Darren Clarke a boost for Ras Al Khaimah Classic
The Ras Al Khaimah Classic takes on special significance with Darren Clarke committing to play in the MENA Golf Tour event as part of an ambitious drive to fuel the growth of the game across the region. The 2016 European Ryder Cup captain will be joined by Welsh ace Stephen Dodd, a three-time European Tour winner, among others, giving the event at Tower Links Golf Club from November 2 to 4 the energy of a ‘Major’ on the tour. A perennial crowd favorite, Clarke, who was unveiled as the Patron of the MENA Golf Tour last year, sees his maiden participation as a great opportunity to meet and play alongside some of the finest talent from the region. “It feels great to be part of a tour which is headed in the right direction as it creates the right kind of competitive environment for the region’s talent, especially the amateurs, to advance to the next level,” said the Ulsterman who has won 22 tournaments worldwide in addition to featuring in seven Ryder Cups, five as a player and two as a vice-captain. “I have an opportunity where I can maybe offer a bit of advice to youngsters, only because there isn’t much I haven’t seen at this stage of my career, and it's nice to give back,” said Clarke, who won a place in hearts around the world with his victory in the 2011 Open Championship at the age of 42. “I just want to play some good golf and continue to work hard on my game and just keep going," said Clarke, who was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II five months after his Open Championship victory. “With a population of close to 400 million, golf certainly has the potential to grow even bigger in the region,” said the 47-year-old Northern Irishman, who will lead Europe's bid for a fourth successive Ryder Cup victory at Hazeltine next year. Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, said: "It is extremely exciting to see the strongest field that we've ever assembled for a MENA Golf Tour event and we're all looking forward to it. “Darren has been a wonderful ambassador for the region’s golf and a tireless worker for charity, whose Darren Clarke Foundation not only helps further the development of junior golf in Ireland, but also raises money for Breast Cancer Awareness “Darren’s wealth of experience and global profile will certainly ratchet up the level of excitement a notch and motivate youngsters to try and find that extra spring in their game to catch his attention,” he said. 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. [ Full Article ]
