Maiden win for 17 year old Jean Bekirian
Red Sea Ain Sokhna Classic 2020
The Frenchman Jean Bekirian has secured the title of the second Pro Golf Tour 2020 seasonal tournament in Egypt. The 17-year-old professional from Arles won the Red Sea Ain Sokhna Classic with a total of 6 under par and rounds of 70, 65 and 75; he was one point ahead of his fellow countryman Maxime Radureau (69, 71, 71/-5) after 54 holes. 3rd place went to the German Michael Hirmer with 4 under par (70, 71, 71). Jean Bekirian is now also the new number 1 in the Pro Golf Tour Order of Merit.
Ain Sokhna/Egypt – "This trophy belongs to my family! They have all supported me for years and have taken on a lot for me – this victory belongs to them!" Jean Bekirian was happy and grateful after the Red Sea Ain Sokhna Classic, which he won with a one-shot lead, celebrating the first tournament success of his professional career. Having shared 6th place in the Red Sea Egyptian Classic at the same venue last week, this time he climbed to the top platform on the podium at the Sokhna Golf Club in Ain Sokhna in Egypt. The teenager from Arles in France highlighted his great potential with his round of 65 on the second day of the tournament, the best result of the entire tournament, and at the same time laid the foundation for his later triumph. "I just decided to play good golf; it worked," said Bekirian.
He entered the final round with a four-stroke lead, but was already 3 over par for the day after six holes. Strong, partly gusty winds caused the leader problems. "I had no control over my lengths at all, was sometimes 20 metres too short, sometimes 20 metres too long. But my father calmed me down and made it clear to me that I had absolutely nothing to lose," said Bekirian, whose dad Robert had taken over the job of caddy as he had done so often before. The youngest player in the field, who recorded another two birdies and two bogeys during the course of the final round, entered the clubhouse with a 3 over par for the day and therefore saved a one-stroke lead over his fellow countryman Maxime Radureau coming into the finish.
Physical improvement
"I was very nervous again at the 18th but in the end it was enough. I’m over the moon," said Bekirian. "I mainly built up a lot of strength in the winter, which now gives me 20 to 25 metres more length in my strokes. This has paid off on this very beautiful but also very demanding golf course here on the Red Sea."
Jean Bekirian will now travel to Casablanca in February as the No. 1 in the Pro Golf Tour Order of Merit, where the Open Palmeraie Country Club, the first of this year's eight tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour in Morocco, is scheduled from 12 to 14 February.
