National Golf Team Travels to Malaysia For The 2017 Nomura Cup

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(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – On November 9th – 12th, 2017 the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Golf Team will travel to Malaysia to compete in the 2017 Nomura Cup at the Sungai Long Golf & Country Club. Representing the UAE will be Khalid Yousuf, Ahmed Skaik and Saif Thabet.

Khalid Yousuf

The Nomura Cup, which was hosted last in 2015 at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Links Golf Club, is the Asia Pacific Amateur Golf Team Championship organized by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC). The 2017 event will be hosted at the Sungai Long Golf & Country Club that is a Jack Nicklaus designed course, the first Nicklaus Signature golf course in Malaysia. The course stretches across 160 acres tipping out at 7,019 meters.

Leading the way for the UAE team will be Team Captain, Khalid Yousuf. Yousuf has years of experience when it comes to international events and after having a full summer of practice and three appearances on the MENA Tour, Khalid should be in top condition for the 2017 Nomura Cup.

Also, competing for UAE will be Ahmed Skaik. Skaik has been busy this year with an Individual Gold Medal for the UAE at the most recent GCC Golf Championship, placing in the Top-10 on the Emirates Golf Federation 2016 – 2017 Order of Merit, and competing in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in New Zealand just two weeks ago. Skaik will use this event to build on an already impressive 2017 golf year.

Rounding out the UAE National Team will be Safi Thabet. Thabet represented the UAE at last year’s Eisenhower Trophy in Mexico where he lead the team in individual scoring. Thabet has been working hard in the gym and on the range in preparation for this event and will look to have another strong showing for the UAE team.

“The entire Senior National Golf Squad has been working hard and pushing each other towards the 2017 Nomura Cup. Since the beginning of summer, the team has utilized the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) at Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE) in order to sharpen their skills. With the elite training and newest golf technology at ETPI, we have seen major improvements in our team’s fundamentals and scoring abilities. I think it will come down to our players’ short game and how well they can manage the course. If our men manage these areas well we should have a respectable showing this year,” said Emirates Golf Federation Secretary General and UAE National Team Manager Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi.

The 2017 Nomura Cup will have two respected divisions with an individual champion and a team champion. To follow the event tune into the Malaysian Golf Association website at www.mgaonline.com.my. You can also follow the Emirates Golf Federation on social media for daily updates.

UAE Top Amateurs Primed for the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in New Zealand

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(Upper Hutt Wellington, New Zealand) – On October 25 – 29, 2017 the United Arab Emirates (UAE) top amateur golfers will take the biggest stage in Asian amateur golf. Hosted at the Royal Wellington Golf Club the 2017 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is considered one of the most prestigious events by the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Representing the UAE will be Ahmed Skaik and Mohamed Al Hajeri. Playing out of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club will be Rayhan Thomas.

Ahmed Skaik

Working in conjunction with The Masters and The R&A, the winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will receive an invitation to The Masters and The Open Championship. The Open Championship invite was just recently added this year that only adds to the prestige of this event.

Ahmed Skaik has had a strong 2017 year with an Individual Gold Medal for the UAE National Golf Team at the most recent GCC Golf Championship. He placed in the Top-10 on the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) 2016 – 2017 Order of Merit and had 3 appearances on the MENA Tour. With these accomplishments in Skaik’s bag, he should have plenty of confidence coming into this Championship.

Making the trip with Skaik is up and coming UAE National star Mohamed Al Hajeri. Hajeri has quickly moved his way up the UAE National Team ranks. At the age of 17 years old, he plays both for the 18 & Under Team as well as making appearances with the Senior Team. Hajeri recently competed in the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation Junior Amateur and is hoping that this experience will help him make the cut this weekend.

We spoke with Hajeri after his first practice round and he had this to say. “The course is in great condition. With that said, the landing areas on the fairways are tighter than I am used too and the greens are playing very fast. In the afternoon the winds will pick up giving all the players even more of a challenge. I am excited to play and the talent is endless here. I am just going to take it a shot at a time and enjoy this experience”.

