Junior & Ladies National Golf Teams Embark for 2017 Summer Camp

(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

(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.

Chiang Three-Peats Ladies’ Title as Hill Captures Men’s Win at the EGF Order of Merit Championship

Cashmore Cashes In With Junior Victory

(Al Ain, UAE) – On May 18-19, 2017 the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) held the 2017 EGF Order of Merit Championship at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club. This prestigious event hosted over 30 elite amateur golfers across three different divisions.

2016 – 2017 Emirates Golf Federation Order of Merit Winners

The EGF Order of Merit Championship had representing divisions for Men, Ladies, and Juniors. The Championship was played over a two day, 36-hole, Strokeplay format, on the newly redesigned Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club, golf course. The field was composed of the top amateur golfers in each division that supported and competed in the 2016 – 2017 EGF Order of Merit Season.

Josh Hill

13-year-old, Josh Hill from Jumeirah Golf Estates was the Champion of the Men’s Division. After shooting an impressive 68 (two-under-par) first round, Hill battled the winds on day two to fire a 75 (five-over-par) for a championship total of 143 (three-over-par). Making the leap into the Men’s Division for the championship after winning the season’s Boys Gross Division, Hill capped off a strong 2016 – 2017 United Arab Emirates (UAE) golf season with this victory.

Finishing as the Runner-Up in the Men’s Division was Tariq El Chaid. Tariq shot rounds of 72 – 73 for a Championship total of 145, just two shots behind the leader. After a final round count back UAE National Team Player Ahmed Skaik took home Third Place prize. Skaik also won Third Place in the overall Order of Merit season for 2016 – 2017.

Kim Chiang

Successfully defending her title for the third year in a row in the Ladies Division was 16-year-old Kim Chiang. Playing out of the Arabian Ranches Golf Club, Kim shot rounds of 68 – 73 for a championship total of 141 (one-over-par). Kim’s first round of 68 (two-under-par) tied the course record at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting & Golf Club. While playing the EGF Order of Merit Championship Kim has set two course records, once at The Els Club in 2015 and again last year at Jumeirah Golf Estates (Earth Course) in 2016.

Anastasia Bakal was the Runner-Up in the Ladies Division. Playing out of the Els Club, Anastasia shot rounds 73 – 76 for a championship total of 149. Rounding out the top-three, coming in Third Place was Sara Engsig. Sara shot rounds of 76 – 75 for a 151 total.

Max Cashmore

The Junior Division was played with the Girls and Boys golfers combined. This division was full of talent as Max Cashmore from Jumeirah Golf Estates was the 2017 Champion. Cashmore fired rounds of 70 – 72. He started the championship off on a positive note as he chipped in for birdie on the second hole during his first round. Cashmore was one shot back after round one but with a solid second round in tough conditions, Max was crowned the junior champ with a championship total of 142, two-over-par.

The Runner-Up in the Junior Division was Arjun Gupta. Gupta shot rounds of 69 – 75 for a championship total of 144, two shots off the lead. Winning the Third Place prize was Sasha Sparacino. Sasha had consecutive rounds of 73 for a 146 total.

The EGF is proud to announce that the winner of the Men’s Order of Merit Season (Steve Kelbrick) and the winner of the Ladies Gross Order of Merit Season (Alison Muirhead) along with the winners of the Men’s (Josh Hill) and Ladies (Kim Chiang) Divisions from this week’s championship will be traveling to the Singha Thailand Amateur Golf Championship at the end of this year.

After the tournament, the EGF hosted an award ceremony where the winners of the EGF Order of Merit Championship and the winners of the EGF Order of Merit Season received their well-deserved prizes. To see all of the results from the EGF Order of Merit Season, please revert to the EGF website at www.egfgolf.com.

The EGF would like to thank all Golf Clubs, partners, and EGF Members for a successful 2016 – 2017 Order of Merit Season and Championship.

Kelbrick Lands Top Spot as Muirhead Goes Back-to-Back in EGF Order of Merit

Top UAE Amateurs Set for the EGF Order of Merit Championship in Al Ain

(Dubai, UAE) – The Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Order of Merit (OOM) final results have been calculated. Now, top adult and junior amateur golfers across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have less than a week to prepare for the EGF OOM Championship at Al Ain Equestrian Shoot & Golf Club.

Winners of the 2015 – 2016 EGF Order of Merit Season and Championship

The EGF OOM Championship is a two-day event that will take place on May 18-19, 2017 at Al Ain Equestrian Shoot & Golf Club. This event hosted by EGF will have representing divisions for Men, Ladies, and Junior golfers. The fields will be composed of the top supporters of Men’s and Ladies’ qualifying rounds and top placed Juniors in OOM events all season long.

