International Pairs UAE Abu Dhabi City Golf Club

The 2012-13 Tech Access International Pairs UAE Presented by Cadillac made it’s first visit of the new season to the Capital as members of Abu Dhabi City Golf Club and Yas Links played for the chance to represent their respective clubs in the 2013 National Final. Abu Dhabi City Golf Club hosted the UAE’s largest amateur club tournament on Friday and such were the entry levels, Abu Dhabi’s smallest course, which is only 9-holes had to play two shotguns to accommodate all their players. In the end, the morning weather proved favourable as two of the top three teams took advantage of the calm early conditions. The early clubhouse lead was set by 2010-11 Abu Dhabi City Golf Club champions, Stuart Blan and Stuart Williams as they posted an impressive 42 stableford points but their ambitions of a return to the National stage were short-lived as Sid Elday and partner CJ Niver fired four net birdies on the last six holes to score 44 points.

This target proved insurmountable as a full afternoon shotgun went out to chase them down. The best challenge came from Norman Llewellyn and Rajesh Kholy who, despite bettering Elday and Niver on the outward nine, failed to maintain their form and carded 43 points to claim the runners-up position, pushing Blan and Williams down to third.

Elday and Niver both started playing golf four years ago and are regular partners having met at the City Golf Club as beginners. Their fledgling careers will receive a stern test when they tee it up in the 2013 National Final at Yas Links in June.
Richard Hattersley was the lucky recipient of a stay at Yas Viceroy, which was drawn by Lady Vice-Captain Susan Falconer.