Reigning MENA Golf Tour amateur champion James Allan has now joined the same management stable of Jason Day and Rickie Fowler with a decision to turn professional and will make his debut at the season-opening Royal Golf Mohammedia Open by HLO scheduled for March 23-25 in Morocco.
The 21-year-old English prodigy from Chelmsford flashed a glimpse of his precocious talent at the 2016 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, finishing in a tie for 45th on five-under — a creditable achievement which took his confidence to a whole new level, mentally preparing him for arguably one of the biggest decisions.
“I was waiting for the right time, a time when you feel you are ready to take the next step in your career. Playing among the game’s elite at the Classic gave me the confidence that I can compete at the highest level and that’s where I want to be.
“You can’t put a price on what you learn from these world-class events; it’s an opportunity money can’t buy. I feel like my game is good enough to be out there.
“It’s just a matter of taking advantage of opportunities,” he added.
Talented England golfer James Allan turns professional. (Photo – thanks to www.menatour.com)
“I’ve enjoyed every bit of my amateur career, and winning the MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit title for two years in a row was certainly the highpoint of my career and motivated me to work harder on my game,” said Allan who joins a long list of players who have taken the MENA Golf Tour route to launch their careers in the Included in the list are the likes of 2015 MENA Golf Tour champion Thriston Lawrence, Tyler Hogarty of South Africa, Ahmed Marjan of Morocco, Ahmed Al Musharrekh of the UAE and the English duo of Max Williams and James Yeomans to name a few rising stars.
“The (MENA) tour has massively helped my amateur golf. I had a few good results in there last year. I lost in a play-off and challenged for a few events which was great,” said Allan, who won his place at the 2016 Omega Dubai Desert Classic by clinching the Order of Merit amateur crown.
“The privileges that come with the tour are just fantastic. Multiple European Tour starts and full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour in addition to exemptions into the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Q-School are good enough incentives for anyone to join the MENA Golf Tour,” said Allan, who has been signed by Wasserman, a leading management company that boasts an exciting stable of players such as Day, Fowler and Andy Sullivan.
“We’re extremely excited to have James on board with us at Wasserman. He is an exceptional talent with a wise head on young shoulders and we’re very happy that he chose us to manage all of his off-course business as he transitions into the pro ranks,” commented Brendan Taylor, Head of Golf MENA Tour.
Also wishing him the very best in his professional and personal life, Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, said: “It’s nice to see young players come up through the ranks and become professional golfers. Golf is a game of confidence and competence and it shows on their results.
“I am really impressed with James’ passion for competitive golf which augurs well for the tour as a whole. His decision to turn professional shows the players are relishing the opportunity of playing on the MENA Golf Tour.
“Ours is a tour where dreams are born and take wings, step by step.”
An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation.
The expanded schedule of the 2016 season, which will have 20 events, will see the MENA Golf Tour travel to new destinations in Kuwait, Egypt, Spain, Thailand and South Africa in a sign of its growing strength on the global stage.
