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'The PCB has dealt us a massive blow' - Qalandars CEO

Published in Cricket

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 10:24

The CEO of T10 franchise Qalandars - which stood to lose most from the PCB's decision to revoke NOCs for Pakistani players in the league this season - did not hold back in his anger at development. Sameen Rana lost players of the quality of Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim and Faheem Ashraf in one fell swoop, leading him to say the PCB should have made this call well ahead of the draft to enable the franchises to make informed decisions.

"I wish it had been clear before the draft whether the PCB would issue NOCs or not," Rana told ESPNcricinfo. "This is a proper cricket organisation and it hasn't suddenly dawned on them that the league clashes with the Quaid-e-Azam trophy. I think it's disappointing for the Pakistan players, with them being prevented from playing in global events like the T10. They would have had a chance to learn from players around the world. The WICB, CA, and almost all other boards are supporting this league."

The third edition of the T10 league, set to take place in the UAE from 15 to 24 November this year, includes eight teams. It is the Qalandars, owned by the same group that owns the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League, who stand to lose most from the eleventh hour decision.

The make-up of the Qalandars squad is almost exclusively Pakistani, and while most of those players continue to remain available to them for the tournament - emanating as they do from the Player Development Programme the Lahore Qalandars organised in their quest to uncover hidden talent throughout the country - key names like Hafeez, Imad and Ashraf will become unavailable.

"Our team will be badly hurt; there is no doubt about it, but a lot of guys are here from the Player Development Programme. So we don't need NOCs for them. These are players that we have developed and groomed, and they are on our contracts. But it would have been good to get support from the PCB because this is a fundamentally Pakistani team. Qalandar is a Pakistani name."

In addition to the Player Development Programme, the Qalandars will still retain the services of icon player Shahid Afridi and former Pakistan opener Imran Nazir, given they are not contracted by the PCB and so don't need an NOC to play in the event. But Rana was still annoyed at losing seasoned internationals because part of the reason he'd chosen them was so they could guide the younger players.

The PCB's official policy towards leagues around the world is what is informally known as the "PSL plus one" policy. This has resulted, as the name suggests, in players permitted to participate in one league other the PCB-backed Pakistan Super League, with further permission subject to a case-by-case evaluation. The PCB believes this strikes a healthy balance between the players' desire to safeguard their economic interests, and the board's concerns about fatigue and burnout. The main reason the PCB provided for blocking player participation in this year's T10 League is that it wanted them to play domestic matches in the QEA Trophy.

Rana, however, emphatically rejected that explanation. "I don't agree with the statement the PCB put out on the workload of the Pakistan players. Did they not think about the workload on Mohammad Hafeez when they issued him an NOC for the CPL? This is something I don't understand. You can play in the CPL, you can play in Canada and everywhere else in the world. But when it comes to the T10, where you have a Pakistani-origin team that is full of Pakistanis, you refuse permission? If you wanted to take this decision, you could have taken it before the draft. What has happened is the PCB has dealt us a massive blow."

Rana said while the primary purpose of investing in Pakistan players was to develop local talent, this would invariably force the Qalandars into being more wary in the future.

"The UAE government backs this league, and we should look at it in that context. When the UAE is trying to develop the game there, you should think about the UAE's contribution in making the PSL a brand and supporting it from the get-go. They provided their grounds, and the PCB and the ECB [Emirates Cricket Board] have enjoyed a great relationship over the years. This will send a very wrong message to the ECB, because they may well feel the PCB's decision has damaged the value of their league.

"The purpose of our team was to give the Pakistani players an opportunity. This is visible from the draft we conducted, where there are 10 Pakistani players, including our captain Sohail Akhtar. We didn't expect the NOCs to be revoked so late in the day. If we had, perhaps our decision would have been different."

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'We call off the strike and will return to playing' - Shakib Al Hasan

Published in Cricket

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 10:36

Two days after announcing they were going on strike, the Bangladesh players have called it off. This happened after they met the BCB top brass on Wednesday evening, and according to Shakib Al Hasan, there had been some progress made.

"Today's talks were good," Shakib said. "But we will be happy and satisfied when everything will be implemented. We call off the strike, and return to playing NCL and national camp from Friday."