The EGF OOM Men’s Division, played in a Gross format, was composed of 13 events, starting on October 7, 2016, and ending on May 13, 2017. These two-day, 36-hole, events proved to deliver a test for every golfer participating.

With 203.25 OOM points, Steve Kelbrick was the 2016 – 2017 EGF OOM Men’s Division Champion. Kelbrick, a veteran UAE Amateur that has been competing in the OOM for many years finds himself at the top for 2016 – 2017. Kelbrick played in 12 OOM events with eight top five finishes and two-second place finishes.

Finishing as the Runner-Up in the EGF OOM Men’s Division was last year’s champion, Christofer Rahm. Representing the Emirates Golf Federation but training out of the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI), Rahm had a total of 190 points for the season. Taking the Third Place position was UAE National Team Player Ahmed Skaik. Ahmed played in eight events collecting 137 points.

In the EGF OOM Ladies’ Division, there are two different scoring categories, Gross and Net. The Net category includes the calculation of the golfers’ handicap. The ladies started the season on October 21, 2016, and finished on May 6, 2017. There was a total of ten, one-day, 18-hole, events throughout the season.

Winning the EGF OOM Ladies Gross Category for back-to-back years was Alison Muirhead from Jumeriah Golf Estates. Alison had a total of 210 points. Alison played in eight events while collecting an impressive six victories.

Chantal El-Chaib, playing out of Abu Dhabi Golf Club, took the Runner-Up position in the Gross Category with 199.5 points. Chantal was also the winner of the Net Category with 173.8 points. El-Chaib played in all ten events collecting one victory and five other top five finishes in the Gross Division.

Wrapping up the Gross Category, Natalii Gupta won the Third Place prize with 174.3 points. Playing out of Emirates Golf Club, Gupta played in nine events and had five top five finishes.

With Chantel El-Chaib winning the Ladies Net Catagory, Deborah Chang from Emirates Golf Club finished second with 144.95 points. The Third Place winner was Sara Engsig with 142.5 points.

The EGF OOM Junior Divisions consists of two divisions, and two categories, for each division. Both, Boys and Girls Junior Divisions had a Gross and Net Category. The season started on October 22, 2016, and ended on April 29, 2017. Each division was played over a total of eight, one-day, 18-hole, tournaments.

Winning the EGF OOM Boys Gross Category with 165.3 points was Joshua Hill. Playing out of the Jumeirah Golf Estates, Hill played in eight events with six top five finishes. Hill also played in six Men’s events where he won the last event at Yas Links Abu Dhabi.

Also from Jumeriah Golf Estates Toby Bishop finished as the Runner-Up in the Boy Gross Catagory with 161 points. Toby was also the winner of the Boy’s Net Category with 141.15 points.

In the Third Place position, there was a tie in the Boys Gross Category between Arjun Gupta from Emirates Golf Club and Max Cashmore from Jumeirah Golf Estates. Both players finished with 157 points.

In the EGF OOM Boys Net Division, Toby Bishop was the winner, but following him was Advay Mohindra from Abu Dhabi City Golf Club in second place with 112.3 points and Mattia Sparacino in Third Place from Jumeirah Golf Estates with 101.8 points.

With the same format in the EGF OOM Girls Divisions, the Ladies Gross Third Place winner Natalii Gupta was the winner of the Girls Gross Category with 186.5 points. Natalii played in eight events with one victory and seven other top five finishes. Natalii was also the Girls Net Category winner with 154 points.

The Ladies Gross Runner-Up was also the Runner-Up in the Girls Gross and Girls Net Categories. Chantal El-Chaib finished with 146.5 points in the Gross Category and 145 points in the Net Category.

Finishing in Third Place in the Girls Gross Category was Deborah Chang with 146.6 points, and finishing in Third Place in the Girls Net Category was Jamie Roslyn Camero from Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club with 144.3 points.

To find the complete results of the seven-month long OOM season please visit the EGF website at www.egfgolf.com.

Now that the 2016 – 2017 EGF OOM Season has ended golfers are gearing up for the EGF Order of Merit Championship at Al Ain Equestrian Shoot & Golf Club. Following the EGF OOM Championship, the EGF will celebrate the 2016 – 2017 season by hosting an award presentation at Al Ain Equestrian Shoot & Golf Club for all winners.

