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THE father and son team of former captain Barry and Sam Hobday and their playing partners Todd Gillespie and Ronan Armstrong clinched first place in the Royal Golf Club’s 2014 Captains’ Drive In golf tournament with a nett score of 58.9.
Youngsters Taimur Malik, Faris Brough, Saud Al Sharif and Mohamed Al Sayed teamed up to take second place with a nett score of 61.1 in the Texas Scramble tournament while Zoyeb Mohamed, Bijan Majidi, Depriest Daniels and Murtuz Zamanly came third with 62.5 nett.
Despite cold, wet and windy weather, more than 60 members took part in the traditional tournament which is held annually to mark the official start of the new tenure of the club’s captains.
This year two Brits – Stephen Wagstaff and Dena Wales – will represent the golfing gents and ladies, respectively.
Wagstaff, a native of Manchester, first started playing golf at the age of 11 and currently plays off a handicap of 15. He was a member of the former Riffa Golf Club and now of the Royal Golf Club.
Wales, who is from the English capital of London, has been in Bahrain for 20 years and is the executive manager of the Bahrain British Business Forum. She joined the former Riffa Golf Club in 2001 and was Lady Captain of the Royal Golf Club in 2010. She currently plays off a handicap of 19.
Both captains will act as a liaison between the club management and the members and will also stage fundraising events throughout the year for their chosen charities.
Wagstaff’s chosen charity for 2014 is Bahrain Down Syndrome Society and Wales’s is the RIA.
“I am greatly looking forward to working with both the club and the members in 2014,” said Wagstaff.
Wales added: “One of my main areas of focus will be helping lady golfers increase their knowledge of the game, rules and etiquette whilst having fun at the same time.”
The two captains made their official drives off the 10th tee and competitors had the chance to buy a flag in advance and use it to mark where they thought the captains’ drives would land. The money raised from the flag sales will go to their chosen charities. A hole in one prize of a Mini Cooper on the 16th hole, sponsored by Euro Motors and AXA, went unclaimed.
A prize-giving ceremony was held in the Members’ Lounge at the end of play and competitors were able to enjoy beverages courtesy of National Hotels Services Company.
Results:
1 Barry Hobday, Sam Hobday, Todd Gillespie & Ronan Armstrong (58.9 nett), 2 Taimur Malik, Faris Brough, Saud Al Sharif & Mohamed Al Sayed (61.1), 3 Zoyeb Mohamed, Bijan Majidi, Depriest Daniels & Murtuz Zamanly (62.5).
Nearest the pins: Sattam Al Gosaibi (hole 2), Sanne Smith (hole 7) & Stephen Wagstaff (hole 12). Nearest flag to the Captains’ Drives: Lady captain: Murray Brown, Gent’s captain: David Wales.
For information about forthcoming golf events at the Royal Golf Club, call 17750777 or email golfevents@theroyalgolfclub.com
