RIYADH: The second edition of the Xerox BFI Ryder Cup 2016 Matches recently ended in a 9-9 draw between Banks Team and Sama Team at Dirab Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Riyadh.
Sama failed to score a repeat of its resounding victory last year in the four-ball better-ball match play competition, but neither did Banks win. In the end, the sides representing golf-loving individuals from banks and financial institutions agreed to share the champion trophy.
It was a well-fought match, with each side trading wins for the duration of the one-day event sponsored by Saudi Xerox.
Sama’s Abdulaziz Al-Helaissi and Tariq Javed drew first blood for their team, winning against Matt Pelligrino and David Dew only for Banks to strike back with two points courtesy of Fahad Almansour-Graham Gunn and Richard Salisbury Derek Oherlihy.
Fahad and Gun defeated Turki Alhussain and Norhalim Mohammed Nasir while Salisbury and Oherlihy got the full point over the pair of Abdul Alothman and Leonard Dowling.
The next two matches went 1-1, as Sama Team’s David Hobbs-Kevin Hanlon brought down
Taj Rahman and Christophe J. Blanc of Banks, which retaliated in the next match behind Majed Sorour and Yasser Al-Rumayyan who won against John Kirwan and David Coffey.
Sama then won three of the four matches that followed to establish momentum and look headed for another triumph.
Sama won two more matches out of three before Banks responded by winning four of the next two matches to force the tie, 9-9.
Elated at the success of the event, Saudi Xerox Operations Manager Ihab Wahba said: "The Xerox BFI Tournament has seen another successful turnout from key
industry players under the sponsorship of Saudi Xerox. I'm highly thankful to the organizers from Dirab Golf and Country club for hosting the event for the second year and glad that now it's truly a Saudi Xerox event.”
“Special thanks for both captains from SAMA and Banking for their efforts leading to this success. We have also seen some keen interest from attendees during our latest
technology display, ” Wahba added.
Here are the complete results (Banks Team names first):
Matt Pelligrino David Dew 0 Abdulaziz Al Helaissi Tariq Javed 1, Fahad Almansour
Graham Gunn 1 Turki Alhussein Norhalim Mohamme Nasir 0, Richard Salisbury Derek Oherlihy 1 Abdul Alolthman Leonard Dowling 0, Taj Rahman Christophe J. Blanc 0 David Hobbs Kevin Hanlon 1, Majed Sorour Yasser Al Rumayyan 1 John Kirwan David Coffey 0,
Shahid Khan Mohammed Raza 0 Jack Molony Mervy Northam 1, Boiet Carigma Abner Macapagal 1 Khalid Raja Muhammed Fuad 0, Ian McDonald Alex Arellano 0 Ronny Lidman John Ryan 1, Severino Bantug Willy Tamonte 0 Michael Brennan Abdulrahman Alothman 1,
Sunil George Shujaat Nadeem 1 Saud Al-Malik Khalid Mahmood 0, Mike Dy-Liacco Vivek Hans 0 Abdulrahman Heraikati Feras Houhou 1, Benjamin Santuyo Mark Warwick 0 Shamshad Siddique Ahmed Raja 1, Kieron Franklin Lloyd Bantug 1 Sreekanth Anantharaman George Baakani 0, Irfan Hanid Jean-Pierre Pallard 1 Rami Al-Saihati Tim Douglas 0, Khalid Alothman Thomas Fallows 1 Anthony Gavin John Breen 0, Abdulaziz Al Omran Faisal Al-Youssef 0 Eddie O’Reilly Priyan Attygalle 1, Tony Castil Roehl Cruz 0 Emmon Hanlon Fahad Al-Guthami 1 Abdulhaleem Sheikh Asim Bukthiar 1 Paul Nichols Eriq Liquigan 0