Played in benign conditions, the inaugural Dirab-Marriott Riyadh Hotel Open Golf Tournament with a 4-ball Texas Scramble format produced insanely low scores, at least for a hundred or so faithful that teed it up on Friday at Dirab Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Riyadh.

When the dust settled, the quartet of Ali H. Alsakha, Rees Gorden, Orazio Moretti and Jean Marc Coupet emerged the champion with a net score of 57 from a gross score of 64 and team handicap of 7.

The team of Bob Bruford was the runner-up on countback over a foursome captained by Abdurahman Almansour after the sides tied on 58. To break the tie the back nine scores were compared with Bruford and teammates Qaiser Hussain, Omar Iqbal and Amin Qasim on 33 to the 34 compiled by Abdurahman, Abdulaziz Al-Helassi, Abdulrahman Al-Otman and Greg Trace.

The Bruford team with a 9 handicap shot nines of 34-33 for gross of 67 while Abdurahman’s squad returned 65 but with a lower handicap of 7.

Fourth place went to David Seymour, Chris Derek, Il Joung Kim and Mi Ra Jung who combined for a net 60 from a gross of 68 and handicap of 8.

Claiming the fifth position on 61 from a gross 68 and 7 handicap via another countback was the trio of Gary Stobie, Martina O. Reilly and Edward O. Reilly.

Abdurahman, a member of the Saudi national team, swept the awards for the men’s longest drive and closest to the pin, while Roberta Hobbs took home the ladies longest drive accolade.

The Alsakha quartet could not seem to make mistake as a team ramming home four birdies on each side for 32-32.

Bruford’s group, which started on par-5 dog-leg right No. 13, ended their round with a birdie on 12 while also picking up shots on Nos. 15, 16, 4 and 8.

Abdurahman and Co. got their game going with four straight birdies from the sixth hole and went on to finish on 31-34. They also birdied No. 1, their last hole, in addition to birdies on 14 and 16.

Capping the event was the gala awards-dinner for tournament players and their guests at Marriott Riyadh Hotel in the City Center.

Muhin Sarhan, Marriott Riyadh general manager, presented the prizes to the winners along with former Dirab Committee Chairman Nasser Uddin Siddiqui.

This is the first time the hotel partnered with Dirab for this kind of event.