WORLD AMATEUR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS SET FOR MIDDLE EAST DEBUT

One Month to Go! 

Abu Dhabi, UAE: The 2023 World Amateur Team Championships presented by Rolex are poised to take center stage in the Middle East for the first time in the region’s history with today marking one month to go until the eagerly-anticipated event kicks off at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

General Abdallah Alhashmi & Pascal Grizot.

Hosted by Abu Dhabi Sports Council along with Destination Partner, the Department of Culture and Tourism, the men’s Eisenhower Trophy is scheduled for October 18-21 while the women’s Espirito Santo Trophy takes place for the following week from October 25-28.

Both tournaments are set to feature 36 countries with each nation having two or three playing representatives.

The best two scores from each day’s play constitutes towards the team’s score for each round with the 72-hole total combing to give the nation’s score for the full championship.

H. E. Aref Al Awani, Antony Scanlon, Gen. Abdullah Alhashmi

“We are delighted to host the World Amateur Team Championships which is another significant addition in Abu Dhabi’s ever-growing international calendar of sports,” said Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

“The Eisenhower Trophy for men from October 18-21 and the women’s Espirito Santo Trophy in the following week have drawn 36 nations in both categories. It also provides our home golfing talents the opportunity to play side-by-side with the elite amateur golfers.

“We warmly welcome the participating teams and wish every participating team the very best.”

General Abdullah Alhashmi, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation, added: “The Championship Committee along with the Local Organizing Committee have been working hard over the past 12 months to get to this final stage of preparation.

“Under the patronage of his Excellency Shaikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Abu Dhabi and the Emirates Golf Federation, we look forward to hosting the world’s best amateur golfers and top federations at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

“I would like to thank our partners at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Department of Culture and Tourism for their support and for making this Championship possible.

“Finally, I would like to thank golf’s governing bodies, the International Golf Federation, The R&A and the USGA for their trust in the United Arab Emirates for hosting this prestigious championship, it is our mission to continuing to develop the sport of golf in the Middle East.”

These esteemed amateur contests have often been a showcase of golf’s promising young talent with past Major champions Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods previously featuring on winning teams before turning professional.

Both tournaments were last held in 2022 in France where Italy emerged victorious at the Eisenhower Trophy on 31 under par while Sweden claimed the Espirito Santo Trophy on a score of 13 under.

The events also featured high-profile names such as Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg and USA’s Rose Zhang – both of whom are recent winners in the professional game, the former having been named in Luke Donald’s European team for the upcoming Ryder Cup in Rome.

Qualified Teams

Eisenhower Trophy – Argentina, Australia, Austria Canada, People’s Republic of China, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Guam, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Wales, Zimbabwe

Espirito Santo Trophy – Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, China, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States of America

UAE Finishes 4th at Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championship, Next Stop the 1st Arab Professional Championship

(Casablanca, Morocco) – Over the past weekend July 27– 29, 2023 the Arab Golf Federation hosted the 42nd Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championship in Casablanca, Morocco. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) finished in fourth place out of 12 nations.

Team UAE – 4th Place at the 42nd Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championship in Casablanca, Morocco

Leading the way for UAE was Khalid Yousuf shooting rounds 70-76-75 for a 221 championship total. Khalid finished tied for eighth place in the Individual Category. Ahmad Skaik finished tied in 10th position in the induvial category for UAE. Ahmad shot rounds of 70-73-79.

Rounding off Team UAE was Mohammad Skaik who finished 33rd and Rashed Al Emadi who finished 39th position in the Individual Category.

Morocco won the overall Team Category followed by Egypt in second place and Tunisia in third place. Issa Abouelela from Egypt won the Individual Category shooting 5-under-par for the championship.

Emirates Golf Federation Vice Chairman General Abdullah Alhashmi was honored at the award ceremony while handing out the prizes to the winning Nations and players.

Ahmed Almusharrekh

The next stop for the UAE players will be the 1st Arab Professional Championship. On August 1st – 4th, the Arab Golf Federation is hosting the 1st Arab Professional Championship in Casablanca, Morocco. Representing the UAE in the professional category will Ahmed Almusharrekh while Ahmad Skaik, Rashed Al Emadi, and Mohammad Skaik compete in the amateur category at Casa Green Golf Club.

Almusharrekh is coming of participating in the Irish Challenge – Challenge Tour event at Headfort Golf Club, Kells, Co. Meath, Ireland.

