Almulla, who missed the 2009 tournament, did practice round Wednesday at the rolling layout off the Qassim highway outside of Riyadh along with teammates Hariri, Ali Sahli and Abdullah Al Hussain and Ali Balharith, the Saudi team captain.
Fahad Almansour, Bandar Al Ghubain and Turki Al Hussain complete the Saudi team looking to regain the Best Gross trophy it lost in 2009 to the Philippines in an upset that ended the Saudis’ stranglehold of the event that began in 1988 with only a handful of players. The Saudis have never lost since they participated in 1994 in a run that stretched up to 2003 when the event was last held at the old sand course of RGC.
The Philippines will be fielding two teams — FGA Team and FGA Team B — in the eight-man team six to count tournament that attracted 14 teams from 11 countries.
The United Kingdom is likewise pinning its hopes on two teams each captained by Sandy Leslie and Edward Driver. Big John Palalagi will captain the combined New Zealand-Australia team. The other countries entered are India, Sweden, Canada, United States, South Africa and Korea, which will also have two teams.
On a busy day at the course there were other golfers besides the Saudis that practiced two days before the tournament, among them Canadian team captain Mike Savard, Leslie and Driver as well as Mar Vera Cruz, Richard Gaas and Eric Liquigan of FGA Team A.
Filipino Golf Association President Howard Laurente is the skipper of the FGA Team A with Ben Bollozos to lead the FGA Team B. Ebrahim Zailon, Alex Arellano, Edwin Añonuevo, Jun Saporsantos and Resty Sibug are the other members of FGA Team A.
The prestigious tournament tees off 7 a.m. in a shotgun-style start. According to RGC Director of Golf V. T. M. Rafi the tournament is sponsored by Germany-based medical equipment company Drager Arabia Co. Ltd. through General Manager Host Skupin.
This will be the second Country Match since its revival in 2009, ending a five-year hiatus.
