Al Mouj Golf is no stranger to hosting professional golf tournaments. In addition to being recognised as a world class golf course, earning rave reviews from the best players on the European Tour, it previously played host to the rising stars of the Challenge Tour between 2013 and 2017 and this year hosts the European Tour’s Oman Open for the third time as a European Tour event.
Designed by Greg Norman and opened in 2012, Al Mouj Golf has established itself as one of the top courses in the region as it combines a breathtaking coastal layout with the stunning backdrop of the Hajar mountain range. The course is the first of its kind in Oman and measures 7,365 yards, making it a true championship test.
Al Mouj Golf was officially recognised for its sustainability push as it was awarded the 2019 IAGTO Sustainability Award for Community Value as one of the leading eco-friendly courses in the region. One of the most significant initiatives for which the club was praised is the re-naturalisation of the land surrounding the fairways. The ‘out of play’ areas around Al Mouj have been designed to blend with the natural desert in an effort to conserve the biodiversity and natural habitats of Muscat wildlife. As a result, indigenous birds have benefited greatly, with an abundance of species being found in and around the golf course.
Young hotshot handed first ever European Tour start in Oman Open
Reigning Amateur Champion James Sugrue will get his first ever taste of action on the European Tour in Oman, having been afforded an invitation by the tournament’s organising committee. The promising Irishman won on home soil at Portmarnock Golf Club last summer and plans to turn professional later this year after competing in The Masters and the US Open. Past winners of the Amateur Championship include Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazábal and Matteo Manassero.
2019 Recap
Kurt Kitayama sealed an impressive victory after overcoming an horrific start to his third round to win by one stroke. The American was one back with 36 holes to play but opened with a quadruple bogey 8 and then followed with back to-back bogeys to fall seven shots behind. However, he got back into contention by picking up seven shots in nine holes and then carded a final round 2-under par 70 for a 7-under-par total and a one-shot win over Jorge Campillo, Max Kieffer, Clement Sordet and Fabrizio Zanotti.
Ones to watch
Ashun Wu – A solid campaigner with three wins to his name, including the 2018 KLM Open on a course not too dissimilar to Al Mouj Golf. Indeed, Joost Luiten won the 2016 KLM Open on the same layout in The Netherlands before triumphing in Oman in 2018. Currently China’s third-ranked player in the world, Wu will need a hot start to 2020 if he is to realise his Olympic ambitions once again.
David Horsey – The four-time European Tour winner had a steady campaign in 2019 and is ready to come out firing in 2020 after an off-season spent focussed on getting fitter and working hard on his game. The consistency was there for Horsey with only five missed cuts last year, which gives him a solid platform to build upon.
Brandon Stone – A Rolex Series winner at the Scottish Open, Stone knows how to win and the 26-year-old is confident of a good showing in Oman. Stone missed the cut in his defence of the South African Open crown in January but bounced back with a top-25 showing in Abu Dhabi. The South African would have been in contention in Oman last year if it hadn’t been for a disasterous third round score of 80.