As the name suggests this will be the first ever Arab Professional Championship. 160,000 MAD or 16,465 USD will be distributed between the professional players making the cut after 36 holes. The first two Moroccan professional players will be respectively declared Champion of Morocco and Vice Champion of Morocco. 15,000 MAD Net will be distributed between the first three Amateurs. The prize awarded to Amateur Player will be capped according to the Amateur Status Rules.

To follow the action and Team UAE follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media.

UAE Looking for Strong Showing at the 42nd Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championship

By: Cristina Petrovici

(Casablanca, Morocco) – On July 27th – 29th, 2023 the Arab Golf Federation is hosting the 42nd Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championship in Casablanca, Morocco. Representing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) are Khalid Yousuf, Ahmad Skaik, Rashed Al Emadi, and Mohammed Skaik.

The UAE 2023 Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championship – Team and Delegates

Casa Green Golf Club in Casablanca will host the 42nd edition of the Men’s Pan Arab Golf Championships from Thursday, July 27th to Saturday, July 29th, 2023, organized by the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation, under the leadership of the Arab Golf Federation. 13 different nations will be represented by a team of four players, competing in both team and individual divisions. The Championship is run over three rounds with the three lowest scores counting towards the team score. The winning nation and player with the lowest gross scores will be declared the Arab Champion.

Traveling with Team UAE will Emirates Golf Federation Vice Chairman Abdulla Alhashmi, General Secretary Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, and General Director Akram Skaik. Playing for Team UAE will be Captain Khalid Yousuf, UAE’s number one amateur Ahmad Skaik, and two young talents Rashid Al Emadi and Mohammed Skaik.

Team captain Khalid Yousuf mentioned: “My team and I are looking forward to this event. It’s a great event and we look at it as one of the signature events in the calendar because we are all very proud to represent the UAE. I am very confident that our team will be finishing on the podium as Ahmad and Rashid are in good shape with their game coming off having the experience playing some Challenge Tour events.”

Ahmad Skaik

After playing five European Challenge Tour events in the past 3 months, Ahmad Skaik will be looking forward to teeing it up against his fellow amateur golfers. Ahmad Skaik had this to say before the championship, “it feels very good to be back playing in the Men’s Arab Championship after three months of Challenge Tour events. I learned a lot from my travels and especially from playing on European courses. The experience much tighter course should give me a lot of confidence for this week in Casablanca. I’m starting to feel that my game is on the right track, and it is a matter of time before everything is clicking. It’s always a privilege to compete for the UAE National Team and I think that we have the right squad this week to do well.”

Both Rashid Al Emdia and Mohammad Skaik are representing the UAE in back-to-back Pan Arab Men’s Golf Championships.

“I hope that the experience I gained this year by training more and playing in the Abu Dhabi Challenge Tour will help me score well for the team and return home with a medal,” Rashid Al Emadi said.

Casa Green Golf Club is a 7,100 yards championship course, designed by architect Jeremy Pern with a topography that can make the course challenging for any player. Even though it is not on the ocean coast, the course is still a combination of links but offers wide fairways full of mounds, lakes, and trees.

To follow the action and Team UAE stay up to date with the Emirates Golf Federation on our social media channels.

Future Falcons 2022-23 Season Ends with Impressive Numbers

(United Arab Emirates) – This past week, the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) hosted the last Future Falcon graduation award ceremony for the 2022-23 training season. Utilizing six different academies across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the EGF and Future Falcons junior golf program has introduced, trained, and tested more than 100 UAE Nationals on their journey into golf.

Future Falcons at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club

Under the patronage of the General Authority for Sports and Chairman of the EGF, His Excellency Shaikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, and keeping with the EGF’s mission of “identifying and developing young UAE National golfers, while building good character through the integrity of the game of golf”, the EGF is training out of the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club, Al Hamra Golf Club, Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club, and Al Zorah Golf Club. The UAE National Team Coaches and Emirates PGA Teaching Professionals worked closely together over the past 9 months to deliver the Future Falcons junior golf program.

The Future Falcons is a long-term commitment of co-title tournament partners HSBC, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and Emirates Golf Federation to support the growth of golf in the UAE. The program was created in 2016 as a recreational and mass participation program evolving to become a sustainable long-term structure and framework for the game.  The Future Falcons junior golf program aims to educate, engage, and inspire youngsters in a bid to unearth the next generation of golfing talent.

In 2022-23 over 100 juniors between the age of 4 and 16 years old, participated in a season-long training program that consisted of, weekly training sessions, PAR 3 events, skills competitions, and finally the end-of-season testing session to measure the player’s progress.

