RIYADH, 3 June 2007 — Saudi national golf team put on a dominant display during the two-day Ryder Cup-style matches against Great Britain (Expat) over the weekend at Dirab Golf Club.
After the first day’s morning matches were tied the Saudi team never looked back to win by a lopsided score of 9.5-2.5 in the International Golf Challenge, the sixth in a series, organized as part of the government-to-government agreement to foster cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Britain, signed in 1987.
“The Saudi team played good. The players are getting better every year and this shows the high standard of the Saudi game,” Khaled Abunayyan, president of the Saudi Golf Committee, was quoted as saying.
Sattam Al-Gosaibi, from the Eastern Province, took over the captaincy from veteran Ali Belhareth and Kingdom No. 1 Othman Almulla used his summer school break from the United States to be with the team and lend his inspiring presence.
But the one who sprang a surprise was the Jeddah-based junior golfer Khaled Attieh, who at 12 showed maturity far beyond his years in golf. The curly-topped Attieh hit from the men’s tee for the first time and passed the test in a competition of this magnitude.
“He has a very good future in golf if he works hard,” said Othman of his young compatriot.
After helping the Saudi team win the event Othman will leave tomorrow for England to compete in the Links Trophy at St. Andrews reputedly the toughest stroke play amateur tournament.
The teams ended the three four ball better ball matches all square 0.5-0-.5. The Saudi pair of Almulla-Al-Gosaibi beat Spence Hawarten and Dave Pover. British team captain Ron Thompson teamed with Ron Cowper to defeat Fahad Al-Mansour and Omar Hariri, while the last morning match between Saeed Aldossary-Attieh and Pete Birch-Al Crombie ended in a draw.
It was all Saudi when the sides returned to the course in the afternoon for the foursome alternate shot matches. Almulla partnered with Al-Mansour, another fast-rising golfer, this time and clipped the Hawarter-Pover tandem for the win that Al-Gosaibi-Hariri and Al-Dossary-Attieh replicated by beating Thompson-Cowper and Birch-Crombie. The first day ended 4.5 points for the Saudis and 1.5 for the British resident golfers.
The first three singles matches on the final day went to the Saudis courtesy of Attieh, Al-Dossary and Hariri who downed Crombie, Pover and Thompson. Al-Gosaibi and Othman drew with Hawarten and Birch while Al-Mansour got back at four balls tormentor Cowper. The Saudis collected 5 further points in the singles against 1 for Britain.
The matches were closer than the score indicated on a day that witnessed good golf from both sides.
All told the Saudis lost one and were never beaten in the rest of the matches in a truly remarkable performance.
“Watch the progress of Saudi golf and watch out for the up and coming players. We never expected to win this big because the British team played good too. All the matches were tight though we came together very well and played good golf,” said Almulla.
Al-Mansour swept the longest drive and closest to pin awards on the first day with Birch and Hawarten taking the honors on the second day.
