Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup 2017 ends in Antalya

By Servet Tumer

ANTALYA, Turkey

The 2017 Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup ended Tuesday in Turkey's Mediterranean city of Antalya.

Britain’s Luke Eunace clinched the championship with Warren Espey from South Africa finishing second and China’s Zhen Ge placing third.

A total of 104 golfers from 62 countries competed in the two-day event in order to be one of six contestants who will attend the 2017 Turkish Airlines Open between Nov. 2 and 5 in Belek.

The best gross award went to Malta’s John Micallef. John Hunt won for the closest shot in the men’s category and Mai Tokuda from Japan in the women’s category.

Around 80 golfers, including last year’s Olympic medalists Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, competed in the Turkish Airlines Open, which is the sixth of eight tournaments in the European tour’s Rolex Series.

Players who made the top 70 in the Race to Dubai on the European Tour were eligible to putt.

Apart from Rose and Stenson, the tournament also hosted last year's champion Thorbjorn Olesen, three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, Ryder Cup icon Ian Poulter, Race to Dubai number one Tommy Fleetwood and English golfer Tyrell Hatton.

A combined prize fund of $7 million was given at the event, which three Turkish players also attended.

Ali Altuntas competed in the event for the fifth time but for the first time as a professional. Amateur players Leon Kerem Acikalin and Taner Yamac also competed under the Turkish Golf Federation's quota.