Masafi confirms support for 11th GCC Golf Championship

The event, with HSBC as the main sponsor, will see four-man teams fly in from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to join the host nation golfers representing the UAE with the first players scheduled to tee off at 8am tomorrow (Wednesday).

And with Masafi joining Budget Car Rental as official sponsors, the amateur team competition is in good shape going into today's (Tuesday) ceremonial opening of the competition at the Desert Course by Dubai Desert Classic Executive Committee Chairman Mohamed Alabbar.

'The game of golf is extremely popular here in the UAE and we are delighted to have been asked to continue our relationship with the sport through sponsorship of the GCC Championship, ' said Masafi General Manager Sales and Marketing, Ashraf Abu Shadi. 'For the past eight years, Masafi has been the official water supplier for the Desert Classic so it is fitting that we are also involved with one of the region's best amateur tournament.'

The second biggest regional amateur event for Arab golfers after the Arab Championships, the GCC Championship has attracted the best Arab amateurs to the Desert Course, which will welcome its first international competition this week.

'The teams have been arriving in Dubai, the course is in excellent competition and our sponsors are in place so we are set for a few days of quality competition,' said Adrian Flaherty, General Manager of the organising UGA.

'Following the news that HSBC would sponsor the tournament, we were delighted to welcome on board Budget Car Rental and now Masafi. This is invaluable support and shows their commitment to golf at an amateur level.'

Under the guidance of national team coach Wayne Johnson, the UAE squad has been putting in hours of practice over the Desert Course. Defending champions Bahrain - with experienced campaigners Hamad Mubarak and Naser Yakoob in their ranks - will start the competition as favourites but with a new and challenging course demanding strategic course management, the UAE golfers are determined to make their mark when play is held from tomorrow (Wednesday) through to the final round on Friday (May 21).