MUSCAT, Oman: Al Mouj Golf, regarded by many as having one of the toughest opening holes on the European Tour circuit, is putting the finishing touches to the course in preparation for the 2020 Oman Open, held from 27 February — 1 March 2020.
The Oman Open returns to Al Mouj Muscat for the third time and will see a strong field teeing it up in Oman’s lifestyle and leisure destination. A world class field will be battling it out for the USD$1.75 million prize, with two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer, two-time European Tour winner Eddie Pepperell, Ryder Cup winning captain Thomas Bjorn and rising stars Robert McIntire and Adri Arnaus among some of the star names set to tee it up in Oman. A tough start is guaranteed at Al Mouj Golf, with the daunting opening hole, Par 4, often considered one of the most demanding opening holes on the circuit. Measuring 454 yards, the first hole averaged 4.3 strokes across all four rounds during the 2019 event.
Set along a two kilometer stretch of the Indian Ocean and with the Hajjar mountains providing an impressive backdrop, the Greg Norman designed links style course is consistently rated as one of the best in the Middle East, with Norman himself rating it as one of his finest creations. Despite the stunning surroundings, Al Mouj Golf is certainly capable of baring its teeth. As Oman’s first links style course, it provides one of the most challenging tests for golfers in the region, and when the wind gets up can be regarded as the toughest course of the European Tour’s ‘Desert Swing’.
Winners of the 2019 IAGTO Sustainability Award for Community value, Al Mouj Golf prides itself on its biodiversity and sustainable practices and with wildflowers and natural dunes accenting the lush green grass, it certainly inspires a unique golfing experience in the Middle East. Greg Norman commented “The huge bonus for me was that I was able to create a vast natural habitat which quickly became a haven for birdlife and various flora and fauna.”
Nasser bin Masoud Al Sheibani, CEO of Al Mouj Muscat, said “We are delighted to be welcoming the European Tour back to Oman and Al Mouj Golf for the third Oman Open. The feedback from players has been overwhelmingly positive since the initial event in 2018, which is testament to the quality of the layout and the surrounding environment. Al Mouj Muscat is a fantastic leisure and lifestyle destination for tourists, and we look forward to showcasing this once again”.
European Tour players have enjoyed their previous visits to the Oman Open, with the course receiving glowing reviews, further strengthening its position as one of the best courses in the region. Eddie Pepperell said ‘‘Al Mouj Golf is a must play if you’re ever in Oman. I’d say it’s the best course I’ve played in the Middle East.”, while Chris Wood commented “It’s a bit of a mix between a links and a desert course. The design is really good and there are so many players saying the same things. It’s in perfect condition and the practice facilities are awesome too.”
Tom Phillips, Head of Middle East, European Tour said: “It’s wonderful to witness how much this tournament has grown over the years; starting out as a European Challenge Tour event in 2013 before being deservedly promoted to the Challenge Tour Grand Final in 2015 and then becoming a full European Tour event in 2018.
“We’re extremely proud to visit the stunning Al Mouj Golf for the third Oman Open and delighted that the success of the tournament has contributed to the foundation of the Oman Golf Association, which marks another milestone for the development of golf in the Sultanate.”
Al Mouj Muscat offers an abundance of activities to enjoy in addition to the golf, with scuba diving and snorkelling trips, dolphin watching trips, water sports and fishing trips all available, as well as a range of restaurants and shops you will find at The Walk.
For more information on Al Mouj Muscat, please visit: www.almouj.com
Kaymer arrives in Oman to tackle ‘toughest opening hole on tour’
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Kaymer arrives in Oman to tackle ‘toughest opening hole on tour’
- A top class field, featuring two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer, will battle it out for the $1.75m prize
- Measuring 454 yards, the first hole averaged 4.3 strokes across all four rounds during the 2019 event
Man City held by Brighton to leave Champions League hopes in balance
- Pep Guardiola’s side led through Erling Haaland’s early penalty at the Etihad Stadium
- City remain in fifth place in the Premier League, one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea
MANCHESTER: Manchester City twice blew the lead in a 2-2 draw against Brighton on Saturday as Abdukodir Khusanov’s own goal dented their bid to qualify for the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola’s side led through Erling Haaland’s early penalty at the Etihad Stadium.
