Chito P. Manuel | Arab News
RIYADH: Sultan Abdullah picked up where his father, Abdullah Sultan, left off, shooting a steady round of 2-over 75 yesterday to win the DSCA Open 2008 golf tournament at Riyadh Golf Club here.
Three down at the start of the day, the 25-year old Abdullah shot into the lead on the eighth hole when he dumped a lob wedge to within 10 feet and made the putt for a birdie that gave him a three-shot swing over Sultan.
The first day leader Sultan stumbled into a double bogey on that hole when he went for the green but found the water instead.
The veteran Bahraini golfer who along with his son and cousin Nasser Yacoub formed the backbone of the Bahraini contingent in the inaugural fund-raising tournament dropped five shots in a two-hole stretch and his challenge was all but dead when the finished the front nine seven over.
Abdullah won the Best Gross race with a 36-hole total of 152.
Kingdom No. 1 Othman Almulla mounted a back nine charge with four birdies but Abdullah simply was unstoppable, extending his lead by six shots when he sank a two-putt birdie on the signature par-6 11th. He was putting eagle from 45 feet after reaching the green in three. “This is my first victory outside Bahrain. I had two many runner-up finishes in the past. I am looking forward to defending the title next year,” said Sultan.
Almulla closed out with a 76 for a 154 total to take the second position on countback over the young Welshman Daniel Gizzi who fired a 77 yesterday.
Omar Khan, a young fast-rising Pakistani golfer, clinched the Gold Division (0-14 handicap) title from Gizzi, firing a net 76 in the last round for a 141 total. Gizzi had 145. Ali Balharith, team captain of the Saudi national team with a 5 handicap, took the second runner-up spot with a 148 total after a closing 75.
In the Silver Division (15-24), Ganet Chaplow profited immensely from an opening 61 to win the crown with a 130 total. After her handicap was adjusted to 14 from 18 on the second day, Chaplow still managed a 69 to win by seven shots from Craig Darling who signed for a 76 that gave him a 137 total. Norwegian Anne Bjornstand (77) completed the first three winners on 138.
Verner nabbed the award for longest driver and Almulla took home the nearest to pin prize.
The winners were awarded golf merchandise plus trophies during the prize distribution ceremony in which representatives from tournament beneficiary Down Syndrome Charity Association attended along with Saud Ali Al-Abdulaziz, deputy for sports affairs at the General Presidency of Youth Welfare, and Riyadh Golf Courses owner Prince Faisal bin Mohammad bin Abdulaziz.
In thanking the organizers of this event, Suzanne S. Al-Ghanem, DSCA secretary-general, said “The people at RGC represented for us a light, a hope. This just goes to show that there are people who care.” She also thanked the sponsors EADS Security Systems, ERI, Almarai, Clear Trail and Wallan Motors for their contribution.
At least SR400,000 was raised from tournament proceeds including sponsorship package in the highly successful two-day tournament.
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