To follow the EGF OOM Season and Championship find the EGF on social media and the EGF Website. The EGF will post daily updates and photos from the event.

Jamal Bin Marghoob Wins Final National Medal of the 2016 – 2017 Season

EGF Recognizes National Teams’ Accomplishments

(Dubai, UAE) – On April 29, 2017 the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) hosted the final United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Monthly Medal of the 2016 – 2017 golf season at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. Over 40 Emiratis gathered at the iconic Dubai Creek Golf Club for a day of golf and socializing. Winning the overall Stableford Prize was Jamal Bin Marghoob. The EGF also took time out to recognize the UAE National Team winners from the 2016 – 2017 golf season.

Winners of the April 2017 UAE National Monthly Medal at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club

As the season is quickly coming to an end and the temperatures are rising, the EGF was proud to host the largest National Monthly Medal of the 2016 – 2017 season. With “The Creek” in prime condition and the greens running fast, the course was ready for some great scores.

The UAE National Monthly Medals are run on a Stableford format. With an impressive score of 34 points, Jamal Bin Marghoob came out on top as the Overall Winner. Right on Jamal’s heels and finishing as the Runner-Up with 32 points was Daood Jaffal.

Winning the Best Gross prize was National Team Player, Khalid Yousuf. Yousuf shot a round of 5-over-par 76.

Awards were also given based on handicap with an A-Division (0-14 handicap) and B-Division (14-24 handicap) winners. Winning the A-Division Prize was Khalid Al Halyan with 30 Stableford points. Akram Skaik won the Division-B prize with 30 Stableford points.

The event also hosted a Junior Division, winning the top prize in the Junior Division was Reema Al Heloo with 33 points.

During the event there were a number of On Course Challenges up for grabs. Taking home the Adult Longest Drive Award was Khalid Yousuf. Winning the Adult Nearest to the Pin Award was Abdulhamid Nassouri. Wrapping up the On Course Challenges, Reema Al Heloo won the Junior Longest Drive Award and Alia Al Emadi won the Junior Nearest to the Pin Award.

Senior Team Recognized for a job well done at the 2017 GCC Golf Championship

Due to being the last National Medal of the season, the EGF took time out at the award presentation to give recognition to the UAE National Teams’ accomplishments over the past 6 months. The EGF gave gifts to the following team. The National Senior Team for winning Bronze in the 2017 GCC Golf Championship while Ahmed Skaik won Gold in the Individual Category. The National Ladies Team won Gold in the 2017 GCC Golf Championship, lead by Tara Al Marzooqi winning the Gold in the Individual Category. Lastly, the 15 & Under National Team won Gold at the 2017 GCC Golf Championship with Rashid Al Emadi winning Gold in the Individual Category.

 

To see all photos of this event and prize presentation view the EGF Facebook page.

The next National event will be the Dubai Duty Free National Cup hosted at the Emirates Golf Club. The event will take place on May 13th. To follow the EGF and check up on the latest UAE golf news revert to the EGF website at www.egfgolf.com.

Al Emadi Leads U15 National Golf Team to Gold at 2017 GCC Golf Championship

(Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) – On April 13 – 15, 2017 the Riyadh Golf Club hosted the 2017 GCC 18 & Under and 15 & Under Golf Championship. After months of hard work, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 15 & Under National Golf Team found themselves on top of the podium collecting the Overall Team Gold Medal. Leading the way for the 15 & Under Team was Rashid Al Emadi who captured the Gold Medal in the Individual Category. The UAE 18 & Under Team finished in 5th Place.

The 15 & Under UAE National Golf Team lifting the 1st Place Trophy while wearing their Gold Medals

The 15 & Under UAE National Golf Team lifting the 1st Place Trophy while wearing their Gold Medals

The 2017 GCC 18 & Under and 15 & Under Golf Championship was be played at the Riyadh Golf Club. The course provided the young golfers with a good challenge. Its undulating terrains and wide fairways tested the best GCC Juniors in the region.

Rashid Al Emadi

Rashid Al Emadi

Rashid Al Emaid stole the show for the UAE this past weekend. The young 15-year-old captured the Gold Medal in the Individual Category while leading his team to the Overall Team Gold Medal with rounds of 85-87-85 for a championship total of 257.

After a month of practice at the Jumeirah Golf Estates – European Tour Performance Institute (JGE – ETPI) the teams’ hard work has paid off. During their time at the JGE – ETPI the teams worked on “Development of Short Game and Scoring” while preparing mentally for championship golf.

