With a former Premier League referee and an Indian Army colonel as part of the support crew, you might think laughs would be in short supply for Diksha Dagar’s team at the PIF London Championship.
No time for fun. Rather some regimented, rules-based focus, as the players target both team at personal success at the Ladies European Tour event at Centurion Club.
The tournament includes a team competition, based on the collective scores of each four-ball, as well as the standard singles event.
As such, each match involves more camaraderie between the players than most other weeks on tour.
Chloe Williams, one of the quartet, has Mike Dean, one of Premier League football’s best known ex-refs, on her bag. Dagar, meanwhile, has her own father, Col Narinder Dagar, as her caddie.
Dean was renowned for being about as flamboyant as it was possible for a ref to be, but the main character energy is all Narinder’s.
He was vocal in his support of all the players. Especially so his daughter. At the 11th tee box on Friday’s opening day, instead of insisting on some focus, he flicked water at her.
After almost every shot his daughter played, he raised his hand for a high-five. Sometimes it was reciprocated, sometimes he got a fist bump, and sometimes she just left him hanging.
Her game was good enough to bring a smile to her face, anyway. The 24-year-old left-hander shot a smart 3-under par on Friday’s opening day, leaving her within three shots of the leaders.
“Because of him, he has made the game very exciting for me,” Diksha said. “In golf, sometimes there's no excitement, and no energy.
“If that is the case, then it becomes kind of a bit boring. He's the one who makes the game very exciting, and I love it. It keeps me motivated.”
Narinder played golf himself, as a club player. He encouraged his daughter to play all sports – she tried tennis and swimming, as well – and he was thrilled when she took to golf.
“Golf is such an amazing sport,” he said. “It has longevity and it's such an amazing game. It tests you mentally, and challenges your mind as well, besides being physical.
“It's a wonderful game. It's such an amazing game. It gets into your head, so it's addictive.”
Diksha has faced more challenges than most. She, and her brother, were born deaf. She has worn hearing aids since she was five years old, and currently has implants which are not visible.
She has excelled in spite of her disability. She has won twice on the Ladies European Tour before. Although she has not challenged for trophies yet this season, she has had a variety of creditable finishes lately, including at the Women’s Open last weekend in Wales.
She is confident she is tracking in the right direction. “The main thing is I'm working on my fitness and I'm staying focused on my game,” she said.
“I always try to find a way to improve myself because I believe there's always scope for improvement. I just want to try to go up and up, and keep working hard.”
Her father is proud to be along for the journey. “We are enjoying it and we are working hard,” Narinder said.
“There's a lot of hard work involved. She's putting in a lot of hard work, but there is a lot of enjoyment, satisfaction, and joy.
“It's fantastic to be around a good golfer, a good athlete. That provides satisfaction. What is better than seeing your own daughter playing so well?
“We are so proud of her, what she's doing. It's amazing if we are getting this opportunity.”
Diksha said she enjoys playing as part of a team, in a tournament organised by Golf Saudi.
“This is kind of my nature,” she said. “There is lots of possibility in the team and there's always a team spirit and you are motivating others, pushing each other. You feel positive.”
And having a cheerleader like her dad in such proximity also helps. Narinder said he is always cautious about striking the right tone with his exuberance.
“Certain things are required on the golf course, and we are aware when we need to be quiet,” he said.
“But thereafter you have to be relaxed. It depends on the match situation as well. There has to be a fun element. Even if there is some stress, then you have to endure it and take it. And of course that is also a good thing.”
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Hidden killer
Sepsis arises when the body tries to fight an infection but damages its own tissue and organs in the process.
The World Health Organisation estimates it affects about 30 million people each year and that about six million die.
Of those about three million are newborns and 1.2 are young children.
Patients with septic shock must often have limbs amputated if clots in their limbs prevent blood flow, causing the limbs to die.
Campaigners say the condition is often diagnosed far too late by medical professionals and that many patients wait too long to seek treatment, confusing the symptoms with flu.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
