Muscat: To honour His Highness Sayyid Kais bin Tariq Al Said and his supreme commitment to the game of golf in Oman, Ghala Golf Course will hold a free open tournament under the patronage of His Higness Sayyid Taimur bin Assad Al Said. Teeing off on Saturday, the event will host competitors, spectators and patrons from across the region, in celebration of HH Sayyid Kais Al Said’s passion for golf.
“The landscape of golf in Oman transformed through the zeal of HH Kais Al Said, moving from a leisurely game played by few to a competitive platform of countless nationalities. We will now come together and revel in the dream that was delivered to us by Kais’ legacy,” remarked Ibrahim Al Wahaibi, Vice-President of Ghala Golf Club.
Sponsored by HH Sayyid Taimur Al Said, the event commemorates what the game has become in and for the Sultanate. As an open tournament in the Stableford format, the event was designed to offer all local handicap bearing golfers the opportunity to be a part of this momentous occasion.
Leon Sassen, Events Coordinator at Ghala Golf Club, said: “The tournament has received an astounding amount of attention and is naturally fully booked by players from across the nation. We have 156 players registered and even more on the waiting list.
"This will be the largest shotgun start that I have coordinated to date in Oman. We anticipate nothing short of a spectacular turnout from players and fans alike, as the competition has drawn talent from every corner of the Sultanate, offering people a chance to demonstrate and admire the flare that His Highness lived to inspire.”
Whilst the sporting and social benefits of Golf continue to be observed nationwide, Oman is further developing the game by capitalising on it as a prominent tourism attraction. With the exponential growth of golf across the Asian continent, the game, combined with the allure of the Sultanate’s shores, has opened the door to economic opportunities comprised by a $20 billion industry.