Also playing in 2017 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is Dubai based and No. 26 in World Amateur Golf Rankings, Rayhan Thomas. The achievements by Thomas are endless and at the age of 17 years old, he will be one of the favorites to be in the hunt during the final round. Thomas will be playing under his native country India.

With the best players in Asian amateur golf in the field at Royal Wellington Golf Club, just playing in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is a massive accomplishment. The EGF and the entire UAE golf community will be following these men over the upcoming weekend looking for great finishes. To follow this event, go to www.aacgolf.com or follow the EGF on social media for daily updates.

The 2017 – 2018 EGF Order of Merit Schedule Is Set

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United Arab Emirates – Fall is here and the weather is starting to cool down, which only means one thing, golfers around the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are welcoming in the 2017 – 2018 golf season. With the new season here the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Order of Merit schedule is now set. Providing a tour like experience, the EGF Order of Merit gives the UAE golfer an opportunity to play most UAE golf courses in a competitive atmosphere.

2016 – 2017 EGF Order of Merit Winners at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club

This eight-month long season will take place at 14 different golf clubs (in the Men’s Division) within the UAE. Each event, across the three divisions (Men’s, Ladies’ and Juniors’) will be played under the stroke-play format for at least 18-holes, with men’s events lasting 36-holes. In the Ladies’ and Juniors’ Divisions, there will be a Gross and Net Score winner. If you are looking to be the best amateur golfer in the UAE, have some competitive fun, or just improving your game, this season-long experience is ideal for you.

The top 20 players in each event will receive Order of Merit points from 1st Place winners receiving 30 points to 20th place receiving 4 points. The Order of Merit Leaderboard will be updated after each event and can be viewed on the EGF website.

At the end of last season, the winners of their respected divisions represented the UAE at The 83th Singha Thailand Amateur Open.

The Men’s Division starts the 2017 – 2018 season at The Montgomerie Golf Club on October 13th – 14th, 2017. The Ladies will open the season as well at The Montgomerie Golf Club on October 27st, 2017. The Junior Division will kick off the season in Abu Dhabi at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on October 28nd, 2016. To see the full 2017 – 2018 EGF Order of Merit schedule go to www.egfgolf.com.

With almost a new event taking place weekly, golfers can see the latest updates, event news, and results by following the Emirates Golf Federation on Facebook, Twitter and EGF Website. By the continued support from the UAE golf clubs, the UAE golfing community, and EGF partners, the 2017 – 2018 golf season will be another season full great golf.

UAE Improve Scores at the 2017 APGC Junior Championship

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(Sheung Shui, Hong Kong) – On August 30th – September 1st, 2017 four United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Junior golfers competed in the 2017 Asian Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Junior Championship at Hong Kong Golf Club. Two teams of one girl and one boy competed in a 72-hole mixed gender team competition. Representing the UAE was Reema Al Heloo and Mohammed Al Hajeri for team one and Tara Al Marzooqi and Rashid Al Emadi for team two.

Pictured from left to right: Rashid Al Emadi, Mohamed Al Hajeri, EGF Secretary General & UAE National Team Captain – Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, Reema Al Heloo, & Tara Al Marzooqi,

Over the 3-day (72-holes) team competition the UAE Teams improved on their scoring from last year’s event while playing along side of 78 of the best Asia Pacific junior golfers which made up 38 teams from 20 different countries.

The first UAE team made up Reema Al Heloo and Mohamed Al Hajeri saw an improvement in scoring from last year. With rounds of 78 – 82 – 172 for a total of 332, the team finished in 34th place. Leading the way for the first team was Mohamed Al Hajeri who had a strong championship while shooting a 77 (5-over-par) in his final round.

“The UAE is thankful to have received an invite to participate in this championship. The APGC and the Hong Kong Golf Club hosted a world-class junior championship. We are happy to see improvement from our players this year and we met some of our goals. The more our young players play in championships like this, the more improvements we will see internationally and regionally,” said Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, EGF Secretary General & UAE National Team Captain.

The second UAE team made up of Tara Al Marzooqi and Rashid Al Emadi finished in 38th place.

