Dubai: The Black Tee Challenge will be staged for the 14th time this weekend over the Faldo and Majlis courses. The tournament, a major on the UAE golfing calendar, enters a new era with Jumeirah Group sponsoring the event for the first time.
Defending champion Joel Neale of Emirates Golf Club is the favourite to win the 36-hole stroke-play event. He is looking to make it a hat-trick of victories following his level par tally and play off win last year. He carded rounds of 73 and 72 last May and clinched a play off over fellow member Nick Brewaeys. He also clinched the Emirates Amateur Open earlier this year.
Simon Dunn, a previous winner of the event and professional golfer who finished fourth last year, will pair up with Neale in the 13:15 tee time for the opening round. Completing the final three ball of the day is Hamad Mubarak from Riffa Golf Club in Bahrain. Another star three ball tees off at 11:05, Miki Mirza (Dubai Creek), Khalid Attieh (Arabian Ranches) and R.J Thompson (Emirates Golf club); both Miki and Khalid have won the amateur qualifying for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Source: http://gulfnews.com