Golf

Doha, Qatar: South Africa’s Ian Snyman fired a confident seven-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead on the opening day of the International Series Qatar at Doha Golf Club yesterday. Snyman’s round featured an eagle, seven birdies and a double bogey putting him ahead of a trio comprising compatriot Louis Oosthuizen, Spain’s David Puig and Zach Bauchou of the United States, who each carded a 66. Spain’s David Puig ended the day joint second. The Spanish duo of Luis Masaveu and Eugenio Chacarra along with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura are close behind with rounds of 67. The $2.5m International Series Qatar, the penultimate event for both the International Series and the Asian Tour, holds significant importance ahead of next week’s finale – the PIF Saudi International. Chasing his first title on the circuit, Snyman got off to a stellar start and was well-positioned at eight under before a double bogey on the par-three 17th. “I was over the ball, and they [the officials] were trying to calm some people down behind the tee box. Instead of restarting my routine, I walked straight into my shot. I think I was misaligned and pushed it way right of the green,” he explained. South Africa’s Ian Snyman in action during the opening round of International Series Qatar. Yesterday, America’s John Catlin posted a 70 while compatriot Patrick Reed returned with a 71 in his first outing at the Doha Golf Club. Catlin, who leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit and the International Series Rankings, aims to secure the Merit title in Doha. Reed is looking to extend his winning streak following his triumph in Hong Kong last week. Canada’s Richard T. Lee, second in the Merit rankings, carded a 69, while third-ranked Ben Campbell of New Zealand opened with a 70. Representing Qatar, Daniil Sokolov, aged 13, carded two-over 74 while Saleh Al Kaabi signed four-over 76. “The course is playing tough but it was amazing seeing my name up there with some of the best players in the world, major champions, LIV Golf League players. I know I have prepared well for it. I know I have done all the preparation, so all I can do now is just play my game and see how it goes up against the best,” said Sokolov. AlKaabi added: “It is a great experience for us to play against these big names. Every time I play one of these type of tournaments, you can see the levels getting better at each event.” Morocco’s amateur star Adam Bresnu, who recently won the Pan Arab title in the UAE, impressed with a two-under 70 boosting his chances to make a cut. “It is an honour for me to present my country and to present Arabs. My goal is just to show that as Arabs, we are here, we can compete against the best in the world, and we can do it,” he said.

Qatar Sport

Doha: Qatar capital Doha is all set to host 300 players, including world’s most prominent grandmasters in the fourth edition of the Qatar Masters International Open from December 2-12, the Qatar Chess Association (QCA) announced yesterday. Regarded as one of the premier global chess tournaments, offering a prize purse of $108,000, the event is set to take place at Aspire Zone in Doha. Speaking at a press conference at the Torch Hotel yesterday, the organisers confirmed that all preparations for the prestigious event have been finalised. QCA President Mohammed Al Mudhahka revealed that players from 25 countries will compete in the tournament which returns following its successful editions in 2014, 2015, and 2023, with India fielding the largest delegation of 110 participants this time. Read Also Real, Barca to turn back clock at Khalifa International Stadium in ‘Legends El Clasico’ Highlighting the star-studded lineup, Al Mudhahka noted the participation of Uzbekistan Grandmasters Nodirbek Yakubboev, the defending champion, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov who came second, along with Indian grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and Dommaraju Gukesh, as well as Iranian Grandmasters Parham Maghsoudlou and Amin Tabatabaei will also compete. “The tournament will also feature regional stars, including Qatar’s International Master Hussein Aziz and Emirati champion Salem Abdulrahman, who has claimed the Best Arab Player award four times,” Al Mudhahka said. “Other notable Arab players include Egypt’s Adham Fawzy, ensuring a strong representation from the region,” the QCA President said. He also highlighted that top-ranked female players, International Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh, along with compatriot Vantika Agrawal will also compete. However, Al Mudhahka said there will be two notable absentees this time, the World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who had been part of all three previous editions of the highly successful tournament, along with his American rival Hikaru Nakamura. “We would be missing Carlsen, Nakamura and the Dutch-based Anish Giri due to prior international commitments, but efforts are on regarding the participation of some top-ranked players. All players are keen to confirm participation, with the winner set to receive $25,000,” Al Mudhahka added. The QCA President also revealed the hosting of the International B Championship that will be held simultaneously. “The Qatar team will be represented by 20 players at the B Tournament. The organization of the tournament aims to provide an opportunity for many players to raise their level of classification and interact with different chess schools in the world,” added Al Mudahka who thanked the Ministry of Sports and Youth for its support.

Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: Former legendary players from the two biggest football clubs in Spain, and arguably the world, will face off in a thrilling match-up set to take place at the Khalifa International Stadium (KIS) today. The Legends El Clasico, sponsored by Visit Qatar, will be, according to the organizers, a “celebration of the rich history, passion, and rivalry that have defined these two clubs for decades.” The list of former players participating in the Legends El Clasico carries some of the biggest names in the history of football. Ronaldinho, Clarence Seedorf, Rivaldo, Luis Figo, Iker Casillas, Patrick Kluivert are just some of the names included in this match which is set to kick off at 7pm. This is the third game in the Legends El Clasico series, with Barca having edged Madrid 3-2 in their first match back in 2017. Simao and Ludovic Guily, who is also included in the Barca team list for the Doha showdown, scored, with the latter netting two goals. Real Madrid however managed to avenge their defeat in 2021 in a match that ended with the same score line, but this time in the Merengue’s favour. Goals from Pedro Munitis, Alfonso Perez, and Ruben de la Red sealed the victory for the Real Madrid legends. El Clasico – an annual fixture in Spain’s La Liga – is considered to be the biggest football match in the world, due to the overwhelming popularity of both teams. The last El Clasico was played on October 26 and went 0-4 in favour of Barcelona, but Real Madrid hold the upper hand in official competitive head-to-head encounters, with 105 wins to Barcelona’s 101.