Commercialbank Pro-Am Challenge Winners Sammy Rose and Maria Sayers joined forces with Fazal Kazi and English professional Graeme Storm to clinch victory in the Rolex Pro-Am staged yesterday (Wednesday) at Doha Golf Club.

 

Playing over the same course that will challenge 120 PGA European Tour pros in the 2008 Commercialbank Qatar Masters which gets underway today (Thursday), the four-ball edged the title by one shot with a medal score of 55 to see off the other 38 teams competing in the traditional tournament curtain-raiser.

 

It was a major triumph for Rose and Sayers who made the tournament after coming through the qualifying event back in December as the leading male and female competitors.

 

One back in second place was the team of former champion Henrik Stenson who had the able figure of legendary cricketer Sir Ian Botham and amateurs Eric Lebrun and Richard Stockton in his team representing UDC 2.

 

Also on 56 but losing out on the count-back was Frenchman Thomas Levet’s Qatargas 2 team comprising Ken Marnoch, Garry Looker and Jacques Azibert.

 

The Rolex Pro-Am was a day when the stars came out to play with the golfing big guns and star spotters had a field day.

 

 As well as Botham, legendary US runner Michael Johnson cut an athletic figure over the 7,388-yard course, while Hollywood former Bond girl Jane Seymour brought a dash of glamour to the event combining with five-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave and CNN presenter Justin Armsden to help partner Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood in CNN 2.

 

One celebrity who shone in the Rolex Pro-Am was former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright who despite suffering a football hangover from the Gunners’ 5-1 defeat at the hands of Tottenham managed to light up the day with an infectious grin and impressive swing.

 

“I really enjoyed it,” said runner-up Botham. “We had a great time out there on the course. Doha has changed so much in the past few years. When I got here this time, I thought this simply couldn’t be the place I saw six years ago. As a destination, I really like the Middle East and thanks go to Commercialbank for inviting me along.”