Hesham Hoists Houston Open Trophy

L-R: Tournament Director Jahanzeb Khan, One Step Diagnostic CEO Fuad Cochinwala, Mazen Hesham, Life Time Grand Prix Tour Director Andre Maur, Adrian Grant, Chuck Poteet Properties CEO. (image: Matthew Pace)
L-R: Tournament Director Jahanzeb Khan, One Step Diagnostic CEO Fuad Cochinwala, Mazen Hesham, Life Time Grand Prix Tour Director Andre Maur, Adrian Grant, Chuck Poteet Properties CEO. (image: Matthew Pace)

Defending PSA Life Time Fitness Houston Open champion Mazen Hesham made it two titles in two years at Life Time Fitness Houston, Texas, defeating England’s Adrian Grant to collect the largest prize money purse of the Egyptian’s young career.

In 2014, second-seeded Hesham took home the inaugural $15,000 Life Time Fitness Houston Open title against top-seeded South African Stephen Coppinger in the final.

The 2015 iteration saw the prize money purse increase to $25,000 with both Coppinger, once again seeded first, and Hesham, seeded third, returning.The twenty-one-year-old Egyptian set up a repeat of the 2014 final against Coppinger in the semis, which resulted with an identical result, Hesham winning in four games.

England’s Adrian Grant reached the final via an arduous route, twice coming back from two games down to win in five games during the round of sixteen and semifinals. Peru’s world junior champion Diego Elias pulled off the upset of the tournament in the first round, knocking out second-seeded Alister Walker. Elias met Grant in the semifinals where he held a two-game lead 11-9, 11-9, but the English veteran pulled off another comeback to win the final three games 11-8, 12-10, 11-9.

Grant’s semifinal heroics took its toll on the thirty-four-year old, however, as Hesham cruised to the title in a three-game final Sunday.

The U.S. Pro Series and Life Time Grand Prix resumes next week in the form of the $10,000 Life Time Fitness Las Vegas Open.