Winning the event was Japan, followed by Australia in second place and Korea rounding out the top three.

To see the full result and photos from this event please visit the event webpage at www.hkga.com.

UAE National Juniors Hong Kong Bound for APGC Junior Championship

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(Dubai, UAE) – On August 30th – September 1st, 2017 four United Arab Emirates (UAE) Junior National Golf Team members will compete in the 2017 Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Junior Championship in Hong Kong. Two girls and two boys will compete in a 72-hole mixed gender team competition hosted at the Hong Kong Golf Club on the New Course. Representing the UAE will be Reema Al Heloo and Tara Al Marzooqi for the girls, and Mohammed Al Hajeri and Rashid Al Emadi for the boys.

Rashid Al Emadi & Mohammed Al Hajeri Practicing at the European Tour Performance Institute at Jumeirah Golf Estates

Over 3-days (72-holes), teams will be made up of one male and one female player from each country. Teams will be grouped with a different country each day except the seeded draw for round 3. The team competition will be all stroke play as the first round will be four-balls, the second round in foursomes, and the third round will be an individual gross score.

Heading into this competition the UAE junior golfers have a little momentum on their side. Coming off a team gold medal at the latest GCC Ladies Golf Championship, Tara and Reema will be looking to have a strong appearance in Hong Kong. Tara won the gold medal in the individual category at this year’s GCC Championship.

For the boys, Rashid Al Emadi also had a solid GCC Golf Championship winning the Team and Individual Gold Medals in the Boys 15 & Under division. A product of the National Junior Development Program (NJDP) the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) is expecting this event to add more experience to Rashid’s golf resume. Mohammed Al Hajeri has been a rising star for UAE golf. Starting over four years ago, Al Hajeri has seen improvements in all aspects of his game and will be looking to compete with the top players at the championship.

Traveling with the juniors will be Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, EGF Secretary General, and National Team Captain. “The girls have had a few strong years in our region but this will be a good test for them leading into the 2017 – 2018 season that starts in October. This championship will be a good measurement to see how their game has improved since we’ve competed in this event last year.

“We have had a two-week summer camp in Germany during July and a full month of preparation for this championship and the upcoming season. We have set personal goals for this event and I think we will achieve them,” said Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi.

Follow the EGF on social media and on the EGF website to updates and results from the event.

 

Ismail & Hesham Sharif Win the Final EGF Summer Swing Event

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(Dubai, UAE) – On August 18, 2017 the Trump International Golf Club played hosted to the final Emirates Golf Federation Summer Swing event for 2017. Over 40 EGF Members battled the heat to produce some phenomenal scores. Sponsored by StayPrime, the event showcased valuable prizes for the golfers to compete for. Coming out on top was father and son duo Ismail and Hesham Sharif with 42 Stableford Points.

Winners of the EGF Summer Swing at Trump International Golf Club

Built on over 500 acres of barren desert the Trump International Golf Club’s (TIGC) championship-style, 18-hole golf course was designed by architect Gil Hanse. TIGC provides a “one-of-a-kind experience” for golfers of all skill levels allowing golfers access to their perfect game.

Putting together a fantastic round under the Paris Better Ball Stableford format was United Arab Emirates (UAE) Nationals Ismail and Hesham Sharif winning the first place prize. The pair combined for 42 points. Ismail has been a long time member of the UAE National Team while his son who just started playing golf is making quick strides in his game.

Collecting the Second Place prize just one point back was Christina Lerchedahl and Christian Klynge. The pair walked away with 41 stableford points.

Finishing in Third Place with 40 points were brothers Hisham and Ahmed Sultan.

The final EGF Summer Swing event also saw four UAE National Team pairs. “This event is a fun way for our team to get ready for the upcoming UAE golf season. We saw some good scores and on behalf of the team we’d like to thank the golf club and the EGF for hosting us”, said UAE National Team Captain Khalid Yousuf.

There were also “On Course Competitions” that were up for grabs during the event. National Team Player, Saif Thabet won The Nearest to the Pin on Hole 5 and Steve Thomas won on Hole 17.

