Korat, Thailand: Lionel Weber completed a comprehensive wire-to-wire victory at the MENA Tour’s Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen.
The 27-year-old Frenchman hardly put a foot wrong en route to a closing 66 at the Seve Ballesteros-designed course.
Weber posted a tournament aggregate of 17-under-par to finish seven strokes clear of runner-up Luke Joy of England. Switzerland’s Dubai-based amateur Michael Harradine signed off with a level-par 72 to claim a share of third spot with England’s Jamie Elson and James Byrne of Scotland on six-under.
On a day when lightning forced suspension of play for 60 minutes, Weber rolled in seven birdies, including four in his last six holes, against a lone bogey. He is the second Frenchman after Edouard Espana to win a MENA Tour event.
“It was great to be able to play my ‘A’ game. I had a good final round and I am really pleased to have my first win as a professional here in Thailand. It will give me a lot more confidence for the future,” said Weber after receiving the winner’s trophy from His Excellency Pasan Teparak, Patron of the MENA Tour.
Harradine, a 33-year-old Swiss national team representative, was the low amateur, well ahead of Thailand’s Worathon Zeng, who finished on level-par 216.
Thai Jazz Janewattananond, winner of last week’s last week’s MahaSamutra Masters in Hua Hin, was solo 10th after a final-round 70 while defending champion Wolmer Murillo carded a 71 for a share of 11th.
The MENA Tour now travels to Chonburi for the 72-hole Pattana Golf Championship (May 16-19), the third and final event on the Tour’s Thailand swing.
An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to The R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking status.