
Gregory stays cool under pressure to win OMA Emirates Medalford title in JGE heat
The monthly tournament drew a full field eager to tackle the same fairways graced by the world's best during the DP World Tour Championship. Despite hot and testing conditions, the atmosphere remained upbeat and competitive as players of all ages and divisions rose to the challenge.
Luke Gregory emerged as the day's overall champion, carding a stellar four-under-par net 68 to clinch the May 2025 Medalford title. 'The course was in fantastic condition this morning,' Gregory said after his win. 'I'm grateful to the team and sponsors for putting on such a great event.'
In the Gross Medal Division, Jayson Hilton produced the standout round of the day — a composed level-par 72 — to claim top honours as the only player to shoot even par. Ronan Keating followed closely behind with a solid 75, taking runner-up on a back-nine countback.
Narrow Miss for Stewart
Division A (handicap index 10.4 and below) saw Martin Stewart match Gregory's net 68, narrowly missing out on the overall title via countback. David Marshall finished just a shot back at net 69, edging Callum Smithson through yet another back-nine tiebreaker.
In Division B (10.5 and above), Alan Sheepwash posted a consistent net 70 to claim first place, ahead of Moustafa Shahin (net 73) and Gurpreet Shatra (net 75), who was separated by — yes — another countback.
The Ladies Division was fiercely contested, with Jane Vorster delivering a brilliant net 69 — only one shot behind the overall champion — while the Juniors saw young talent Sam Robinson shoot a gross 77, impressing many with his poise and precision.
De Mel's Winning Debut
Newcomer Priyan De Mel made a winning debut in the Seniors Division, finishing with a net 71. Meanwhile, Evelyn Downham, 2023 Lady Captain, triumphed in the Stableford Division with a superb 38 points, just edging out Andrew Dzikowski on a back-nine countback.
Following the day's play, players gathered in the elegant Ballroom at Jumeirah Golf Estates for a well-earned buffet and prize presentation ceremony, celebrating not just the winners but the spirit of the game.
Cameron McWhinnie, Assistant Golf Services Manager at Jumeirah Golf Estates, summed it up saying: 'As always, we extend our gratitude to our event sponsors, OMA Emirates and Unique Holding, whose steadfast support continues to enhance these member events.
"Additionally, our agronomy team once again exceeded expectations with the outstanding presentation of the Earth course.'
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Khaleej Times
13 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE Team Emirates' Pogacar wins Tour de France title
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Tadej Pogacar cements reputation as 'once in a generation' talent after fourth Tour de France crown
The Sunday afternoon victory ride around the streets of Paris in July is becoming a pleasantly familiar one for the remarkable and relentless Tadej Pogacar. UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Slovenian superstar sealed Tour de France title number four having produced a devastating performance of total dominance in cycling's grandest race. Pogacar went into Stage 1 in Lille back on July 5 with the added pressure of being overwhelming favourite, having already secured wins on the roads of the UAE, Belgium, Italy and France in 2025 – which in turn had come hot-on-the-heels of last year's historic triple-crown. But any thoughts that the 26-year-old might struggle in the spotlight on what was considered one of the most challenging Tour courses in memory were blown away in awe-inspiring fashion. The list of achievements in this year's race includes four stage wins which moves him up to sixth on the all-time Tour list with 21 victories in total. A century of career wins was reached on Stage 4 when he sealed victory by holding off the challenge of fellow cycling big guns Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Vingegaard. He even came close to another victory on Sunday's final stage until his legs finally gave way as Wout van Aert powered to the win. Pogacar reached and breached the half-century marker for wearing the famous leader's yellow jersey having not relinquished the overall lead since Stage 13, maintaining an advantage of more than four minutes. That is certainly not to say Pogacar found this year a gentle amble around the beautiful French countryside and mountain ranges, far from it. 'Every year we say 'It's the hardest Tour ever', it's all so crazy, but, honestly, I know that this year's Tour was something on another level,' Pogacar said after Saturday's penultimate stage. 'Maybe one day we went a bit easier, but if you look at the power files throughout the whole Tour, it's been really amazing and tough. Even today we almost went all out from start to finish. 'I must say that even though it was the hardest, one of the hardest Tours I ever did, I enjoyed it and had good shape and good legs.' And such is Pogacar's love of the sport that after three of the most gruelling weeks of his cycling career, he might be back in the saddle within a day of leaving the French capital. 'Monday, I travel home, Tuesday maybe I go on the bike. You never know – if I feel good, I do a bit of riding, stop for coffee and enjoy summer at home,' he admitted with a smile on Saturday. Pogacar on Week 1 of Tour – in pictures Jeroen Swart, UAE Team Emirates-XRG's head of performance, believes that keeping Pogacar motivated is going to be key to him maintaining his current sky-high levels. 'I think he's really at his peak. The question now is how long we can keep him at this level, and it's no longer a question of age, but mainly of motivation,' said Swart in an interview with L'Equipe this week. 'With Tadej, the most important thing is to maintain his enthusiasm. He loves what's new, like trying Paris-Roubaix or trying to win Milan-San Remo. 'In some ways, the Tour is a puzzle, you know. You have to be good in time trials, in the mountains, stay healthy, and not crash, but there's nothing new. 