The EGF would like to send a special thank you to the sponsor of the EGF Summer Swing, Stayprime. Also, The EGF would like to thank Trump International Golf Club for running this event at a top level.

As the summer is coming to an end, the UAE golf season is just over a month away. Be sure to stay up to date with the latest news and upcoming EGF Order of Merit events across the UAE via social media, the EGF Website, and EGF App. On behalf of the EGF we thank all competitors for participating in the 2017 EGF Summer Swing events and we hope to see you for the start of the 2017 – 2018 season.

Kirkham & Ryan Win on Countback at Al Zorah

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(Ajman, UAE) – On July 14, 2017, the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) hosted the EGF Summer Swing at Al Zorah Golf Club. EGF Members battled the heat and windy conditions to produce some miraculous scores. Sponsored by StayPrime, the event showcased valuable prizes for the golfers to compete for. Coming out on top after a back nine countback was Nathan Kirkham and Greg Ryan with 42 Stableford Points.

Winners of the EGF Summer Swing at Al Zorah Golf Club

Located along the coast of Ajman, the Al Zorah Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course designed by Nicklaus Design. The course is arranged with flowing dunes and spectacular mangroves to give the golfers a unique experience.

Putting together a fantastic round and solid back nine under the Paris Better Ball Stableford format, Nathan Kirkham and playing partner Greg Ryan claimed the first place prize. The pair combined for 42 points, but after a countback and a back nine of 22 points, they found themselves victorious.

After the back nine countbacks, father and son duo George Fitchet and Fiz Fitchet finished in Second Place. Their 20 points on the back nine, combined with a 22 on the front nine gave the pair a total of 42 Stableford Points.

Finishing in Third Place with 39 points was Sam McDowell and Adam Ruegg.

There were also “On Course Competitions” that were up for grabs during the event. Ben Davis won the Nearest to the Pin Competition and Ryan Barrack won the Longest Drive Competition.

The EGF would like to send a special thank you to the sponsors of the EGF Summer Swing, Stayprime. Also, The EGF would like to thank Al Zorah Golf Club for running this event at a top level.

The EGF will be back in action on August 18th at the Trump International Golf Club for the third and final EGF Summer Swing event of 2017.

Poisat & Jones Win EGF Summer Pairs Open in Al Ain

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(Al Ain, UAE) – On June 30th – July 1st, 2017 the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club (AESGC) hosted the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Summer Pairs Open, supported by StayPrime. 42 players (21 teams) took to the course for this two-day event. With day one played as a Better Ball Stableford and day two played as an Individual Pairs Stableford, the teams had to put together two solid rounds to find themselves in the running for prizes. This event was the first of three events that the EGF will be organizing throughout the 2017 summer.

Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Summer Pairs Open, supported by StayPrime

Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club is located in the Oasis City of Al Ain. The golf club at AESGC is a fantastic social hub and was the perfect venue to kick off the EGF summer events. The course was in great condition and its newly redesigned front nine was an ideal challenge for the players.

Poisat & Jones Winners of 2017 EGF Summer Pairs at AESGC

After a fantastic weekend of golf, Nic Poisat and Justin Jones came out on top of the field with a total of 112 points. 45 points came on the first day of play in the Better Ball Stableford format. Scores of 35 from Poisat and 32 from Jones sealed the victory on day two, in the Individual Pairs Stableford format.

Ben Mulvaney and Nic Hymas finished in second place with 110 points. On day one the pair scored 44 points and followed that with 31 points from Mulvaney and 35 points from Hymas on day two. Theuns Webb and Craig Hanson won the Third Place Prize with 109 points.

In Fourth Place, Anton Van Schalkwyk and Ian Horbury had a solid day two to collect a prize. Schalkwyk had the most points during round two with 39 individual Stableford Points.

There were also four other prizes given out for the Nearest to the Pin competition on two holes for both days. For day one Ben Mulvaney won on Hole 8 and Graham Hurdon won on Hole 14. On day two Phil Dawn won on Hole 4 and Carmen Hurdon won on Hole 15.

