Curtis Luck has insisted he will not be overawed playing alongside the likes of Tiger Woods when he competes in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club this week.
“I guess it’s pretty cool to float around the range and see some big names out there doing their thing. But ultimately we’ve earned our spot in this field, so there’s no reason why we should be intimidated,” said the 20-year-old Perth native, currently the number two ranked amateur in the world.
“I’m pretty comfortable in saying that I feel like I can compete at this level, so hopefully that comes through this week,” said Luke, who, in 2016, became just the third Australian to win the US Amateur Championship, a feat which earned him starts in the 2017 Masters, US Open and Open Championship.
India’s Rayhan Thomas, the other amateur in the field, however, felt it’s always a bit intimidating when you play a European Tour event.
We’re very excited that @Tigerwoods has arrived in Dubai for #DDC17! #MadeForGreatness #TigerWoods pic.twitter.com/rEyMmQoN5K
— OMEGA Golf Dubai (@OMEGAGolfDubai) January 31, 2017
“You always put a little pressure on yourself because you expect something more, but as long as I just play my best and stick to my routines, I’ll be fine,” said the 17-year-old Dubai-based prodigy who made it to the starting field after topping the MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit.
“It’s great for me to put myself in this position for the future and hopefully in four or five years, I will be out there with these guys. It’s good to get comfortable soon,” said Thomas, who also featured in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
About Woods, Thomas said: “He is a huge role model for me. I have watched every major of his on YouTube. I look at him as one of the greatest athletes of all time, for sure.
Echoing similar sentiments, Luck said: “It’s hard not to admire him. He has always been one of my favourite players. So hopefully he can get back to old ways and start dominating again, said Luck, who finished a tie for 49th on three-under at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
On their ambitions of joining the paid ranks, Luck said: “With the opportunities that have risen with US Am and the Asian Am victories, it looks I will be turning pro straight after the Masters.”
Thomas, however, has set no such deadline. “I haven’t even thought about it. I have still got to finish school first in about two years and then will take the call, may be in 2019.
“Hopefully, I will get better as the years go by. At the present I am looking forward to the MENA Golf Tour. They are doing a great job. They are expanding and hopefully I will be with them all the way to the end.”
