Captain Manon De Roey (middle) and team-mates Elina-Nummenpaa (left) and Carmen Alonso (right) lead the Aramco Team Series- Jeddah at 37-under-par. 

By Kent Gray
When Golf Saudi imagined the Aramco Team Series into existence, a key tenet of the Pro-Am concept was that the amateur attached to each of the four-person teams would get a taste of professional golf inside the ropes. Furthermore, the lucky weekend warrior would have every opportunity to contribute to the ultimate success of their three new favourite LET pros, perhaps even by sinking the winning putt.

We’re still waiting for the latter probability but for irrefutable proof of concept, kindly refer to the penultimate round of the Aramco Team Series – Jeddah on Thursday.

Belgium’s Manon De Roey captained her team to a two-stroke buffer heading into the final round of the 54-hole, $1 million event at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City. Pro team-mates Carmen Alonso (Spain) and Elina Nummenpaa (Finland) combined 13 birdies and one eagle en-route to a second-round 20-under-par total.

However, it was their 61-year-old amateur team-mate Nic Davies who stole the show. The general manager of a nearby Saudi Golf Club contributed a pair of net-eagles that proved the difference in propelling the fourball to 37-under-par overall.

The comments from the Spain-born Davies after his memorable afternoon were further vindication of the concept which is all about innovating to help increase exposure of the LET and wider women’s game.

“I’ve always followed women’s golf, so as an amateur this is just phenomenal to be part of,” said Davies who nailed the second of his net eagles on Royal Green’s 18th hole with a birdie four.

“I obviously now know Manon, Carmen and Elina quite well so if we were able to see this through, I’d be absolutely over the moon for them.

“They, to me, epitomise ladies golf. I’ve got a seven-year-old daughter who is just amazed seeing these girls whack the ball so well and so far. If I connect with the ball, I can get up there, but I’ve not nearly out-driven any of my team. It’s amazing to see up close and hopefully we continue doing well tomorrow.”

Amateur Nic Davies played a key role for Team De Roey on Thursday.

With a share of $150,000 for the winning pros, De Roey, Alonso and Nummenpaa will hope to keep the momentum going on Friday as well.

“I’m really happy with my team,” said De Roey.

“They fought really hard today. We didn’t do so well in the first nine, but we came back strong and I’m very proud of them and how we played. We love playing on this course, it’s very scoreable out there. We’ll fight tomorrow as we have a great opportunity.”

Team Kyriacou – captained by Australia’s Steph Kyriacou, with Lina Boqvist (SWE), Laura Beverage (SCO) and amateur Andreas ‘Andy’ Feller, from Switzerland – shot a series low 22-under-par in the second round to move to -35 overall.

Team Steph Kyriacou.

“Up until the last hole neither of us scored on the same holes, which is what you need in this format,” said Kyriacou. “Lina came in real clutch at the end, Laura in the middle, and Andy our amateur played well. It was Andy and I on the front then Lina and Laura on the back nine.”

Like Team De Roey, Team Kyriacou also had their amateur golfer to thank, with Feller’s eagle three on 13 giving the fourball the first net-albatross at any ATS event.

Talking through the hole, 10-handicapper Feller said: “I went driver, then hit a five-wood to eight-foot. We got a good read on the putt, the team gave me good comfort, and I holed the putt.

“That was my best ever nine holes. I’m a bit of a wildcard but it worked out for me today. Let’s do the same again tomorrow.”

In the individual format, Germany’s Olivia Cowan, meanwhile, leads the individual standings by one over Argentina’s Magdalena Simmermacher, and two clear of English pair Bronte Law and Georgia Hall.

“I’m really happy with how I’m playing at the moment,” said Cowan, who holed-out for eagle from the fairway of Royal Greens’ par-4 7th. “It’s quite steady and I’m giving myself a lot of chances to hole putts, which I think is important out here.

Germany’s Olivia Cowan is one ahead in the ATS-Jeddah’s individual standings.

“I think the relaxed team format of this event helps bring out the best in me. We as a team get on really well and are all quite chatty out there, which I like.”

The Aramco Team Series – Jeddah is the last of four new $1million team tournaments added to the Ladies European Tour this season and follows events in London, Sotogrande and New York. It climaxes on Friday.