Spain’s Alejandro Canizares was grateful to European Tour officials, travel agents Fairway Travel along with Dubai and Turkish Immigration officers after his girlfriend, Ingrid had been stopped at Antalya Airport on Sunday night and stopped from boarding a special Turkish Airlines charter flight to Dubai.

She is travelling on a Czech passport and though the pair have been living together in Spain for four years, Canizares revealed he had forgotten to apply for a UAE visa.

“I always think that because we have been together for four years she’s got a Spanish passport but she’s got t Czech Republic passport,” he said.

“It was very stressful at the airport on Sunday but we got lucky with the help of the European Tour’s Nick Tarrat, who works for the Tour out here in Dubai, the guys from Fairway Travel and the captain of immigration at Dubai Airport.

“They met the flight at 3am and they let her into the country, so she is fine.”

Canizaras put aside the drama to lead the season-ending DP – World Tour Championship by a shot in carding a six under par 66.

Alejandro Canizares leads the final Race to Dubai event of the season by a shot. (Photo – Denise Cleary/www.golffile.ie)