A breathless and memorable final day at the Ras Al Khaimah 2017 Golf Challenge has perfectly set the scene for the season finale, this week’s NBO Golf Classic Grand Final.
But who were the big winners and losers at Al Hamra GC? And who arrives at Muscat’s Al Mouj Golf in form suggesting this could be their week?
Up: Adrian Meronk
The biggest climber in the Rankings and a man whose confidence should be high following an impressively mature and composed display in Ras Al Khaimah is Adrian Meronk.
The young Pole was 79th going into last week and knew that only a top two finish would be enough to book him a Grand Final spot.
With nerves in the air, the 24 year old remained calmest of all, not dropping a single shot and signing for a 67 and the clubhouse lead on 15 under par.
Jens Dantorp matched his mark and ultimately won the play-off with one of the shots of this, or any, season to make eagle and beat Meronk’s birdie, but a career-best runner-up position means Meronk is a man to watch in Muscat this week.
Up: Jens Dantorp
Following heartbreak at last year’s Grand Final, where a closing bogey cost him a top 15 spot and a European Tour card, Dantorp was another who looked set to miss this year’s final shootout until a miraculous final day of his own.
A first victory in four years has taken the Swede inside the top 15, having been 48th a week ago, and such a timely good result now gives him a great chance to return to the European Tour, having spent the 2014 season in the Race to Dubai.
Up: Clément Sordet
Sordet may well wonder what might have been – in similar fashion to Dantorp in the play-off, he gave himself a good look at an eagle putt on the 18th green in Ras Al Khaimah that would have tied the lead and earned him a chance of the title over extra holes.
The birdie earned him third place on his own and was enough to take the Frenchman – winner of this season’s Viking Challenge – back into the top 15 at the perfect stage of the season.
Having won on the Challenge Tour for each of the last three seasons, Sordet will surely feel this is now his time to graduate, and his form could not have picked up at a better moment.
Up: Gavin Moynihan
A second strong showing in three weeks has given Moynihan a significant boost in the Rankings as he makes a late charge to earn a European Tour card.
Four rounds in the 60s in Ras Al Khaimah – a feat matched only by Sordet – took the Irishman into a share of fourth place and, following three top tens, including a runner-up finish, earlier in the year, Moynihan is now 18th in the Rankings and just 6,000 points outside the top 15 with one event to play.
Down: Richard McEvoy
Since winning in Scotland in July, McEvoy has been a permanent fixture inside the top 15 of the Rankings but, after missing the cut in Ras Al Khaimah, he has dropped down to 19th place at the worst possible time.
The pressure is now on the Englishman to perform in the Omani sunshine if he is to regain his European Tour playing rights.
Down: Bradley Neil
It would be incredibly harsh to label Neil’s 2017 season a disappointment after the young Scot finally broke through and began to fulfil the undoubted potential he displayed as one of the world’s best amateurs.
Back-to-back runner-up finishes in Italy and Prague in the middle of summer looked to have set the 21 year old up for graduation but he arrives in Muscat just on the wrong side of the ledger, in 16th place.
It could hardly be tighter, however – just 2,000 points separate him from Sebastian Heisele in 15th spot, and another timely good performance could well see Neil return to the top 15 on Saturday.
Down: Jack Doherty
One man unfortunately not teeing it up in Muscat this week is Doherty. There always has to be one player who just misses out and this year is was sadly the Scot’s turn, a missed cut last week condemning him to 46th place in the Rankings.
The 35 year old started the week in the UAE in 42nd spot but was narrowly overtaken by Joel Girrbach and Thomas Linard, btoh of whom were already inside the top 45, as well as Dantorp and Meronk, who were not, as Doherty missed out on the Grand Final by just 1,800 points.
