While the top 50 players in the Asian Pacific region are set for a final round showdown for the prestigious Asian-Pacific Amateur Championship title - and with it a coveted invite to the 2022 Masters and The Open Championship at St Andrews – players representing the Middle East, who set out for glory on Thursday, have a lot to reflect on after missing the cut at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.
A total of 43 players missed out on the weekend with the cut mark coming in at +2, with only UAE No.1 Ahmad Skaik and Jordan’s Shergo Kurdi left to represent the Middle East.
After shooting a nine over 80 on day one and improving to a 78 on day two, Iraqi player Amer Abdulhassan Radee felt the experience of tournament golf against the best would help to improve his mental game.
“It was a great experience,” he said. “On day one I was not hitting ball on fairway, and on day two even though I was hitting the fairway, I was not sinking putts.
“I guess I need to work on my mental game because I can make these shots and score better in practice. We do need more tournaments; it is so important to get in that tournament mindset. It was such a great experience and if one or two players from the region, such as Ahmad Skaik, can compete then hopefully that will bring belief to the other players in the region.”
Sami Adonis Nasr, a paralegal in Dubai by day, was representing Lebanon in his first major tournament. After carding six bogeys and a double on a tough opening day, things looked grim when he picked up a quadruple bogey on four and two bogeys on the opening nine of his second round.
But two birdies coming home, including a 45-foot putt on 18, gave Nasr something of a grand finale.
“Apart from the fourth, which I just played very badly, I had a good round there with some bogeys, pars and even a couple of birdies at the end.,” said the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club member.
“This was my first time in a major tournament let alone the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, and I had some real nerves on day one and today. I’m a member here but the greens played so fast, it made the course very different. It was an amazing experience and I hope to compete again next year.”
Aside from gaining invaluable tournament experience, Nasr also had the chance to learn from the cream of the crop on the amateur scene.
“It is pleasure to watch them on the range,” he explained. “I had the pleasure to watch Bo Jin in the bay in front of me and he flushed every single shot, from chip shots to driver, and he didn’t miss a thing. It is no surprise that he carded a -7 to anyone that saw him on the range. These guys are super talented players and they are going to be golfing superstars.”
