Dubai: The UAE team rounded off their campaign in the World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy, finishing 58th out of 69 teams in Buenos Aires on Sunday.
With winds gusting to approximately between 20 and 30mph most of the day, Khalid Yousuf closed with a 10-over-par 81 while Ahmad Al Musharrakh carded a nine-over 80 at the par-71 Olivos Golf Club as UAE signed off with an indifferent 161 in the third and final round.
The championship had been reduced to 54 holes because of poor weather.
Abdullah Al Musharrakh, the third member of the team, struggled to a 14-over 85.
The UAE team, placed 54th overnight, needed to finish strongly to match or better their 50th place they recorded in the last edition of the event held in Australia in 2008.
But they again found the going a bit tough for their liking and stumbled to 161, finishing the tournament at 52-over-par 480, well behind France who lifted the Eisenhower Trophy with an impressive score of seven-under 423.
Crumb of comfort
The only crumb of comfort for the UAE team was that they finished ahead of the other two Middle East teams competing in the event, organised by the International Golf Federation. Egypt were placed 61st while Qatar finished 82nd in a field that featured teams from 69 countries.
Khalid emerged as the best UAE player, playing his three rounds 20 over while Ahmad went 34 over and Abdullah returned with 41 over.
"We expected a better performance from our players, but they lacked in consistency. And then bad weather made playing conditions even tougher," said Khalid Mubarak, captain of the UAE team.
"I am sure they all must have learnt a lesson or two on how to stay focused when the going gets tough. Overall, it was a good experience for them. The tournament provided us with an opportunity to compete at the highest level.
"There was a great sense of camaraderie among the players and the event was very well organised. We look forward to returning to the tournament when it is played in Turkey in 2012," the captain of the UAE team said.
