LONDON: Two young Saudi golf fans had a day they will never forget at this year’s Saudi International after their hero Bryson DeChambeau gifted them money-can’t-buy goodies after completing his final round of the tournament.
Friends Khalid Almodaimeegh, 10, and Nasser Altorki, 14, followed the big-hitting American across all 18-holes of Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) on Sunday as he fought to climb the leaderboard on the tournament’s closing day.
It wasn’t to be in the end for DeChambeau – famed for the colossal distance he gets in his shots – as he failed to clawback runaway champion Dustin Johnson.
But for the two young golfers from Riyadh, it will be a day that lives long in the memory after getting to watch their hero up close, and DeChambeau took the time at the end of his round to not only gift the schoolboys a signed golf-ball, but one of his famous flat caps as well.
“Bryson and DJ are my favourite golfers, so it was very exciting to see them in real life. They hit the ball so far, and Bryson can almost drive most of the greens,” Khalid, who has been playing golf for nine years, said. “We were standing beside the 18th when we asked for a ball. Bryson signed it and threw it to us. I’ll keep it forever.”
Nasser, who plays golf every week, added: “I was keen to see Dustin Johnson, Kevin Na, Bryson and Ian Poulter. I walked with Bryson from the first hole to the 18th , and he noticed I was with him, so at the end he just took off his hat and gave it to me, signing it too. I’ll now probably frame it.”
The 2021 Saudi International finished on Sunday and was won by the world’s No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson, who finished 15-under-par after four-days of golf.
England’s Justin Rose was second on -13, one shot ahead of Frenchman Victor Perez.
