The Amateurs have kept their hands on the Viya Golf Trophy for a third year running, holding off the Professionals to a 16-16 tie across two days of Ryder Cup-style scrapping at Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.
Under the rules, a tie keeps the trophy with the holders. The Pros needed an outright win. They didn’t get one.
Formerly the Dubai Golf Trophy, the 27th edition of the season-ender once again pitched the UAE’s best amateurs against the Emirates PGA’s leading pros to close out another Emirates Golf Federation campaign.
Day one: Earth Course, and a fast Amateur start
Round one on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates began in serious heat – and the Amateurs handled it better. The morning foursomes finished 5-3 in their favour, built on a run of tight matches that fell their way.
Alexander Rushika and Sam Mullane edged Jackson Bell and Jan Hejna 1 up. Thomas Stephenson and Dominic Morton did the same to Paul Shields and Tom Ogilvie. The biggest win of the session came from Adrian Larsson and Victor Larsson, who took down Matt Brookes and Tom Hanson 4&3.
The afternoon fourballs followed the same pattern. Louis Thorne and Mikhail Pinto cruised to a 5&3 win; Jay Mullane and Lauri Paasilinna added a 4&3. The Pros clawed back a couple of points late on, but the Amateurs went into the night ahead 8.5-7.5.
Day two: wind, Creek and singles drama
Monday’s singles at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club came with a stiff breeze and tighter margins. The Pros came out swinging.
Professional Captain Sujjan Singh took Mikhail Pinto apart 5&4. Paul Shields beat Alexander Rushika 3&2. The Amateurs needed answers, and they came.
Adrian Larsson saw off Matt Rice 4&3. Sam Mullane beat David Gray 3&1. Jay Mullane squeezed past Jackson Bell 1 up.
The Pros kept coming – wins for Tom Ogilvie, Damien Scott and Faycal Serghini, plus a halved point for Stephen Wilson and Luke Challis. But it wasn’t enough. The board was locked at 16-16 and the trophy stayed put.
Ladies Challenge: Pros take the side bill
Alongside the main event, the Ladies Challenge Match went the other way. Lea Pouillard and Priyanka Parmar opened with a 4&3 foursomes win over Alayna Rafique and Sana Tufail at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The Amateurs hit back at the Creek – the fourball finished all square, and Tufail thumped Parmar 5&3 in the singles. But Pouillard’s 2&1 win over Rafique sealed it for the Professionals, 2.5-1.5.