On Monday, Shakib along with several domestic and international players stood in front of the Academy ground in Mirpur and announced that they were boycotting all cricket related activity until the BCB met 11 of their demands which ranged from better pay to revamps of the Bangladesh Premier League and the Bangladesh players association (CWAB).

This put a cloud over the third round of the National Cricket League this week and even the tour of India later in November. But now that the board and the players have reached a compromise, that danger has passed, with one small change. The NCL matches will start on October 25 instead of 24.

"Apart from the first point [fresh elections in CWAB], which the BCB has nothing to do with, we will implement the rest of their demands" the BCB president Nazmul Hassan said, "Some will be fulfilled immediately, while others like infrastructure will be done in the long run."

More to follow

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LaVar 'restructuring' BBB, to launch new website

Published in Basketball

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 10:32

LaVar Ball is "restructuring" Big Baller Brand and plans to launch a new website, according to a company spokesman.

The company has been effectively defunct for several months in the wake of a financial and legal dispute between LaVar Ball and his former business partner Alan Foster.

The company's previous website now redirects to a webinar featuring Foster.

"The Big Baller Brand is alive and well," Denise White, a representative for LaVar Ball, told ESPN. "The brand has been restructuring and we are working to reveal the new website in the next few weeks. It will have a new look and new name (www.BigBallerBrandInc.com).

"LaVar Ball has put a great team of seasoned industry professionals in place to move the brand forward with exciting new products along with signature shoes and sportswear under the Ball name. Unfortunately Alan Foster continues to try and leverage the Ball Family name for his own gain. Alan Foster is a convicted felon who served seven years in jail for defrauding people out of their money. He is a thief and con man and cannot be believed or trusted."

According to legal documents obtained by The Blast earlier this month, Foster alleges that Ball embezzled more than $2.6 million from Big Baller Brand and other companies associated with the Ball family, including Ball Sports Group, to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

Foster states that his lawsuit "seeks to set the record straight, clear his name, expose LaVar's scheme to cover up his theft of over $2.6 million of BBB and BSG's money, and hold LaVar and Lonzo to their contractual obligations."

The Ball family denied Foster's claims in a statement at the time.

In April, Lonzo Ball filed suit against Foster for damages of more than $2 million, plus interest, alleging that Foster "conspired to embezzle millions of dollars and then divert those funds for his personal use, including to acquire assets in Ethiopia."

Ball severed ties with Foster in March over concerns that the longtime family friend had a criminal past and had not adequately accounted for the whereabouts of roughly $1.5 million from Ball's personal and business accounts.

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Steve Hansen - the man plotting England's Rugby World Cup downfall

Published in Rugby

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 08:08

"I'm confident I'm a good coach."

Back in August 2003, not everyone was as sure as Steve Hansen.

The New Zealander was speaking after overseeing a record 10th successive defeat for Wales.

To make matters worse a second-string England side had inflicted it, with Test bit-part players Alex King, Dan Scarbrough and Stuart Abbott among those helping themselves to a 43-9 win at Millennium Stadium.

The weekend after, Wales faced Scotland in their final warm-up Test before the Rugby World Cup.

Hansen named a line-up that included several fringe players.

Second row Gareth Llewellyn, on the bench for the match, remembered the Welsh Rugby Union's reaction to Hansen's selection in an interview with The Rugby Paper back in 2016.

"Our understanding of what happened was that [WRU chief executive] David Moffett went to Steve and said: 'You need to win this game. Your job is not safe so you need to change the team you've picked'," Llewellyn said.

"Steve made his position clear - 'I've picked that side and that's the side I'm going to play. I'm 100% behind the players.'

"He stuck to his guns. Even when he realised the consequences, he didn't panic. We won and Steve hasn't looked back from that day to this."

After a decent run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, Hansen moved to an assistant coach role with the All Blacks in 2004.

He took over from Graham Henry as head coach in 2011 after New Zealand had ended a 24-year wait for the second Rugby World Cup.

In the eight years and 105 Tests since, he has won 92 matches, another Rugby World Cup and lost just nine times - one less defeat than he suffered during that nine-month losing streak in charge of Wales.

In vastly differing circumstances, his characteristics have been constant - loyalty to his players and belief in himself.

When 33-year-old captain Kieran Read was singled out as a possible weakness in his team after November's defeat by Ireland, with critics suggesting that he was being picked him on reputation rather than recent form, Hansen's response was emphatic.

