Williamson, Usher lead 2nd round winners in Race to Manila golf tourney

Robin Williamson won overall Best Net honors and along with first round overall Best Gross winner Jose Vigil took the lead after the second round on Friday in the Vista Land Race to Manila golf tournament at Dirab Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Riyadh.
Sponsored by Vista Land International Marketing Inc. in cooperation with Saudi Golf Business Society (SGBS), Filipino Golf Association and A-Faisaliah Hotel, the competition comprised five tournaments including the final in November, according to DGCC Golf Manager Bouchaib El Jadiani.
El Jadiani said points will be awarded to the winners in each of the five tournaments akin to the FedEx Cup as follows: 500 to first place, 490 to second place, 480 to third place and so on, with 1,000 points awaiting the winner in the November final. An all-expenses paid trip to Manila will be awarded to the Race to Manila champion in both the Best Gross and Best Net categories.
With the win Friday and a second-place finish in the First Division (0-9 handicap) in the first round 9-handicap Williamson compiled 990 points thus far in a tie with Vigil, another 9-handicap golfer who placed second in First Division on 71 Friday in a follow up to his first round victory.
British Steph Usher and Filipino top bet Alex Arellano got into contention in the race by winning first-place points as the overall Best Gross champion and First Division champion on 72 and 69.
Steady from tee to green, the scratch golfer Usher mixed two birdies with the same number of bogeys in nines of 38-32.
After a monster drive on the difficult par-4 No. 10 User nestled his wedge shot from 120 yards one foot from the cup and made the putt for a birdie.
His tee shot on the par-3 11 landed close to the pin and rammed home the birdie putt as he canceled out bogeys on holes 3 and 6.
“I played steady all day,” said the well-built Usher who credited his two Filipino playing partners in their group Resty Sibug and Eric Liquigan for their encouragement.
The 7-handicap Arellano who missed out on the prizes in the first round after a bad decision that cost him strokes on No. 10 was not to be denied this time although he said his putting let him down.
Arellano hit all but one green in regulation on the back nine for birdie chances but then failed to convert any. He missed the green for bogeys on 1, 2 and 4 and his other bogey in nines of 39-37 was on par-5 15.
Williamson was another single-digit handicap player to have a good round on a windless sun splashed day. He finished on sparkling net score of 68, outstripping a host of players that had contended for the Best Net prize.
The first three winners in the Third Division (19-28) namely Shaun Tempel, Alan Malawanda and Paul Hwang were determined on countback after they all tied on 69.
In the Second Division (10-18), Noor Halim was the winner on countback from Mark Davies after they tied on 69 with Steve Hunter in third place on 70.
John Barrett rounded out the First Division winners on 73.
Carol A. Cormack won the Ladies Division with Susan Tessier in second place.
The longest drive award went to Davies in the men’s division and Cormack in the ladies division, while Benjamin Santuyo claimed the prize for closest to the pin.
The raffle draw winners were Hwang (Dirab travel bag cover), Joe Vallado and Ben Madariaga (Al Faisaliah dinner voucher) and Paul West (Dirab Pro Shop voucher).
Vista Land KSA officials namely Managing Director Flore Bouzane and Marketing Head Jason Mande attended the prize distribution ceremony.
The Race to Manila third round is scheduled for first week of October.