Ahmad Skaik Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Ahmad Skaik is raring to go at WATC after an injury sidelined his career plans

Matt Smith — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 06:28:45 +0000

Abu Dhabi is set to host the most important amateur golf tournament in the world this month, with 36 nations represented in both the men’s and women’s competitions at the World Amateur Team Championships.

The men will fight it out over Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National Course for the Eisenhower Trophy from October 18-21 before the women contest the Espirito Santo Trophy from October 25-28, the first time the event has been held in the Middle East.

One man who has high hopes for the home nation — both on and off the course — is Ahmad Skaik, the UAE’s No.1 amateur golfer, and he can’t wait to get started once again to fly the flag after an injury-disrupted year.

“I am very excited of course, as it is always an honour to represent the country on such stages and having it at home makes the occasion even bigger and better,” Skaik told Golf Digest Middle East.

“The course isn’t one that I would say suits my eye but I have good memories there, so I will keep that in my mind always and I’m sure that it will help me.

“I am excited to play it this time as last year in France I was not able to play because of my back injury, so I am very happy to be able to be part of the team and compete this time.”

After graduating last year, Skaik had big plans for 2023, including the possibility of turning professional, but his troublesome back pushed back his schedule. However, now it is full steam ahead once again.

“The season has been tough, but I’m putting in the work and making big changes in my game which I am sure will help in the future,” he said. “I used to always worry about what is happening and that I want to play well, but I have changed the mentality. Of course, I want and will always try to play well but I would rather do the changes now and struggle in the process and get it good than postpone the changes until the future.

“For the injury, I have an acute disc which will probably stay with me my whole life, so I always have to be careful and stay on top of things, especially with physio and gym work.”

As for turning pro, that is still on the agenda in the near future.

“Hopefully by the end of the year or beginning of next year,” he said. “Only time will tell but for now, my focus is on the Asian games, the WATC, and the Asian Pacific.

“I finished college last year in May and I got injured two weeks after that, so I didn’t really get to enjoy it, but now I am really enjoying having nothing else to worry about other than golf.”

Main Image: Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

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UAE medal haul at GCC Championship in Bahrain includes individual silver medal for Ahmad Skaik

Golf Digest Middle East — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 08:53:41 +0000

The UAE took home a haul of medals from the GCC Championship at Royal Golf Club in the Bahraini capital, Manama.

The 2023 GCC Golf Championship is the 25th edition for the men and the 14th edition for the Under-18s.

Six teams from across the GCC took part, including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and host Bahrain.

After winning back-to-back Presidents Cups, Ahmad Skaik led the men’s team, and led from the front by winning the Individual Silver Medal.

Along with Skaik, Khalifa Al Masaood, Hasan Al Musharrekh, and Saif Al Hadrami won the Team Bronze Medal for the UAE.

The Under-18 team of Rashid Al Jassmy, Rashid Al Naqbi and Mohammad Skaik brought home the team Bronze Medal.In the Men’s Division, Qatar had a strong GCC Championship capturing back-to-back Team and Individual Gold Medals. Second place was the Bahrain team, and the UAE men’s team came back home with the bronze medal.

Saleh Alkaabi of Qatar won the Individual Gold Medal ahead of Skaik.

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UAE fight on at Eisenhower Trophy as Japan lead in Paris

Matt Smith — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 09:25:14 +0000

By Matt Smith
The UAE National Team continued their fight on the World Amateur Team Championships (Eisenhower Trophy) in France as they shot a collective second-round nine-over 151.

Ahmad Skaik improved on his first-round score by three strokes with a 75 while Khalid Yousuf followed up his opening 82 with a 76.

Playing on Le Golf National, the UAE’s third man Abdullah Al Musharrekh also went better than Day 1, with an 86. The best two-from-three scores count towards the team total, with the UAE sitting T64 after Day 2.

Japan continue to lead the team event on 22-under, with France, Italy, Spain and the US leading the chase. Japan’s Taiga Semikawa is heading the individual standings on 15-under with two rounds to go.