"Some of those articles are ridiculous and been written by people that have never been in our environment, we've never seen them at a rugby game," he said.

"The good thing people could do is not click on it - then they wouldn't have a job and it'd be great."

It is not as if he has shied away for big decisions elsewhere.

The retirement of Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith in the wake of their 2015 Rugby World Cup win required some tricky succession planning.

For one of those vacancies at least, there seemed an obvious replacement.

Beauden Barrett - who reads the game as if in slow-motion but moves through it on fast forward - was the heir apparent to Carter at 10.

Yet, when the All Blacks' creativity was stifled by the British and Irish Lions' rush defence in 2017 and Barrett's goal-kicking faltered under pressure in 2018, Hansen did what few other coaches would have done.

Barrett, winner of World Player of the Year for 2016 and 2017, was shifted out of position.

Initially Damian McKenzie, the diminutive Chiefs back, took up some of the play-making responsibilities from full-back.

When a knee injury ruled McKenzie out of the Rugby World Cup, Hansen doubled down, rather than shelving the experiment, bringing in Richie Mo'unga at 10 and moving Barrett to full-back.

"I've often said if the reward's worth the risk, then take the risk," Hansen said as he named the pair in the same starting XV for the first time in July.

So far the gamble has paid off. Mo'unga and Barrett have been paired for three of the All Blacks four wins in Japan 2019 as the reigning champions have carved through the draw.

England wing Chris Ashton called the decision Hansen's "masterstroke".

"When he first did it everyone was like 'what's he doing, you need Barrett at 10' and now I watch them play and I'm like 'ah, that's why'," he told Rugby Union Weekly.

"Beauden Barrett attacks every kick, he gets counter attack ball every time. When the ball goes out the other side of the pitch, Barrett goes to 10 and Mo'unga goes out the back - it's like a match made in heaven."

On Saturday, Hansen is up against a familiar, and for the most part, friendly foe.

He and Eddie Jones first crossed swords in Super Rugby in the late nineties when Jones was in charge of the Brumbies and Hansen was in the backroom staff at the Crusaders.

The pair exchanged texts in the wake of their respective quarter-final wins to confirm plans for a post-match beer.

"Anyone who loves the game will get my support," said Hansen on Sunday. "He's done a fantastic job with England. They've got a world record for most wins in Test rugby along with ourselves. They've got a harder edge about them.

"You see some of the banter which is really only to help promote the game as being, 'Oh, these guys don't like each other', which couldn't be further from the truth."

Two days later Jones duly delivered, raising the spectre of spying and ratcheting up the pressure on the champions.

Jones did similar before his Australia side upset the All Blacks in the same stage of the 2003 tournament, questioning New Zealand fly-half Carlos Spencer's courage under fire.

It will have to be some stunt though to throw Hansen off his stride as he stalks a third World Cup to end his spell in one of the hottest seats in sport.

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Hocevar Lands Ride For Phoenix Truck Race

Published in Racing

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 07:55

STATESVILLE, N.C. – While most teenagers his age are prepping for mid-terms and hoping for down time during fall break, Carson Hocevar will be making a cross-country trip in November to go racing.

The 16-year-old driver from Portage, Mich., will up his already-busy schedule with his second career start in the NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series.

Hocevar will be driving the No. 56 Chevrolet Silverado for Jordan Anderson Racing, in a partnership with Hill Motorsports, at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.

Darren Fraley will serve as crew chief for the team, with sponsorship from longtime supporters GMPartsNow.com, Precision Fleet Image, Scott’s and LTi Printing.

After a successful Truck series debut on the dirt earlier this summer at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, Hocevar will be competing in his first asphalt NASCAR race when the series makes its stop in the desert on Friday, Nov. 8 for the Lucas Oil 150.

“It’s a huge honor to have Carson driving for us in Phoenix,” said team principal Jordan Anderson. “After seeing how well he ran in Eldora, and the success he’s had across the ARCA and super late model ranks, I’m confident that he’s going to make us proud in Phoenix. His maturity and passion for the sport is a great combination that’s going to serve him well moving forward.

“Carson’s a great fit for our team as we look to continue the upward growth we’ve had on track and build towards next season.”

Hocevar has competed in 12 ARCA Menards Series races this season, with an impressive 10 top-10 finishes, as well as one General Tire Pole Award. His trip to Phoenix will be the first time ever seeing the recently-renovated one-mile track.

