UAE National Ladies & Junior Golf Teams Ready for the 2022 Pan Arab Championships

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(Dubai, UAE) – On October 6-8 2022, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ladies and Junior National Golf Teams will be competing in the 2022 Pan Arab Golf Championships hosted by the Arab Golf Federation (AGF) in Hammamet Sud, Tunisia. The championship will be played at the Citrus Golf Club and will have 10 different divisions.

UAE Ladies and Junior Teams at the 2022 Pan Arab Championships in Tunisia

This will be the first time that there will be 10 different divisions for the Ladies and Junior Championships. Divisions will be made up of 15 & Under and Ladies for the women and 13 & Under, 15 & Under, and 18 & Under for the Juniors. Each division will have Team and Individual winners.

“The Pan Arab Golf Championships are growing and having different divisions for the Juniors and Ladies is a great example. The UAE will have players in every division and that is important for teams and National Program. Not only will the UAE represent but we will compete. Our boys are just coming off a strong win at the GCC Championships and the entire program [Ladies and Juniors] had a full summer of training in preparation for these championships. We are ready for a strong performance,” said Emirates Golf Federation Vice Chairman, General Abdulla Alhashmi.

Ladies Team

Playing for the UAE Ladies National Team in the 12th edition of the Pan Arab Ladies Championship will be Hamda Al Suwaidi and Alia Al Emadi. Sara Ali will be competing for her first time in the Pan Arab Championship. Sara will be in the Ladies 15 & Under Division. This is the first year that the Pan Arab Championships have a 15 & Under Ladies division.

 

Representing the UAE in the Boys 13 & Under Division will Abdalla Darwish, Humaid Al Suwaid, and Abdulla Salmeen. All three players are products of the Emirates Golf Federation National Junior Development Program.

As always, the Junior Pan Arab Golf Championship hosts two different divisions, the 18 & Under and 15 & Under Division. 2022 marks the 21st year of these Championships.

18 & Under Team

On the Boys 18 & Under UAE Team Mohammed Skaik will be leading the way. Mohammed had a strong showing at the GCC Championship and made big strides in his game over the summer. Round out the UAE 18 & Under Team are Rashid Al Jassmy and Abdullah Al Suwaidi.

The Boys 15 & Under Team will be made up of Abdulla Kalbat, Sultan Al Jassmy, and Rashid Al Naqbi.

The 13 & Under Division will be played over two rounds but other divisions will be played over three rounds. The championship will have Team and Individual winners in each division. For the Team Category, the final score will consist of the top two gross scores, out of three players each round, totaled after all rounds are complete. The Individual Category will be scored as the best individual gross score from each division.

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

 

UAE RESIDENT MAYA PALANZA GAUDIN IS MASTERS BOUND

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(Abu Dhabi, UAE) – On Saturday, September 17th, 2022 Maya Palanza Gaudin won first place in the Girls 12-13 years old division, at the Northeast Regional Finals of the Drive Chip and Putt tournament at TPC, Boston Golf Club. Maya now moves to the National Finals which is played at Augusta National Golf Club, during the week of the 2023 Masters Tournament.

MAYA PALANZA GAUDIN

The Abu Dhabi-based 12-year-old, Maya Palanza Gaudin was one of the thousands of junior golfers who began the Drive, Chip, and Putt tournament series across North America. Maya is one of 40 girls and 40 boys to qualify to compete in the National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club.

Maya is a product of United Arab Emirates (UAE) golf and a member of the Emirates Golf Federation. Living in the UAE for the past 11 years, Maya regularly competes in junior golf competitions across the UAE as well as internationally. Maya is a true testament to the UAE’s commitment and support to developing Women’s Sports for the Nation, especially in the sport of golf.

Earlier this year Maya won first place in the US KIDS European Championship played in Scotland with a 54-hole score of 72, 74, 74 (+4). Maya also won the 2021 Woman’s Club Championship at Yas Links Abu Dhabi.

Qualifying for the Drive, Chip, and Putt tournament National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club, during the week of the 2023 Masters Tournament is an honor and one of the most prestigious opportunities in junior golf. The National Finals will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel.

