Zane Scotland further consolidated his lead at the top of the MENA Golf Tour’s Order of Merit for professionals after his runner-up finish in the Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open at Al Badia Golf Club.

The Englishman, starting the final round four shots off the pace, closed with a tidy 68 to go nine-under for the 54-hole tournament, finishing joint second with fellow countryman Martin LeMesurier, just two shots behind eventual winner Stephen Dodd of Wales.

With this tied second-place finish, which carried a cash prize of $5,000 (Dh18,360), Scotland has taken his total earnings from five events to $21,803 (Dh80,000), $3,167 (Dh11,600) ahead of Dodd.

Scotland will be hoping to extend his good run of form at next week’s Tour Championship, which will see the top 40 professionals and the leading 15 amateurs from their respective Orders of Merit battle it out for honours at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club.

Players who have played a minimum of three events this season are eligible to compete in the season-ending event, which carries a total prize fund of $75,000 (Dh275,500).

England’s Ross McGowan, who is currently placed fourth on the Order of Merit, will not make it to the Tour Championship as he has played only two events.

Pakistan’s Mohammed Munir, who settled for tied fourth at Al Badia, is placed third with $16,276 (Dh59,800) from five events while compatriot Shafiq Masih is fifth with a tally of $11,565 (Dh42,490).

The top three professionals and the leading amateur will receive special invitations to compete in the 2012 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the longest-running European Tour event outside the continent.

 

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