Xavier, Refai to play in DP World Tour C’ship Pro-Am

Glory Xavier and Yasser Refai will rub shoulders with the top 50 players on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai at this year’s DP World Tour Championship Rolex Pro-Am after being crowned the leading man and woman at the Luckiest Ball on Earth Grand Final.

Some of the UAE’s best amateur golfers were present at the Grand Final, which was held on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Monday, after securing their spots through local qualifying events at 21 clubs across the country.

Xavier’s 35 stableford points saw her take top prize on a countback in the Ladies Division, meaning it will be a family affair at next month’s Rolex Pro-Am after her daughter, Hanna Cheryl Alan, topped the ‘Junior Luckiest Ball on Earth Presented by Zurich’ Grand Final last month.

Erika Urbina also finished on 35 points but had to settle for second place while Susan Davidson completed the top three on 45 points. Refai will join Xavier and Alan in the Luckiest Ball on Earth Pro-Am team after scoring an impressive 38 stableford points with Brian Stewart finishing two behind on 36 points following a countback while Michael Bacon had to settle for third on the same score.

“I want to thank everyone who makes the Luckiest Ball on Earth competition so great,” said Refai. “It’s been a great initiative and I think I’m going to have to take a vacation from work to get some practice in! I can’t wait to get going in the Pro-Am.”

Xavier added: “I’m so excited, I never expected to win this. My daughter played really well to secure her spot in the Luckiest Ball on Earth Pro-Am team and I’m going to be joining her which will be nice. I always go to the DP World Tour Championship and see it from the outside but now I’m going to get a real feel for it with some of the best players in the world. It’s such a brilliant series and I want to thank DP World, Jumeirah Golf Estates and the European Tour for giving this amazing opportunity to amateur golfers in the UAE.”

The Rolex Pro-Am on Tuesday, Nov.19 is the curtain raiser to the $8 million DP World Tour Championship, a Rolex Series event, to be held on the iconic Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Thursday,Nov.21 to Sunday,Nov.24.

The hotly anticipated Rolex Pro-Am will be contested by 46 teams captained by European Tour professionals including the likes of defending champion Danny Willett, Race to Dubai winner Francesco Molinari and Champion Golfer of the Year Shane Lowry.

“It’s been really good to have such strong support from the local golfing community in this year’s Luckiest Ball on Earth series,” said Tom Phillips, European Tour Head of Middle East.

“This initiative is all about getting those local golfers involved in the DP World Tour Championship and giving them that amazing opportunity of playing in the Rolex Pro-Am. It’s certainly one of the hottest tickets in town to play with one of the top 50 players on the Race to Dubai and we send our congratulations to the Luckiest Ball on Earth Pro-Am team.”