Dar’s top-notch golfer for Euro Qualifying School

Dar es Salaam Gymkhana’s highly-rated professional golfer, Phillippe Corsalette, waves before he flies to Portugal to compete in the 2018 European Senior Tour qualifying School tournament. PHOTO|MAJUTO OMARY

What you need to know:

The event is eligible for professional and amateur golfers, who will be 50 years old by July 31, 2018, with a handicap of one or lower under the handicapping scheme

Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam Gymkhana’s highly-rated professional golfer, Phillippe Corsaletti, has left Tanzania for Portugal to compete in the 2018 European Senior Tour qualifying School tournament scheduled for January 25-26.

Getting through the qualifying school of an elite tour is competitive. There can be up to four stages to negotiate, each of them like a regular golf tournament with only a small number of players going on to the next stage. Corsaletti has left early to acclimatise himself with Portugal as well as undergo preparations ahead of the tough event, which will be held at Silves Golf in Algarve.

Speaking before departure yesterday, Corsaletti said he would train for a few days under world-class coach Noel Rousseau while caddie will come from France.

The event will feature more than 180 golfers from various countries.

Apart from training at the Gymkhana golf course, Corsaletti camped in the UK and later in France at Royal Mougins, a modern golf court. He foresees the event as tough as prominent world golfers will feature. “I’ll work hard. I want to make history by becoming the first professional golfer from the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club to compete in the European Senior Tour tournament.

“I know that it will not be an easy task because the tournament will attract top golfers from around the world, but I am ready for the challenge.”

Corsaletti has qualified for a major golf tournament in Europe after meeting criteria announced by organisers and become the first professional golfer to feature in the event. The golfers will compete in two stages.

Stage one will be played over 36 holes with no cut and the second stage (finals) over 72 holes at Pestana Golf Resort (Pinta Course) from January 29 to February 1.

There will be 72 competitors and ties playing 54 holes, after which only those players within eight shots of the final qualifying place (5) will go forward to contest the final round. The five finalists will feature in all card PGA tour all over the world.

The tournament is eligible for professional and amateur golfers who will 50 years old by July 31, 2018, with a handicap of one or lower under the handicapping scheme adopted by a recognised authority controlling golf in the country from which they elect to enter.