The race in Phoenix will also mark the first time that Anderson and Hocevar will have the opportunity to race against each other on track.

“I’m really excited about getting back into a truck at Phoenix,” Hocevar said. “This sport is so crazy at times, and the fact that I’m able to get back to the track before the season over is a dream come true and something I’ve worked so hard for. As Jordan and his team continue building better Silverados, I’m thankful for the opportunity they’ve given me to be apart of it, as well as our incredible partners who make this all possible.

“I really feel the experience I’ve gained this year racing in ARCA at some of the short tracks we’ve competed on will translate really well when the green flag drops.”

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All That Glitters Is Fast

Published in Racing

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 08:00

If bling is your thing, then IMSA’s GT Daytona division is for you.

It’s one of two Pro-Am classes, alongside LMP2, competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It is also the most popular of the two.

No doubt the popularity comes from big-time international factory support. Teams have a blend of top-tier professionals, up-and-coming younger drivers and a smattering of experienced amateurs. That’s likely because of major manufacturer support and increased competition on the track.

The FIA classifies drivers worldwide. Rankings are assigned precious metal monikers. Drivers are ranked into four categories — Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze, with Platinum and Gold reserved for the most successful pros.

Many-time IMSA champion Scott Pruett’s last drives were in GTD.

“It’s like any rule. They (the sanctioning bodies) put it in place for the right reasons,” Pruett said. “So it was established because they had gentlemen (non-professional) drivers and guys would bring money whether they were young, middle-aged or older, or you’re trying to establish yourself as a young driver. You many have good ability or not. The premise is good but the reality of it is every manufacturer wants to take advantage of it as they see fit.

“What I mean by that is there are a number of drivers that are flying under the radar but have a lot of talent, so they fit in it by rule but by ability they are beyond taking advantage of it (over qualified for their classification).”

Perish the thought that any team would think of a “start-and-park” strategy for their amateur drivers. As a result, IMSA officials have established guidelines that specify the amount of seat time drivers can have based on the length of an event.

“A few years ago that was not uncommon,” Pruett said. “Here you’ve got these guys bringing a ton of money. This was maybe 10 years ago, and they would run a few laps and get pulled out. Now, there are minimum drive times, so they (the sanctioning bodies) closed that loophole.”

Pruett says that hasn’t completely eliminated the problem.

“Now that sports cars are doing incredibly well, with a lot of manufacturer support, there are a lot of great things going on,” Pruett noted. “I think they can be more deliberate, making sure that guys at the upper end aren’t taking advantage of being a Silver driver that really should be a Gold driver and on the flip side there are Bronze drivers who shouldn’t have a license anyway.”

In another interview several years ago, Pruett suggested there should be another classification — Lead.

GTD driver Townsend Bell leads a double life. He can be found in a Lexus like Pruett drove when he’s not behind a microphone or TV camera. Bell has a NASCAR-type schedule with 11 IMSA races, six IMSA tests and 17 IndyCar broadcasts, plus a few other NBC responsibilities that keep him on the road almost all the time.

Driving remains a passion for Bell.

“I have been in that category for the last four or five years,” he said. “It’s arguably the most competitive class in IMSA because it has the largest number of entries in that class. Going back to the first race in Daytona and you’re battling 22, 23 cars, it’s the size of an Indy car field. Then, at Lime Rock we had 14 cars.”

To continue reading, advance to the next page.

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Hertz Extends Support Of Byron & Hendrick

Published in Racing

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 08:10

CONCORD, N.C. – Hertz, one of the world’s largest vehicle rental companies, has extended its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports and William Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team.

As part of a new two-year agreement, Hertz will serve as a primary sponsor of Byron’s No. 24 team in four points-paying Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races in both 2020 and 2021, as well as a full-season associate-level partner.

In 2020, the company’s primary events will be at California’s Auto Club Speedway and Arizona’s ISM Raceway in March, along with the October playoff races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Kansas Speedway.

“We are excited to continue our relationship with Hendrick Motorsports and look forward to building upon this winning partnership,” said Hertz senior vice president Jayesh Patel. “William Byron is a great competitor, and we’re proud to support him and his No. 24 team.”

