DHAHRAN: Keen to build his playing resume despite a busy schedule running a golf club, fomer PGA professional Moroccan Bouchaib El Jadiani not only got to play but had a bonus to boot when he won the 50th Saudi Aramco Invitational Tournament at the weekend.

El Jadiani edged out Reid Perry and Saudi ace Othman Almulla at the end of the oldest and arguably one of the most prestigious tournaments in the Kingdom at the Rolling Hills Golf Club here.

El Jadiani shot a solid 2-over 74 in the final round Saturday for a two-day total of 152 and one-stroke victory over Perry who also closed with a 74 and had a chance of winning the SAIT championship but faded with bogeys on the last three holes.

One stroke back on 154 at third place was defending champion Almulla who failed to convert a birdie chance at 18 and missed a playoff and second place with a bogey on the hole.

It was the third SAIT championship for El Jadiani having won in 2007 and 2012. He joins an elite band of players to win two or more titles in the competition founded by American oilmen in the 60s.

“This victory is so special as it came on the 50th anniversary of the tournament. I wish I could make the 75th event and my son to win the 100th,” Jadiani told Arab News on WhatsApp messenger.

El Jadiani started the 36-hole tournament Friday on 78 in a tie for third with Othman and Nasser Saleh Mubarak, with Mohammed Alnoami in the lead on 75 and Omar Al-Hariri in second on 76.

After hitting the turn at level par 36 on the second day, El Jadiani went four over to start the back nine until he righted the ship on 13 where he drove the green and enjoyed a two-putt birdie. Gaining momentum, the manager of Dirab Golf & Country Club in Riyadh kept his scorecard clean and picked up another shot with a chip-in birdie on the par-5 17. After a good drive and 5-iron approach that fell short Bouchaib had a sand wedge third shot that landed close to the cup but then spun out of the green setting himself up with a 56 degree wedge that found the cup.

Faced with a narrow green with long slope to the bunker on 18, Bouchaib made the right judgement to find the green in two and save par after missing a 15-footer.

Tournament director Mel Rivera handed out prizes to the winners during the awards ceremony on Saturday.

Championship competition

Champion Bouchaib El Jadiani 152

2nd place Reid Perry 153

3rd place Othman Al Mulla 154

4th place Saqer Alnoaimi 155

5th place Andres Echeveste 156 countback

36 Holes Day 1 Gross Mohammed Alnoaimi 75

36 Holes Day 2 Gross Abdullah Sultan Saleh 77

Plate competition

Champion Nasser Saad Almhasni 81

2nd place Kurt Janssen 84

3rd place Ali Balhareth 87

4th place Lee Kirk 88

5th place Mohammed AlKhaldi 89

18-hole Plate Best Front Steve Vezendy 40

18-hole Plate Best Back Mel Knotts 42

Skill prizes

Day 1 Long Drive Front Mohammed Alnoaimi

Day 1 Long Drive Back Othman Al Mulla

Day 2 Long Drive Front Nabeel Sabt

Day 2 Long Drive Back Othman Al Mulla

Day 1 NTP #4 Dave Minchau

Day 1 NTP #8 Robert Wells

Day 1 NTP #11 Dave Minchau

Day 1 NTP #16 Abdelbaku Bin Mansour

Day 2 NTP #4 Reid Perry

Day 2 NTP #8 Stuart Hurstfield

Day 2 NTP #11 Michael Coulson

Day 2 NTP #16 Abdelbaku Bin Mansour