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United they stand: The UAE’s Yousuf, Skaik and Al Musharrekh prepare for a hectic autumn schedule

Matt Smith — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 09:02:09 +0000

By Matt Smith
With the brutal UAE summer mostly behind us now, things are only beginning to heat up for the main men of the UAE National Team.

A hectic schedule awaits Khalid Yousuf, Ahmad Skaik and Abdullah Al Musharrekh — along with the rest of the UAE team — as the threesome get back in the swing following the hot summer months.

They begin their autumn/winter campaign with the World Men’s Amateur Team Championships — affectionately known as the Eisenhower Trophy — where they will compete against the world’s best amateurs in Paris at the beginning of September. The event is returning following a three-year COVID-19-enforced hiatus and will be a perfect stage for the UAE amateurs to fight it out before the event heads to Dubai’s Jumeirah Golf Estates next year.

Regarded as one of the biggest amateur competitions in the world — recent champions include Denmark’s Hojgaard twins, Americans Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas, plus Netherlands’ Joost Luiten — the biennial match-play event takes place over four days with the two lowest scores from each team counting for each round. Le Golf National, the scene of the 2018 Ryder Cup, and Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Breteche are the courses for this year’s competition.

Following hot on the heels of the trip to Paris are the Pan Arab Championships in Tunisia, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships in Thailand, and the Nomura Cup in the Philippines — and the UAE boys are raring to go, despite less-than-ideal preparations for Skaik in particular.

Ahmad Skaik. Supplied

“To be completely honest, I am recovering from injuries, so my preparation wasn’t great,” the World Amateur No. 61 told Golf Digest Middle East following a team trip to Paris for practice at Le Golf National, and surgery on an ingrown toenail, and ahead of UAE team training in Morocco.

“Hopefully the camp in Morocco gets me ready for it. I feel a lot better and am looking forward to playing in France. We have already been over to France and played Le National but didn’t get to play the other course yet. The course is very nice and has some tough holes which will make it fun and challenging. I like the course and I think that it suits my game well.”

With these trips to France and Morocco, the UAE team are forming a strong bond, something Yousuf sees as key to success.

“The team is looking good,” the 33-year-old said. “We are all putting the practice in and we have become good friends. Despite sometimes competing against each other, there are no rivalries whatsoever between us.

“The big events that are coming up over the next few months are great as you get to test your game against the best amateurs in the world. You get to meet the future stars of the game and create friendships, both within out own team and with others.”

Skaik concurs, while still enjoying a friendly tussle with Yousuf and Al Musharrekh. “We are all good buddies but we like to have competitive matches between us which is always fun to do,” he laughed.

“Team events are very important and the more events I play like these the better it will be for my game because it will help me grow as a player and will help grow my character.”

This is a pertinent factor for Skaik, who has recently graduated university and is considering his next steps in his golfing career.

“I plan to play as many events as possible in the next year and, if all goes to plan, turn pro after the Eisenhower in Dubai in 2023,” he said.

Khalid Yousuf. Supplied

Yousuf, meanwhile, is content to use his experience to help out the others coming through the ranks in the UAE, where he has been active for more than two decades.

“I’m 33 now,” he said “I’m happy to be playing for the National Team and representing the UAE as I have done since I was 11 years old. I don’t see that changing any time soon as I am quite content with where I am.”

Yousuf has been around long enough to see the steady growth of talented golfers in the UAE over the years — with the likes of Skaik in the UAE team and also with expats such as Toby Bishop and Josh Hill, who are both heading to the States on golf scholarships this autumn following their time growing up and learning the game in Dubai.

“We hope the juniors can surpass what we have achieved and take our place as the core of the national team in the future,” Yousuf explained. “The Emirates Golf Federation is constantly growing and becoming a more important body in the golf scene, both locally and internationally.

“As for Toby and Josh, I have seen them grow from boys into young men first hand. I am always looking out to see how they are doing and I want to be first to wish them all the best in their careers.”

As Skaik himself plans for his foray into professional golf, he too has high hopes for those following in his footsteps.

