Almansour Best Gross champion in 7th Annual Fuchs Open

Fahad Almansour won by countback from fellow Saudi national team player Faisal Salhab to capture the Best Gross title last Friday in the 7th Annual Fuchs Open Golf Tournament 2013 at Dirab Golf & Country Club.
Almansour and Salhab both finished on 76, four over on the flat but challenging 6,905-yard layout, but after comparing their back nine scores to break the tie the former emerged the winner in this last major event to be held at Dirab before the summer break.
Almansour, playing steady golf on a hot sunny day, dropped just two shots in his backside score of 38 to the 42 by the long-hitting Salhab, who settled for third place in the men’s First Division (0-9 handicap).
Starting his round on the first hole, Almansour birdied the par-5 No. 9 following bogeys on 3, 6 and 7 to be on 38 at the turn. He parred the difficult 10 and the par-3 11, and had the dog-leg right No. 13 sandwiched by bogeys, the only blemish in an otherwise trouble-free stretch coming in.
Sharing center stage with Almansour in the 18-hole stroke play competition was Takashi Kato, who won Best Net title with a 67 from a gross score of 86 and handicap of 19.
Kato, who started on the eighth hole, had a superb round for a 19-handicap player, shooting nines of 43-43. The three double bogeys on 1, 9 and 10 were the only bad scores on his card. He made eight pars and bogeyed the rest of the holes.
New Zealander Julian Bennett won by countback from Jose Vigil for the First Division title after they tied on 75 from gross and handicap of 84-9 and 83-8, respectively.
Ronny Lidman was the men’s Second Division (10-19) winner on 69 (85-16) with Dirab Golf Committee Chairman Tariq Javed second on 71 (89-18) and Alistair McIlroy third on 72 (87-15).
Richard Dunn was another winner on countback, in the men’s Third Division (20-28) over Shaun Temple who matched his score of 69. Muhammad Fuad took third place also via the countback on 70.
Clare Hunter, with a 20 handicap, put together one of her best rounds thus far, an 83 that gave her the Ladies Division crown on a net score of 63. Susan Tessier and Liz Kennedy, a perennial podium winner in the division, placed second and third on 75 and 77. The men’s and ladies longest drive awards went to Steve Hunter and Kennedy while Tariq Khan won the closest to the pin plum.
Sardar Zaki Ali Khan, regional manager Central Region at Alhamrani Fuchs Petroleum Ltd., and Advertising Coordinator T. C. Ishaque attended the event and handed over prizes to the winners during the prize distribution ceremony with DGCC Golf Manager Bouchaib El Jadiani and Javed.
Rob Smith was the lucky grand raffle draw prize winner, taking home a Mizuno Golf irons set. The others who each won a golf item were Tom Trimble, Andrew Mahoney, Qaise Hussein and Mario Vera Cruz.