To start the new year at Dirab Golf & Country Club, Ryder Cup style matches dubbed The Riyadh Cup took place between European and American golfers at the weekend.

The 12 players a side, four-ball better matches ended with Europe winning 4-2 over American in the event that was a brainchild of Irish Ambassador Tony Cotter and Political Officer Tyson P. Hinds and Political Military Affairs Officer Rhett Mobley of the US Embasssy.

After dropping the first match when the pair of Mark Turner and Ole Frijs-Madsen lost to the US’s Matthew West and Michael Stieg 1-0, Europe captained by Ambassador Cotter racked up four straight victories to dominate the tournament where the Americans’ only other win came from the last team of Christopher Gay and Tarek Mekhail, who beat John Barat and Stuart Walker.

Pekka Voutilainen and Jin Soo Kim set the tone of the day for Europe by beating Michael Tapen and Daleon Fashaw before Alasdair Wild and Jonny Moreton won against Andy Theissen and Paul Robinson. Bob Bruford and Alistair McIlroy defeated Joe Westphal and Doug Apostol then Cotter and Fahad Almansour made it four in a row by turning back the US co-captains Hinds and Mobley.

Everyone had fun in the event in benign conditions. Dirab Golf & Country Club, American Express and Riyadh Marriott Hotel. Joining the Irish and American ambassadors in the tournament were the Korean, Danish and Finnish ambassadors.

Golf course owner Khaled Abunayyan attended the awards ceremony hosted by the Irish ambassador at his residence. Also present were French ambassador, Mark Turner from Amex and Saudi businessmen.

Meem By GIB Open Golf Tournament tomorrow

Meantime, the Meem By GIB Open Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.

Another full field is expected to tee it up for the 18-hole stroke pay tournament with three category hhandicap divisions for men and one division for ladies. Besides the major prizes skill prizes for longest drive for men & ladies and closest to pin unisex will be up for grabs.

Players will each receive a goody bag containing, Greg Norman polo shirt, cap, sleeve of Titleist ProV1 balls and golf towel.

The sponsorship by GIB (Gulf International Bank) marks the first time it is supporting a golf event at Dirab and coincides with the opening of the Bahrain-based bank’s branch in the Kingdom.