“I see lots of players coming up, which is great as this means the game is still continuing to grow,” he said. “I will try my best to lead the way for the Emiratis coming up, and also the next Josh or Toby.”

With so many talented young golfers following the trio’s progress over the coming months, there will certainly be more stars representing the UAE for years to come.

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UAE get under way at Eisenhower Trophy as Japan lead the way in France

Matt Smith — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 06:38:52 +0000

Ahmad Skaik. EGF

By Matt Smith
The UAE got their 2022 World Amateur Team Championship (Eisenhower Trophy) campaign under way in Paris on Wednesday, shooting a combined 16-over score to sit tied 64th in France.

Khalid Yousuf, Ahmad Skaik and Abdullah Al Musharrekh played their first round at Saint Nom-la-Breteche, with the scores from Skaik (78)and Yousuf (82) counting towards the total — Al Musharrekh shot 92.

Japan are top of the leaderboard on 14-under thanks to a 63 from Taiga Semikawa and a 67 from Kohei Okada.

The UAE will play their second round at Le Golf National on Thursday, where the 2018 Ryder Cup was held.

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UAE ready for tee off at World Amateur Team Championship in France

Matt Smith — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 11:47:12 +0000

By Matt Smith
The UAE will line up alongside a record 71 other teams at the 32nd World Amateur Team Championship (WATC, or Eisenhower Trophy) at the Le Golf National and Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche in Paris, France, this week.

Representing the UAE will be Khalid Yousuf, Ahmad Skaik, and Abdullah Al Musharrekh.

The UAE tee off on Wednesday at 1.36pm local time (3.36pm UAE) on the Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche course, before heading to Le National on Thursday. The UAE have been paired with Serbia and the Dominican Republic for the opening two rounds.

Akram Skaik, the General Director of the Emirates Golf Federation, will be the UAE team’s non-playing captain, as Yousuf takes part in his ninth Eisenhower Trophy event. Al Musharrekh returns for his first appearance since 2012, with Skaik — the World Amateur No. 63 — rounding out the team.

“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) 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.

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UAE team arrive in France for Eisenhower Trophy

Matt Smith — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 11:34:16 +0000

By Matt Smith
Fresh from their preparations in Morocco, the UAE men’s national team arrived in France for the World Amateur Team Championships — the Eisenhower Trophy, as it is affectionately known.

Abdullah Al Musharrekh and Ahmad Skaik were training in Morocco this past week and joined captain Khalid Yousuf in Paris as they prepare to take on the best amateur golfers in the world.

Denmark are the team to beat as champions, but as always the United States and England look formidable, as 72 teams take part in the biennial competition.

England has Gareth Jenkins, Sam Bairstow and Arron Edwards-Hill in the line-up, while the US will field Diana Murphy, Gordon Sargent, Michael Thorbjornsen and Austin Greaser.

The UAE will be looking to place well ahead of hosting the 2023 event next year. This year’s event is the first since 2018 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Dubai golfer Toby Bishop swaps clubs for books as exams loom ahead of move to US on scholarship

Matt Smith — Thu, 19 May 2022 09:43:57 +0000

Toby Bishop in action at the Dubai Golf Trophy. Matt Smith

By Matt Smith
Toby Bishop is taking a break from golf — but only until his final-year exams are out of the way, as bigger things beckon in the United States. Dubai-bred Welshman Bishop, 18, is studying hard as the dreaded exams loom, but it will be worth the grind as a golf scholarship at the university of Florida awaits after the summer.

“The clubs will be put away for a while now and it is time to hit the books,” Bishop told Golf Digest Middle East on the sidelines of the recent Dubai Golf Trophy at Emirates Golf Club.

“There will probably be more stress than when playing golf actually with all my exams, but once they are done it will be worth it as there are some exciting times ahead.”

Bishop has already been out on a trip to the US to see the set-up at the university he will call home for the next four years.