Hertz began its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 24 team in May of 2018 and has heavily leveraged the partnership, including collaborating to introduce an exclusive line of Hertz-Hendrick Motorsports custom Camaro rental cars that pay tribute to Byron’s No. 24 car.

Byron’s 2020 No. 24 Hertz Chevrolet paint scheme, a reversed version of the custom Camaro design, was unveiled Wednesday morning in Charlotte during a promotional event for the Hertz-Hendrick Motorsports custom Camaro rental program.

The new No. 24 team livery will debut this season at ISM Raceway on Nov. 10.

“We’re thrilled to see our partnership with Hertz continue,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “From offering a special line of Camaros to rewarding high-performing employees with NASCAR experiences, Hertz has done a wonderful job with the program. In only his second year, William has shown he can run up front on any type of racetrack. The future of the No. 24 team is very bright, and we look forward to sharing that future with everyone at Hertz.”

Byron, 21, followed his 2018 NASCAR Cup Series rookie of the year season by earning his first career playoff berth in 2019.

With four races to go this year, he has posted five pole positions, which tie him for the series lead, and set personal bests in nearly all statistical categories, including top-five finishes (four), top-10 finishes (12) and laps led (225).

“I’m really excited to continue building on our relationship with Hertz,” Byron said. “They came on board the No. 24 during my rookie season and have continued their awesome support as we’ve grown as a team. We’ve done a lot in a short amount of time, but there’s so much more to accomplish. I can’t wait to put the new No. 24 Hertz paint scheme on the racetrack and see what else we can do together.”

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Sweet Remains No. 1 In Sprint Rankings Battle

Published in Racing

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 09:00

CONCORD, N.C. — Brad Sweet remains on top of the National Sprint Car Rankings for the seventh straight week.

Sweet, who has won 17 features in 75 starts this season and leads the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series standings, has an average finish of 3.333.

Sweet leads World of Outlaws rivals David Gravel and Donny Schatz, who each won a race this week. Gravel is second with a 3.586 average finish in 73 starts, while Schatz has a 3.596 average finish in 72 races.

Pennsylvania ace Danny Dietrich, with a national high 80 races under his belt, and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Aaron Reutzel, who has also won 17 features, round out the top five.

Dietrich leads the Eastern region on the strength of 14 victories, while other regional leaders are Buddy Kofoid (Great Lakes), Billy Balog (Great Plains), Dominic Scelzi (West), Jacob Patton (Mid-America), Donny Schatz (Northwestern) and Carl Bowser. (Ohio-PA).

One hundred and 30 drivers have combined to win 378features run through Oct. 20, with 714 drivers participating.

Click below to see the full National and Regional rankings.

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A Mix Of New & Familiar For Must See Sprints

Published in Racing

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 09:08

HOLLY, Mich. – Must See Racing Sprint Car Series officials announced a 14-race schedule for the tour’s 2020 season on Wednesday, highlighted by a returning favorite and two brand-new venues.

Anderson (S.C.) Motor Speedway will welcome the series back after a one-year absence, hosting Must See Racing’s winged warriors for a two-day opening weekend on April 17-18, while Wisconsin’s Golden Sands Speedway joins the calendar with a doubleheader on Aug. 7-8, in the heart of the points chase.

Both the Anderson and Golden Sands events feature two complete, full-points shows on their programs.

In addition, Ohio’s Lorain County Speedway will step up to host the World’s Fastest Short Track Cars on two occasions during the summer stretch, with rounds one and two of the Xtreme Speed Challenge set for June 13 and July 18, respectively.

It marks the first time for Lorain County on the schedule as well, and additional details regarding the full lineup of racing for those dates at the three-eighths-mile oval will be revealed later on.

The remainder of the schedule is comprised of many familiar and longstanding Must See Racing venues and dates, as well as a continued effort at comfortable spacing of event weekends to reduce travel strain for drivers, teams and crew members throughout the season.

Anderson will host an open practice night on Thursday, April 16 before its two-day weekend on Friday and Saturday nights. The northern portion of the calendar then kicks into high gear on May 2 with the annual Must See 50 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway, coming on the same weekend as it was in 2019.

The Anderson race serves as a tune-up for the 72nd annual Pay Less Little 500, which Must See Racing will again sanction and takes place on May 23, the night before the famed Indianapolis 500.

The Little 500 will also be a part of the series’ MAVTV television package again next year, with specific details and broadcast information announced at a later date.