In addition to the Future Falcons junior golf program, the EGF teamed up with the Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) and the Al Rabeeh Academy in order to bring golf into the Physical Education curriculum. Since the start of the second semester (Jan. 2023) this past school year, 15 different schools were bringing Physical Education classes to the UAE Golf Academies. At these sessions, UAE National Team Coaches and Emirates PGA Teaching Professionals introduced the sport of golf to over 700 students and their teachers. At these introductory lessons, coaches identified potential athletes that were introduced to the Future Falcons.

Emirates Golf Federation Vice Chairman, General Abdullah Alhashmi had this to say following the last award ceremony, “the Future Falcons program is the backbone of UAE National golf. For golf to successfully develop within the community we need to reach as many students and families as possible. It is the mission of the EGF and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council to find the next best amateur and professional golfers in the UAE. By using the infrastructure of the sport that has been here for over 30 years, UAE Golf is on the right path to success. On behalf of the EGF Board of Directors, I would like to thank our partners at the Sports Councils, HSBC, UAE Golf Clubs, and schools for their continued passion for athletic development and the sport of golf.

Future Falcons Al Ain

To find out more about the Emirates Golf Federation and how to sign up for the Future Falcons and National Junior Development Program contact the Federation at info@egfgolf.com

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi Receives Certified Audubon Sanctuary Award – the first in the UAE

(Abu Dhabi, UAE) – Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, has retained its designation as a ‘Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary through the Audobon Cooperative Sanctuary Programme of Golf Courses. It is one of 900 golf courses in the world to hold such a certification from Audobon International and the only one in the UAE.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club receives recertification Global Environmental initiative award.’

The program, endorsed by the United States Golf Association, provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat, and protect natural resources. Golf courses from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, and Asia support the program.

‘Saadiyat Beach has shown a strong commitment to its environment program. They are to be commended for preserving the natural heritage of Saadiyat Island by protecting the local watershed and providing a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property,’ said Christine Kane, CEO of Audubon International.

‘To reach certification, a course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas,’ continued Kane.

These categories include: Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Outreach, and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management. Courses go through a recertification process every three years.

Corey Finn, Golf Course Superintendent, VIYA Golf, said, ‘We are delighted to have achieved this recertication of Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and this prestigious industry recognition. We have enjoyed working with Audobon and our stakeholders over the last few years and will continue to work on this project to preserve and enhance the natural habitat of Saadiyat Beach with their consultation. Thanks to all the team in Abu Dhabi for supporting this important initiative.’

UAE National Hamda Al Suwaidi will Tee It Up in Egyptian Ladies Amateur Open

Moroccan, Intissar Rich looking to make a run in Egypt.

(Hurghada, Egypt) – On June 22nd – 24th 2023 the Egyptian Golf Federation is hosting the Egyptian Ladies Amateur Open or locally known as the Nefertiti Cup at Soma Bay Golf Club. Representing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) will be Hamda Al Suwaidi and playing from Morocco, Intissar Rich.

Hamda Al Suwaidi & Intissar Rich

Egyptian Ladies Amateur Open – Nefertiti Cup is a 54-hole stroke play championship that has been played since 2004. The 2023, 19th edition will take place at Soma Bay Golf Club with the winner of the championship having their name engraved on the Perpetual Trophy and the top three players in the event will receive invitations into a Ladies European Tour event later in the year.

 

The Soma Bay Golf Club championship golf course was designed by the golfing icon, Gary Player. The course has a desert oasis feel, with 6 holes positioned on the dramatic Red Sea coastline.

 

Hamda will be playing in her first tournament this summer while Intissar is coming off playing in the Amudi Czech Ladies Challenge, an event under the Ladies European Tour. Intissar is an inspiring amateur from Morocco in which the Emirates Golf Federation is supporting her progress in line with the training partnership with the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation.

Follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media to get the latest updates and photos from the event.

EGF Website: www.egfgolf.com

EGF Facebook: Emirates Golf Federation

EGF Twitter: @EGFuaegolf

EGF Instagram: emiratesgolffederation

EGF LinkedIn: Emirates Golf Federation (EGF)

Chaica Al Qassimi & Ali Bin Sumaidaa Represent UAE at Special Olympics World Games

(Berlin, Germany) – From June 15-25, 2023, the world’s largest inclusive sporting event is set to take place in Berlin, Germany. The Special Olympics World Games is gathering thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete in 26 different sports. Representing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Special Olympics Golf Team will be Chaica Al Qassimi, Ali Bin Sumaidaa, and Omar Al Bastaki (Ali’s Unified Partner). In addition, UAE National Team Coaches, April Varney, and Samir Wallani will be managing the team.

