Campbell, Awni big winners at Lufthansa Open Golf Tournament
From team to individual stroke play competitions at Dirab Golf & Country Club, Mark Campbell has won every so often to the point 2014 could easily be a banner year in his golfing career.
Friday was no different as the tall South African summoned a game good enough to make him super happy to win the Overall Best Gross title in the Lufthansa Open Golf Tournament in pleasantly cool weather.
Campbell shot a 78, 6 under on the flat but challenging layout, to win by one stroke from American Kyle Feigum, who settled for the men’s First Division (0-9 handicap) crown in the tournament that had handsome prizes at stake.
Campbell, who began the year by winning Sinoma Open Best Gross crown in January before winning two Texas Scramble events with American partner Rusty Daggett namely NCB-Sanad Charity Golf Tournament and Pakistan Day Open in February and March respectively, shot nines of 38-40.
“I was getting off the tee box very well. My approaches were within 20 feet or less but I struggled on the greens due to aeration,” said Campbell of his game.
Of his lone birdie on the par-3 seventh hole, Campbell, an engineer with Al-Salam Aircraft, said he hit a great 8-iron to within 12 feet left of the cup. He then stroked a “perfect dying putt into the cup.”
For his feat, Campbell, who also has a number of runner-up finishes under his belt, won a prize of a return air ticket to Europe courtesy of Lufthansa in addition to trophy.
Ryan Awni shared center stage with Campbell by winning the Overall Best Net crown on 65 from a gross score of 90 and handicap of 25. Like Campbell Awni received a ticket to Europe plus trophy for his effort of 47-43.
Campbell steadied after a bogey-bogey start to par 3 holes in a row before that birdie on 7. His other bogey on the front nine, where he started on No. 2, came on the eighth hole but parred his last hole to go just 2 over going out. He had five pars against four bogeys on the back nine.
Feigum won by countback from Filipino teen Christer Rem Sibug. Feigum with a 7 handicap and Rem with a 9 were tied on net score of 72. Andrew Brown took third place in the division on 73 from gross score of 82 and handicap of 9.
Korean Il Jung Kim was the men’s Second Division (10-18 ) winner after shooting a sparkling 66 (84-18) with Pakistani Nadeem Mirza second on 67 (82-15) and Gary Stobie third on 69 (8415).
Khalid Raja took the men’s Third Division (19-28) on 67 (87-20). Three strokes back in second place was Filipino Fem Baracoso 70 (92-27), while Pakistani Qais Qureshi finished third on 71 (94-23).
The first three winners in the Ladies Division were Chairar Formenton, Liz Kennedy and Mi Ra Jung.
The men’s and ladies longest drive awards went to Saad Anwar and Carol Cormack. Anthony Sylvin took home the closest to the pin plum.
The lucky winner of the grand raffle draw prize of Mizuno irons set was Ruhan De Kock. Campbell and Orazio Morretti each won a Callaway wedge, while David Seymour and Alistair McIlroy each received Mizuno stand golf bag.
Harald Hahan, Lufthansa director Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen, handed over prizes to the winners along with Dirab Committee Chair Tariq Javed and Naseem Uddin, head of Marketing and Business Development Lufthansa Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen.
Also during the awards ceremony the club presented Hahan with a plaque of appreciation for his support to golf as sponsor of this tournament.