After 9 events without a husband-wife combination winning an International Pairs UAE Qualifier, the 10th and 11th events have seen just that. A day after Gerard & Agnes Letier-Lacaze won the Yas Links event in Abu Dhabi, Phil & Karen Mallinson of Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras al Khaimah also secured their passage to the UAE National Final in May. Just as the Yas Links winners did, the Mallinsons were last to tee off and in similar circumstances, came home to narrowly pip long-time clubhouse leaders Blair Smith and Hermes Frare.
After a mediocre but steady first 11 holes when they scored only 21 stableford points, the Mallinsons came alive thanks to Phil’s gross birdie, net eagle on the difficult 12th, as they fired two net eagles and a net birdie in their last seven holes to win by a single point from Eric Engelbrecht and David Thomas who also played late and narrowly beat Smith and Frare by countback over the last three holes after a par, birdie, eagle finish. Steve Dunnage and Eric Engelbrecht picked up prizes for nearest-the-pin on holes 7 and 11, although neither managed to convert their birdie putts!
This was the first visit to Ras al Khaimah for the 2010-11 Tech Access International Pairs Series, presented by Cadillac although the members at Tower Links Golf Club will get their chance to secure a coveted place on 16th April but not before the Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club members compete on 14th April. Qualifier winners earn an invitation to the UAE National Final at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on May 27th.
This was the eleventh Qualifying event in the 2010-11 Tech Access International Pairs UAE Presented by Cadillac, which is the only Club Members’ international event in the UAE. Phil and Karen Mallinson join representatives from Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, The Montgomerie Dubai, Al Ghazal Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates, The Els Club, Emirates Golf Club, Sharjah Wanderers Golf Club and Yas Links whose names are already in the National Final draw.
International Pairs UAE is sponsored by Tech Access, Cadillac, Diamond Developers, Emirates Healthcare Ltd. and partnered by Park Hyatt Dubai, Delwood, Nike Golf, Sport 360, Worldwide Golf and UAE Golf Online.