Oman golfers disappoint at GCC chionships in Doha

3/9/2016 12:35:32 PM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily)

The gulf between the standards of the national men's team and the four other participating nations was quite stark as Oman finished at the bottom in the recently- concluded 20th GCC golf Championships in Doha Qatar.

The junior team players were a shade better than their seniors as they finished fourth among the six teams at the ninth GCC Junior Championship.

The men's quartet comprising the Rumhy brothers Azaan and Hamed along with the Balushi siblings Yousuf and Ahmed came up with a total score of 1016 over four days (255 253 251 257) to end way below the other four teams.

Hosts Qatar claimed the title with a total of 889 (224 228 217 220) while Bahrain with a score of 910 (230 226 225 229) finished runner-up.

UAE managed to edge Saudi Arabia for a podium place with a two-shot lead as it ended on 917 (236 224 228 229).

The Saudis carded 234 234 229 and 222 for 919. Oman's cause was not helped by Hamed's disqualification on the final day after officials charged him for a technical mistake.

With only three players' scores to be calculated in the final round Oman's campaign ended in a whimper. At the last edition in Kuwait the men's team had finished fourth while the junior squad had fetched a bronze.

However the junior trio featuring the Harthy duo of Rashad and Hamood and Fahad al Kitani failed to repeat a podium finish as they came fourth in a six-team field. Oman scored 496 (171 161 164) in three rounds.

Hamood al Harthy in action during the event

Qatar juniors won the title with a total of 484 (164 160 160) while Kuwait edged Bahrain by a shot for the silver medal.

Kuwait totalled 489 (160 166 163) while Bahrain scored 490 (161 164 165). UAE was fifth with 517 (173 176 168) and Saudi Arabia finished last with 534 (189 169 176). In the individual competitions also there was nothing for the Oman camp to cheer for as No 1 player Azaan ended 15th among 21 golfers with a total of 315 (78 79 80 78).

Qatar's Saleh al Kaabi won the gold medal with a score of 289 (69 79 70 71) while his countrymate Ali al Shahrani claimed the silver with 296 (78 73 72 73).

UAE's Khalid al Jesmi won the bronze on countback from Bahrain's Sager al Noaimi after the two returned with overall scores of 301. Oman's Ahmed al Balushi came 18th with a score of 346 (89 87 87 83) while Yousuf al Balushi was 20th with 348 (97 95 92 96).

Hamed's disqualification meant he finished last after carding 88 87 84 in the previous rounds. In the junior event Oman's Fahad al Kitani was the best with a sixth-place finish after scoring 249 (83 79 87).

Kuwait's Ali Ansari won the title with a total of 234 (79 75 80) while Qatar's Arnav Jain was runner-up with a score of 243 (81 79 83). Bahrain's Ahmed Ahmed won the bronze with 246 (83 83 80). Hamood was placed eighth with 254 (88 82 84) while Rashad carded 257 (90 87 80) for a tenth place among 17 golfers.

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