Ali Set For Driving School - 28/10/2007

YASIN ALI has revealed his intention to resume driving lessons OFF the golf course - after winning a Peugeot 206 GTi at the PGA EuroPro Tour's Oceanico Tour Championship.

Ali was the winner of the Peugeot Hole-in-One Challenge at Palmares GC on the Algarve.

The tournament featured the nine players who have hit a hole-in-one during the 2005 PGA EuroPro Tour season, with each having three shots to get nearest the pin at the 173-yard tenth hole.

Ali was closest with a distance of 1.025 metres, or three feet four and a half inches from the pin - but was unable to drive away with his prize!

"I haven't got a licence yet," revealed Ali.

"I've only had three lessons so far and I think it's going to be a great incentive for me to start driving.

"I'll start taking lessons again over the winter I think!"

Despite being known as a big hitter off the tee, Ali's softer touch is now coming to the fore after hitting a second hole-in-one in competition and winning the car.

"It's unbelievable," he added. "There were a lot of good guys in the event, good iron players who have done well and I feel extremely fortunate to have come out on top.

"I was number nine to go and, if I'm honest, I actually enjoyed going last.

"I saw what I had to beat in the first round, and there were some good shots there in the first round. I managed to stick that first one in at three feet and four" target="_blank" "I saw what I had to beat in the first round, and there were some good shots there in the first round. I managed to stick that first one in at three feet and four" target="_blank">www.europrotour.com/admin/editor/images/yasinali_look.jpg" width="200" align="left" vspace="2" border="0" /> "I saw what I had to beat in the first round, and there were some good shots there in the first round. I managed to stick that first one in at three feet and four inches.

"The nerves got frayed a little bit because Sandeep (Grewal) and Barry (Hume) wouldn't give up and hit great second and third shots, but I managed to hold out!"

Grewal saw his second shot land just 1.68m from the pin, while Hume was unable to better his opening score of 4.46m.
 
That left Ali to claim a victory which was far from his mind when he initially struck the hole-in-one in spectacular fashion at The Golf Pages Classic, which was staged at Mollington.

"It was on the 17th at Mollington, an Island Green, and I think it was playing about 125 yards that day," he said.

"I hit a pitching wedge and slammed it straight in, it was amazing.

"None of us actually saw it, we heard the noise but didn't know where it had ended up - we thought it had hit the flag-stick and ricocheted away into the water.

"Then as we got up to the hole, the front end was damaged and the ball was in there!"