Round Up: On-form Craig Ross has Dubai Open title in sights

Craig Ross is looking to convert his recent good run of form on the MENA Tour into a title triumph in this week’s event on the third-tier circuit, the Dubai Open presented by Turkish Airlines.

The 26-year-old Kirkhill player finished tied tenth in the opening tournament of the season in Jordan, followed it up with a share of fourth in Al Zorah before going one better in Oman last week.

He’s sitting fifth in the Journey to Jordan with earnings of just over $10,000 and believes he is trending in the right direction heading into his next assignment at Dubai Hills.

“I have been hitting the ball well and putting well,” said Ross, a winner as both an amateur and professional on the PGA EuroPro Tour. “I am just going to go into this week hoping for more of the same and to win this event.

“I have given myself good chances the last couple of weeks but haven’t been able to get over the line. I will do the same things again and hopefully have a chance again on the final day. We will then see what happens after that.”

On this week’s course, he added: “It is nice. I think the scores are going to be low if the conditions are flat and calm but, coming from Scotland, I don’t mind if it is windy.”

l Keith Mitchell made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the Honda Classic for his first PGA Tour victory to earn a trip to The Masters. Mitchell closed with a three-under 67 to finish on nine-under at PGA National, one stroke ahead of Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler.

l Mark O’Meara, the 1998 Open champion, closed with a seven-under 66 for a four-shot victory in the Cologuard Classic – his first victory on the Champions in more than eight years. Darren Clarke holed a 50-foot birdie putt on the 18th to tie for second.