Dubai: Sohail Al Marzouqi and Hassan Al Musharrakh combined effectively to guide the UAE team to a brilliant gold medal victory in the junior division of the 15th GCC Golf Championship held at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain.
Sohail Al Marzouqi, who plays off a ten handicap, shot solid round of 81 and 78 while Hassan Al Musharakh (three handicap) chipped in with 83 and 78 as UAE posted a gross total of 320 to beat their nearest challengers Qatar by a good four strokes. Faisal Al Marzouqi was the other member of the team that did the country proud by going the full distance to improve upon their runners-up finish last year.
Sohail Al Marzouqi also had the distinction of finishing second in the individual division with a gross 158, just one shot behind gold medal winner Ali Al Bishi of Qatar and one ahead of third-placed compatriot Hassan Al Musharakh.
The UAE had something more to cheer about when their senior team, comprising Ahmad Al Musharrekh, Khalid Yousuf, Abdullah Al Musharrakh and Faris Al Mazroui, finished runners-up to Bahrain. The UAE team, who finished third last year, posted a gross score of 701 to Bahrain's 683. Saudi Arabia settled for third on a gross 753. Yousuf (75, 78 and 84) and Abdullah Al Musharrakh (81, 79 and 79) were the other major contributors to the UAE team's score. According to the format, the top three scores were counted towards the total in a team of four in this 54-hole stroke-play event.
Ahmad Al Musharrakh, who followed up his gross 76 and 77 in the first two rounds with a superb level-par 72, was later declared winner of the individual gold medal with a total of 225, two ahead of Bahrain's Nasser Yacoob Salah and four of Hamad Afnan, also of Bahrain.
With one team gold, one individual gold, one individual silver and a runners-up place under their belt, the UAE had every reason feel proud about their performance of the boys at the championship which attracted six GCC teams.