“My short game practice over the past few weeks really helped. My driver was working well but it was the focus around the greens that made the difference this weekend. I’d like to thank my team and coaches for pushing me to do well. We are so happy to have won this Medal for the UAE and I can’t wait to share this with my friends and family”, said Rashid after the championship.

Also having a solid championship for the 15 & Under team was Obaid Al Heloo. Obaid won the Bronze Medal in the Individual Category with rounds of 90-89-84 for a championship total of 263. Rounding off the team was Khaled Al Mutawa who finished 8th in the Individual Category. Al Mutawa shot rounds of 95-93-92 for a 280 total.

Finishing in Second Place in the Overall Team Category – 15 & Under Division was Bahrain. Oman finished in Third Place.

The 18 & Under National Team finished in Fifth Place in the Overall Team Category. Mohammed Al Hajeri, Mohammed Abdulla Saeed, and Rashid Al Qubaisi represented the team. Finishing in Fifth Place in the Individual Category and missing the Top-Three by three (3) strokes was Mohammed Al Hajeri. Al Hajeri just at the age of 16 fired rounds of 79-81-78 for a total of 238.

Mohammed Saeed Abdullah finished in 13th Place and Rashid Al Qubaisi finished in 14th Place for the UAE Team in the Individual Category. The 18 & Under Division was won by Bahrain with Saudi Arabia coming in Second Place.

“The Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) is very proud of our teams. All of these boys are a product of the National Junior Development Program and this shows that our pathway and programs will continue producing young talent. This is just the start for these boys. We are looking to keep them focused and continue to develop their skills”, said National Team Manager and Emirates Golf federation Secretary General, Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi.

To follow the teams’ progression and to keep updated with UAE golf news follow the EGF on social media.

U18 & U15 National Golf Teams Ready for 2017 GCC Golf Championship

(Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) – Yesterday, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) 18 & Under and 15 & Under National Golf Teams traveled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in the 2017 GCC Golf Championship. With the championship rounds on the 13th – 15th of April, the teams will have two practice rounds [today and tomorrow] in order to finalize their preparations.

(Left to Right): Rashid Al Emadi, Obaid Al Heloo, Mohammed Abdulla Saeed, & Rashid Al Qubaisi

(Left to Right): Rashid Al Emadi, Obaid Al Heloo, Mohammed Abdulla Saeed, & Rashid Al Qubaisi

The teams have spent the last 4 weeks training out of the Jumeirah Golf Estates – European Tour Performance Institute (JGE – ETPI) preparing for this championship event. The National Teams focused “Development of Short Game and Scoring”.

“Scoring is the most important part of playing in the GCC Championships. Recovering from mistakes and keeping the ball in play will help our team place in the top spots for this championship. We have some young talent and we have prepared well for this event, it is now time to put that hard work to the test,” said National Team Manager and Emirates Golf federation Secretary General, Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi.

The 2017 GCC 18 & Under and 15 & Under Golf Championship will be played at the Riyadh Golf Course. The course will provide the young golfers with a good challenge. Its undulating terrains and wide fairways will be a test for both teams.

Representing the 18 & Under National Team will Mohammed Al Hajeri, Mohammed Abdulla Saeed, and Rashid Al Qubaisi. Al Qubaisi will be playing in his first international event but leading the way for the UAE will be Al Hajeri. Al Hajeri is just coming off competing in the GCC Golf Championship for the UAE Senior Team where the team place third and collected the Bronze Medal in Bahrain.

Leading the way for the 15 & Under National Golf Team will be Rashid Al Emadi. Al Emadi has had a strong 2016 – 2017 golf season and has really focused on his short game in order to keep his scores low. Obaid Al Heloo and Khalid Al Mutawa will be looking to add support in the Team Category.

The championship will kick off tomorrow night, April 10th, with the Championship Open Ceremony with three rounds of golf following the next three days. There will be a Team Category and Individual Category in both the 18 & Under and 15 & Under divisions.

To follow the teams’ progression and to keep updated with UAE golf news follow the EGF on social media.

National Golf Teams Prepare for GCC Golf Championship at JGE – ETPI

(Dubai, UAE) – The United Arab Emirate (UAE) 18 & Under and 15 & Under National Golf Teams will be participating in a four- week training program in preparation for the 2017 GCC Golf Championship. Hosted in Saudi Arabia, the 18 & Under and 15 & Under GCC Golf Championship will take place on April 11th – 16th, 2017.

