RIYADH: Tariq Javed and Irfan Hanif tasted their first big victory as a team when they won the 2nd Riyad Bank Golf Tournament 2016 at the Nofa Golf Resort on Friday.

Javed and Hanif, both Canadian citizens of Pakistani descent, put together a winning net score of 63 to win by one stroke from Kevin Haponek and Kevin Kumlien in the Texas Scramble format with 1/4 handicap competition.

Playing steady golf, the winning pair navigated the par-73 6,920 yards layout in

nines of 37-38 (75). They had only two bogeys on 10 and 15.

Until Friday’s victory the Javed-Hanif golf partnership of more than a decade has had no success although they finished runner-up at the Corporate Golf Challenge two years ago at Dirab Golf & Country Club.

“Enjoyed the tournament as Nofa golf course was in great shape after the recent rain spell. Both Tariq and myself were no stranger to team play. We started off well and then never looked back with a long streak of pars,” Hanif told Arab News by SMS.

“After the first of only two bogeys, we had a chance to score a birdie but missed by a few inches. Our continued focus throughout the 4 ½ hours round finally paid with a score of net 63. All in all, thoroughly enjoyed a hard earned win,” added Hanif.

Haponek and Kumlien, with a gross score of 70 and handicap of 6, won the runner-up prize on countback from Asim Bukhtiar and Imtiaz Zaidi who also tallied 64 from a gross of 78 and handicap of 14.

The fourth place went to the tandem of Sunday Olweny and Frank Gleeson, who won in another countback from the pair of Dan McLaughlin and Susan Tessier. These two teams tied on 65. Ian Bill Eaton and Brad Jones were the third team to shoot 65 but then missed out on the prizes.

Winning the skill prizes of longest drive and closest to the pin were Julian Bennett and Brad Jones respectively. The raffle prize winners were Pieter Morrison (Cleveland driver), Jeff Cashion (NappleBay cart bag), Ahsan Kamal (Taylormade wood), Aries Rami (Cleveland wood) and Arimi Ariffin (Classic wedge).

The tournament attracted 46 teams and 92 players, who all had fun out on the course with the little wind early in the morning giving way to beautiful condition the rest of the day.

Riyad Bank Executive Vice President Mohamad Al-Rabeah attended the awards ceremony and in his speech thanked the participants while looking forward to have this event on an annual basis. He handed over prizes of golf merchandise to the winners and received a sponsor recognition plaque from Eamonn Hanlon, general manager Nofa Resorts.

Nofa Golf Resort Manager Nishad Muhammed Kunju thanked all participants and the tournament sponsor Riyad Bank for their continued generous support to Nofa Golf Resort.