Saturday 16 / November / 2024
Muscat: With the Ministry of Sports Affairs showing confidence in his fellow members and himself, Oman Golf Committee (OGC) chief Mundhir Al Barwani has promised to work closely with all concerned to take Oman golf to new heights.
The Ministry of Sports Affairs on Tuesday appointed the OGC members for a new two-year term. The ministerial decision retained Mundhir Al Barwani as chairman and Ahmed bin Faisal Al Jhdhamy as vice-chairman. Sharifa Adnan, the lone woman on the committee, continues to serve the Sultanate’s golf body as a member.
However, the ministry appointed three new members to the committee — former Oman senior team golfer Ali Hameed, Masoud Abdullah Al Barwani and Ghalib bin Fauzi Al Busaidi.
Expressing delight at being retained the chairman of OGC, Mundhir Al Barwani said: “I am elated. Now I feel more responsible towards the OGC in my bid to serve my duties as the chairman of the committee. It is an honour to spearhead an organisation like the Oman Golf Committee and I feel humble to once again being entrusted with this responsibility.”
“I must thank the outgoing members for supporting me with every step that I took to improve the state of golf in the Sultanate. They stood by my decisions and approach, and helped me achieve what we have achieved today,” continued Al Barwani.
“During my new term, I already have started chalking out my plans. I want to meet the new board members and want them to pool in ideas aimed at trying out new initiatives as we strive to take Omani golf to new heights,” he said.
Meanwhile, vice-chairman Ahmed Al Jhdhamy said: “I am happy to serve the OGC as the vice-chairman. We have completed a phenomenally successful two-year term. I want to thank the fellow board members like Majid Al Toky, who has always been instrumental in bringing new ideas and sponsors. We have introduced many new programmes in the last two years, achieved some glorious success and received many accolades at the GCC and international level.”
Ali Hameed is overwhelmed at being chosen as one of the committee members.
He said: “I am very honoured. I have served the nation as a golfer, and now it’s time to change my role. But what I can say is that, only my designation has changed... my faithfulness and dedication towards the game and towards the country has remained the same.”
He continued: “I want to address some areas related to playing golf. Once my role and tasks in the committee are defined, I will do my best to serve the nation.”
Ali represented Oman for over 15 years. He has won many national championships and showed good form in GCC championships over the years. Last year, he hung his boots as a senior national team member. But early this year, he completed a hat-trick of titles at Oman Senior Open.
OGC chief Mundhir Al Barwani has welcomed new members, saying: “I am especially happy to welcome Ali (Hameed) into the board. He won many accolades for the country as a player and I hope he will serve as a successful board member. I also welcome the other members and hope that they will make positive contribution in the development of Oman golf. To continue as a successful organisation we need everybody’s help, each member is important to me.”
Hectic activities
The OGC, which was established by the Ministry of Sports Affairs in 2009, went from strength to strength with the members working tirelessly for the development of Oman golf in all aspects.
But in the last couple of years, the OGC launched a series of initiatives all aimed at overall development of the game, including new training programmes, summer camps and new events. All these activities led to increase in number of registered players and ever increasing number of junior golfers in the golf events.
OGC has also been successfully hosting international tournaments. Of much prominence of late has been the exploits of OGC’s junior golf team. Apart from a number of podium results in various GCC tournaments, the Omani junior boys have maintained a firm grip on the region’s Under-15 championships winning team and individual titles. They dominated it in Muscat in 2014 and repeated the feat in Dubai in 2015.
The Omani boys also won a runners-up spot in the U-18 GCC Golf Championship in Kuwait. No less prominent have been the performances of OGC’s senior players, with national champion Azaan Al Rumhy being the standout golfer.
OGC has also been making attempts to build strong foundation for future with their junior golf programme. The committee, in association with Muscat Hills, has also initiated schools programme besides a training programme that aims to build a Development Squad. Some of the players from Development Squad make it to the Elite Squad which is the supply line for national team.
OGC also focused on popularising golf among Omani women and has launched Ladies Golf Programme. Following success of Asma Al Rashdi and Huwaida Al Barwani in the GCC Golf Championship, OGC is determined to get more girls into the national team.
The OGC also introduced first ever men’s corporate golf clinic where 23 men from corporate world took golf lessons in Almouj Golf and it also conducted a ladies golf clinic at the Muscat Hills.