 

MAYA PALANZA GAUDIN

Background on the Drive, Chip, and Putt National Tournament:

 

A joint initiative founded in 2013 by the Master Tournament, the United States Golf Association, and The PGA of America, Drive, Chip, and Putt is a nationwide junior golf competition aimed at growing the game by focusing on the three key fundamental golf skills (driving, chipping and putting).

By tapping the creative and competitive spirit of girls and boys ages 7-15, Drive, Chip, and Putt provide aspiring junior golfers an opportunity to play with their peers in qualifiers across the entire US and Canada.  The tournament bracket is made up of 342 Local competitions across all 50 States; followed by 60 sub-regional competitions; and then narrowed down to 10 regional finals.  From there, only one junior golfer in each age/gender section will advance to the National Finals, which is conducted at Augusta National Golf Club on the Sunday before the tournament and is broadcast live by Golf Channel.

Be sure to follow with Emirates Golf Federation or Maya on social media to see the latest updates.

EGF Officially Receives IGF Banner Ahead of Hosting 2023 World Amateur Team Championship

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(Paris, France) – At the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship (WATC) closing ceremony the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) was presented the International Golf Federation (IGF) banner ahead of hosting the 2023 WATC in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai. In tradition at the closing ceremony of the WATC the hosting federation, in this case, the French Golf Federation President, Pascal Grizot handed over the championship banner to the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), Vice Chairman General Abdallah Alhashmi.


Emirates Golf Federation Vice Chairman General Abdallah Alhashmi & French Golf Federation President, Pascal Grizot

In October 2023 the EGF will host the 33rd WATC at the Jumeirah Golf Estates on the Fire Course. The WATC is conducted by the IGF, where the IGF members (World National Golf Federations) enter one women’s team and one men’s team, made up of three (3) amateur golfers, to compete for the Espirito Santo Trophy (Ladies Championship) and the Eisenhower Trophy (Men’s Championship).

Team UAE

Meanwhile, during the 2022 WATC – Eisenhower Trophy, Khalid Yousuf Aljasmi, Ahmad Skaik, and Abdalla Al Musharrekh represented Team UAE. It was a challenging weekend for the team battling injuries and not playing in many competitive tournaments over the last few months. The UAE Team finished in 68th place. The championship took place on the Le Golf National course, home of the 2018 Ryder Cup and the Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche course. Both courses tested all players but leading the way for Team UAE was Khalid Yousuf Aljasmi who shot 27-over-par for the championship.

“The Emirates Golf Federation is looking forward to hosting the IGF and world golf federations in the UAE next year. For years the UAE has hosted top professional championships in the sport and now we have the opportunity to host the most respected amateur championships in the world. Hosting the championships in the UAE shows the dedication that the Emirates Golf Federation has to the development of the sport within the region”, said General Abdullah Alhashmi, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation.

During this year’s WATC the IGF hosted its biannual meeting bringing together the delegations and leaders of the world golf federations. At the meeting, the EGF presented to the federations a report on the current progress of the 2023 WATC at the Jumeirah Golf Estates on the Fire Course. The presentation was widely accepted.

Winning the Gold Medal at the 2022 WATC in Paris, France was Team Italy. Sweden won the Silver Medal and Team UAE won the Bronze Medal.

Closing Ceremony

Be sure to follow the Emirates Golf Federation for regular updates on social media or visit www.egfgolf.com for more information.

 

UAE National Golf Team Set for the 32nd World Amateur Team Championship in France

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(Paris, France) – On August 31st – September 3rd, 2022 the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Golf Team will compete in the 32nd World Amateur Team Championship (WATC) at the Le Golf National and Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche in Paris, France. A record-tying 72 teams have entered this year’s championship tying the mark set in Turkey in 2012. Representing team UAE will be Khalid Yousuf Aljasmi, Ahmad Skaik, and Abdalla Al Musharrekh.

Team Photo: Abdalla Al Musharrekh, Khalid Yousuf Aljasmi, Team Captain Akram Skaik, and Ahmad Skaik

The UAE will be starting the championship tomorrow at 13:36 local time on the Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche course. For round 2 the UAE team will tee it up at 9:06 local time on the Le Golf National course. UAE will be playing alongside the Serbian and Dominican Republic national team players. Following the second-round pairings and tee times will be created based on the teams’ performance.