But Pervis Estupinan hauled Brighton level and, although Omar Marmoush restored City’s lead just before the interval, the Seagulls levelled again in the second half thanks to Khusanov’s mistake.
City remain in fifth place in the Premier League, one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea, who visit Arsenal on Sunday, and one point ahead of Newcastle and seventh-placed Brighton.
The top four are guaranteed a Champions League place, while fifth is also likely to be enough depending on the result of the English clubs remaining in European competitions this term.
Reduced to fighting for a Champions League berth after a shockingly bad season, City are still far from certain to qualify for Europe’s elite club competition.
That would have been unthinkable just 12 months ago, when City were marching toward a fourth consecutive English title and a sixth in seven years.
Since losing 7-0 at Nottingham Forest, Brighton had reeled off four consecutive league wins and this was another impressive display from Fabian Hurzeler’s side, who still harbor genuine hopes of reaching the Champions League for the first time.
Guardiola made four changes from the 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest as Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Ederson and Matheus Nunes were replaced by Marmoush, Ilkay Gundogan, Stefan Ortega and Rico Lewis.
City won a penalty in the 11th minute when Haaland found Marmoush in the Brighton area and the Egyptian was brought down by Adam Webster.
Haaland took the spot-kick, firing low into the bottom corner for his 100th Premier League goal involvement (84 goals and 16 assists) in just 94 appearances.
The Norway striker is the first Premier League player to reach 100 goal involvements in fewer than 100 games.
Not for the first time in their turbulent season, sloppy City were unable to hold onto their lead as Brighton drew level in the 21st minute.
Estupinan let rip with a fierce free-kick from 20 yards that caught out the wrong-footed Ortega, who was rooted to the spot as it hit the post and flashed into the net.
City tried to respond but Haaland lashed over from Gundogan’s pass and Savinho’s shot was blocked by Jan Paul van Hecke.
Guardiola’s men kept pressing and were rewarded in the 39th minute.
Gundogan picked off a miscued Brighton pass and unfurled a precise pass to set up Marmoush for a blistering finish.
City were still fortunate to go in ahead at half-time after a mix up between Nico Gonzalez and Ruben Dias left space for Joao Pedro to shoot just wide.
It took City’s leaky defense just three minutes of the second half to surrender the lead for a second time.
Adam Webster crossed into the area and Jack Hinshelwood’s shot appeared to be going wide until it took a deflection off City defender Khusanov.
With City’s rearguard in disarray, Brighton should have gone ahead, but Yankuba Minteh shot wastefully wide from close-range after Diego Gomez picked out the Gambian.
In a frantic finale, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba smashed over with the goal at his mercy.
Bayern held at Union Berlin to leave title door ajar
- Bayern, who also dropped points in a surprise loss at home to Bochum last week, could be just six points ahead if Leverkusen win at Stuttgart on Sunday
- Bayern had most of the ball but struggled to break through a resolute Union defense
BERLIN: Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at Union Berlin on Saturday, giving defending champions Bayer Leverkusen an outside chance of dragging themselves back into the Bundesliga title race.
Bayern, who also dropped points in a surprise loss at home to Bochum last week, could be just six points ahead if Leverkusen win at Stuttgart on Sunday.
Bayern had most of the ball but struggled to break through a resolute Union defense.
With few chances in the opening period, Bayern’s best chance came after 51 minutes when Harry Kane drilled a free-kick through the wall but into the palms of Frederik Ronnow.
Leroy Sane put the visitors ahead after 75 minutes when he skated through a crowded penalty area to tap in a Josip Stanisic pass.
Union were however the better team after the goal and the hosts levelled through Benedict Hollerbach, who was on the spot to take advantage of an error from rookie goalkeeper Jonas Urbig.
Union rose in intensity in the dying stages but were unable to land the killer blow which would have seen them beat Bayern for the first time in their history, on their 12th attempt.
Despite hovering dangerously close to the relegation spots for much of the season, Union have a strong record at home against the league’s best sides.
Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt, Mainz, Freiburg and now Bayern have all left Berlin without winning.
Unlikely Champions League candidates Mainz and Freiburg drew 2-2 draw. Hosts Mainz, reduced to 10 men when Dominik Kohr saw red after 43 minutes, twice took the lead but Freiburg equalized both times.
The result leaves Mainz third and Freiburg fifth, with neither side having ever played in the Champions League.
