L aw leaps into share of lead at RAK Championship

Al Dhafra, who will look to compensate for their last defeat, will play against title holders Al Ain, who will be in a search of their third win in a row

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Al Ain striker Laba Kodjo picked up the Best Player award ater overcoming his teammate Andrii Yarmolenko, Al Wasl’s striker Fábio Lima, Al Wahda’s forward Joao Pedro, and Shabab Al Ahli’s defender Walid Abbas.

The Togolese forward produced a brilliant performance with his club in January ater grabbing two braces during Al Ain’s two wins over Al Bataeh and Ajman to top the chart of the 2022-23 ADNOC Pro League’s top scorers with 16 goals.

Al Nasr’s Ahmed Mohammad Shambih won the Best Goalkeeper award ater edging Shabab Al Ahli’s Majed Naser and Al Wahda’s Mohamed Alshamsi.

Shambih managed to secure four points for his club in January ater drawing with Sharjah and maintaining a clean sheet during Al Nasr’s 1-0 win over Al Dhafra.

Shabab Al Ahli’s José Leonardo Jardim clinched the Best Coach award ater finishing above Al Wahda’s Manuel Jimenez, and Al Wasl’s Juan Antonio.

Meanwhile, the UAE Pro League and Al Nasr Club held a coordination meeting on Feb.1, to discuss the organisational arrangements for the UAE Super Cup. The meeting comes as part of the UAE Pro League’s intense efforts along with its success partners in order to make the Super Cup a great event in accordance with the highest and best international standards. The UAE Super Cup match, between ADNOC Pro League’s title holders Al Ain and the champions of the UAE President’s Cup Sharjah, will take place on Feb.25 at Al Maktoum Stadium in Al Nasr club.

RAS AL KHAIMAH:DAVID Law fired an eagle and three birdies over the final five holes on Friday to sharetheleadalongsideadrianmeronkandrasmus Hojgaard at the halfway stage of the 2023 Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

The Scot made three birdies on the front nine before catching fire towards the end of his round, as an eagle on the 14th and a hat-trick of birdies from the 15th rounded off a bogey-free 64 and took him into the weekend on 11 under par.

“I’m excited, it’s like a different golf course than we played the last twice we have been here,” said Law.

“The fairways are so tight and firm, everyone is missing fairways. It plays into the hands of the bigger hiters a bit I would say, but at the same time there is still a bit of skill and control of the ball.”

Poland’s Meronk had made seven birdies and no bogeys in the morning to set the early target before being joined at the summit at Al Hamra Golf Club.

“Last year I started well and had a great year, you always want to get the season off to a nice start,” said Meronk.

“I’m just focusing on my game, trying to go as low as possible every week. It’s a good position ater the first couple of weeks.”

Hojgaard, meanwhile, briefly got to 12 under ater making six birdies in his first 14 holes before a bogey on the 16th meant he had to setle for a share of the lead.

The 21-year-old is aiming to emulate his twin Nicolai, who won this event last year, and in doing so make the Hojgaards the first brothers to win the same tournament on the DP World Tour.

“I didn’t drive the ball well, I put myself in the rough and the sand a lot,” said the Dane.

“Managed to put well today and saved some good pars. I haven’t worked on anything particular with my puting technique, but it’s one of the areas that I want to improve and it’s nice to see that some of the stuff I’ve done is paying off. Once you see a couple go in you get a good feeling.

“It would be prety cool (to become the first brothers to win the same event) but there’s still a lot of golf to be played. It would be cool to make some history.”

First-round leader Ryo Hisatsune produced a second-round 70 to sit in a four-way tie for fourth, one shot behind the trio at the top. Also on ten under were Wil Besseling and Englishmen Daniel Gavins and Dale Whitnell.

The DP World Tour is the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group, with a global schedule featuring a minimum of 39 tournaments in 26 different countries across the 2023 season.

Formerly known as the European Tour, which was established in 1972, the 2023 DP World Tour schedule includes five Rolex Series events, along with four Major Championships, one World Golf Championship event, as well as tournaments staged around the world with a minimum prize of $2million for all events solely sanctioned by the DP World Tour.