This is the first time Oman will be represented since the revival of the country’s national amateur golf championship with Saudi Oger as the title sponsor in 2009. Bahrain, the Gulf and Arab world’s top power in the sport, has always been well represented and this time there will be five coming down to Riyadh including veterans Nasser Yacoub, Hamed Mubarak Al Hafnan and Abdulah Sultan.

Last year, 18 Saudis competed, the biggest number ever of homegrown golfers to play together at a major tournament with Khaled Attieh routing the field in a history-making victory.

The talented Attieh won the 2010 tournament at 15 years, 11 months and 1 day, making him the youngest winner of the prestigious event. He totaled 144 over two days after a bogey-free final round 2-under 70 for a six-stroke victory over Al Hafnan. In January this year Attieh became the youngest Arab golfer to qualify for the Dubai Desert Classic.

Sadly, Attieh will not be around to defend his title having moved to the United States from the UAE, where he was based, to pursue his studies. Another high-profile Saudi golfer to miss the 36-hole tournament sponsored by Saudi Oger Ltd. through Corporate Communications Manger Mazen Fayed is 25-year-old Othman Almulla who is also in the US.

To try to fill the void left by the two outstanding Saudi players are 10 hopefuls, led by the Saudi national team coach Ali Balharith and the experienced golfers Fahad Almansour, Ali Al Sahli and Noah Alireza.

Emerging Saudi talent, Faisal Salhab, who just turned 16 last August, also bears watching along with fellow long-hitter Turki Hussain. Salhab and Turki were runners-up to the Almansour brothers Fahad and Abdulrahman in the Saudi National Day Texas Scramble format tournament last month.

Turki’s younger brother Abdullah also entered this tournament as did Abdulrahman, the Eastern Province-based Omar Talal Hariri and Bandar Nawaf.

In all 132 players including those from the expatriate golf community entered the competition. The tournament week starts Wednesday with a practice round at 8 a.m. and a gala dinner from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Dirab driving range. Upon registration at 2 p.m. Wednesday players will receive giveaways of Saudi Oger camel head cover, Cutter & Buck polo shirt, Foot Joy gloves and a sleeve of Titleist balls.

The first round with a shotgun start at 7 a.m. is Thursday.

After the first round the field will be cut by half with the top 40 gross and top 32 net including ties to play in the second round Friday where they will tee off in groups at No. 1 and No. 10 from 7 a.m.