UAE PGA chief executive Luke Plumb, who finished in a three-way tie for second, presents Tom Buchanan with his cheque at The Track, Meydan Golf. 

By Kent Gray
A mild surprise at the UAE PGA Tour season-opener at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club late last month was the performance of home club hero Tom Buchanan.

A serial winner on the regional circuit with four titles from nine starts last season, the Scot signed for an uncharacteristically sloppy 76 on his home track to finish near the foot of the leaderboard, not a place he is accustomed with.

“It felt horrible and I finished well down the field, and that was disappointing,” Buchanan told GolfDigestme.com of his tie for 15th in the Sept. 24 event won by The Address Montgomerie Dubai’s Ryan Smith.

Fast-forward a month to the fourth stop on the UAE PGA’s 17-tournament schedule and it is fair to say normal service has resumed. With a brilliant one-under 71 in blustery conditions at the perennially challenging The Track, Meydan Golf, Buchanan eased to a four-stroke victory over Luke Plumb, the UAE PGA chief executive’s Trump Dubai club-mate Mike Bolt and Monty head pro Martin Robinson on Sunday.

“I had my kids on the range with me [at AESGC] on Saturday night hitting a few shots and it started to feel good and thankfully it continued to Meydan,” Buchanan said, noting Sophia, 8, and two-year-old Andrew have become willing range-rats. Here’s the happy proof from Saturday night:

Sophia Buchanan

Andrew Buchanan

Buchanan bogeyed the Track’s notoriously tricky par-5 1st but made the turn one under courtesy of birdies on the 4th and 7th. Further gains followed on the 10th and 14th as Buchanan dipped to three under with four to play and while there were bogeys on 15th and 17th, it only served to highlight how dominant the 38-year-old’s performance was.

“I drove the ball very well and the greens were excellent so anytime I had a putt I thought it could go in. So another nice victory…just need to keep it going.”

Count on Buchanan featuring at Arabian Ranches G.C. (Nov. 5) and at Trump Dubai (Dec. 3) if his work schedule allows. He’ll definitely tee it up Dec. 10-11 at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in what is the UAE PGA’s 36-hole qualifier for a spot in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

Buchanan earned a cult following in last January’s European Tour Desert Swing opener and is desperate to experience that high again.

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“The HSBC qualifier is on everyone’s calendar this year. The prize is so great that everyone will be doing a little more to try and win that event,” Buchanan said.

Whatever happens at Saadiyat Beach, the popular Scotsman has a date with destiny next May as the UAE PGA pros look to avert a fourth straight loss to the Emirates Golf Federation’s leading amateurs in the annual, Ryder Cup-style Dubai Golf Trophy.

“It’s a big year for me as captain of the Dubai Golf Trophy team, trying to wrestle that trophy back from the amateurs. Hopefully, with a good UAE PGA season under our belts, the lads can come good for that.”

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