By Kent Gray
Ghazi Arungazeb and Nicholas Hymas won’t be intimidated when it comes time to tee it up in the 20th Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge grand final if their qualifying performance at Tower Links Golf Club is any indication.

The pressure was on after 2017 XCGC champions Hisham Shammas and Paul Abouchacra laid down an impressive marker in the opening qualifier of the 2018 series with a betterball net score of 62 on Fire at Jumeirah Golf Estates, only to be trumped by Kelvin Tayfield and Ernest Hosking who scored an 11-under 60 in winning at Trump Dubai.

PHOTO ESSAY: XCGC at Tower Links

But Arungazeb and Hymas eased into second place on the unofficial qualifying leaderboard with a solid 61 at the Ras Al Khaimah qualifier, edging Mohan GC and Rajish Chitti by two shots. Cahal Altman and Kevin Barry were third on 64 while Joe Townsend and Gerry Gibson also qualified for next month;s final at JGE a further shot adrift.

Mark Hughes and Edward Fearn, meanwhile, are the frontrunners in the gross division after winning at Tower Links with a 69. Neil Phillips and Paul Donovan recorded a five-over 77 to win on Fire while a round of 72 saw Jon Walley and Stuart Cameron seal the gross title at Trump Dubai.

The Lincoln Al Tayer’s earest the pin on the 4th hole at Tower Links came with a twist where those who hit within the ‘Lincoln Circle’ were entered the draw to win a Lincoln of their choice for a weekend of their choice. The winners of this great prize were Ahmed Naim, Mandeep Singh and Cahal Altman.

The Xclusive Yachts nearest the pin prize was captured by Cavan Bickell on the 16th hole at Tower Links.