An Alassane Plea hat-trick took Borussia Moenchengladbach to a 4-2 win at Werder Bremen, keeping the visitors on track for a return to European football.
Plea’s first-half brace had Gladbach on track but Bremen scored twice in seven minutes through Romano Schmid and Andre Silva, his first for the club, to level things up at half-time.
Plea scored just two minutes into the second half and Germany striker Tim Kleindienst added another to seal the victory.
Augsburg’s impressive 2025 continued with a 1-0 home win over Wolfsburg, with Phillip Tietz scoring the only goal.
Augsburg are now unbeaten in 10 in the league and have conceded just three goals this calendar year, the lowest mark in the top five European leagues.
In Saturday’s late game, RB Leipzig host Dortmund in a must-win game for either side’s hopes of reaching next season’s Champions League.
Slot eyes first Liverpool trophy against Newcastle in League Cup final
- “You play games like this to win it, and that’s what we’re going to try to do,” said Slot
- “We’re really looking forward to it because you cannot take a final for granted, especially not in this country with so many good teams“
LONDON: Liverpool can win the first trophy of the Arne Slot era in Sunday’s League Cup final against a Newcastle side desperate to end the club’s 56-year wait for major silverware.
In the first final of the English domestic season, runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool head to Wembley aiming to erase the bitter taste of their Champions League exit against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
The Reds were beaten 4-1 on penalties by PSG in the last 16 second leg at Anfield.
It was a rare blow in what has been a successful first season in charge for Slot, who arrived from Feyenoord to succeed Jurgen Klopp last year.
Sitting 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League, the Reds are within touching distance of a record-equalling 20th English title and their first since 2020.
That will be the culmination of Slot’s seamless transition to life with Liverpool.
But first the Dutchman has his sights set on putting yet another League Cup in the Anfield trophy cabinet.
Liverpool, who beat Chelsea in last season’s final, have won the League Cup a record 10 times and are looking to lift the trophy for a third time in four years.
“You play games like this to win it, and that’s what we’re going to try to do,” said Slot, who will be without injured right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“We’re really looking forward to it because you cannot take a final for granted, especially not in this country with so many good teams.”
Slot, who will be making his first ever visit to Wembley, hopes Liverpool can recover quickly from having their treble bid shattered by PSG.
“It’s a great occasion to be in and especially after losing against Paris Saint-Germain. It’s maybe the perfect game,” he said.
Aside from a brief period when Kevin Keegan’s team challenged for the title in the 1990s, Newcastle have endured decades of underachievement and self-inflicted wounds that rendered them a laughing stock for long periods.
All that changed in 2021 when a Saudi-backed consortium completed a takeover from unpopular owner Mike Ashley and quickly made the decision to hire Eddie Howe as their manager.
Newcastle have been transformed from relegation candidates to contenders for silverware, with a Champions League appearance in 2023-24 underlining their revival.
However, Newcastle are still waiting to win their first major trophy since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup — the predecessor to the Europa League.
The Magpies’ last significant domestic prize was the 1955 FA Cup and they have lost a combined five finals in that competition and the League Cup since then.
They have never won the League Cup, most recently losing the 2023 final against Manchester United.
Since the Magpies lifted the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, 30 different English teams have won silverware, while Liverpool have clinched 38 major trophies in that time, including an FA Cup final success against Newcastle in the clubs’ last showpiece meeting in 1974.
With the weight of history against them, Howe has urged his players to embrace the chance to become Newcastle legends by ending their trophy drought.
“We want to break that wait for a trophy. It’s not a negative, he said.
“We’re trying to look at it the other way round, it’s the chance to make history and be remembered positively.”
Liverpool eased to a 2-0 win in their most recent Premier League clash with Newcastle in February.
And the Magpies’ task is made even harder by the absence of suspended England forward Anthony Gordon and injured defenders Lewis Hall, Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.
But Howe is confident Newcastle will not freeze in front of a sell-out crowd and a television audience of millions around the world.
“We’ve stayed competitive, in the main, in big games,” he said. “Our style, we have adaptability, but also we have a clear method.”