The Special Olympics World Games will kick off Saturday, June 17, with the Opening Ceremony followed by the golf competition from June 19-22 at the Golf Club Bad Saarow. Golf will host 181 athletes and unified partners, five different levels, and a total of 35 delegations.

Chaica Al Qassimi

Team UAE will be represented in two levels of competition. Chaica Al Qassimi will compete in Level 1, which will include 6 individual skills competitions: short putt, long putt, chip shot, pitch shot, iron shot, and wood shot. Chaica will be competing in her first Special Olympic World Games and has been training hard over the past 12 months with Coach Varney.

Ali Bin Sumaidaa & Omar Al Bastaki

Ali Bin Sumaidaa will compete with his Unified Partner Omar Al Bastaki in the Level 2 competition. Both Ali and Omar will be competing in their second Special Olympics World Games. Ali received a Silver Medal in the Level 1 – individual skills competition at the 2019 Abu Dhabi World Games.

The Special Olympics World Games has been hosting golf as an official sport since 1995 while offering a unified element. The Unified Sport allows individuals with and without intellectual disabilities to compete together as a team. Golf has 5 different levels of competition:

Level 1 – Individual Performance Skills Competition

Level 2 – Unified Team Alternate Shot – 9 Holes

Level 3 – Unified Team Alternate Shot – 18 Holes

Level 4 – Individual Competition – 9 Holes

Level 5 – Individual Competition – 18 Holes

Coach Samir Wallani had this to say about the UAE athletes at, Special Olympics World Games “We are very excited to represent the UAE at this year’s Special Olympics World Games. Ali, Chaica, and Omar all have been working hard to get to this stage. For the past 4 years, Ali has been training and you can see that by moving up a level from the last world games his game is improving. The contented support from the Emirates Golf Federation and UAE Special Olympics has allowed these athletes to reach their dreams.”

The Special Olympics World Games started in 1968 and for the first time, Germany is the host. With over 7,000 athletes across 26 different sports for 2023, it is going to be 9 days that the athletes and coaches will never forget. Follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media to get the latest updates and photos from the event.

 

GOLF CLUBS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN GOLF CHARTER

13 June 2023, Dubai, United Arab Emirates:  All 22 golf clubs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter to demonstrate their collective commitment to growing golf amongst women and girls in the region.

All 22 golf clubs in the United Arab Emirates have signed The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter. It becomes the first nation to achieve the feat.

With the UAE becoming the first ever country to sign all clubs to the charter, representatives from The R&A and signatories gathered to celebrate the occasion at Jumeriah Golf Estates.  The Women in Golf Charter leads The R&A’s drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in golf and to encourage more opportunities for women to work within the golf industry.Since being launched in 2018, over 1,300 organisations in 75 countries have signed the Charter, but the UAE is the first country in the world to have all its golf clubs as signatories.   The Women in Golf Charter aims to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf around the world and to enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential at all levels of the sport.  The Women in Golf Charter specifically aims to:

  • Strengthen the focus on gender balance and provide a united position for the golf industry
  • Commit national federations and organisations to support measures targeted at increasing participation of women, girls and families in golf
  • Call on signatories to take positive action to support the recruitment, retention and progression of women working at all levels of the sport
  • Set individual targets for national federations for participation and membership and annual reporting of progress
  • Develop an inclusive environment for women and girls within golf

Adoption of the Charter requires signatories to make meaningful and tangible pledges to build on current initiatives and develop new projects that will focus on encouraging more women and girls to play golf and stay within the sport, while also empowering women to enjoy successful careers working within the golf industry. Some Charter commitments that have been made by golf clubs in the UAE include:

  • Encourage more women and girls’ exposure on website and social media channels.
  • Providing training and education for staff and stakeholders to promote diversity and inclusion and eliminate barriers or biases that may exist.
  • Create a pathway to encourage women to continue to participate in the sport from new women academy members through to membership of the club.
  • Establish quarterly reviews between the charter champion and management to evaluate the delivery of existing commitments.

