Stage set for Qatar Open Amateur Championship

Nine Qatari players will be seen in action at the  28th edition of the Qatar Open Amateur Championship which will be held from January 9 to 11 at the Doha Golf Club (DGC), it was announced here yesterday. The tournament, an annual fixture on the Qatar Golf Association (QGA) calendar, has had been a hit with the amateur golfers from all over the world. This year 120 golfers will be competing in the three-day 54-hole stroke play event. The top two Qatari players of the tournament will get a chance to play in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters 2013 along with the winner of the event. Garrick Porteous won the championship last year. “With the winner earning a berth to the Commercialbank Qatar Masters plenty is at stake for the amateur golfers in the fray. For the national players it would be a great opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the best amateur golfers in the world,” said QGA President Hassan Al Nuaimi, while addressing a press conference at DGC. The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters 2013 will be held from January 22 to 25 at DGC and will be contested by the best professionals on the European PGA Tour. The three-day event will have 51 competitors who be arriving in Doha for the event from tomorrow, informed QGA officials. “The cut will be applied after two days of play and the successful golfers will battle it out over last 18 holes for the top honours. The top 60 qualifiers advance to the third and final round to be held on January 12. The championship is open for amateur players, with nine or less handicap, and is a world amateur golf ranking event,” added Al Nuaimi. The Qatar Armed Forces is the main sponsor of the event. Qatar Olympic committee, InterContinental Doha Hotel, Al Muftah Rent-A-Car and Doha Golf Club are the other sponsors. Source: Qatar Olympic Committee