September 26: Already having a great year, Filipino Sean Ramos (main picture) turned 2026 into a year to remember by winning his first title as a professional at the $125,000 Egypt Golf Series 13 on Saturday.

At the Robert Trent Jones-designed Madinaty Golf Club in New Cairo, the promising 22-year-old could afford a bogey on his finishing hole and still managed to stay one ahead of a charging August Thor Host.

The Dane matched the lowest round of the day with a seven-under par 63, but his effort, which included back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th holes to set the clubhouse marker at 17-under 263, could only give some anxious moments for Ramos, who shot a 65.

American Brent Ito (64) was solo third at 16-under, while Welshman David Boote and Thai Natipong Srithong matched the lowest round of the day to join Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto (64), England’s Thomas Plumb (64) and Korean Minhyeok Yang (66) in tied fourth place at 265.

The $21,875 winning cheque was a nice bonus, given that Ramos has been focused on regaining his Asian Tour card, which he lost by a few points at the end of the 2025 season. He has already finished second twice this year – in the Ever Glory ADT Open in Taiwan and the ADT Players Championship presented by The R&A in Malaysia.

Sean Ramos of the Philippines. Picture by the Egyptian Golf Federation

Ramos is now $12,022 behind Order of Merit leader Khavish Varadan and has the chance to overtake the Malaysian with a top-two finish in Egypt Golf Series 14, which will be played at the same golf course from Monday. Varadan is not playing next week.

Starting the day at 13-under, Ramos dropped a shot early on the second hole, but bounced back well with birdies on the third and fourth. His most productive stretch came from the ninth to 13th holes. He made an eagle on the par-5 ninth, courtesy of a magic fairway bunker shot from 39 yards, and three birdies to take a stranglehold on the title.

“I’m still shaking, actually. I can’t really feel anything right now. I’ve been shaking since the last five holes, I think. But yeah, obviously very happy and thankful that I was able to get my first win internationally,” said Ramos.

“I am very happy because I had lost my Asian Tour card last year by a hair. So yeah, just thankful to be able to compete out there again and show some good golf out there as well.”

On the long par-4 18th hole, Ramos decided to lay up after checking that he held a two-shot advantage over Thor Host. But he pulled a 50-degree wedge shot almost 20 yards left of the green, before making his up-and-down from there.

“Thankfully, a bogey was all I needed, and I was able to do that. The winning putt felt so good. It still doesn’t feel real. I’m just letting it sink in,” he added.

“Hopefully, I just play the golf course the same way I did this week, and hopefully, that would be enough again next week.”

The Egypt Golf Series 13, and next week’s Egypt Golf Series 14, are co-sanctioned by the Egyptian Golf Federation. The two events are being held in back-to-back weeks at Madinaty Golf Club. The Arab Golf Federation and Golf Saudi are partnering the two tournaments.