At an event held today at Jumeriah Golf Estates, Jackie Davidson, Director of Golf Development at The R&A and Neal Graham, Development Manager – Middle East and India at The R&A, outlined how the golf industry can work together to achieve these goals at a launch event at Jumeriah Golf Estates, one of the UAE’s leading golf facilities and signatory of the Women in Golf Charter. Davidson said, “The Women in Golf Charter has really galvanised the golf industry around a shared vision for golf and driven change. Since 2018 we have seen over 1,300 organisations in 75 countries, including the United Arab Emirates make their commitment to the Charter and the development of women and girls’ golf. We are already seeing the benefits of this in golf participation numbers around the world, a trend that The R&A and all signatories have a responsibility towards continuing.” Graham added, “The United Arab Emirates has a proud history of supporting golf at the very highest levels including hosting professional and elite amateur championships for the world’s best golfers. But equally important is providing the opportunity for everyone to experience and enjoy golf. The R&A is delighted that all 22 golf clubs in the United Arab Emirates are signatories of the Women in Golf Charter which will position golf as a welcoming sport for women to engage with and contribute the further success of golf in the country.” The event was attended by representatives of each golf club who will act as charter champions and lead their club’s commitment to the Charter. Also in attendance were other organisations who have pledged their support as signatories of the Charter including the Emirates Golf Federation, IMG and the DP World Tour.  General Abdulla Alhashmi, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation said, “The Emirates Golf Federation is proud that the UAE is the first country in the world to have all it’s golf clubs signed up to the Women in Golf Charter. Today’s celebration of women in golf is a great example of the different initiatives that The R&A can bring to the UAE and the region. With this being Women’s Golf Month it is a perfect time to celebrate having all affiliated UAE golf clubs signing the charter and collaborating to encourage women’s golf participation at every level including professionally. We look forward to continuing to work with all associations and governing bodies within the sport to grow the game.”

Ahmad Skaik & Ahmed Al Musharrekh Embark on EU Challenge Tour Swing

  • UAE’s best amateur golfer Ahmad Skaik and only professional golfer Ahmed Al Musharrekh set off to compete in Challenge Tour events across Europe in prep for Arab and World Amateur Championships.
  • Grenville-Wood receives additional support from the EGF after Second Place finish in Abu Dhabi.

(Dubai, UAE) – In conjunction with the Emirates Golf Federation’s (EGF) agreement with the European Tour Group, the EGF will be taking full advantage of the player exchange process following the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Challenge Tour events. Starting this week, Ahmad Skaik and Ahmed Al Musharrekh will embark on a seven weeklong competitive swing beginning in Spain traveling through Europe in preparation for the Arab Championships and the World Amateur Team Championship.

Ahmad Skaik

For hosting the Abu Dhabi Challenge and the UAE Challenge last month the EGF received 30 spots in each event. Behind the scenes the EGF has been networking and creating relationships to trade some of these spots with other Federations and Challenge Tour events, giving UAE golfers the chance to compete on the tour. The EGF has strategically secured these invites to prepare for the upcoming Arab Championships and the 2023 World Amateur Team Championship (hosted in Abu Dhabi, UAE) while giving opportunities for inspiring professionals.

Ahmad Skaik, UAE’s best amateur golfer and number 280th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, will be competing in four Challenge Tour events over the next seven weeks. The UAE national has a good history playing on the professional stage having several appearances on both the DP World Tour and Challenge Tour circuit. In 2021, Skaik fired his lowest round at the 2021 AVIV Dubai Championship with an impressive 4-under-par, 68 on the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Skaik had this to say before his first event this weekend at the Andalucia Challenge de Cadiz in Cadiz, Spain. “I’m very excited to get out there and play. I’ve played in many other big events so nerves and pressure aren’t a factor. I have the experience. I’m just looking forward to focusing on my game and learning from life on the road. I know that the course setup will be different in Europe, so the plan is to take it day by day and use my course management skills to score well. Playing in these tournaments will help my game in preparation for a busy summer and autumn. I’m very grateful for the opportunity that the EGF has given me and my fellow UAE golfers.”

In addition to the Andalucia Challenge de Cadiz, Skaik will be playing in the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in Le Vaudreuil, France on June 28th-July 2nd, the Italian Challenge Open in Viterbo, Italy on July 5th-9th, and finally the Euram Bank Open in Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria on the 13th-16th of July.

