UAE Golf team need a final push for a top 3 finish in the Arab Golf Championship
The UAE team sounded confident of producing a late charge they need to finish among top three in the Arab Golf Championship being played at the par-73 Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Resort in Rabat, Morocco.
The team was placed fourth with a combined gross score of 476, going into the final round of the 54-hole strokeplay championship behind hosts Morocco (455), Bahrain (462) and Lebanon (469).
Once it was Ahmed Al Musharrekh who spearheaded the UAE challenge, carding 77 and 78 in the first two rounds. Khalid Yousuf, who aced the difficult par-3 ninth hole en route to shooting a seven-over-par 80 in the first round, fared much better in the second, signing off with a solid 76.
Shaikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation, Adel Zarouni, secretary-general of EGF, and UAE team captain Khalid Mubarak were on hand when Khalid achieved the hole-in-one feat. He had a carry of about 190 yards over water to an island green. Egypt’s S. Saaler matched the feat an hour later in one of the major highlights of the first round.
Faris Al Mazroui, who made it to the four-man team after winning a playoff against Hassan Al Musharrekh, followed his first-round 82 with an indifferent 89 while Abdulla Al Musharrekh shot 89 and 83 in the first two rounds in that order.
Bahrain’s Hamad Mubarak led the field in the individual division after the first two rounds with a total of 148, followed by Ahmed Al Musharrekh (155) and Khalid Yousuf (156).
Hassan Al Musharrekh stands a great chance of winning the gold medal in the junior individual division. The young UAE prodigy fired a sizzling net six-under-par 67 in the first round and followed it with another superb net 72 to lead the field by a good five shots, going into the final round.
“Hassan is playing really well and if he can keep the momentum going in the final round, he has every chance of winning the division by a good margin,” said Khalid Mubarak, the manager of the team. “He was four under par over the back nine in the second round and that shows he is striking the ball really well.
“We are equally optimistic about our senior team finishing among the top three. They need a final push to accomplish the team. If they play to their potential, the target seems well within our reach,” he added.
It was a great learning experience for Dr Rabab Al Haj, who is leading the UAE challenge in the ladies division. She posted a gross 103 in the first round and a gross 109 for the second.
The UAE team’s scores after the second round:
Senior team: Ahmed Al Musharrekh 77 and 78, Khalid Yousuf 80 and 76, Faris Al Mazroui 82 and 89, Abdulla Al Musharrekh 89 and 83
Junior individual: Hassan Al Musharrekh net 67 and net 72
Ladies division: Rabab Al Haj posted 103 (net 79) and 109 (net 85).
Pic caption: Hassan Al Musharrekh … leading the junior division with a good five shots