UAE National Teams at Jumeirah Golf Estates – European Tour Performance Institute

UAE National Teams at Jumeirah Golf Estates – European Tour Performance Institute

Working with the Jumeirah Golf Estates – European Tour Performance Institute (JGE – ETPI), the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) has implemented a four-week prep training program that will focus on the teams’ “Development of Short Game and Scoring”. The program will also involve mentally preparing the players leading up to the championship so that the team is fully equipped in April.

Starting the week of March 12th and ending the week of April 9th the program is designed to prepare the teams to play at their best during the championship. The teams have yet to be finalized for the championship but nine individuals will be participation in this prep program.

Mark Gregson-Walters the Director of Instruction at the Jumeirah Golf Estates – European Tour Performance Institute had this to say about the program, “we are excited to be part of the 18 & under and the 15 & under teams final preparation before the GCC Golf Championship. We have witnessed the teams’ hard work and enthusiasm when it comes to practice over the past months. We have a vast amount of experience at the European Tour Performance Institute, which we can share with the team to refine their games and prepare for the upcoming event in Saudi Arabia”.

To follow the teams’ progression and to keep updated with UAE golf news follow the EGF on social media.

EGF Website: www.egfgolf.com

EGF Facebook: Emirates Golf Federation

EGF Twitter: @EGFuaegolf

EGF Instagram: emiratesgolffederation

EGF LinkedIn: Emirates Golf Federation (EGF)

UAE National Golf Teams Claim 3 Gold & 2 Bronze at GCC Golf Championships

(Riffa, Kingdom of Bahrain) – On February 20 – 23, 2017 the Kingdom of Bahrain hosted the 21st GCC Men’s Golf Championship and the 3rd GCC Ladies Championship at the Royal Golf Club. With all six GCC countries taking part in the Men’s Championship and four teams competing in the Ladies Championship, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Golf Teams claimed three Gold Medals and two Bronze Medals. Successfully defending their title, the Ladies Team lead by Tara Al Marzooqi won the Gold by a large margin. UAE’s raising golf sensation Ahmed Skaik won the Gold Medal in the Men’s Individual Division while the Men’s Team won the Bronze Medal.

Ladies & Men's National Teams with Team Officials

Ladies & Men’s National Teams with Team Officials

The Royal Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course that is designed by course architect and golf legend Colin Montgomerie. After receiving a large amount of rain a week ago in Riffa the course was in tough condition this week for the championship, but the cold temperatures and soggy fairways could not stop the UAE National Golf Teams.

With back-to-back wins for the Ladies Team at the GCC Golf Championships, the UAE have cemented their place in Ladies Golf within the GCC. This year’s performance was particularly superior after winning the Gold Medal by 19 strokes. Leading the charge for the ladies and winning the Gold Medal in the Individual Category was Tara Al Marzooqi. Tara blew past the field during her final round as she fired an 82, 8 shots better than any other golfer. Together with her first two rounds of 92 – 89, for a championship total of 263, Tara secured the Gold by 9 shots. Kuwait won the Team Silver and Qatar the won the Team Bronze.

Tara had this to say after the championship, “Representing the UAE and winning these Gold Medals are a great honor. I am so proud of my teammates as we continue to develop in this game that we love. All of the hard work with my coaches is starting to pay off. I really enjoyed the weather this week because it was a change to what I’m used to in the UAE. I think that I stayed focus this week and didn’t let the bad shots affect my game. I stuck to my pre-shot routines and drove the ball well off the tees. The UAE and Emirates Golf Federation offer so many great opportunities that hopefully others will take advantage of. With more participation, we can become competitive in tournaments outside the GCC”.

Also representing the Ladies Team and finishing in Third Place collecting the Bronze Medal in the Individual Category was Reema Al Heloo. Reema had rounds of 95 – 86 – 93 for a total of 274. Hamda Al Suwaidi completed the Ladies Team with rounds of 95 – 99 – 90 for a total of 284.

Ahmed Shaik

Ahmed Shaik

In the Men’s Division, Ahmed Skaik went wire-to-wire in the Individual Category as he took the lead after round one and never looked back. With rounds of 76 – 74 – 72 – 75 for a championship total of 297 (9-over-par), Skaik collected his first GCC Golf Championship Gold Medal of his young career. Skaik has been committed to his game over the past 6 months, as he is currently 5th on the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Order of Merit leaderboard and just won Third Place at the 2017 UAE Presidents Cup.

