Rayhan to defend Qatar title

Nine Qatari golfers are among the 126 players who will be seen in action in this week’s Qatar Open Amateur Championship, Qatar Golf Association (QGA) officials said yesterday.
Rayhan Thomas, last year’s winner, is among the players who has confirmed his participation and will defend the title he won in Qatar.
The three-day event will be the first major event ahead of this month’s Qatar Masters, Fahad Nasser Al Naimi, General Secretary, QGA said.
“We have a list of nine Qatari golfers who will take part in the three-day event that will start on January 5,” Al Naimi said.
“Around 90 golfers will fly in for the event that will see its 31st edition,” he added.
“Thirty-six golfers are actually Doha-based players,” Al Naimi said.
“A total 126 golfers will take part in the event hoping to win a berth at the Qatar Masters,” he added.
“The winner of the event will get a direct entry into the main field of Qatar Masters,” Al Naimi said.
“The top two Qatari players will also get an entry into the Qatar Masters,” he said.
Individual stroke play is the format of play to be adopted at Doha Golf Course, the venue of the tournament.
The top 60 from 127 golfers will play the final on January 7, Al Naimi informed.
Prizes will be handed to the top 10 golfers, officials said.
Players from Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Great Britain, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Jordan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, USA besides Qatar.
The draw ceremony will be held tomorrow.
First tee-off will be held Thursday at 6:50am.
The prize distribution ceremony will take place on January 7 at 2:30pm.
Andreas Pfister, General Manager of InterContinental Doha, said: “We are delighted to be part of this fantastic event.”
“Golf has a rich history in this country where sports is an important part of the lives of those living in Qatar.”
He added: “We have been a partner for long, some 15 years now. Our services are well respected. We provide the support that QGA appreciates.”
“We are committed to extending our assistance in staging another fine event. The location of our hotel suits DGA and we look forward to the event,” he added. Al Naimi said: “I take this opportunity to thank our sponsors Qatar Olympic Committee. Their invaluable support is appreciated in every sense of the word. I give my thanks to InterContinental Doha and Al Muftah Rent-A-Car also. They have been supporting our events for many years.’
The 2016 Qatar Masters, a European Tour event, will be played at the end of the month.