, Dec 1: Stand-in skipper of the Indian team Virat Kohli will attend the funeral of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes on Wednesday. He will be joined by team director Ravi Shastri, coach Duncan Fletcher and team manager Arshad Ayub. Three or four other Indian players are expected to join them and a final decision will be made once the team reaches Brisbane on Monday.

The funeral will be held on Wednesday, December 3, in Hughes' hometown of Macksville.

The left-handed batsman died on Thursday after being hit by a bouncer in a Sheffield Shield game two days prior, sparking an outburst of emotion throughout the country.

India's two-day tour match against Cricket Australia Invitational XI at Adelaide Oval this past weekend was cancelled as a result.

The team continued to stay over in Adelaide till Sunday, holding regular practice sessions in preparation for the Test series.

Sunday would have been the late cricketer's 26th birthday and as such the solemn mood continued to be observed by one and all.

Australian skipper Michael Clarke wrote a special tribute to his former teammate.
Cricket Australia too edited the scorecard from that Sheffield Shield game between New South Wales and South Australia, changing Hughes' status from 'retired hurt' to '63 not out'.

The Australian governing body has been full of praise for the understanding and patience the BCCI and the visiting team have shown in this sad circumstance.

Attending the funeral is another step for the Indian contingent to show solidarity to their hosts at such a tragic time.

They had earlier practised away from the Adelaide Oval on Friday as a mark of respect, holding a closed net session and wearing black arm-bands.

On Saturday, before practice, Kohli had 'put out' one of his bats as well as his India cap outside the Adelaide Oval, paying tribute to the late cricketer.

However, the uncertainty over the first Test continues.