Ahmed Al Musharrekh

Ahmed Al Musharrekh, the UAE’s only professional golfer, is set to compete in the two Challenge Tour events in Europe. The 33-year-old will be playing in the Andalucia Challenge de Cadiz and the Irish Challenge in Kells County Meath, Ireland on the 27th-30th of July. Al Musharrekh is coming off playing in both Abu Dhabi Challenge Tour events. The EGF is excited to see Al Musharrekh take advantage of these opportunities while he’s trying to find his stride on the professional stage.

“I am really looking forward to playing tournaments in Europe, it’s a very good opportunity for me to figure out where my game is, and representing my country makes me very proud,” said Al Musharrekh.

In addition to the Challenge Tour events the Arab Golf Federation will be hosting the 42nd Pan Arab Men Championship on the 24th – 29th of July and the 1st Arab Professional Men Championship on the 1st – 4th of August. Both events will be hosted in Casablanca, Morocco.

Skaik will finish his summer swing at the Challenge de Espana from 7th – 10th September. He will then travel to China for the Asian Games followed by the World Amateur Team Championships (WATC) in Abu Dhabi on the 18th-21st of October. The WATC will be held in the Middle East for the first time. Hosted by the EGF and organized by the International Golf Federation the first WATC was held in 1958. The WATC is two events in one, the 33rd Men’s Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy will be held from 18–21 October and the 30th Women’s Championship for the Espirito Santo Trophy will be held from 25-28 October 2023. The competition brings together the top amateur golfers and nations in the world.

Joshua Grenville-Wood

In addition to securing spots for UAE Nationals, the EGF has also confirmed invites for English professional golfer Joshua Grenville-Wood. Joshua, 25 years old, has been a UAE resident for the last 4 years and using UAE’s top training facilities to help him improve his game. Joshua will be competing in the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge, Euram Bank Open, and Irish Challenge. Joshua finished in a tie for second place in Abu Dhabi Challenge, a spot the EGF gave the young pro for hosting the Challenge Tour event in Abu Dhabi.

“It is essential for the Emirates Golf Federation to take advantage of the partnership with the European Tour Group and the Challenge Tour events. By giving our amateur and professional golfers the opportunity to gain experience at these events we will continue to develop the national team program. This summer will be a good test for these young men and for the entire National Golf Program. We have goals of UAE representation on the global stage and in professional events, I want to see the UAE accomplish these goals. Dedication, hard work, and preparation along with the continued support of our partners and the UAE leadership we will accomplish our goals,” said General Abdullah Alhashmi, EGF Vice-Chairman.

Follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media to get the latest updates and photos from the players and events.

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EGF LinkedIn: Emirates Golf Federation (EGF)

Strong UAE Representation at the Singha Thailand Ladies Amateur Open

(Chachoengsao, Thailand) – On May 31st – June 2nd, 2023, six female United Arab Emirates (UAE) golfers will compete in the 2023 Singha Thailand Ladies Amateur Open at Lotus Valley Golf Resort. Representing the UAE will be Alia Al Emadi (19yrs. – UAE), Sara Ali (14yrs. – UAE), Intissar Rich (23yrs. – Morocco), Anca Mateiu (14yrs. – Romania), Hannah Alan (17yrs. – India), Jamie Camero (17yrs. – Philippines).

 

Singha Thailand Ladies Amateur Open

The 2023 Singha Thailand Ladies Amateur Open will host 105 female golfers with individual players and teams from Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the UAE. The championship will have two formats of play, one individual play, and one team play. The individual format will be played over 54 holes, stroke play, and the team format will be played over 36 holes. Three players in each team with their two lowest scores in each round will make up the scoring for the team division.

Activities of the championship started on the 29th with player registration, the opening ceremony, and the first two practice round. The opening ceremony was attended by officials and delegations of the Thailand Golf Association. The Open champion winner will receive a replica of the H.M. Queen Rambhai Barni trophy. The championship team winner will receive the Prime Minister of Thailand trophy.

“It is important for the Emirates Golf Federation to support all UAE-based golfers in our mission to grow the game of golf within the UAE. These ladies are some of the top amateur golfers in the UAE and we look forward to seeing them compete on the international stage. On behalf of the Emirates Golf Federation, I’d like to wish these ladies all the best in representing the UAE well,” General Abdullah Alhashmi, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation commented leading up to the championship.

Follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media to see regular updates on the Singha Thailand Ladies Amateur Open and other activities in UAE Golf.

EGF Website: www.egfgolf.com

EGF Facebook: Emirates Golf Federation

EGF Twitter: @EGFuaegolf

EGF Instagram: emiratesgolffederation

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