'That's why he wanted to ride the Giro, and now that he's done it, he wants to win Roubaix to keep his motivation up and maintain his level.' That motivation could see him target the one Grand Tour title that has so far eluded Pogacar in his already glittering career. Last year saw Pogacar, in his now trademark attacking style, blitz the Giro d'Italia at the first attempt meaning he has only the Vuelta a Espana winner's silverware missing from a trophy cabinet that must be at bursting point. Pogacar finished third overall in the 2019 La Vuelta, a performance that included three stage wins, in what has been his only appearance. On Saturday, Pogacar revealed that a decision has yet to be made on whether he will be lining up in the Italian city of Turin for the race's opening stage on August 23. 'I said on, I don't know which day, that we will decide a couple of days after the Tour when everything is calm and heads are clear, then we make decisions for the next races,' Pogacar added. 'It's going to be tough to decide. Of course, I would like to go to the Vuelta. Every year I do the Tour and I would like to do the Vuelta one day also, so we will see.' Whatever his decision, Pogacar is safe in the knowledge that he is enjoying another stellar year and is now behind only Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, who have all recorded a record five Tour victories. Pogacar on Week 2 of Tour – in pictures Last week saw a different kind of dominance from the Slovenian who decided to switch off his usual all-out attack mode and instead looked to defend his lead through the Alps – particularly from Vingegaard who tried, and failed, to drop his great rival on multiple occasions. 'I'm obviously tired,' admitted Pogacar on Friday. 'It hasn't been an easy Tour. People have been attacking me from left, right and centre. 'From day one to the end, I've had to stay focused and motivated. The main priority was always the yellow jersey. 'Sometimes, all you can do is keep counting down the distance to the finish line. That's how it is.' And UAE Team Emirates are well aware of the focus and motivation their lead rider possesses. 'We realise how incredibly fortunate we are to work with him,' added Swart to L'Equipe. 'He's the first person with such a skill level. 'It only happens once in a generation; it's like working with Roger Federer or Tiger Woods; it's just incredible to see them achieve what they're capable of.'


Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE Team Emirates star Pogacar on cusp of 4th Tour de France title
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar was left standing on the cusp of a fourth Tour de France title as Alpecin rider Kaden Groves won Saturday's stage 20 after a long-range escape that saw the Australian finish well ahead of the big guns. Runaway overall race leader Pogacar maintained his lead over Danish rival Jonas Vingegaard ahead of Sunday's 21st and final stage in Paris. The UAE Team Emirates rider has a 4min 24sec advantage heading into what could be a tricky finale, a 132km ride from Mantes-la-Ville to the Champs-Elysees, but featuring three ascents of the cobbled streets of Montmartre. A fourth title now looms for Pogacar who said after a dominant ride across the peaks and plains of France he felt he's won. "It's starting to sink in," said the 26-year-old, who previously won the sport's most prestigious cycling stage race in 2020, 2021 and 2024. "Tomorrow, all being well, I'll be celebrating with my team," added a weary Pogacar. "This has been another level of hard, all the way. I enjoyed it though and I'm really looking forward to the last day tomorrow." Pogacar refused to rule out a tilt at a fifth stage win if he could escape up the climbs to Montmartre. "We'll see how we feel and how the others act, maybe we'll try something in Montmartre." The champion-in-waiting was left shaking his head after almost getting taken down in a fall 500m from the line on Saturday as lashing rain made the roads hazardous on the run in to Pontarlier. This was a third stage win for Alpecin after Jasper Philipsen and Mathieu van der Poel took the two opening wins. "They gave me a free role in the final days," Groves said after both Philipsen and Van der Poel pulled out. "I'm going to enjoy this one and celebrate with my team and enjoy the Champs tomorrow." Just 158 riders crossed the rolling hills at the foot of the Jura and many looked haggard after the fast racing in the Alps. So along the Swiss border, most of the peloton seemed happy to let an escape get a 7min lead after an exhausting slog that started July 5. Pogacar has dominated the 2025 Tour winning stages on rolling runs in the north and west at Rouen and the Mur de Bretagne in the first week, then on the mountain slopes of the Pyrenees on the Hautacam and Peyragudes in week two. As the Tour entered its end game Pogacar unexpectedly sat tight to protect his lead through the Alps rather go on his trademark all out attacks. Vingegaard, the 2022 and 2023 Tour champion, had two off days, first on a time trial and secondly at Hautacam, leaving Pogacar to surge into a lead he never looked like surrendering. Pogacar said he'd be back on the bike by Tuesday. "I travel home Monday. Tuesday I'll be going out for a ride with friends, stop somewhere for a coffee and start enjoying the summer, I've earned it." Pogacar returns to competitive action in September at Kigali, Rwanda, in defence of his world title. A boyish Pogacar first won the Tour as a break out star in 2020 with one of sport's great last-gasp turnarounds on stage 20. He followed up a year later with a crushing triumph, but the emergence of Vingegaard's patient long game earned the Dane the yellow jersey in the two following editions. Then Pogacar blew everyone away in a mighty 2024 season with a colossal racing programme, winning the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and world championships titles. Having extended his efforts into the all-in one-day classics season in 2025, his stamina was a question mark, but on Sunday that barrier also appears set to be breached.