Ahmad Skaik

Mr. Akram Skaik the General Director of the Emirates Golf Federation will be the UAE team’s nonplaying captain. Khalid Yousuf Aljasmi the team veteran will be playing in his 9th WATC. Abdalla Al Musharrekh is making his first appearance since his last performance in 2012 in Turkey. Rounding out the team and leading the way for the UAE will be Ahmad Skaik. Ahmad is currently ranked 63rd in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Both Abdalla and Ahmad are well prepared having trained in Morocco the last two weeks with Rutgers University and the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation.

“It is always a pleasure for the UAE to participate in the World Amateur Team Championship. The golf courses here in France are in great condition and we are expecting to see some great scores. Our players are ready to perform to the best of their ability. Having expectations for this event is always difficult because we are competing against the best amateur golfers in the world. It is important for our players to use the experience gained from this championship to continue their golf journey”, said General Abdullah Alhashmi the Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation.

The 2022 WATC is run by the International Golf Federation (IGF) organization committee and hosted by the French Golf Federation.  The event is historically known as the most prestigious team championship in amateur golf. The best two scores from teams of two or three players are calculated every 18 holes of stroke play. After four rounds or 72-holes, the team with the best score (or the lowest amount of strokes) is crowned the champions.

To follow the action and to get updated results, follow the Emirates Golf Federation social media pages or visit the IGF website at www.igfgolf.org.

Emirates Golf Federation & Royal Moroccan Golf Federation Celebrate Successful Summer Camp

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(Rabat, Morocco) – On August 13– 27, 2022 the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation (FRMG) hosted a two-week training camp which was capped off with a series of friendly matches at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Golf Club in Rabat, Morocco.

UAE & Morocco Ladies and Junior Squads after the final round of the Friendly Cup

23 UAE and Moroccan ladies and juniors trained using the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Golf Club’s, world-class short game and driving range facilities. The national squads had the opportunity to practice their wedge game, bunker play, and putting.

In addition to the training, the FRMG organized three days of friendly matches where teams were formed based on the players’ handicaps. The EGF and FRMG mixed teams competed in a series of different nine-hole formats.

Brahim Alaoui CEO of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and General Abdallah Alhashmi, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation

“The training camp and friendly matches were a major success. Allowing the players to train together will give them the chance to create friendships that will last for a lifetime. I would like to thank the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Golf Club for the hospitality and support that we have received. We look forward to continuing to build on this relationship and hosting many more training camps in the future”, said General Abdallah Alhashmi, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation.

Furthermore, three Men’s players Ahmad Skaik (ranked the 63rd on the World Amateur Golf Rankings), Abdalla Al Musharrekh, and Rashid Al Emadi traveled to Ifrane, Morocco to join the Moroccan Men’s Team and the Rutgers University Golf Program for seven days of training. The Men’s players were training in for the 2022 World Amateur Team Championships (Eisenhower Trophy) in France from August 31st – September 3rd.

Follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media and at www.egfgolf.com for regular team and player updates.

UAE & Moroccan Golf Federations Assemble Top Players for Summer Training

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(Rabat, Morocco) – Over the next two weeks the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National players will travel to Morocco for a comprehensive training camp in preparation for a busy fall schedule. 23 UAE players covering five different teams (Ladies, Men’s, 18 & Under, 15 & Under, and 13 & Under) will join forces with the Moroccan National Team players to train and compete against each other in a number of friendly matches.

The Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and the Moroccan Golf Federation will be using the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Golf Club as the headquarters for the training camp. The teams will take full advantage of the club’s short game and practice facilities rated one of the best in the region.

In addition, Men’s Teams players Ahmad Skaik, who is ranked the 61st on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, and Abdulla Al Musharrekh will travel to Ifrane, Morocco to join the Moroccan Men’s Team for seven days of training in preparation for the 2022 World Amateur Team Championships (Eisenhower Trophy) at the La Golf National in France on August 31st – September 3rd.

“We are pushing the best out of our players and coaches, said General Abdullah Alhashmi. Over the next two weeks, we will understand how our players match up with other programs in the Arab Golf Federation. The Moroccan players have always led the way in being the top performers in Arab golf. By having this opportunity to train and compete against our Moroccan brothers and sisters we will know what is working well or needs improvement. I want to thank the Moroccan golf Federation which has welcomed the EGF with open arms. We look to continue these training camps with all Arab Federations,” General Alhashmi added.

