After qualifying events spread out across Europe and even as far as Kenya, the 55 qualifiers across the Boys and Girls’ Under 16 and Under 21 divisions all gathered at Abu Dhabi’s Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club for the Series Grand Final.
Three Irish qualifiers emerged from the Qualifying event at Glasson Lakehouse back in August – Maebh McLoughlin from County Sligo Golf Club who won the Girls Under-21 division and Carrick-on-Shannon’s Patrick Martin and Strandhill’s Patrick Tuffy who won and finished runner-up in the Boys Under-16 division – each earning a spot in the Grand Final in the United Arab Emirates.
McLoughlin carded a three-over 73 in the opening round to end the day two back in a tie for third. Starting on the back nine, she made two birdies and two bogeys on the way out, and picked up another stroke on the third which came between bogeys on one and five. She’ll be disappointed to have signed off with a double-bogey which dropped her out of a share of the lead, but has two more rounds to reel in leader Hannah Cheryl Alan who plays out of Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club.
Tuffy finds himself eight back after an opening round of 78 that leaves him tied for seventh in the 13-player field, with Martin four further adrift at +12. Swede Victor Larsson set the early pace in that division with a level-par 70.
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