Saudi golfer Othman Almulla takes lead

Othman Almulla hitting his drive on the first tee. (AN photos)

RIYADH: Top-ranked Saudi golfer Othman Almulla played patient, conservative golf on the suddenly demanding Dirab Golf & Country Club course to take the lead after the first round on Thursday in the 2nd Annual SGF Open Golf Championship 2016.
The 30-year old Almulla cashed in on opportunities in the middle of his round to finish on 2-under 70 on a sun-splashed day for a three-shot lead over rising Saudi talent Saud Al Sharief.
The Bahrain-based Sharief, who turns 17 on Sunday, was even par at the turn, stumbled with bogeys on 10 and 11, birdied 14, again bogeyed No. 15 before a par-birdie finish gave him a 1-over 73 card.
One stroke further back on 74 was Azan Al Rumeh from Oman, while Bahraini Hamad Mubarak and Qatari Saleh Al Kaabi were tied on 75.
Legendary Bahraini golfer Nasser Yacoub and the UAE’s Ahmad Skaik joined local expatriate player Korean M. S. Kim on 77.
A big group on 78 included another promising young Saudi Faisal Salhab, who won the recent Saudi Aramco Invitational Tournament, and Abdullah Sultan from the Bahraini contingent.
Describing the course as playing fair but difficult with thick rough and fast greens, Almulla turned his game around after a 1-over going out with eagle-birdie-birdie on Nos. 12, 13 and 14.
Trusting his long game, Almulla drove the green on 12 and holed out from 30 feet. On the par-5 dog-leg right he had a good splash shot after an approach from 260 yards, then rolled in a two-footer.
Othman chipped from the right fringe of the green after a good tee shot down wind and drained his putt from 10 feet for that birdie on 14. The only blots on Othman’s otherwise immaculate round were bogeys on 1 and 16. He was 3-under coming home.
“I figured I have to play conservative rather than aggressive to score. I was very very patient and Alhamdulilah it paid of,” Othman told Arab News of his first round performance.
“We’re very fortunate there were lots of events. It’s like to us being prepared to play at a higher level every single time that we came out,” Othman said adding he put his game in perspective to not put himself in trouble.
Despite his three-stroke lead Othman, who has a day job at Saudi Aramco where he does financial evaluation for contracts, is not taking chances.
“Still too early. A lot can still happen,” he said.
For his part, Sharief said: “My game is in good shape but I need to give myself more chances and take most of them. I’m going to practice some putting now and hole some putts tomorrow.”