Skaik had this to say about his performance, “It feels great to have my first individual victory and to have it at the GCC Golf Championship makes it even more special. The course played very tough this week but I feel like I didn’t rush things and played to my game. I was solid off the tees as I didn’t miss many fairways, but the key was my short game and making a lot of up and downs. Winning the GCC was a big goal for me and I’d also like to congratulate my teammates on winning the Team Bronze Medal for our country. Moving forward I will continue to play the EGF Order of Merit and discuss with my coaches my schedule for the next few months”.

Alongside Skaik, the UAE Men’s Team won the Bronze Medal in the Team Category. Rashid Hamood found his grove after the first round with scores of 83 – 77 – 77 – 78 , for a total of 315, enough for 7th Place in the Individual Category. Team veteran Khalid Yousuf had an off championship with rounds of 88 – 83 – 77 – 79 for a total of 327, but was still able to give the team scores they needed in order to finish in the top three. Rounding out the team was young Mohammed Adel Al Hajeri. Playing in his first Senior Team event, Al Hajeri had rounds of 87 – 87 – 86 – 88 for a 348 total.

The Kingdom of Bahrain won the Team Gold while the Salman of Saudi Arabia won the Silver.

National Team Coach Greg Holmes had this to say about the teams’ performance. “I am so proud of our squads’ performance this week. This is proof that hard work pays off. It’s great to see the Ladies defend their title and the Men to receive the Bronze. Ahmed and Tara have been working hard and for them to win the Gold in their respected division will boost our program. With the dedication from the Emirates Golf Federation, the UAE will see much more youngsters involved in the National Junior Development Program where we can look forward to seeing more talent emerging in the future”.

The Ladies and Men’s National Teams will keep their games in shape by playing the EGF Order of Merit, UAE Club Events, and National Monthly Medals over the next few months.

Follow the EGF and these Teams on social media and on the EGF website to receive daily updates and news on UAE golf.

To see full results from this event CLICK HERE

Ladies National Team Looks to Repeat at GCC Golf Championship; Al Hajeri Making First Senior Team Appearance

(Riffa, Kingdom of Bahrain) – On February 20 – 23, 2017 the Royal Golf Club in Riffa, Bahrain will host the 21st edition of the Senior GCC Golf Championship and the 3rd edition of the Ladies GCC Golf Championship. Looking to defend their title, the United Arab Emirates (EGF) Ladies National Golf Team will be shooting for nothing less than a repeat Gold Medal performance. Playing in his first senior team championship, Mohammed Adel Al Hajeri will be in the spotlight all week.

2017 UAE Ladies National Team – From Left to Right: Hamda Al Suwaidi, Reema Al Heloo, and Tara Al Marzooqi

2017 UAE Ladies National Team – From Left to Right: Hamda Al Suwaidi, Reema Al Heloo, and Tara Al Marzooqi

The Royal Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course that is designed by course architect and golf legend Colin Montgomerie. Over the past week the Riffa area was hit hard with rain and low temperatures, this should clear up for the championship but will still have its effect on the course conditions.

Representing the Ladies team for the UAE will be Hamda Al Suwaidi, Reema Al Heloo, and Tara Al Marzooqi. All three ladies have prepared and worked hard for this championship over the past 4 months. Reema is coming off a win at the 2017 UAE Presidents Cup and Hamda was on the winning team at the 2017 Gary Player Invitation Abu Dhabi. The Ladies Championship will be a 3-day (54 hole) event that will take place on the 20th – 22nd of February 2017.

UAE National Golf Performance Coach, David Condon had this to say about the Ladies Team. “You can feel that the Ladies Team was excited leading up to this Championship. Trying to defend their GCC Gold Medal performance from last year means a lot to the team and the Emirates Golf Federation. It will be a fun week, as Reema Al Heloo will also be attempting to defend the individual title from 12 months ago. The team has been training well and is fully prepared for their defense”.

Mohammed Adel Al Hajeri

Mohammed Adel Al Hajeri

For the Senior Team young hopeful, Mohammed Adel Al Hajeri will be making his first appearance on the UAE National Senior Golf Team. At the age of 17, Al Hajeri has climbed his way through the National Golf Team Program to secure his spot in this week’s Championship. Playing along side Al Hajeri will be team veteran Khalid Yousuf, 2017 UAE Presidents Cup Championship Rashid Hamood, and rising UAE golf sensation Ahmed Skaik.

“We are very happy with our selection of the Senior Team for this Championship. We have a good mixture or young talent and experienced players. This might be the strongest team that we have had for a few years and we are expecting to see some good scores. Having Al Hajeri playing in his first Senior Championship shows that the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and the National Team Program is capable of producing young talented golfers”, said EGF Secretary General Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi.

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