As the dinner hour came and went Monday night, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick was feeling overheated, hungry and dehydrated. Throw in completely knackered, and it represented the grand slam of fatigue.
“That about sums it up,” he said.
Not only had the rising golf prospect played 18 holes in the heat of the afternoon at Al Badia Golf Club, where temperatures in the sunshine approached 43°C during the first round of the Mena Tour's Sheikh Maktoum Dubai Open, but his professional circumstances certainly conspired against him, too.
The rookie from Sheffield, who turned 20 three weeks ago, finished eighth at the Challenge Tour event in Kazakhstan on Sunday night, then caught a plane to Dubai on Monday morning, arriving shortly before 11am. He headed straight to the course, warmed up for a few minutes, then played in the day’s final threesome, teeing off shortly after 1pm, during the hottest portion of the day.
Adding another layer of duress was the fact that Fitzpatrick, the 2012 US Amateur champion, was playing Al Badia sight unseen.
He then promptly birdied three of the first five holes and finished with a 1-under 70 that left him four shots off the lead.
Even for a player in a hurry to establish his pro credentials, the 24-hour period was a mad rush.
Playing a course without a practice round can be an adventure, though he is certainly talented enough to get away with it. “I definitely wouldn’t [recommend it],” he said, laughing. For first-year players, even uniquely skilled ones, the first year can be an exercise in frantic cab rides, lengthy airline layovers and late-night phone calls to travel agents.
Fitzpatrick, who is trying to secure a card on the European Tour for 2015, is playing the developmental Challenge circuit and has signed up for the autumn qualifying school, doubling down on his bets. There was some method to the madness to this week, though.
Fitzpatrick, who has an endorsement deal with Golf in Dubai, the organisation that runs the Mena Tour, will log three rounds this week at Al Badia, where the Challenge Tour season finale will be played in November. If he advances that far, he will not be playing blind the next time around.
“It could be of a big benefit, really,” he said. The former Walker Cup player, who was the first Englishman in 102 years to win the US Amateur title, has made seven of 10 cuts since turning pro at the European Tour’s Irish Open over the summer.
That is no surprise, since he finished as low amateur at both the US and British Opens before deciding to play for pay.
The world’s No 1-ranked amateur in 2013, the baby-faced Briton is a retro-style player in an era of oversized bombers.
He weighs about 65 kilograms, stands 1.73 metres and looks like the high-school kid who wipes your clubs at the end of the round.
In a way, this week stands as a fitting synopsis of his immediate future. In juggling uncertain paths on the Challenge Tour and Q-School, anything could happen.
“I’m just trying to play the best I can and try to get on the main tour as quickly as possible,” he said.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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SERIES SCHEDULE
First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6
Meydan race card
6pm Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
6.35Dubai Trophy – Conditions(TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
1,800m
7.10pm Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m ,400m
7.45pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
8.20pm Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
8.55pm Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
if you go
The flights
Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes.
The hotels
The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
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Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
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Kanye%20West
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Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
ICC Academy, November 22-28
UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal
ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan
UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company%20Profile
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The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Company%20profile
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Schedule:
Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore