Staff make it a four-peat over the members at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club
With a 5-point win over the members, the staff hold onto bragging rights for a year
The Staff Team have clinched their fourth consecutive title against the Members Team at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.
The format of the annual event was a Pairs Betterball Matchplay, with one point granted for a front nine victory, one point awarded for a back nine victory, and one point obtained for the overall game result.
In the opening match, the Staff Team of Lanie Pilapil & Rodney Oliva lost to the Members Team top pair of Club Captain Wayne O'Mahony and Nic Poisat 0-3.
A fight back from the Staff in the second match out when Tomas Love & Adel Mohammad beat Joe Coppinger & Nathan Hunt 2-1. While in the third pairing, Rodel Bringas & Rhey Doria defeated father and son Members Peter & Benjamin Abbott 2-1 to reduce the members advantage to one.
Current Match Score: Team Staff 4 points, Team Members 5 points
Steve Johns & Blesson Thankachan had a convincing 3-0 win over Members Thabo Moate & Nicola De Beer, giving the staff a 2-point lead. The staff now had momentum, Albert Malabo & Serge Santiago added another 3-0 victory in their favour in match five. But FC Holdt & Tom Truelove broke the staff's winning streak by defeating Joel Gueib & Mike Dalaten in match six with a score of 2 ½ -1/2 to the Members.
Current Match Score: Team Staff 10.5 points, Team Members 7.5 points
Match seven had Members Stuart Bell & Darren Shallicker adding points as they beat Rob Rudling & Steven Jessop. Then with a score of 1 ½ points each in game eight, Jeff Manundo & Apol Pagunsan tied their match against Amir Al Barki & Melanie Sheldon. Match nine then ended with Tiaan Labuschagne & Louise Pingol completing a 2-1 win over a husband and wife duo Will & Angel Portugal.
Current Match Score: Team Staff 15 points, Team Members 12 points
In Match 10, Johan Schoonraad & Johan Potgieter defeated Ronald Catindoy & Jenseh Valentino 3-0 a margin which made the overall match score tied at 15 points. Tariq Khan & Ahmdadulla Khan had a convincing 3-0 over Mike Galvin & Chris Potgieter in Match 11.
Next up we had another husband and wife pairing of Min Of Seo & Myung Jae Park, they lost to Erwin Compendio & Mir Sabour Ali for the Staff Team. 2 ½ -½ points were additionally scored in favor of the Staff in Match 13, as Rondie Roxas & Harivic beat Dave Steel & Phil Purnell. While in the final match, Herbert Locke & Nina Dordevic had a consolation win for the Members Team, defeating Rem Policarpio & Carmela Abaña, with ½ -2 ½ score.
Score at the end of the match meant the Staff Team claimed a final five point victory over the Members Team in Al Ain, as they hold onto the trophy for the fourth consecutive year.