Starting the last weekend of August with the Eisenhower trophy, until the last week of November the UAE National Golf Teams will have a busy schedule which includes the Ladies, Men’s, and Junior Pan Arab Championships in Tunisia, the Women’s and Men’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships in Thailand, and the Nomura Cup in the Philippines.

It is an exciting time for amateur golf and the UAE players are preparing for good results. Follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media and at www.egfgolf.com for regular team and player updates.

72 UAE National Golfers Graduate in Abu Dhabi

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(Abu Dhabi, UAE) – The next generation is here. On June 27th, 2022 the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) hosted a graduation for 72 United Arab Emirates (UAE), National golfers, into the National Junior Development Program (NJDP) at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

The next generation of UAE National Golfers received their certificate at Abu Dhabi Golf 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 has advanced 72 golfers into their next level of training in Abu Dhabi.

All children were between the ages of 6 to 14 years old. The junior golfers were tested over 16 weeks and have shown potential in physical ability, coachability, and most importantly commitment to the sport of golf.

Keeping in line with the partnership with The R&A and the DP World Tour, the EGF continues to strengthen UAE golf in numbers.

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

Emirates Golf Federation Celebrates World Environment Day at Al Zorah Golf Course

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(Ajman, UAE) – Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) celebrated World Environment Day in a different way by allowing participants golf players to partner with the environment and plant a mangrove tree after the end of the tournament held in Al Zorah Golf Courses.

The 18 Championship-hole golf course, designed by Nicklaus Design and operated by Troon,  garnered a reputation of being ‘one of the best golf venues in the world’, and ranked 8th in the Middle East and North Africa regions is nestled pristinely among the naturally preserved environment, lakes, and the unique mangrove forest.

George Saad, Chief Executive Officer of Al Zorah Development Company, expressed his delight in the event, “We are pleased to have EGF golfers on the joyous occasion of World Environment Day. The Al Zorah Golf Club was designed and constructed in Al Zorah Mangroves Forest way that complements the natural beauty of the landscape here in Ajman. Which are native to the region, play a significant role in the ecosystem and we have preserved the natural forestry and surrounding habitat to keep our golf course environmentally sustainable.”

 

“As part of the celebration of the Environment Day, each golfer planted their own mangrove tree at the end of the event, to show their appreciation of and dedication towards preserving our natural habitat,” Saad adds.

 

The EGF event conducted the event on the 12th of June at Al Zorah Golf Club by four players from each golfing division: ladies, men, coaches, and juniors, a total of sixteen players. They will golf and enjoy the scenic views, as well as contributing to the local gorgeous landscapes by planting the mangroves post-game.

 

Mr. Akram Skaik, Director General of the Emirates Golf Federation, says: “It comes with great pleasure to work with Al Zorah Golf Club to not only help with the environment but also give the UAE National Team players an opportunity to work together off the golf course. It is our mission in following the path of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and its adherence to implementing strategies and programs to ensure a sustainable future and a healthy environment. Being golfers the environment is extremely important to us and anything that the National Team or the Emirates Golf Federation can do to help is our mission”

Philip Henderson Al Zorah Golf Club General Manager says: “The location of Al Zorah offers a uniqueness that allows a golfer to experience a world-class golf course and nature in its most refined setting.  For any player visiting Al Zorah, you will find a knowledgeable team of associates dedicated to educating players on the importance of our environment and delivering superior service.”

The Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) is a non-profit organization formed in 1995 and is the Governing Body of Golf in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), helping to draw awareness to and inspire a culture of the sport within the region. Currently, the EGF represents over 7,500 members, both directly through the foundation itself, as well as throughout the 22 golf clubs across the UAE. The EGF actively conducts an Order of Merit Season, Junior Development Programs, and Junior, Ladies, and Men’s National Team Programs.

Maya Palanza Gaudin, Abu Dhabi Based 12-Year-Old, Takes first place in Scotland event.

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Maya Palanza Gaudin made her mark when she finished first in the recent US Kids European Championship.