Barca’s Flick demands ‘focus’ ahead of crunch Atletico clash
- “I think we have had really two great matches and of course we have to be focussed from beginning to the end of the match,” Flick said
- “When you make mistakes Atletico can hurt you and this is what we have to defend against“
BARCELONA: Hansi Flick warned his Barcelona stars they need to focus to avoid crumbling against Atletico Madrid on Sunday in La Liga as they have in their previous two meetings this season.
Leaders Barcelona are a point ahead of Diego Simeone’s Atletico, third, going into the huge title clash at the Metropolitano stadium in the Spanish capital.
Barcelona led against Atletico in the first league match in December but Rodrigo De Paul levelled for the visitors and Alexander Sorloth hit a 96th minute winner which helped them usurp the Catalans at the top of the table.
Then in the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg Barcelona let in two goals in the first six minutes and two late goals, including another Sorloth stoppage time strike in a wild 4-4 draw.
“I think we have had really two great matches and of course we have to be focussed from begninning to the end of the match,” Flick told reporters Saturday.
“I think in the first match, at the end of the match we were not so focussed like we can be, and also the second match was (the same) in the beginning and also at the end, so we have to take care about that.
“When you make mistakes Atletico can hurt you and this is what we have to defend against.”
Atletico Madrid were knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday on penalties by rivals Real Madrid, while Barcelona beat Benfica to reach the quarter-finals.
Former Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez scored a penalty in the shoot-out for Atletico which was controversially disallowed because he may have touched the ball twice when he slipped as he took it.
“It was an unlucky situation, I feel for him, he’s one of the best strikers,” said Flick, adding that it was “not a problem” for Atletico to have played 120 minutes because of their squad depth.
Flick has plenty of options himself with Dani Olmo seemingly ahead of Gavi in the pecking order for the attacking midfield spot.
Gavi and Barca defender Alejandro Balde were not included in the Spain squad to face the Netherlands in the Nations League quarter-finals next week, but the Barca coach hailed both players.
“(Gavi) came from a huge injury and he’s 20 years old and now at the moment he is I think, not the first (choice)... a more difficult situation but he’s doing great,” said Flick.
“At the moment our midfield is doing really good. I’m happy he’s here and I think he will play many, many years for this amazing club and be one of the superstars here.
“He can improve a lot, he will do this. His attitude is unbelievably good, he’s really focussed and really happy he is here.
“I think for the World Cup 2026 he will be there and be able to play, 100 percent.”
Flick said Balde was “one of the best” left-backs in the world, and also praised veteran center-back Inigo Martinez, who was called up for Spain by national team coach Luis de la Fuente.
“With his attitude and mentality he’s unbelievably good for every team,” added Flick.
Pakistan set to face New Zealand in T20I series opener in Christchurch on Sunday
- Skipper Salman Ali Agha says the team will try to produce better results in New Zealand
- A three-match ODI series, set to follow the T20I action, will run from March 29 to April 5
KARACHI: Pakistan are all set to take on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series starting Sunday, the country's cricket board said in a statement, with the first game to be played at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The Pakistan squad arrived in New Zealand on Thursday and held their first training session on Friday afternoon. Before their arrival, the T20I squad underwent a pre-series camp from March 7 to 10 in Lahore.
Pakistan’s squad includes three uncapped players — Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Ali — who earned call-ups to the national side following their impressive performances in recent domestic events.
Skipper Salman Ali Agha, who led the team to a 2-1 T20I series win in Zimbabwe in his first series as captain, expressed satisfaction with the players' performance ahead of the series.
“The team's preparations are going well, and we will try to produce better results in New Zealand," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) quoted him as saying in a statement. "We have some young players in the side, and it is an opportunity for them to showcase their talent at the international level after performing well in domestic cricket.”
Pakistan have an upper hand over New Zealand in the 44 T20I contests between the two sides, with 23 wins, while the Black Caps have secured victory in 19 fixtures.
The last T20I series featuring the two sides, played in Pakistan in 2024, ended in a 2-2 draw, with one match abandoned due to rain.
More recently, though, Pakistan's cricket squad has come under significant criticism for their performance following their early exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy after losses to New Zealand and India.
During their tour to New Zealand, Pakistan will play their second match at University Oval in Dunedin on March 18, while the third match of the series will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on March 21.
The fourth and fifth T20Is will be played at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui and Sky Stadium in Wellington on March 23 and 26, respectively.
A three-match ODI series will follow the T20I action and will be played from March 29 to April 5.
