Ross McGowan rediscovered his best form when it mattered most to win the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Open, the opening event on the 2015 MENA Golf Tour schedule, here on Monday, ending a title drought that lasted 612 days.
A good six shots behind overnight, the Englishman carded a brilliant five-under 68 to reach three-under for the tournament which was good enough to seal the victory, his second on the tour following the 2012 Abu Dhabi GOLF CITIZEN.
With this victory, the very affable McGowan also matched the feat of compatriot Ross Canavan, who had produced the biggest final comeback by a winner when he claimed the 2011 Ras Al Khaimah Open, wiping off a six-shot deficit.
McGowan’s compatriots Stuart Archibald and Jack Hiluta shared the second on one under with Morocco’s Faycal Serghini, a three-time runner-up on the tour, settling for a tied third on level par along with Austria’s Manuel Trappel, who started the final round a good three in front.
England’s Ross McGowan receiving the winner’s trophy from Hicham Berdai,
Director of Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, as Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, looks on. (Photo with thanks MENA Tour)
“I played really well and got a bit lucky in the end to win the tournament,” said McGowan after receiving the trophy and a winner’s cheque for $9,000 from Hicham Berdai, director of Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, in the presence of Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.
“Six behind overnight, I needed a decent start to get the round going. As luck would have it I birdied three of the first five holes and kept the momentum rolling all the way through,” said the Englishman, whose final round contained six birdies, one eagle and three bogeys.
“Making an eagle on the 10th when I hit a hybrid from 235 yard to within eight feet proved be the turning point as, at five-under, it was just a case of holding on the advantage. I putted solid and that, in the end, made the difference,” said McGowan, the winner of the 2009 Madrid Masters on the European Tour.
Overnight leader Trappel, who closed with four-over 77, said it was a tough day out there. “This course doesn’t allow mistakes and I made many. There was nothing special about my game and whatever I did right was derailed once I got “I just struggled on the greens despite creating many birdie opportunities. Playing in the final group for the first time was a great learning curve. I need to keep doing things what I have been doing. Hopefully, I will get better with experience,” said the 25-year-old from the western Austrian town of Bregenz.
Morocco’s Serghini had his chance to force his maiden on the tour, but missed out on converting birdies chances.
“I had at least nine or 10 solid birdie opportunities, but putts just refused to go in.
Maybe the greens were on the slower side as the final round wore on,” said the experienced Moroccan, who however, had the consolation of winning the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation award for being the best professional from the region.
England’s Alex Wills signed with a level-par to win the amateur divison on three over ahead of compatriot James Allan, who returned a 79 after leading the division in the first two rounds.
Promising Saudi Arabia star Khaled Attieh showed signs of his precocious talent in patches when he won the amateur division for the MENA region on six over after closing with a 76.
The MENA Golf Tour travels to Mohammedia next week for the Royal D’Anfa Open, which has a record field of 106 players, including 26 amateurs.
