Oman golfer Ali Hameed retires from national duty
MUSCAT: Ali Hameed Al Saleh, who was the senior most member of the Oman national golf team, has decided to call it a day from national duty, although he will continue to play as an individual.
“I have finally taken the decision to retire from the national team. It was a tough decision for me to take and I feel extremely sad to end my career as a national team player,” 55-years-old Ali said.
Ali, who has been playing golf for the last 15 years, took the decision after playing in the recently concluded Nomura Cup at Yas Link in Abu Dhabi.
He described the decision as ‘painful’. “Serving the national team is itself a matter of pride. I love my country and I feel proud as an Omani and always felt high whenever I got a chance to play for the national team.”
Ali had fallen sick during his last tournament
While representing the Sultanate at Nomura Cup, Ali suffered from dehydration due to the heat in Abu Dhabi. He was taken ill in three spells but he kept on playing till he was finally taken to hospital.
“It never happened in my playing career before. I was feeling so sick that I had to call the doctor in the course. I was unable to walk or even stand and collapsed.
“The organisers were urging me to leave the course, but I did not. After I recovered a little bit, I played and ended the day’s play with several bogies and par,” the golfer recalled.
“At that point of time, I felt that time is over for me. I am not fit enough to continue as a national team golfer,” Ali said.
If illness prompted Ali to hang up his boots, leaving space for younger golfers in the national fold is another important reason for him to retire.
“I have played enough. Now it’s time for the young guns to come up. I don’t want to occupy a place. If I leave, one young golfer will get a chance to play in the national team,” the experienced golfer said.
However, he believes there’s still a lot golf left in him. “I am in good form now. I can judge a ball like never before. I can hit a ball perfectly in a way I want it to. But I want to go out from the national team on a high, with honour.”
While talking about his future plans, Ali said: “I love the coaching aspect of golf, but I cannot teach professionally. But I can give tips to young golfers as a senior and it has proven to be very useful for the youngsters.”
Ali, who is a very popular player on the circuit, won the gross title in the recently-concluded Medco Golf Tournament at the Royal Jakarta Golf Club in Indonesia.
Ali also won the Oman Senior Open for the last two years and won the Muscat Open and the Assarain Cup several times. He used to consistently finish among the top 10 in Pan-Arab competitions and GCC tournaments.