Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s Hardeep Thethy in action during the Kenya Open in March. He was among the Kenyans at the American Express Dirab Golf Championships, but failed to make the cut.

By JAMES WAINDI (Chief Editor)

South African based Stephan Andersen finished this year’s American Express Dirab Championships at the par 72 Dirab Golf and Country Club in Saudi Arabia, on one over par 217 after three rounds.

He tied in the 19^th position with Scotland’s Yasin Ali after a third round score of level par 72. In the opening round Andersen played one over and leveled the second round.

Brian Njoroge of Vet Lab finished with three over par 219 (71, 74, 74) while Sigona’s Ganeev Giddie would like to forget the Championship quickly after he managed 12 over 228 (78, 72, 78).

Meanwhile, nerves were strained to the breaking point as Shafiq Masih overturned a three-shot final round deficit to squeeze past Craig Smith of Wales and win the three round Championship, the third event on the 2012 MENA Golf Tour, in playoff on Wednesday.
Dipping deep into his knowledge of the course, the Pakistan ace matched the Welshman’s sizzling final round 66 – a new course record – to force a playoff after both finished level on eight-under 208 in regulation.
Masih birdied the first extra hole, the par-4, 18th to wrap up the biggest win of his career while Smith landed his approach in the bunker and had to settle for a par in a dramatic finish to the $50,000 tournament, held under the patronage of HRH Nawaf bin Faisal bin Fahad Al Saud, head of Saudi Arabia’s Youth Welfare Presidency.
England’s Ian Keenan carded back-to-back 69 to finish third on seven-under 209, one shot ahead of joint overnight joint leader William Harrold and two off Daniel Owen.
The day, however, belonged to Masih, a former golf instructor at the Dirab Golf and Country Club. Simply irresistible from tee to green, Masih rattled off seven birdies with just one bogey (on the 10th) to catch up with Smith, his playing partner for the day, before seeing off his challenge in the playoff.Khalid Abu Nahyan of the Saudi Golf Federation presented the winner’s trophy to Masih in the company of Ali Belhared of American Express, Adel Zarouni, vice chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation, and Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.

“It feels just great to win an international event of this stature,” said a jubilant Masih after receiving the biggest purse ($9,000) of his career.
“I have won a couple of tournaments in Pakistan, but this win is special. Special in the sense it has come on a course where I used to give golfing lessons to members of the club.
“In a way, my reputation was at stake. Well, I couldn’t have asked for more. This victory is a victory for Pakistan golf,” said Masih who is supported by TechAccess.
Smith also had his chances, but fumbled at the final hurdle, hitting his second shot into a greenside bunker in the playoff. He did hole a 10-footer for par, but it wasn’t enough in the end.
Disaster struck Daniel Owen on the par-5, 15th where he took a 10 and that completely blew his chances of winning the event. Take that away, and his walk up the 18th fairway might have been triumphant.
Morocco’s Amine El Malki finished on top in the amateur division with impressive rounds of 69 71 and 72. He was followed in that order by fellow countryman Mustapha El Maouas and Saudi Arabia’s Faisal  Salhab.
A new initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour is affiliated to R&A and the Arab Golf Federation. The six-stop tour, which is backed by Omega and Mercedes-Benz, boasts a combined prize fund of $325,000. nike huarache homme pas cher nike huarache homme pas cher

NOT VERY LUCKY: Royal’s Hardeep Thethy prepares to putt at a past tournament. He failed to make the cut at the ongoing American Express Dirab Golf Championships in Saudi Arabia.

By JAMES WAINDI (Chief Editor)

Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s Hardeep Thethy failed to make the cut after a poor second round performance at the ongoing American Express Dirab Golf Championships in Saudi Arabia where he played 10 over par 82 for a total score of 14 over par 158.

There was however, good news for the other Kenyan players in the tournament when three other local professionals, Vet Lab’s Brian Njoroge, Sigona’s Ganeev Giddie and South African based Stephan Andersen progressed to the remaining two rounds of the tournament being held at the lush par 72 Dirab Golf and Country Club.

Njoroge who had played one under on the first day, managed two over in the second round for a total of one over par 145 after the first two rounds, while Andersen managed a level par in the second round after registering one over on the first day to go through to the last two round also on one over par 145. Giddie had six over par 150 after the two rounds.

The cut was made at nine-over-par 153 with a total of 52 players, including 10 amateurs, making it to the final round.
Meanwhile, Daniel Owen matched the day’s best score of 68 to charge back into contention after the second and penultimate round of the American Express Dirab Golf Championship, the third event on the 2012 MENA Golf Tour, on Tuesday.
The talented Englishman mixed five birdies, including three on the front nine, with a lone bogey on the 10th to catch up with William Harrold at the top of the leaderboard at five under 139, one shot ahead of England’s Ian Keenan and Morocco’s leading amateur Amine El Malki, who is producing his own storybook rounds.
Harrold held his nerve to maintain his overnight one-stroke lead with a 71, but fellow joint leaders Shafiq Masih and Scotland’s Duncan Stewart surrendered their early advantage, signing off with identical rounds of 74.
Scotland’s Gavin Dear, who shot a 68 along with England’s Daniel Wardrop, was placed fifth on a three-under 141.
With just three shots separating the top 12, the final day’s proceedings in the Ksh 4.3 million ($50,000) championship, being held under the patronage of HRH Nawaf bin Faisal bin Fahad Al Saud, head of Saudi Arabia’s Youth Welfare Presidency, promises to unfold a thrilling finish.
The eclectic mix of contenders includes Zane Scotland, the former European Tour player, Asian Tour regular Yasin Ali and Morocco’s Faycal Serghini, who are all in red figures going into the final round.
A new initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour is affiliated to R&A and the Arab Golf Federation. The six-stop tour, which is backed by Omega and Mercedes-Benz, boasts a combined prize fund of $325,000. bracelet pandora pas cher bracelet pandora pas cher