Morocco’s Ahmed Marjane becomes first Arab winner at Mena Tour event

RAS AL KHAIMAH // Morocco’s Ahmed Marjane became the first Arab golfer to win a Mena Golf Tour event at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic on Wednesday.

One shot off the pace going into the final round, Marjane posted a three-under-par 69 at Tower Links Golf Club for an eight-under-par total of 208 that stood up as the overnight joint leaders all faded out of contention.

Marjane won the tour’s Order of Merit title as an amateur in the inaugural edition of the tour in 2011. Promotion to the professional ranks followed this year.

Wales’ Cennydd Mills had a chance to force a play-off, but missed his 10-yard birdie on the closing hole, finishing on seven-under for a share of second with England’s Stuart Archibald, Xavier Puig of Spain and Scotland’s Daniel Kay.

Kay was winner of the amateur division, two shots ahead of Morocco’s Yassine Touhami with Switzerland’s Michael Harradine taking third on two-under 214.

“I always play well under pressure. Four birdies and just one bogey on my card shows I was in control of the proceedings out there,” said Marjane, 22, who was invited to Dubai for a five-week training stint as part of the Sheikh Maktoum Golf Foundation scholarship in 2012.

“The idea was make as many birdies as possible. If I had holed all my putts from three yards, I would have easily finished 12-under.

“Being the first from the Mena region to win a tournament – it made the win just memorable.”

Meanwhile, overnight joint leader Peter Stojanovski closed with a level-par 72 to settle for third on six under along with Mexico’s Juan Salcedo and England’s Joshua White, who shot a final round 67.

UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh slipped to 23rd place from joint first overnight after carding a final-round 77.

“It just wasn’t my day. Nothing worked,” Al Musharrekh said.

“But I am taking a lot of positives from the tournament. It felt good when I walked off the course after the second round to see my name atop the leader board.

“This has motivated me to work harder on my game, which I will do.”

Follow our sports coverage on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE