Spence Hawthorn and Edward Bulkeley put together a sizzling round of 63 to win the Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge 7th qualifying round last Friday at Dirab Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Riyadh.

With the victory the winning pair joins the rest of qualifying round winners from the region in the two-day grand final round hosted on two iconic golf courses, Tower Links Golf Club and Al Hamra Golf Club, along with overnight stay in the Waldorf Astoria, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.

Starting at No. 6, Hawthorn and Bulkeley poured it on by going six-under on the back nine holes at 30. They had a 33 on the front side.

The New Zealand duo of Julian Bennett and John Palalagi was runner-up after the countback was applied to break a four-way tie on 64.

Bennett and Palalagi had the best back-nine score of 30 when the scores were compared to break the tie with Mark Campbell and Orazio Moretti (B9 31 last 3 holes 10) in third place, Steve Taylor and Jean Marc Coupet (B9 31 last 3 holes 11) fourth place and Michael Holland-John Molony (B9 32) fifth place.

Abdurahman Almansour won the longest drive award and Jun Bantug nearest to the pin plum.

Winning the grand raffle draw prize of Xerox printer was Grodon Rees. To Ralf Schiffer went the golf bag and to Khalid Raja a Titleist wedge.

Now in its 16th edition, Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge is halfway to the grand Final. The tournament has received marvelous support from sponsors such as Prestige Wealth Solutions, Skandia International, and long-time supporter ECCO.

Helping facilitate the event at Dirab were Saudi Xerox Ltd. executives Manaiang Director Ihab Al Jundi, and Marketing Director Reem Al Bakri. Andrew Mathews and Julian Danby likewise contributed to help make this event successful.

Destination Partners for the challenge are Ras Al Khaimah Tourism, Waldorf Astoria (RAK) Al Hamra Golf Club and Tower Links Golf Club.

Supporting Xerox Emirate’s chosen charity, Noor Dubai Foundation, the 2014 Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge aims to contribute to the company’s 2014 goal of raising US$60,000. This is the cost of one mobile Eye Camp that can bring 4,000 treatments and up to 500 surgeries in a developing nation.

For further information about the tournament, visit www.xeroxcgc.com.