HRH Prince Khalid bin Saud Al Faisal leads Saudi challenge in the next Mena Golf Tour event
HRH Prince Khalid bin Saud Al Faisal will spearhead a strong Saudi challenge when the American Express Dirab Golf Championship, the third event on the MENA Golf Tour, gets under way at the country’s premier course from Monday, October 8. Being held under the patronage of HRH Nawaf bin Faisal bin Fahad Al Saud, head of Youth Welfare Presidency, and under the auspices of the Saudi Arabian Golf Federation, the 54-hole event will see 98 golfers, representing 23 countries, battle it out for honours on the par-72, 7,280 yards layout.
The presence of Prince Khalid in the field, which comprises 70 professionals and 28 amateurs, including 13 from Saudi Arabia, will not only provide a massive boost to the tournament, but will also motivate emerging talent from the Arab world to strive for excellence on the fairways.
An avid golfer, Prince Khalid, who tees off at 9.54am along with England’s Zane Scotland and Pakistan’s Matloob Ahmed in the first round Monday, has already distinguished himself by bringing his handicap down to scratch, and he will be competing in the amateur division where he will be joined by a host players from in and around the region, Morocco, Bahrain, UAE and England, in particular.
“We feel proud and privileged to have HRH Prince Khalid in the field. His gesture to sign up for the event is a great advertisement for the strides made by Saudi Arabia in developing golf in the Kingdom,” said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.
“This is the first time we are visiting Saudi Arabia for a golfing event, but the tournament has already created a global buzz with a full field going out to experience the golfing facilities at the Dirab Club. I am sure this is just the start of a new tradition which could encourage other countries in the region to have their own event on the MENA Tour.
“I am really grateful to HRH Nawaf bin Faisal bin Fahad Al Saud for granting his patronage to the event which has the potential to become one of the most sought-after events on the tour. At the end of day, all we want is to see Arab golfers playing well on the circuit, and the HRH patronage is a significant step in that direction.”
Located 45km south west of Riyadh, the Dirab Golf and Country Club is all spruced up and looking good to welcome players in a ground-breaking competition set to write its name in the region’s golfing folklore.
Having hosted the first Saudi Arabian National Amateur Championship in 2001 and the 10th Annual GCC Golf Championship recently, the course promises to provide a fair all-round test.
A new initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour is affiliated to R&A and the Arab Golf Federation. The six-stop tour, which is backed by Omega and Mercedes-Benz, boasts a combined prize fund of $325,000.
Order of Merit standings for professionals after the first events on the MENA Golf Tour:
1. Ross McGowan (England) $12,028
2. Zane Scotland (England) $9,365
3. Stephen Dodd (Wales) $9,005
4. Roland Steiner (Austria) $6,000
5. Muhamad Munir (Pakistan) $4,420
Order of Merit for amateurs:
1. Tyler Hogarty (England) 73 points
2. Max Williams (England) 72
3. Michael Harradine (Switzerland) 56
4. Ayoub El Guiraiti (Morocco) 29
5. Mustapha El Maouas (Morocco) 25
