The SIFA Samoa Open came to a close on Saturday with Australians Nabil Abdul and Richard Backwell both winning their respective categories with only one-point leads.
Abdul took out the Open competition, scoring 77, 73 and 72 on the three days of competition, giving him a total score of 222.
Abdul managed to hold off New Zealander Daniel Pearce by scoring birdies in his final two holes.
“I can’t believe I made those two final birdies,” said Mr Abdul.
“It was so tough all week and making birdies feels like a struggle so to finish with two to win it all feels amazing.”
Backwell, who was a pre tournament favourite for the over fifties and a tournament rookie, took out the SIFA Samoa Senior Open with a total three-day score of 228.
Leading in to the final round Backwell was tied with Tim Elliot, John Kirchner and Steve Aisbett, but they were all separated by one point each by the end of the final day.
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“I had no idea if my score would be good enough and I was surprised that the others in the final group struggled, but it really does reflect how tough this golf course is,” Backwell said.
“The event has been a real great test of golf and the organisers have done a great job in hosting us this week”.
Tournament organiser Faleomavaega Patrick Fepulea’i is pleased with how the tournament went, despite the difficulty of the course.
“The golf course at Le Penina is one of the toughest tests of golf in the whole of the Pacific and this is shown by the scores that the professionals shot,” Fepulea’i said.
“The players also commented on the tough test they faced in playing the course and many have indicated that they will be back in 2015.”
Professional Golfers Association (P.G.A.) Australia representative Darren Baynes agreed.
“This is the toughest golf course these guys will play on all year,” he said.
Our local players also held their own in the tournament.
Professional Malese Maifea finished 20th equal in the open category with 237, and senior player Laauli Tui finished 22nd equal in the senior open with a score of 246.
Pulou Faaaliga came in first in the amateurs category with a score of 236.
“The amateurs found it particularly tough compared to last year when the Open was played at the Royal Samoa Country Club at Fagalii,” Fepulea’i said.
“This year the top amateur Pulou Faaaliga would tie for 17 equal with the professionals.”
“Other than him the other amateurs did not fare so well compared to last year.”
Included in the unlucky amateurs were local favourites Niko Vui and Olive Auva’a.
They both still have bright futures ahead of them however.
Tournament Director Vincent Fepulea’i said “Niko Vui is heading off to Nebraska University to play in the World Juniors next month, and he’s also been accepted to Nebraska University in the States.”
“Our top young female amateur [Olive Auva’a] is actually in secondary school in American Samoa trying to sit the test, the S.A.T., because there’s about five college’s in the United States after her,” he said.
The Pro-Am event on Wednesday was also a success, with Andrew Henare winning the open category and Darryl Purchase and Tim Elliott taking our first equal in the senior Pro- Am.
Looking to the future of the competition “the SIFA Samoa Open continues to grow in strength year by year,” Mr Fepulea’i said.
“This year we saw a growing number of senior players (over 50 years) that came over.
“From the tourism side, we continue to see more players and their families and supporters coming to Samoa every year.”
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