“I am really excited at the opportunities they have there in Florida,” he said. “They give you every opportunity to make it as a pro on the PGA tour. I went out there on my visit and had a week to see the place and meet the guys. It will be bit difficult to visualise properly until I get there but they are all really good guys to learn from and I need to make the most of the chances I have been offered.”

Fellow Dubai amateur Josh Hill is also heading to the States this summer, and Toby is sure they will stay in touch.

“For sure. We are in the same comp zone so I am sure we will play in a few comps together and compare notes,” he joked.

Bishop also reflected on the landmark moment as two of Dubai’s own step out on the next part of their journey in golf.

“It really highlights the facilities and chances we have here in Dubai,” he said. “I always reflect on how small this country is and to see so many players coming through, firstly with Khalid Yousuf and Ahmad Skaik, and now me and Josh. Hopefully it brings more attention and development to the region and obviously we are proud of what we have done and proud to represent, having grown up here, and fly the UAE flag.

“Hopefully in a couple of years I could get an invite to play in one of the big DP World Tour events and come back here to contend if I play well.

“My parents always joke that I am their mortgage so it will be good to come back and pay them back. But they always support me and I am pretty grateful to have that support as it means I know I have their full backing.”

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Skaik take two at 2022 Presidents Cup

Kent Gray — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 03:37:04 +0000

By Kent Gray
Ranked 31st in the latest World Amateur Golf Rankings, Ahmad Skaik is the undisputed No.1. in UAE golf. But it seems there is some competition close to home, like really close, with designs on challenging that status.

Like Alia Al Emadi in the ladies division, Skaik successfully defended his UAE Presidents Cup title at Abu Dhabi Golf Club over the weekend but wasn’t the only member of the family celebrating with silverware at the conclusion of the region’s top amateur event.

Skaik’s younger brother Mohamed won the junior title with a championship total of 161 for a three-stroke advantage over Rashid Al Jassmy. Taking home the junior net prize was Abdulla Al Suwaidi.

“This year’s win is special for me and my family,” said Ahmad Skaik who carded rounds of 74-73 for a three-over winning total of 147, eight clear of perennial rival Khalid Yousuf.

“To win the Presidents Cup and to have my brother win the Junior Division at the same time, will be something that we will remember forever.

Rounding out the podium places in the open men’s field was Khaled Salmeen with rounds of 79-80 for a total of 159. Walid Al Attar, playing in his first “national championship” in over 10 years off a 10.4 handicap, won the net with a 130 total.

But it was the Skaik’s weekend.

“I wasn’t hitting the ball particularly well off the tee this weekend but I scrambled well and made a lot of pars,” Skaik Snr said.

“Coming off playing four consecutive weeks on the DP World Tour, it is time for a little break and focus on my studies. It is an honour to win the UAE Presidents Cup and I am grateful for all of the support that I have received from the EGF and entire UAE. I’d like to thank my family, coaches, and of course my teammates for pushing me and making me a better person on and off the course.”

Emirates Golf Federation Secretary-General, Mr. Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, won the senior with gross scores of 77-84 for a total of 161

Al Emadi signed for rounds of 82-81 and a winning total of 163.

“It feels amazing to not only win the Ladies Division two years in a row but also it proves to myself that my hard work is paying off,” she said. “The Presidents Cup is the biggest tournament for Emiratis in the UAE. One thing I particularly love about the Presidents Cup is the fact that all golfers from the UAE reunite to compete together. This weekend my putting has really stepped up. I made some key putts to save my score.”

The ladies net winner was Faye Al Bolooshi with a score of 139.

In efforts to develop the game within the national community, the 2022 UAE Presidents Cup sponsored by HSBC also hosted a 9-Hole Championship on the Garden Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. On a modified 9 holes, this year’s event also offered the UAE Special Olympic Team players to compete in the 9-Hole Championship.

Winning the 9-Hole Championship was UAE Special Olympic Team player Ali Bin Sumaida. Ali had a hole-In-one on the 7th and an eagle on the 8th on his way to shooting an impressive 37, one over par.

