Paratore takes UAE Challenge title while Skaik settles for best amateur
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)Renato Paratore carded a seven-under par score on the final day to win the UAE Challenge at the par-72 Al Zorah Golf and Yacht Club in Ajman, where history was made this week with Ahmad Skaik became the first Emirati to make the cut in a European Tour event.Skaik salvaged his tournament from an unfortunate third day's play to finish three over and still take the award for the best amateur at the tournament, the first of two back-to-back HotelPlanner events. He had to play with a cracked driver during the course of the third round.The Italian Paratore, on the other hand, started on Sunday one shot off the overnight leader and hit a purple patch of three birdies and an eagle on the first five holes. Two further birdies on the back nine saw two-time DP World Tour winner Paratore pull away from the chasing pack to finish at 22-under par and seal a maiden title on what was earlier known as the Challenge Tour."The feeling is great, my last win was in 2020, so today was important for me," he said. "I just try to stay in the moment and stay in the hole every time I play because you can get distracted, but I stayed really focused all the days. My putting has been brilliant this week. Of course, the game has been good, but the putter played a really important role." Paratore, whose last win came at the Betfred British Masters five years ago, catapults to seventh in the Road to Mallorca Rankings and the Italian is looking to continue his impressive form at next week's Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club. "I didn't start the season well so today is a good push forward and I can't wait to play next week," the Italian added, while praising the push by his closest rival JC Ritchie. The consistent South African, who shared the 36-hole lead, piled the pressure on Paratore after making back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th, however, a double bogey on the par-three 17th ended the 31-year-old's hopes.Ritchie finished second on 20-under par, three shots clear of Erickson in third. "I was five under but only leading by one shot after nine," Paratore said. "JC played really well so congratulations to him, it was a good fight until the end."France's Oihan Guillamoundeguy finished the week tied for fourth on 16-under par alongside Dubai resident Adri Arnaus of Spain. Ireland's Mark Power, German Freddy Schott and Portuguese Pedro Figueiredo were one shot further back on 14-under par. Meanwhile, Skaik was left reminiscing on what the week could have been as he collected the award for the lowest-ranked amateur from Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuami.The 27-year-old Skaik had put together a stunning finish to his second round on Friday, going birdie-birdie-eagle over the round's final three holes at Al Zorah's course to post a five-under 67, securing his passage to the record books and the third round.
He then suffered the misfortune of a cracked driver on Day 3 which affected his scoring on the back nine and Sunday was another tough day as he struggled with his replacement club, which he said "was not used to" while carding a 75 to end the tournament at three over par.
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