Clarke bounces back in contention with 66

RAS AL KHAIMAH: Darren Clarke hauled himself back into contention with a sizzling six-under 66 to lie just two shots off the pace going into the final round of the MENA Golf Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic on Tuesday.
The 2016 European Ryder Cup captain mixed eight birdies with two bogeys to reach seven under for the tournament as South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence backed up his opening 69 with a 66 to claim a one-shot lead at nine under over Morocco’s Faycal Serghini.
Clarke, who is the patron of the MENA Golf Tour, picked up shots in his first two holes to set the tone for the day. He rounded off in a similar fashion with back-to-back birdies, putting himself in prime position for the final day charge.
Joining the 47-year-old Ulsterman in a four-way tie for third at seven-under were the English duo of James Allan (amateur) and Craig Hinton and South Africa’s Tyler Hogarty.
Young English prodigy Allan, who flirted with victory before finishing second in a playoff at the recent Ascorp Golf Citizen Open, sounded confident of going the full distance this time around.
“I look forward to competing against a such a top-quality field. You never know what tomorrow holds, but I am playing well. The confidence is there and let’s see what happens,” said the 21-year-old from Chelmsford.
A victory against a such a deeply-talented field headlined by European Tour winners — Stephen Dodd, Malcolm Mackenzie and Miles Tunnicliff in addition to Clarke — could well mark a defining moment in the career of Allan, who is waiting for the “right moment” to turn professional.
Allan’s closest rival in the amateur division, Rayhan Thomas of India also made a perceptible charge up the leaderboard, carding a second round 67 to move to two-under for the tournament.
Morocco’s Serghini, who currently leads the MENA Division, returned a 70 to go eight-under, putting himself in the frame of his maiden win on the tour.

Darren Clarke unveils MENA Golf Tour Qualifying School
The MENA Golf Tour is on the verge of a new dawn with the launch of the inaugural Qualifying School, offering a simplified roadmap for earning playing status on the tour in 2016.
Open to all professionals and amateurs — with a handicap of one or better — the 54-hole Q-School will be held at Almenara Golf Club in the Spanish resort Sotogrande in the Cadiz province, in two stages in February next year.
The first stage, on Feb. 14-16, will see players compete over 36 holes of stroke play when the half-way cut will be made, winnowing down the field for a final stage 18-hole competition to be held the following day.
The introduction of the Q-School, conforming to the guidelines set forth by the game’s apex body, will pave the way for the MENA Golf Tour to become eligible for Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.
Entries, including that of amateurs, will no longer be based on date and time, but rather by one’s ranking based on performance in the Q-School. The official entry form will be made available on the tour’s website.
The launch of the Q-School is part of an ambitious plan to expand the schedule of the MENA Golf Tour to close to 20 events, covering new destinations like Kuwait, Egypt, Spain, South Africa and Thailand in 2016.
Calling it an exciting development, Darren Clarke, Patron, MENA Golf Tour and
2016 Europen Ryder Cup Captain, said: “I look forward to welcoming all players and hope to see some new blood hit the front.

“There has been a lot of fresh talent coming up through the ranks over the last few years, but the opportunities are very limited for young professional golfers to develop and showcase their skills on a global basis.

“This is one tour which provides the springboard to gain the right competitive atmosphere to gain professional experience, especially, amateur golfers. They are the ones who hold the key to the development of the game in the region.”

Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, commented: “We believe the Q-School will enhance the level of competition in addition to bringing more transparency in determining the fields for our events.

“I am confident that the MENA Golf Tour will soon be eligible for officials golf ranking status which will provide a fresh energy boost to the growth of golf in the region,” he added.