RIYADH, 24 February 2007 — The weather did cooperate and the winds muted on a cool sunny day at Dirab Golf Club course here.
But notwithstanding the excellent conditions only a handful from among the little over a hundred golfers broke par yesterday in the Almarai Monthly Medal golf tournament.
Jan Hamren and Billy Nash jointly held the best round of the day, 6-under 68, as Division B (19-28 handicap) players took center stage in the 18-hole full handicap stroke play competition sponsored by Almarai Company through CEO Abdulrahman Alfadley.
Hamren, a 22-handicap, clinched first place in the division from 28-handicap Nash on countback. Ramed Ratana , who played off 21-handicap, was third on 71.
Kelvin Tayfield shot a 2-under 71 to win the First Division (0-9) crown by one stroke over Thai Somchit Nakhong who returned a 72. Young long-hitting Frenchman Jeremy Haas, a scratch golfer, finished third on 78 on countback over two players namely Y. K. Kim and Boonyuen Supoch.
Bank executive Jehaan Ismail of SABB captured the Second Division (10-18) title. Ismail, a solid 14-handicap, scored 3-under 70 with V. P. Hirubalan and Malcolm Hayler taking second and third places on countback after both players shot 71s.
Canadian Ruby Klawikowski played steady golf to rule the Ladies Division for the second straight tournament with a 69. Evelyn Hayler and Lily Bullard matched cards of 72 and wound up second and third on countback.
Mansour Al-Mansour was the unchallenged Junior Division champion with a 74. The awards for the longest drive went to M. S. Kim in the men’s division and Sheila Mcllroy in the ladies division and for closest to pin to Hirubalan. Malcolm Hayler won the raffle draw for the return Swiss Air ticket to Europe. Trophies and golf clubs were handed out to the major prize winners during the awards ceremony attended by Almari Co. VIPs and Khaled Abunayyan, owner of Dirab golf course and president of Saudi Golf Committee.
Abunayyan thanked Almarai without whose “sponsorship this event would not have possible” and club members for their continued support of activities at Dirab Golf Club which he said would undergo further improvements including the installation of shower rooms. Abunayyan also encouraged the players to support the Sanad Charity Golf Tournament to be held March 15 and 16.
For his part, Monther Tayeb, head of Almarai Co. Public Relations Department., thanked Dirab for the opportunity to sponsor a golf tournament as he underlined the role companies play in the promotion of the Saudi game.
Also present during the awards ceremony were DGC Manager Bouchaib El Jadiani, and sponsorship coordinator Andrea Corbett.
