The pair of Troy Thompson and Michael Ferguson won the fourth qualifying round recently of the 2013 Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge at the Rolling Hills Golf Club in Saudi Aramco Dhahran.
Thompson and Ferguson won on countback from Eric Holthusen and David McLeary after both teams tied on net score of 64 in the 18-hole two person best ball medal format competition that attracted 60 teams and 120 players.
The winning tandem advances to the grand final to be held Oct. 23 at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai.
Dennis Richard and veteran Saudi golfer Mubarak Al-Ghamdi took the third position on 65.
The prizes for nearest to the pin went to Caroline Nicholson and Eunice Lee, and longest drive to McLeary and Dennis Latendresse.
The tournament is supported by main sponsors AVIS Rent a Car and ABB and co–sponsored by ECCO, Crystal Gallery, Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas, VPAR, Dubai Golf, Scorpio Golf, Khaleej Times and Golf Digest.
The next qualifying round is taking place tomorrow at the Sahara Golf Club in Kuwait. To know more about the tournament and for registration, players can visit www.xeroxgolfchallenge.com.
The Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge began in the UAE in 1997 and was supported by the UAE Golf Association. The event became so successful and has grown to become one of the most prestigious sporting events in the region, with the objective of providing companies with a platform of mixing business with pleasure.
The tournament started with only three qualifying rounds, an additional round was added in 2001, and that number doubled to eight in 2005. Between 2006 and 2012, the concept was rolled out in other regional countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar, and Bahrain to name a few.
As a result, the event is now a regional network of national amateur golf tournaments promoted and run independently and has been awarded twice as the Best Corporate Golf Challenge in the Middle East. The winners of the qualifying rounds from each territory compete in the grand final for the grand prize.
Winning prizes have ranged from a spot in events such as the Kenya Open Pro-Am Tournament, Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am and Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship Pro-Am, and a trip to the Open Championship 2012 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.
Thompson-Ferguson wins fourth qualifying round of Xerox Corporate Golf tilt
Thompson-Ferguson wins fourth qualifying round of Xerox Corporate Golf tilt
Salt and Pepper season Abu Dhabi Knight Riders’ route into the ILT20 playoffs
- The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will face Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator 1 on 1 January
DUBAI: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders secured a place in the top four of DP World ILT20 Season 4 with a commanding 32-run victory over Gulf Giants in the final league match at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
The crucial win confirmed the Knight Riders’ progression to the playoffs, where they will face Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator on January 1. Desert Vipers and MI Emirates will contest Qualifier 1 on December 30, with a place in the final at stake.
A dominant 131-run opening partnership between Michael Pepper and Phil Salt laid the foundation for the Knight Riders’ success. Pepper struck 83 from 51 balls, while Salt remained unbeaten on 72 from 56 deliveries, as the pair propelled their side to a formidable total of 179 for 1.
Pepper led the charge during a brisk powerplay, racing to a half-century from just 31 balls as the Knight Riders reached 56 without loss inside the first six overs. Azmatullah Omarzai endured a costly fifth over, conceding 20 runs including three sixes, two of them launched by Pepper.
The opening pair brought up a 100-run stand in 67 balls — only the second century partnership of the season — before Aayan Khan finally broke through in the 15th over, with Pepper holing out to Mark Adair. Pepper’s innings featured six boundaries and four sixes.
Salt reached his own half-century from 44 balls in the 17th over and finished strongly, adding an unbeaten 48-run stand with Liam Livingstone (18 not out from 13 balls) as the Knight Riders plundered 18 runs from the final over.
Defending 180, Jason Holder struck early, removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck in the opening over and later dismissing Gulf Giants captain James Vince for 19. Ajay Kumar added to the pressure by accounting for Ben Kellaway, while Sunil Narine conceded just five runs across his first two overs.
By the end of the powerplay, the Giants had slumped to 32 for 3, but Moeen Ali mounted a spirited counter-attack. The England all-rounder smashed 79 from 49 balls, reaching his half-century in 31 deliveries and briefly reviving hopes with a 45-run stand alongside Kyle Mayers.
However, Narine turned the tide decisively in the 15th over, removing Mayers and then Sean Dickson for a duck. Andre Russell sealed the contest in the 18th over, striking twice in consecutive deliveries to dismiss Moeen and Aayan Khan, as the Knight Riders closed out the innings efficiently.
The Gulf Giants were eventually restricted to 147 for 9, handing the Knight Riders a comprehensive victory.
Player of the match Pepper said the innings was built on discipline and smart decision-making.
“It was about being patient and waiting for the right match-ups,” Pepper said. “When the spinners came into the attack, Salt allowed me to face most of the deliveries and I was happy to take responsibility. As a group, we just need to keep putting in the hard work.”
Gulf Giants captain James Vince acknowledged his side fell short on the day.
“It was a surface where they scored 20 to 30 runs above par,” Vince said.
“We weren’t able to strike early with the ball, and full credit to the way Pepper and Salt went about their innings. Moeen played a really good knock for us, but six losses in a row is tough to take.”