Latifa Al Jassmy was runner-up and UAE Special Olympic Team members, Saif Saeed Al Qubaisi and Vincent Bower, third and fourth respectively.

To celebrate this year’s Presidents Cup, the award ceremony was graced by His Highness Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and His Excellency Shaikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, and Head of Network Distribution at HSBC UAE, Najeeb Busheri.

“Congratulations to all of the winners,” said General Abdullah Alhashmi, Vice-Chairman of the EGF afterwards. “On behalf of the Emirates Golf Federation, we would like to thank HSBC for their continued support of this amazing championship. This weekend is a true celebration of UAE golf. Thank you to and Abu Dhabi Golf Club and to The Westin, Abu Dhabi for hosting our players and families. Lastly, thank you to Abu Dhabi Sports Council and eGolf Megastore for enhancing our championship. UAE golf is moving forward, we have a lot of work to do, together with our partners and stakeholders we will achieve our goals.”

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Antoine Rozner continues to play with Fire in spirited AVIV Dubai Championship defence

Kent Gray — Sat, 13 Nov 2021 00:57:28 +0000

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

By Kent Gray
Sometimes, a course just suits your eye. For Antoine Rozner, one such play thing is the Fire layout at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

The 28-year-old Parisian is making a decent fist of his AVIV Dubai Championship title defence after rounds of 65-64 to earn the halfway lead in the $1.5 million European Tour event. At -15, Rozner enjoys a one-stroke advantage over Italy’s Francesco Laporta, who also posted a bogey-free 64, and first-round leader Joachim B. Hansen of Denmark, who signed for a round of 67.

It also means the Frenchman is a whopping 40-under par through six circuits of Fire after he won last year’s Golf in Dubai Championship, his maiden European Tour title, with a -25 aggregate.

“My long game was perfect, I was striping it shot after shot.”– Antoine Rozner

“It was definitely one of my best ball-striking rounds out here between this year and last year,” said Rozner who closed with six birdies in the final eight holes of his second round.

“My long game was perfect, I was striping it shot after shot, I missed one green on 17 and that was the only hole I put myself in trouble but I got away with it with a good par. I’m just very pleased, it’s not that easy. You still have to play well, hit good shots, make some putts. I’m not the only one who’s playing well so you’ve got to keep grinding for the next two days.

After 36 holes in Dubai ?

Lowest cut of the season (-5)

#AVIVDubaiChampionship

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 12, 2021

The trick now, to Rozner’s way of thinking, is to keep chasing. He’ll need to with Laporta and Hansen on his coattails, not to mention Finland’s Kalle Samooja who roared home in 29 strokes for a third-round 64 to lie solo fourth -13. Tommy Fleetwood is also lurking, overcoming an early bogey on the 2nd to fire a second successive 66 and join fellow Englishman Paul Waring in T-5 on -12.

“Stay aggressive is the mindset, you have o be aggressive over and over,” said Rozner.

“I did that really well last year, obviously I can use that experience from last year and that’s helping me. Last year I was so aggressive over four rounds and I think it’s paying off this week so if I keep doing what I’m doing over the next two days, hopefully there will be a good result in there.”

There will be plenty of support in the Fire galleries over the weekend for fan favourite Fleetwood who has a shot at his sixth European Tour win and third in the UAE after back-to-back Abu Dhabi HSBC Championships triumphs in 2017-18.

“It was a poor start. I missed a chance on the first and then missed a short putt. On such a low scoring course if you have a dry patch it feels so much worse,” Fleetwood said of his second round.

“I holed a putt on seven and played really, really well coming in and had plenty of chances. I felt like I did a good job of continuing to play and hitting good golf shots. I didn’t get panicked or frustrated that I hadn’t had the start I would like. And then it all came together, which doesn’t always happen. But it did and it was another good day.”

There was pride twinged with frustration for UAE No.1 Amhad Skaik whose wait to make a European Tour cut goes on. After an opening 68, the lefty had a great chance to build on the lowest score by an Emirati in European Tour play but a second round 73 saw the amateur miss the cut – set at -5 – by two strokes.

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