The 20th ABGR-American Express golf tournament was held last week at Dirab Golf & Country Club where a record field of 174 players participated in two days of competition.

The team of Rob Smith won the four-ball Texas Scramble format event on countback from Jeff Hunt and Co.

Smith, Dr. Rana Irfan, Mark Carpenter and Bob Khalife combined for a dizzying net score of 53 that Hunt, Ralf Schiffer, Bernard Jones and Allen McMahon tied.

But thanks to a 6-under back nine score of 30 Smith’s squad clinched first place after the tiebreak was applied from the team of Hunt, which had a gross score of 63 and 10 handicap.

The winning quartet, with an 11 handicap, posted a gross score of 64 (34-30) in a bogeyless round highlighted by eight birdies.

Starting at No. 6 Carpenter set the tone of the day for his team when he birdied the next hole. They parred the next five holes before rapping putts like they were laser-guided to birdie six holes in a row from 13 — two each by Khalife and Irfan and one each by Smith and Carpenter. The quartet recorded their 8th birdie on the par-5 first courtesy of Irfan.

The foursome of David Foster, Jerry McCabe, Barry McCagig and Edward Razon took the third position on 54 from a gross score of 66 and 12 handicap.

The men’s and ladies longest drive award went to Carl Berrojo and Sheila McIlroy and closest to the pin for both divisions to Rick McCabe and Susan Tessier.

The team winners and individual awardees were presented with their prizes during the gala awards and dinner Thursday night.

The 20th edition of the tournament with American Express as title sponsor was a big success. The sponsors are: Al-Faisaliah Hotel, UPS-Eirad Trading, Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, ExxonMobil S.A. Inc., Gama Dental Clinic, FMC Volvo, Vinnell Arabia, Mawarid Food Company-Pizza Hut, Hertz Rent A Car, Atheeb Telecom, Dirab Golf and Country Club, Royal Air Maroc, Saudi Aviation Flight Academy and Riyadh Village.