RIYADH: Mexican Cesar Torres and American Jerome Jackson won the 86th Saudi National Day Golf Tournament 2016 in glorious sunshine Saturday that took the wraps off the 2016-2017 season at Dirab Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Riyadh.
Torres, formerly based in Los Angeles, and the Texan Jackson played off team handicap of 11 and with a solid game to boot shot a sparkling net score of 13-under 59 to become champions in this two ball Texas Scramble format competition sponsored by Almarai Company.
“We complemented each other well. When one had a bad drive the other compensates. And that applies in the short game as well,” said Torres who underlined the winning pair’s accuracy off the tee when he nabbed the nearest to the pin award on No. 7.
Torres and Jackson mixed six birdies with one double bogey on the par-4 third hole and two bogeys in a round of 70 (35-35). A highlight reel for the duo was on 14 when the hard-hitting Jackson drove the green and narrowly missed a 10-footer for eagle.
“I’ve been all over the world playing golf courses and Dirab is one of the most enjoyable places. Excellent people, great and helpful,” Jackson told Arab News, adding he is a Dirab member since 2014.
Filipino team Benjamin Santuyo and Luke Lacaden played well enough despite issues of Santuyo fresh from a six-month layoff and Lacaden just arrived from Philippines, as they finished runner-up on 61 from a gross score of 73 and handicap of 12.
The third place went to Koreans Hyun Soo Park and Seong Sun Lim on 63 (69-6). Saudi national team players Faisal Salhab and Abdurahman Almansour took fourth place on countback from Medwyn Rowlands and Mark Davis after the two sides tied on 64. Salhab and the US-based Abdurahman returned 33 to 34 for Rowlands-Davis when the back nine scores were compared to break the tie.
Abdurahman won the men’s longest drive award and Amy Windross claimed the same award on the distaff side.
An eight-man Bahraini national team led by the legendary Nasser Yacoub supported the event as part of the Kingdom’s National Day celebrations.
Almarai Company COO Executive Office Jack Castelein and PR Manager Abdullah Nasser Al Otaibi attended the double awards ceremony for the National Day event and Match Play Club Championship that ended on May 28 with Filipino ace Resty Sibug winning over German Ralf Schiffer in the final. Also present was Dirab Golf Committee Chair Tariq Javed.
Al Otaibi highlighted the Almarai’s long association with Dirab in his short speech. “We see professionalism in this activity with Dirab and Almarai is keen to be of support as part of our corporate social responsibility and to promote golf in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Productive Families took charge of the catering for the traditional Saudi food served at lunch.
Up next weekend is the Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge that will the second in a packed schedule up to December.
Torres, formerly based in Los Angeles, and the Texan Jackson played off team handicap of 11 and with a solid game to boot shot a sparkling net score of 13-under 59 to become champions in this two ball Texas Scramble format competition sponsored by Almarai Company.
“We complemented each other well. When one had a bad drive the other compensates. And that applies in the short game as well,” said Torres who underlined the winning pair’s accuracy off the tee when he nabbed the nearest to the pin award on No. 7.
Torres and Jackson mixed six birdies with one double bogey on the par-4 third hole and two bogeys in a round of 70 (35-35). A highlight reel for the duo was on 14 when the hard-hitting Jackson drove the green and narrowly missed a 10-footer for eagle.
“I’ve been all over the world playing golf courses and Dirab is one of the most enjoyable places. Excellent people, great and helpful,” Jackson told Arab News, adding he is a Dirab member since 2014.
Filipino team Benjamin Santuyo and Luke Lacaden played well enough despite issues of Santuyo fresh from a six-month layoff and Lacaden just arrived from Philippines, as they finished runner-up on 61 from a gross score of 73 and handicap of 12.
The third place went to Koreans Hyun Soo Park and Seong Sun Lim on 63 (69-6). Saudi national team players Faisal Salhab and Abdurahman Almansour took fourth place on countback from Medwyn Rowlands and Mark Davis after the two sides tied on 64. Salhab and the US-based Abdurahman returned 33 to 34 for Rowlands-Davis when the back nine scores were compared to break the tie.
Abdurahman won the men’s longest drive award and Amy Windross claimed the same award on the distaff side.
An eight-man Bahraini national team led by the legendary Nasser Yacoub supported the event as part of the Kingdom’s National Day celebrations.
Almarai Company COO Executive Office Jack Castelein and PR Manager Abdullah Nasser Al Otaibi attended the double awards ceremony for the National Day event and Match Play Club Championship that ended on May 28 with Filipino ace Resty Sibug winning over German Ralf Schiffer in the final. Also present was Dirab Golf Committee Chair Tariq Javed.
Al Otaibi highlighted the Almarai’s long association with Dirab in his short speech. “We see professionalism in this activity with Dirab and Almarai is keen to be of support as part of our corporate social responsibility and to promote golf in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Productive Families took charge of the catering for the traditional Saudi food served at lunch.
Up next weekend is the Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge that will the second in a packed schedule up to December.
