Jumeirah Golf Estates was the venue for the concluding Tommy Fleetwood Academy Junior Medal Series event for the 2023-24 season, organized by David Gardner in partnership with St James’s Place. The competition was held on the first nine holes of the Fire course, attracting 56 young golfers from various parts of the UAE. Divided into seven categories, the tournament accommodated different skill levels and tee placements, including net winners from Signature Tees, Forward Tees, TFA Junior Tees, and the newly added St James’s Place (SJP) Tees, which ranged from 100 to 150 yards from each green. Besides the main competition, there were categories for the top girl, gross winners from Forward and Signature Tees, and the best net scores from SJP and TFA Tees. The event also included fun activities like the Pro’s Challenge on the 2nd hole, executed by TFA Professional Joe O’Connor, and the Nearest the Pin contest on Hole 14. In the SJP category, Sophiya Bhatnager emerged victorious by three strokes with a gross score of +1, followed by Toby Gardner in second place with +4. Frankie Fleetwood and Hana Hubner placed third and fourth, respectively, both with +4 scores. Celina Bhatnager won the best girl title in this category with a score of +6. In the TFA category, Ansh Dutta took the top spot with a score of +5, leading by three strokes over Andrew Puthoor in second place with +8. William Hubner and Riccardo Rocha secured third and fourth places with scores of +9 and +10, respectively. Victoria Rushika was named the best girl in this category. In the Forward Tee division, Tarik Calik won with a Net -5 (Gross -1), two strokes ahead of Ved Somaiya with -3. Arjun Koduru and Eugenio Galeppini shared third place with scores of -1. Ishika Kaul won the best girl title in this division with a score of +7. In the Signature Tees category, Kabir Mishra led with a net score of -1, followed by Ethan Alan with even par. Samarbir Kochar and Alexander Sales placed third and fourth with scores of +3 and +4, respectively. In the gross overall winner’s category, Andrew Sverdlov scored -1 gross off the Forward Tees, while Alexander Rushika won the gross division of the Signature Tees with a score of +1. The season concluded with the crowning of the Order of Merit winners, where Eugenio Galeppini topped the Net Order of Merit with 105 points and two wins in six starts, and Alexander Rushika led the gross Order of Merit with 155 points, including three wins in eight events.
Text: Lara Palmer
11.06.2024
Season-Ending Event Features Seven Categories and Exciting Activities for UAE Juniors