Cabrera Bello backs 2nd edition of JA Summer Classic
DUBAI: Jebel Ali The Resort will host the August Summer Classic next week. A field of 45 golfers will compete over 27 holes in this, second of its kind, two-day event over three loops 9 holes over two days of the 5,863 yards Resort Course, Peter Harradine designed layout at the JA Resort The Resort Golf Course on Aug.19-20.
A 3 pm shotgun start will see 18 holes being played on Wednesday, Aug.19 in a stableford, full handicap allowance format that is open to all Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) members from throughout the UAE.
After an overnight stay at the JA Palm Tree Court, the second ‘half’ of the tournament is played on Thursday, Aug.20 with 9 holes with a 7.30 am shotgun start. Play will be in 3 balls and is played under the local sanctioning of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and will strictly follow the COVID 19, EGF and Ministry of Youth and Sports Federal Sports Policies.
The event will be an EGF qualifier for handicap.
Stuart Mcmurdo, Director of Golf at JA The Resort Golf Course, said at the official event announcement: “This is our second JA Summer Classic following our successful July pilot project. We have been overwhelmed by the interest in our JA Summer Classics 2020.
“The initiative was designed to highlight the championship standard golf facilities and 9-hole course at JA The Resort, while also familiarizing golfers with the other attractions here at Dubai’s largest experience resort. We thank both Mediclinic as a partner sponsor of JA The Resort and Prosports International for their continued support.
JA Resorts is a partner of both the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic. The former European Tour sanctioned international event made JA The Resort and JA The Resort Course famous with the legendary ‘9-Hole JA The Resort Challenge Match.
The current generation of transient expats in Dubai and the UAE, may not recall or appreciate that the ‘JA Resort Challenge Match,’ a curtain raiser of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, held nine consecutive years from 1998 and again in 2016, and historically featured some of the world’s great players playing The Resort Course including including Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Henrik Stenson, Mark O’meara, Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Retief Goosen, Jose Maria Olazabal, Rafa Cabrera Bello plus so many others.
The Match was filmed and distributed around the world in a number of 26 minute highlight TV packages aligned to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic but also filmed and packaged on its own merits as a dedicated golf and destination TV programme for JA Resorts & Hotels.
Cabrera Bello, JA Resorts and Hotels Global Golf Ambassador and 62nd in the current Official World Golf Ranking, said about the JA August Summer Classic: “I am playing in this week’s Wyndham Championship in South Carolina, on the PGA Tour and I am aware, through my friends at JA Resort, of next week’s 27-hole, two-day, JA August Summer Classic. I wish all players the best of luck for this event.
“I am hearing that The Resort Course is in its usual excellent condition and I will be watching out for the scores and the winners.
“It is great to see local golf so strong this summer with local tournaments as well as local play at record levels at all the golf clubs in Dubai,’ concluded Rafa.
Prizes, courtesy of support sponsors ProSports International will be distributed on Thursday morning for the following divisions; overall, men and ladies, as well as the typical ‘novelty’ prizes of various nearest the pins and longest drives.