By Kent Gray
The equation for Stefan Wears-Taylor heading into the UAE PGA Championship was simple: keep his name ahead of Ryan Smith’s on the leaderboard, or at least very close, and the season-long order-of-merit title is his. So far, so good.

Actually, make that good start a great one. The young Al Zorah professional opened the UAE PGA’s flagship event with a five under 67 at Arabian Ranches on Monday. It earned the tournament’s defending champion a four-stroke halfway lead over the trio of Jack Woods (Dubai Creek), Joe Marshall (Butch Harmon School of Golf) and Shane Peacock (Al Ain).

More importantly, Wears-Taylor enjoys a six-stroke buffer over Smith (The Address Montgomerie) heading into Tuesday’s final round after the newly minted UAE PGA Matchplay champion signed for a one-over 73.

It means Smith has it all to do on Tuesday although the way Wears-Taylor is playing, a fourth 2017-18 UAE PGA title looks his to lose. The real excitement could yet be lower down the leaderboard as players jockey for the last spots in the UAE PGA team for the May 12-13 Dubai Trophy.

As captain, Smith has two picks in his 14-man team for the matches at Emirates G.C. and Dubai Creek where the pros will be out to avoid a hat-trick of losses to the Emirates Golf Federation’s leading amateurs.

With defending OOM champion Cen Mills (Dubai Creek), currently third in this season’s points race, unavailable, there are spots up for grabs and Creek colleague Woods (17th) and the Monty’s Martin Robinson (18th) are well positioned after the first round to make a last gasp bid. Robinson was T-10 overnight after an opening 74.

Meanwhile, Jumeirah Golf Estates hosts the 36-hole EGF OOM Championship on May 4-5 to finalise the amateur team for the Dubai Trophy. One name guaranteed for the youngsters is JGE 14-year-old Josh Hill who has won seven EGF titles this summer, including six in an incredible three month spell.