Downpour leads to trio of Al Masaood Pro-am titles

The four-man Pro-Am teams consisted of one professional - including defending champion Paul Casey (ALDAR), Scottish maestro Colin Montgomerie (Al Masaood), world number seven, Adam Scott, and 2007 Open Champion, Padraig Harrington (both Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority) - as well as three amateur players from the Championship's associated sponsors and guests.

The morning's sunrise starters - when the rain was falling heaviest - managednine holes, while the teams which teed-off later in the morning completed the National Course amid far drier conditions. Colin Montgomerie was one of those whose round was cut short due to the weather.

'The National course held up to the weather wonderfully and despite the heavy rain I enjoyed myself in the fantastic company of the Al Masaood team. I was disappointed not to play the full 18 - it would have been great practice ahead of tomorrow, but I still put in some valuable practice on he range and putting green,' said the Scotsman.

Storm's awesome Cutter & Buck foursome - with Keith Wilkes, Mark Bryan and Stuart McMurdo completing the team - were crowned front nine winner's after a stellar combined score of 31.

Not to be outdone, Raphael Jacquelin's Airbus team - Karin Roesler, Reinhard Kossack and Michael Renken - blazed through the back nine holes to win - also with a combined score of 31.

With the forecast improving with every hour, Poulter - joined by Eirvin Knox, Leon Der Ohanessian and Rudolf Jurcik - in the Standard Chartered Bank team, made the most of improving conditions to post a very impressive total score of 59 after 18 holes to lift the afternoon's full 18 holes prize.

'As one of the UAE's largest home-grown businesses, Al Masaood is supportive of all efforts to help raise Abu Dhabi's profile on the global stage, and the success of the Championship is testament to the hard work put in by all the organising parties,' Mr. Robert Schwarz, Group Business Development Manager in Al Masood Group.