Dubai
Dubai has often played the breeding ground of potential champions — ask Sara Isakovic, the Olympics silver medallist swimmer in 2008 Beijing Olympics. One more sporting success story seems to have been added after German Sebastian Heisele made it through to Qualifying School as the final qualifying stage at the PGA Catalunya Resort concluded recently.
The 28-year-old shot rounds of 68, 66, 72 and 73 to finish with a total of six-under 422 and take the 19th spot in the final stage of the PGA qualifying held in Catalunya, Spain. With this result, the long-time resident of Dubai — a former champion at the prestigious Emirates Golf Club — the towering frame of the 6.7 foot Heisele will now be a familiar figure on European Tour tournaments starting 2017.
Since 1976, The European Tour Qualifying School has been held at the end of each season to establish which players, not otherwise exempt, will gain their playing privileges on the Tour for the following season through a qualifying competition.
It is perhaps one of the toughest schools to earn the Membership of The European Tour and a place among the golfing elite. The Qualifying School is held in three stages — dependent on the individual’s status — at a series of venues in the UK and Continental Europe.
Normally, more than 1,000 competitors enter the Qualifying School each year, all aiming for a European Tour card, awarded to the top 25 and ties following the Final Stage. A player progressing through all three stages will have to play 252 holes under the most intense pressure, after which the leading 25 players (plus those tied for 25th place) will earn Category 15 Membership of The European Tour for the following season.
Rare distinction
Heisele’s beginning in golf started when he was just eight years old, accompanying his dad Otto either to the then famous Nad Al Sheba Golf Club or the EGC to attend the Dubai Desert Classic. It was a natural affinity that saw the teenager win his first junior event even before completing a year in the sport. By 15 years, guided by his dad Otto, the youngster had the rare distinction of becoming the youngest ever club champion at the famed EGC.
Heisele then went on to dominate the National Junior Order of Merit while managing a Scratch Handicap by the end of the year.
“Running around the EGC and hoping to one-day play alongside the top golfers of the world was always a dream for me,” Heisele told Gulf News during his short stopover at the Jumeirah Golf Estate, Dubai earlier this week en route to his first-ever competition as a pro — the Alfred Dunhill Championships at the Leopard Creek in South Africa — starting on December 1.
“All I wanted to do was be prepared to work hard and one day realise my childhood dream,” he added.
His stint in Dubai was followed by a well-deserved invitation to join the prestigious David Leadbetter Academy in Florida in 2005 when Heisele was not even 17. Two years at the academy was enough to imbibe the basics of golf, after which the Dubai boy took up a scholarship offer at the University of Colorado, Boulder to continue his Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture.
After graduation with Distinction in 2011, Heisele turned his attention full time to his golf while joining the EPD (European Professional Development) Tour in 2012. His debut was a tied 34 finish at the Sueno Pines Classic in Turkey.
Since then, it has been no looking behind for the young teenager who nurtured his golfing dreams right here in Dubai. And last weekend, Heisele finally took one massive step towards golfing stardom while qualifying to play on the European Tour.
Amazing year
However, all of it was not as easy as it may seem to be. Going into the fifth day he made a triple bogey that put him totally out of contention from the top-25.
“But coming onto the green on the sixth and final day I decided that I wanted to do this. By the 15th hole I was six-under and well on my way to getting my card. The last three holes were like a maze. It was all about dealing with the nerves. Those are the toughest three holes I have ever played so far. I had no emotions left after making the final putt on the 18th, and it surely took a few hours for the entire thing to sink in,” Heisele reflected.
“2016 has been an amazing year for me and my golf,” Heisele reflected.
“From now on, the focus is to make 2017 a good year, 2018 even better and keep continue playing golf on the Tour for a long, long time,” he added.
FACT BOX
Name: Sebastian Heisele
Date of Birth: August 8, 1988
Place of Birth: Heemstede, The Netherlands
Height: 6.7ft
Weight: 94kgs
Other interests: Football, Skiing, supports Bayern Munich
Turned Professional: 2012
Achievements so far:
As an amateur: Youngest-ever champion at EGC (2004); Abu Dhabi Golf and Equestrian Club Junior Open Champion (2005); Winner of UAE Order of Merit (2004-2005)
EDP Tour: Won the Dar Es Salaam Open and the Schloss Moyland Golf Resort Classic in 2011
As a Professional (Notable finishes) Tied fourth at Barclays Kenya Open in March 2016; Fourth place at Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in July 2016.