Abu Dhabi-based Maya Palanza Gaudin finished first in the recent US Kids European Championship (Girls Age 12 years-old Category) at The Glen Golf Club, just outside of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Born in Ethiopia, the 12-year-old Maya, who has lived in Abu Dhabi with her parents, and younger sister for ten years, plays off a 2.7 handicap and was the 2021 Ladies Club champion at Yas Links Golf Club, Abu Dhabi.

Scotland threw everything it could at Maya – difficult course, cold, windy and rainy weather, tough competition, etc and she met every adversity with determination, grit, and a “can-do spirit.”

Maya played incredibly consistent golf, shooting 72(E); 74(+2) and 74(+2) for a tournament total of 220 (+4) played over the 4,507 yards, par 72 layouts.

Round 1 found Maya in 1st place on top of the leaderboard. In round 2 she dropped to 2nd place, two strokes behind the new leader. And in round 3 she played an incredibly clean front 9 and ultimately overtook the current leader by 4 strokes to retake 1st place and win the European championship!

The US Kids Golf European Championship is the largest golf tournament of its kind across the continent and sees the next generation of golfing stars come together for three days of fierce competition.  The 2022 tournament took place from 31 May to 3 June, across five golf courses in East Lothian, Scotland.

More than 500 junior golfers teed off over Craigielaw Golf Club, Glen Golf Club, Longnidrry Golf Club, Royal Musselburgh Golf Club and The Musselburgh Golf Club. Junior golfers from 46 countries were represented, with the farthest talent traveling over 7,000 miles from Chile to compete in the prestigious tournament.

The next international event on Maya’s schedule is the US Kids Golf World Championships in July at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina (USA).

Highlights: During this 54-hole Championship Maya’s highlights include:

  • 2 Eagles
  • 42 Pars
  • No double bogeys
  • Clean front 9 in round 3 (all pars)

SCORES:

3 rounds of 18-hole tournament golf (54 holes) – Maya scored 72(E), 74(+2), 74(+2); total of 220 (+4 over).

Dubai Golf Trophy 2022

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(Dubai, UAE) – On Monday 9th May, Emirates Golf Club hosted the final day of the 23rd Dubai Golf Trophy.  The tournament is formed by 16 of the UAE’s best amateurs against 16 of the UAE’s best professionals. Each team consists of 12 automatic qualifiers from the season-long UAE PGA tournaments and qualifying Emirates Golf Federation events across the UAE, followed by both team captains Michael Major (Professional Team) and Khalid Yousef (Amateur Team) carefully selecting four additional ‘wildcard’ picks.

The event mirrors closely to the format of the Ryder Cup, seeing two teams of 16 battle it out in team matches on Sunday at Dubai Creek followed by 16 matchplay singles on the Majlis course the next day. The competition has built a reputation as one of the biggest events in the UAE’s golfing calendar and the amateurs have been victorious in the last 6 meetings. Looking to reclaim the prestigious trophy, the professional team looked stronger than ever this year following a strong series of results in the UAE PGA events.

After day 1 the professional team were 1 point ahead of the amateurs (8.5 – 7.5). The biggest stand out of the day was a Hole in One by Nathan Kernaghan on Hole 14. The tight lead led to one of the closest and most dramatic final days in Dubai Golf Trophy history. Very early into the matches it looked like the Pros could face a complete whitewash with nearly all amateurs being up in their games. Yet the Pros fought back starting with a birdie down 18 from Sujan Singh to half his match with Max Burrow. Jackson Bell also fought to the end in a tight match with Craig Vance which saw both players awarded a half. Graham Forbes was the first pro to secure a full point on the final day, which also was Grahams third point of the week. Following Grahams win saw the professional team take consecutive points from the amateurs reinstating the points lead the team started the day with. Big wins from Ryan Smith another professional who won all 3 points, Oscar Yeomans and Louis Gaughan was enough to end the long 6 year wait for the professional side to reclaim the Dubai Golf Trophy.

Special congratulations to Toby Bishop and Yash Majmudar for winning all 3 points for the amateur team, Oliva Jackson for being the first female to compete in the Professional and Amateur Match and to Lea Pouillard, Ginger Delacretaz (Professionals), Jamie Rosalyn Camero and Liang Wei Lui (Amateurs) for competing in the Ladies Challenge Match which was halved after both teams earning 2 points each.