Mena Tour win, to end season in Ajman, will give Joy Order of Merit crown

Luke Joy is aiming for victory at the season-concluding Mena Tour Championship this week to leapfrog Jamie Elson and seal the Order of Merit crown.

The 2017 calendar comes to a close at Al Zorah Golf Club in Ajman, with Joy sitting second in the year-long race. The Englishman, 29, enters the event on the back of some sparkling form having finished runner-up in his past two tournaments.

With four second places and a third from nine starts this season, Joy has kept close to compatriot Elson, who leads by 4,427 points.

A fourth top-three finish of the campaign would be enough for Elson to clinch the Order of Merit, while Joy knows victory in Ajman, with the tournament teeing off today, would guarantee him the overall title.

A two-time winner on the Mena Tour, he missed out on a third triumph twice in quick succession this month, losing in Jordan in a play-off to Elson and then coming home two shots adrift of Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre in Kuwait last time out.

“Even though I didn’t get the win in Kuwait, it was great to be in contention again for the second consecutive week and put some more money on the [Order of Merit] board,” Joy said.

“Very happy with how the game is holding up and very much looking forward to getting stuck in this week.”

Swede Fredrik From and Englishman Andrew Marshall also have a mathematical chance of taking the Order of Merit also. The event, which carries an inflated US$100,000 (Dh367,400) prize find, features the tour’s top 50 professionals and the 10 leading amateurs.