- Weather
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Max |
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40°C |
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Min |
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30°C |
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Sunrise |
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05 : 30 AM |
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Sunset |
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06 : 30 PM |
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Humidity |
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50 to 80 per cent |
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- Prayer Time
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Fajar |
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03:56 am |
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Dhuhr |
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12:09 pm |
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Asar |
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03:30 pm |
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Magrib |
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06:51 pm |
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Isha |
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08:11 pm |
- Oil Price
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Price in RO
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24ct / gm |
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17.37 |
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22ct / gm |
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17.00 |
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Forex Rates vs R01
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US Dollar |
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2.60 |
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Euro |
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2.01 |
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Pound |
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1.72 |
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Indian Rs. |
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144.42 |
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Pak Rs. |
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255.85 |
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Bangla Taka |
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201.35 |
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Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed bin Said Al Mardhouf, Minister of Sports Affairs, with officials of the GCC Golf Championship. Photo – O.K. Mohammed Ali / TIMES OF OMAN.
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Muscat: The 17th edition of the GCC Golf Championships is all set to begin at the Almouj Golf Club today. The three-day championship being hosted by Oman for the first time will include players from Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Omani golfers.
Yesterday, Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed bin Said Al Mardhouf, Minister of Sports Affairs, had inaugurated the championship in the presence of Khaled Abunayyan, chairman of the GCC Golf Organising Committee and chairman of the Saudi Arabian Golf Federation.
In his welcome address, Mundhir Al Barwani, chairman of Golf Oman, said the country's vision was to field an Omani national team at the 2016 Olympic Games.
"That will be a very big step for us, and we are confident that we will be able to achieve that goal. The sport of golf has come a long way in the last couple of years in Oman, and now, we are about to host a GCC Championship," he stated.
Meanwhile, Omani skipper Azzan Al Ruhmi acknowledged that his team is all geared up for the championship.
"There is a bit of pressure because we are the hosts," Azzan confirmed.
"But we had very good preparations for the championship, and I am sure we will play our best," he remarked. Azzan expressed confidence in reaching the top three after the last day of the tournament on Tuesday. "We are aiming for the first three positions, and we know we can get there," he stressed.
The home team for the seniors' event comprises Azzan, Hamed Al Rumhy, Ali Hameed Al Saleh, and Mohammed "Eddy" Al Mawali. The juniors' event comprises Ahmed Al Balushi, Rashad Al Harthy, and Hamood Al Harthy.
Sultan Al Hakam of the Bahrain team will return to the event after a break of three years, when he was on the winning team. Asked what he thought of Bahrain's chances at this year's event, he highlighted the increased strength of the teams they are playing against: "The teams playing this year are much stronger and are much more experienced than three years ago. The course here at Almouj Golf is also much more challenging than any of the courses we are used to and that will benefit the Oman team, which has played here many times before."
When asked about his tactics, he was understandably guarded but did admit that he would err on the side of caution: "We have to hit straight shots and stay out of the rough. I will probably keep my driver in my bag for most of the holes and try to stay consistent." The championship is been organised with support from Ministry of Sports Affairs and is sponsored by Etihad Airways, National Bank of Oman, and Omantel.
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