Golf: Exciting battle on the cards at Qatar Open

Eight Qatari golfers will be competing alongside 23 professionals at this year’s Qatar Open Amateur Championship at the Doha Golf Club (DGC), organisers of the event announced yesterday.

The tournament, which is into its 34th edition, will be played in an individual stroke play format and will take place at the Doha Golf Club from February 20 to 22, with half the field advancing to Saturday’s final round.

The mixed field of amateur and professional players will be vying for the four qualifying spots up for grabs at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters tournament, which will be held from March 5 to 8 at the Education City Golf Club course and other prizes.

This year’s edition will see around 105 players participating from 39 countries.

From among the 82 amateurs in the fray, the one with the top score will lay his hands on the Qatar Open trophy and qualify for a place in the European Tour event in Qatar along with three professionals.

The winning amateur and top professional will also receive a Royal Air Maroc airline ticket.

The Qatari players who will be seen in action are: Saleh Ali Kaabi, Ali Al Shahraniy, Abdurahman Al Shahrani, Jaham Al Kuwari, Fahad Rizwan, Abdelaziz Al Muhannadi, Abdelaziz Al Boainain and Ghanim Al Kuwari.

Out of the eight Qatari players, who will be playing at the Qatar Open, two of them - Saleh Ali and Jaham Jasim - have confirmed their place in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters tournament, organisers said.

The three-day event organised by Qatar Golf Association (QGA) is supported from Qatar Olympic Committee, InterContinental Doha Hotel, Doha Golf Club, Royal Air Maroc, Al Rayan Water and Almuftah Car Rent.

This is the third year running that QGA has added the professional division to the amateur event.

“The professional section is growing every year since the time we introduced it three years back. Many players who cannot make it to the Qatar Masters will be trying to qualify for the European Tour event at Education City Golf Club,” said Fahad Nasser Al Naimi, General Secretary of QGA while speaking at a press conference yesterday.

“The field is quite strong with many professionals with very high rankings taking part. An interesting tussle is on the cards,” he said.

“Top three professionals and the leading amateur will qualify for the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters to be held at Education City Golf Club, from March 5 to 8,” Al Naimi added.

The event is one of the oldest in the region and was first held in 1983 and contested over a sand course in Umm Said. This year sees around 50 golfers from all over the world reaching Qatar for the event.

Denmark’s Mikkel Mathiesen won the title last year while Adrian Meronk, Niclas Johansson and Mike Troop clinched the top three places in the professional section.