RIYADH: Top-ranked Saudi golfer Othman Almulla played patient, conservative golf on the suddenly demanding Dirab Golf & Country Club course to take the lead after the first round on Thursday in the 2nd Annual SGF Open Golf Championship 2016.
The 30-year old Almulla cashed in on opportunities in the middle of his round to finish on 2-under 70 on a sun-splashed day for a three-shot lead over rising Saudi talent Saud Al Sharief.
The Bahrain-based Sharief, who turns 17 on Sunday, was even par at the turn, stumbled with bogeys on 10 and 11, birdied 14, again bogeyed No. 15 before a par-birdie finish gave him a 1-over 73 card.
One stroke further back on 74 was Azan Al Rumeh from Oman, while Bahraini Hamad Mubarak and Qatari Saleh Al Kaabi were tied on 75.
Legendary Bahraini golfer Nasser Yacoub and the UAE’s Ahmad Skaik joined local expatriate player Korean M. S. Kim on 77.
A big group on 78 included another promising young Saudi Faisal Salhab, who won the recent Saudi Aramco Invitational Tournament, and Abdullah Sultan from the Bahraini contingent.
Describing the course as playing fair but difficult with thick rough and fast greens, Almulla turned his game around after a 1-over going out with eagle-birdie-birdie on Nos. 12, 13 and 14.
Trusting his long game, Almulla drove the green on 12 and holed out from 30 feet. On the par-5 dog-leg right he had a good splash shot after an approach from 260 yards, then rolled in a two-footer.
Othman chipped from the right fringe of the green after a good tee shot down wind and drained his putt from 10 feet for that birdie on 14. The only blots on Othman’s otherwise immaculate round were bogeys on 1 and 16. He was 3-under coming home.
“I figured I have to play conservative rather than aggressive to score. I was very very patient and Alhamdulilah it paid of,” Othman told Arab News of his first round performance.
“We’re very fortunate there were lots of events. It’s like to us being prepared to play at a higher level every single time that we came out,” Othman said adding he put his game in perspective to not put himself in trouble.
Despite his three-stroke lead Othman, who has a day job at Saudi Aramco where he does financial evaluation for contracts, is not taking chances.
“Still too early. A lot can still happen,” he said.
For his part, Sharief said: “My game is in good shape but I need to give myself more chances and take most of them. I’m going to practice some putting now and hole some putts tomorrow.”
Saudi golfer Othman Almulla takes lead
Saudi golfer Othman Almulla takes lead
Marmoush double helps Man City to 3-1 win at Newcastle and place in FA Cup quarters
- Guardiola made 10 changes for the fifth-round tie from the team that drew 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday
NEWCASTLE, England: Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush struck twice as the visitors roared back from a goal down to beat Newcastle United 3–1 on Saturday and storm into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the eighth consecutive season.
The win keeps Pep Guardiola’s side on track for a fourth successive FA Cup final appearance, and keeps alive the chance of an elusive quadruple — Premier League, Champions League, League Cup and FA Cup trophies in a single season.
“This is the best performance we have played in this stadium since my decade here,” Guardiola told TNT Sports. “That is consistency and that is why I am proud.”
Newcastle got off to a bright start and Harvey Barnes ran onto a through ball before firing into the far corner in the 18th minute to give the hosts the lead.
Seven-times FA Cup winners City, who are second in the Premier League, then flexed their muscles and Savinho equalized in the 39th with a bizarre goal when Jeremy Doku’s ball behind the defense rolled to the Brazilian and bounced in off his leg.
Marmoush scored the first of his two goals — and seventh against Newcastle since joining City in January last year — in the 47th when Matheus Nunes found him unmarked with a low ball across the face of goal and he fired into the roof of the net.
Marmoush completed his double in the 65th minute in similar fashion, latching onto a Nunes cross and striking a fierce shot.
There was no chance of a hat-trick as Guardiola sent Antoine Semenyo on the Egyptian’s place shortly after.
The manager, who was animated all night, waving his arms and jumping up and down, wrapped Marmoush in a huge hug as the forward headed to the bench.
“A decent performance, we didn’t start so well,” Marmoush told TNT. “We conceded early, but we showed our mentality and our passion on the pitch ... we’re very happy to go to the next round.”
Guardiola made 10 changes for the fifth-round tie from the team that drew 2-2 at home to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
City’s Premier League-leading scorer Erling Haaland was not part of the squad ahead of an intense run of fixtures, including a Champions League last-16 clash at Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe felt his players “maybe ran out of gas, certainly in the second half but also toward the end of the first half.
“They really stretched us,” he told TNT. “You have to say they were a very good side.”