The EGF would like to send special thanks to the Official Sponsor of the EGF Summer Pairs Open, StayPrime. StayPrime greeted the players with great gifts for the event. The EGF would also like to thank the AESGC and it’s fine staff for running this event at a top level and providing additional prizes.

 

The EGF will be back in action on July 14th, 2017 at Al Zorah Golf Club for the second event of the EGF Summer Swing. For more information please contact the EGF at info@egfgolf.com.

Junior & Ladies National Golf Teams Embark for 2017 Summer Camp

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(Dubai, UAE) – Tomorrow June 30th, 2017 the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Junior and Ladies Golf Teams will embark for a 14-day summer camp in Fleesensee, Germany. Funded by the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), this two-week camp will focus on fundamentals and preparation for international competition.

The EGF Foundation Squad at the Jumeirah Golf Estates – European Tour Performance Institute

Over the two weeks, the schedule is packed with skills tests that will measure the players’ abilities which will give each individual an area to train specifically. Along with the training, the players will play up to 11 rounds of golf concentrating on course management and scoring at the Golf & Country Club Fleesensee.

The EGF will be traveling with 20 kids, 3 coaches, and 2 EGF Officials. Two coaches from the Jumeirah Golf Estates – European Tour Performance Institute will be traveling with the teams and implementing an intense training schedule.

The players will be made up of the Ladies and Junior National Teams as well as 10 players from the EGF Foundation Squad. The EGF Foundation Squad is apart of the National Junior Development Program and is made up of the best junior national golfers at the grass roots level. These players have been training at the UAE golf clubs for the past 2 years and are now ready to start competitive golf. The Foundation Squad players are from the ages of 8 to 13 years old.

To find more information regarding the National Junior Development Program and the Foundation Squad visit the EGF Website at www.egfgolf.com or email the EGF at info@egfgolf.com.

“Taking these kids from the Foundation Squad on this summer camp is an important part of the junior development process for the EGF. These kids will benefit from these two weeks tremendously. Having the chance to really focus on the fundamentals and the basics of golf will push these kids to the next level,” said EGF Secretary General, Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi.

Fleesensee Golf Resort was once a “European Tour Destination” with 5 courses varying in length and difficulty. The venue also has some of Europe’s best practice facilities where the teams will be able to work on all aspects of their game.

You can keep up to date with the summer camp on social media, as there will be daily posts of the teams’ time in Germany. Like, Share, or Comment on the Federation Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages.

 

EGF Set to Host 2017 Summer Swing for Fourth Straight Year

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(Dubai, UAE) – For the fourth straight year, the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) will be hosting the exciting and competitive EGF Summer Swing events in three different emirates. Sponsored by StayPrime, the 2017 edition of the EGF Summer Swing will kick off on June 30th at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club with a two-day pairs event.

2016 EGF Summer Swing at Jumeirah Golf Estates

StayPrime is known to be one of the leading designers, developers and marketers of proprietary technology products in golf, leisure and hospitality industries. Attempting to take the golfing experience for golf players to a new level, Dhruv Verma, GolfLan Group CEO – Parent company of StayPrime has this to say. “We have partnered with the EGF Summer Swing for the second consecutive year as it is a great way to make the summer golf fun in United Arab Emirates (UAE). The last year was wonderfully conceptualized and executed by EGF, and we are hoping for a similar experience this year.”

This year’s second event will be played at Al Zorah Golf Club on July 14th and the final event will be at the Trump International Golf Club on August 18th.

“This is a great way to bring the EGF Members together over the summer while providing a few clubs with the opportunity to fill a tee sheet for a day or two. We like hosting pair’s events because it’s a fun and exciting format that will keep the pace of play reasonable for the hot summer days. We are happy to have StayPrime and GolfLan on board again this year as they always provide nice gifts and awards for the players”, said EGF’s, Robert Fiala.

To sign up for an EGF Summer Swing event revert to the EGF website at www.egfgolf.com or contact the mentioned clubs directly. To find more information on StayPrime revert to their website at stayprime.com.