Photo by Masam Ali

The new MENA Tour champion intends continuing to criss-cross the globe in pursuit of a solid foothold on one of golf’s major tours

By Kent Gray
Even Mathiam Keyser’s extremely well-travelled peers look at the South African’s hectic multi-tour, multi-continent schedule with awe. While others focus on one or possibly two circuits a season in a bid to make a living and slowly ascend golf’s international pecking order, the Dubai-domiciled 32-year-old hedged his bets last year by toiling away on the MENA, Asian and Challenge Tours. He even got a start on the European Tour, the ultimate destination, and intends adding the potentially lucrative Japan Tour to his travels in 2020.

It’s a good thing that Keyser, who answers to MG – as in Mathiam Gerhard – doesn’t mind business travel, the decidedly unglamorous side of professional golf.

Any idea how many air miles you accumulated last year, MG?

“I don’t think there is a number for that but I do know Emirates should probably give me a platinum card,” he says with a laugh.

What are we talking, 15, 20 flights? “I have no idea but it must be outrageous.” With a little more probing, Keyser settles for “well over 30” – 15 return flights from DXB to various Asian hubs, another five long haul journeys to Europe and too many shorter regional flights around both continents to remember.

“It’s definitely not easy as it’s an expensive lifestyle getting from point A to B but still, I’d rather do that than sit in an office 9-5,” Keyser continues. “‘Wow’ is the reaction of most people [when he rattles off his schedule] but I enjoy playing 30 weeks a year. I’m very lucky I can do this for a living so I’m enjoying it.

“This game gives you so much, the chance to meet people and make friends all over the world so definitely worth the investment. And you’re always only one week away from making it and changing your life.”

Keyser is confident that one life-changing week is on the horizon. He’s just not entirely sure what part of that world that horizon is in.

After winning the MENA Tour’s Journey to Jordan last season, Keyser at least knows he’ll start 2020 at Emirates Golf Club in his maiden Omega Dubai Desert Classic. He’s also guaranteed a start in the Made in Denmark in May and the Diamond Cup, a co-sanctioned event on the Asian and Japan Tours. The Heidelberg native has also committed to Japan Q-School and all 11 MENA Tour events in 2020 but all roads ultimately lead to the European Tour, or at least Keyser hopes so.

After signing with Czech-based golf management company Relmost, Keyser was handed seven Challenge Tour starts and a maiden European Tour appearance at the D+D Real Czech Masters in Prague last August. Making the cut at Albatross Golf Resort before settling for a €3,700 share of 51st place with rounds of 71-70-71-71 (for a -5, 283 total, 14 shots adrift of eventual champion Thomas Pieters) has given Keyser hope for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and beyond.

“It was tricky getting used to playing in Europe having plied away in Asia for so long but I had a good time learning and adapting to the different conditions and grass in Europe last year,” said Keyser.

“I felt like I belonged when I played Czech Masters so I’m definitely looking forward to it [his second European Tour start at Emirates Golf Club from Jan. 23-26]. Dubai is home for me and I have loads of friends and family here to support me. I enjoy playing here and definitely feel like I can have a good week around Emirates. It’s a dream for me to play with the best players in the world at home.”

Keyser is attached to Jumeriah Golf Estates and dreams of teeing it up in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai decider there one day soon. It’s not such a far-fetched scenario when you consider the journey of new European Tour Rookie-of-the-Year Robert MacIntyre who won just his second professional start at the MENA Tour’s Sahara Kuwait Championship in 2017. Frenchman Robin Roussel, who tuned up for last season’s Challenge Tour by winning the Bahrain Open in last March, has the opportunity to follow in MacIntyre’s soft spike marks after graduating to the European Tour by finishing seventh overall in last season’s Road to Mallorca.

It’s inspiration stuff for Keyser and co.

“I’ll probably end up getting around five European Tour starts this year thanks to Relmost so win one of them and its job done. I also have an opportunity on the Challenge Tour to play well enough to keep my card there and get a full season to try and finish top 20 [in 2020] which would earn a European Tour card as well. So yeah, it’s going to be a busy 2020 but I’m very excited. The grind is definitely worth it.”

While previous MENA Tour champions have gone on to bigger tours full time, Keyser is looking forward to defending his title in the new 11 (regular season) event schedule which has been condensed into three months, from the season-opening Journey to Jordan 1 in early Feb. to the $125,000 Arena [Tour] Championship from April 20-23. Moving the tour into the early part of 2020 is a perfect launch pad for the Challenge, Asian and Japan Tour’s which ramp up from April.

“Winning the Journey to Jordan means a lot to me, especially being based in the UAE for the past five years. I’ve been working hard to be consistent, playing loads of golf all over, Asian Tour, Challenge Tour and the Mena Tour. It’s nice to see the hard work is paying off.

“The Mena Tour has been amazing and the opportunities, not only for me but for everyone playing it, are potentially life-changing. It’s becoming a strong, competitive tour.”

Keyser will be joined at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic by 15-year-old amateur Journey to Jordan champion Josh Hill, 2019 Tour Championship winner Harry Konig (England) and the winner of a just-announced 2020 Arena Shootout, a 36-hole strokeplay event to be played at Al Hamra Golf Club on Jan. 13-14.

The Arena ShootOut is one of 14 tournaments announced for 2020 including a two-stage Q-School, again at Ayala Golf Club in Aqaba, the tour’s official destination partner. A total of $860,000 in prize money and the usual array of European, Asian and Challenge Tour starts will again be up for grabs. Keyser will be chasing those opportunities hard but don’t be surprised if his globe-trotting is exclusively European Tour focused before long.

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MENA Tour by Arena 2020 Schedule

JANUARY

2020 Arena ShootOut
Jan 14-15
Al Hamra Golf Club, RAK
Purse: $10,000

Qualifying School A
Jan. 21-23
Ayla Golf Club, Aqaba
Purse: $6,000

Qualifying School A
Jan. 27-29
Ayla Golf Club, Aqaba, Jordan
Purse: $6,000

FEBRUARY

Journey to Jordan 1
Feb. 3-5
Ayla Golf Club, Aqaba, Jordan
Purse: $75,000

NEWGIZA Open
Feb. 11-13
NEWGIZA Golf Club, Cairo, Egypt
Purse: $75,000

The Ghala Open
Feb. 17-19
Ghala GC, Muscat, Oman
Purse: $75,000

Royal Golf Club Bahrain Open
Feb. 24-26
Royal GC, Bahrain
Purse: $75,000

MARCH

Journey to Jordan 2
March 2-4
Ayla Golf Club, Aqaba, Jordan
Purse: $75,000

The Abu Dhabi Triple Crown
March 16-18
Yas Links, Abu Dhabi GC, Saadiyat Beach GC, Abu Dhabi
Purse: $75,000

Troon International Pro-Am
March 22-25
Al Hamra GC, RAK Al Zorah GC, Ajman
Purse: $60,000

Ras Al Khaimah Open
March 30-April 1
Tower Links, RAK
Purse: $75,000

APRIL

Northern Emirates Open
April 6-8
Al Hamra GC, RAK & Al Zorah GC, Ajman
Purse: $75,000

The Al Ain Classic
April 13-15
Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, Abu Dhabi
Purse: $75,000

The Arena Championship
April 20-23
Ayla GC, Aqaba, Jordan
Purse: $125,000