For the second successive year, the National Bank of Oman have extended a sponsor’s invite for the 2014 National Bank of Oman Golf Classic, to the winner and runner-up of the 18th GCC Championship, which will be held at Dirab Golf Club, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from February 28 to March 1, 2014.
The National Bank of Oman Golf Classic, will be held once again at Almouj Golf The Wave, Muscat, from Thursday, October 30 to Sunday, November 2, 2014 - the same venue as last year’s inaugural event when the Organising Committee of the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic 2013 (the penultimate tournament on the 2013 European Challenge Tour) extended a similar invitation to last year’s GCC Championship top two.
“We are extending the invitation to the winner and runner-up of the GCC Championship to take part in the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic 2014 to encourage more Arab nationals to take part in our event,” said Salaam Al Shaksy, Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Oman.
“Last year several Arab Nationals competed in our inaugural event, including Omani National Team Members, Azaan Al Rumhy and Ali Hameed, and gained valuable experience in competing against the professionals of the Challenge Tour, several of whom are competing with the stars of the European Tour this year,” he added.
Yusuf Eddiweesh, President of the Saudi Arabian Golf Federation, said: “On behalf of the GCC Organising Committee, I thank the National Bank of Oman for their kind invitation to the winner and runner-up of the GCC Championship to compete in the 2014 National Bank of Oman Golf Classic. The GCC Golf Committee accepts the sponsor’s invitations from the National Bank of Oman. We wish all the competitors in the 2014 GCC Championship the very best of luck”.
At the GCC Championship, the Omani Team will be headed by Oman’s leading amateur, Azaan Al Rumhy, who recently won the two-day Assarain Classic at Ghala Valley Golf Club, Muscat, despite a knee injury. The other Members of the Omani Team are Ahmed Al Balushi, Yousef Al Balushi and Ali Hameed.
“I had to play the last five holes at the Assarain Classic using a golf cart,” said Azaan Al Rumhy. “I’ve been looking forward to playing at the GCC Championship and I thought I might have to ask whether I would be allowed to use a golf cart but I now understand that all the players are allowed to use carts, which is very fortunate for me, although my injury is responding well to treatment.
“There are a lot of big events coming up, including the Eisenhower Trophy, the Asia Pacific tournament and the MENA Tour events but the big one I’m really looking forward to, of course, is the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic at Amouj Golf The Wave, if I’m lucky enough to receive a sponsor’s invitation,” he added.
