Pawleys Island resident headed to Dubai for international golf tournament finals

Zack Bone of Pawleys Island, a bag drop assistant at Pawleys Plantation, will receive the royal treatment in early March in Dubai.

Bone, 33 and a plus-1.6 handicap, has qualified to participate in the World Final of the BMW Golf Cup International series from March 5-10 at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which will host next week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour.

Because the BMW Golf Cup U.S. Final at Pinehurst Resort’s No. 2 and 8 courses was held the weekend of Hurricane Matthew in October, some qualifiers couldn’t make the trip and Bone received an invitation from a friend to replace a local qualifier from Florida. He received the invitation at about 10:30 at night and agreed to travel to Pinehurst early the next morning for the event. He then played well enough to be among three U.S. qualifiers for the international finals.

Bone shot 74 on No. 8 and 72 in the rain on No. 2, and the final round was canceled because of the storm. “I was a last minute invite,” Bone said. “BMW allowed me to take his place. They’ve been super nice to me. It’s been a fantastic experience.”

Bone and the other two finalists from the U.S., one of which is from Hawaii, will represent the U.S. both individually and as a team against national winners from about 40 other countries.

BMW is paying the travel expenses for Bone and his selected caddie. He’ll be picked up at his house and brought to the airport and will have few worries after that while spending about seven days in Dubai. The trip will include excursions, as last year’s international final in South Africa feature the BMW driving experience and a jungle safari.

“I don’t know what all is in store but I’m really excited,” said Bone, who moved to Pawleys Island for his senior year in high school, attended Waccamaw High and played golf at Spartanburg Methodist.

Bone already received a gift pack in Pinehurst that included a jacket and other clothes designed by Peter Millar and another gift pack certainly awaits in Dubai. He said the estimated value of the trip is $25,000.

Bone said he has played in some organized gambling tournaments such as Calcuttas and has also played in some professional Coastal Players Tour events on the Strand, though he’s never been a full member of a pro tour.

NBC sportscaster Jimmy Roberts and Golf Channel instructor and personality Michael Breed took part in the presentations at Pinehurst in October, and eight-time European Tour Order of Merit champion Colin Montgomerie will conduct a golf clinic and present the trophies to the winners in Dubai.

This story was originally published January 23, 2017 at 9:51 PM with the headline "Pawleys Island resident headed to Dubai for international golf tournament finals."