Filippo Celli is relishing the chance to play Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club ahead of this week’s UAE Challenge, the first of two HotelPlanner Tour events in the United Arab Emirates.
Celli returned to the HotelPlanner Tour in January for the SDC Open after competing on the DP World Tour last year and after a strong start to the campaign, finds himself 15th in the early Road to Mallorca Rankings.
The Italian tees it up in the first of back-to-back HotelPlanner Tour events in the Middle East, and he’s savouring the chance to play Al Zorah, a venue making its first appearance on the Road to Mallorca schedule.
“I love it here,” he said. “It’s amazing, the golf course and the place, so I’m really enjoy playing here. I’ve never played here before; it’s the first time but it looks very fun.
“Right now, I really like it, it’s fun. I can’t wait to start the week.
“The greens are very slopy, so if you miss from the wrong side, it’s not very easy to get up and down, so we have to be careful on the missing spots and that’s it. From the tee it’s forgiving, but it’s going to be cool.”
The 24-year-old has played five times on the HotelPlanner Tour since the turn of the year, with a season-best tied fourth finish coming in his last outing at the Delhi Challenge.
Celli’s seven under par 65 was the standout final round, and the Italian believes patience was a key part of his success at Classic Golf and Country Club as he looks to carry that form into a new week.
“I don’t have an exact goal this week, but I try and enjoy every week,” he added. “Just be patient, enjoy and try and play my best golf every week. This week I will try to compete and try to win. The goal is to win every week.
“The key in Delhi was the patience and just waiting for the right moment to make some birdies and that’s what I did well.
“The key obviously is to try and play as best as I can and be patient.”
Celli is part of a strong field in Ajman, that includes two-time DP World Tour winners Eddie Pepperell and Renato Paratore, and Road to Mallorca Number Two Joshua Berry.
The UAE Challenge, which is also supported by Arena, Al Laith and eGolf Megastore, is part of the European Tour group’s long-term partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), which aims to develop golf in the UAE for at least the next decade.
Thirty spots in each upcoming tournament are allocated to the EGF to help create playing opportunities and provide a pathway for UAE golfers.
The first round of the UAE Challenge gets under way tomorrow at 06:30am local time, with Celli teeing off alongside Australian Danny List and Scotsman Daniel Young at 12:10.