Following the non-points Little 500, the series make its first of two annual trips to Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich., on May 30 before the first of Lorain County’s twin dates takes center stage in June. The month of June closes with a return trip to Berlin’s seven-sixteenths-mile oval before an off weekend for the Independence Day holiday.

Back-to-back races in July follow the Fourth of July break, including the second of Lorain County’s two races, before the series debuts at Golden Sands’ third-mile, semi-banked oval for the Must See Speedfest.

Traditional dates at Michigan’s Owosso Speedway on Aug. 22 and Jennerstown Speedway on Sept. 12 take the series into its closing stretch, with the Must See Fast 40 and the third annual American Racer David D. Mateer Tribute both returning to the schedule for another year in the early fall months.

Must See Racing will then wrap up the 2019 season on Oct. 16-17 by returning to North Carolina’s Ace Speedway for the Rodney Cook Classic weekend, after debuting at the four-tenths-mile oval this year to rave reviews and stellar racing over two straight days of competition.

Next year’s Must See Racing Championships will again feature twin full-points shows, with Saturday’s program co-headlined by the 140-lap, $10,000-to-win Rodney Cook Classic for late model stock cars.

The venue for the July 11 date on the Must See Racing calendar will be confirmed at a later date.

“After what was nothing short of a stellar 2019 season, with growth in car counts and great racing at all of our tracks, we couldn’t be more excited about adding two more great facilities to the Must See Racing family for 2020, and we’re also looking forward to returning to many of the staple races and tracks that fans have come to know and love through the years,” said Must See Racing President Jim Hanks. “To have events like the 72nd Pay Less Little 500 at Indiana’s Anderson Speedway and the Rodney Cook Classic at Ace Speedway in North Carolina back on our schedule again proves both our commitment to entertainment and the value we strive to bring to our partners, teams and venues.

“We celebrated our 10th season this past year with one of our best championship battles in series history and I believe we’re going into our second decade with perhaps our best schedule yet,” Hanks added. “We can’t wait to get started and look forward to seeing all our fans join us at the race track.”

2020 Must See Racing Sprint Car Series Schedule

Date – Venue – Location

April 17 – Anderson Motor Speedway – Williamston, S.C.
April 18 – Anderson Motor Speedway – Williamston, S.C.
May 2 – Anderson Speedway – Anderson, Ind.
May 23 – Anderson Speedway – Anderson, Ind. (Little 500) *
May 30 – Berlin Raceway – Marne, Mich.
June 13 – Lorain County Speedway – Lorain, Ohio
June 27 – Berlin Raceway – Marne, Mich.
July 11 – TBA – TBA
July 18 – Lorain County Speedway – Lorain, Ohio
Aug. 7 – Golden Sands Speedway – Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
Aug. 8 – Golden Sands Speedway – Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
Aug. 22 – Owosso Speedway – Ovid, Mich.
Sept. 12 – Jennerstown Speedway – Jennerstown, Pa.
Oct. 16 – Ace Speedway – Altamahaw, N.C.
Oct. 17 – Ace Speedway – Altamahaw, N.C.

* – non-points, non-winged event

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Amateur, 15, wins professional title, makes OWGR history

Published in Golf

Wednesday, 23 October 2019 03:31

The golf world has a new phenom.

With a victory Wednesday at the MENA Tour’s Al Ain Open, 15-year-old Josh Hill became the youngest winner of a professional tournament that awards Official World Golf Ranking points.

Hill, an English amateur who is based in Dubai, fired a final-round 62 to win by two shots at 17 under par.

At 15 years, six months and 27 days, Hill edged (by less than two months) the previous record set by Ryo Ishikawa in 2007.

Earlier this year, Hill, at 14, became the youngest player to secure his card through qualifying school for the MENA Tour, which hosts events in the Middle East and North Africa.

As Hill told the tour’s website afterward: “If you had told me during the summer that I will be winning a MENA Tour title against professionals and become the youngest-ever winner of an OWGR event, I would have laughed at the notion.”

Playing as an amateur, Hill had to forfeit the $13,500 first-place check. This was his second consecutive top-10 finish, following a seventh-place showing Oct. 6 in Abu Dhabi.

Overall, Hill is the second-youngest player to earn OWGR points, behind then-14-year-old Guan Tianlang.

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