By Kent Gray
The 40th Men’s Arab Golf Championship starting in Egypt today suddenly enjoys added significance with the champion set to earn a start in one of the DP World Tour’s newest events.

The 54-hole event, being hosted at the Dreamland Golf Resort in Cairo, will reward its champion with a spot in the $2 million Ras Al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital. The Feb. 3-6 tournament is the third leg of the former European Tour’s Desert Swing, following $8 Rolex Series events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

A field of 52 players representing 14 Arab Golf Federations will tee it up in Cairo in a tournament with team and individual components. The UAE team is captained by World amateur No. 539 Ahmed Skaik and includes Khalid Yousuf, Abdulla Al Qubaisi and Obaid Al Heloo. The three best scores in each round count towards each nation’s total while a gold medal isn’t now the sole individual focus of the tournament’s best players.

“The Emirates Golf Federation and the Arab Golf Federation are extremely happy to receive this invitation from the DP World Tour,” said Adel Zarouni, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation.

“As golf continues to grow in the region this partnership between the United Arab Emirates, the DP World Tour, and the Middle East will push the development further for all Arab players. It’s an exciting time for us in Arab golf and we are looking forward to 2022.”

The UAE Team will be accompanied by, H.E. Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi (Emirates Golf Federation Chairman and Arab Golf Federation Chairman), Adel Zarouni (Emirates Golf Federation Vice Chairman and Arab Golf Federation Vice-Chairman), General Abdullah Alhashmi (Vice President of the Emirates Golf Federation) and Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi (Emirates Golf Federation Secretary-General).

The post RAK Championship start up for grabs at 40th Arab Golf Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 2020 Titleist Emirates Junior Open was a classic case in point for the Emirates Golf Federation on Saturday after a record 16 players from the UAE National Junior Development Program (NJDP) teed it up on the Faldo course at Emirates Golf Club.

“The NJDP is a working success,” said Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi the EGF Secretary General and UAE National Team Manager. “The EGF had 13 boys and three girls playing in the EGC Junior Open. This is a good example of how the sport of golf is begin developed in the UAE. This also shows how much commitment the EGF has to grassroots golf.

“These 16 players are just the tip of our program. We have over 35 juniors that now have official handicaps and an additional 100 juniors that are taking weekly lessons across the entire UAE.”

Faaris Cheema (JGE) with Emirates G.C. Lady Captain
Naima Maya

For the record, Faaris Cheema (JGE) won the boys championship with a gross 71, two strokes clear of EGC member Valdemar Kofod Olsen. Aarnav Nath (DCGYC) was third with a 74 in what was the opening event of the 2020-21 EGF Junior Order of Merit.

Carlotta Scialanga (EGC) captured the girls title with a 76 while Hannah Alan won the girls net with a 75 courtesy of a better back nine from Alia Al Emadi.

Girls’ champion Carlotta Scialanga (EGC) with Emirates G.C. Lady Captain Naima Maya

In the division ‘A’ boys (Handicap 0-14), Dilan White from Trump International won with a net 69, while Bjorn Brake (EGC) won division ‘B’ (Handicap 15-28) with a net 70.

Leading the way for the UAE Nationals in the girls division was Alia Al Emadi who placed third with an eight-over par 81. In the boys division, Obaid Al Heloo was the top Emirati finishing T-8 thanks to a seven-over 79.

“During these unpredictable times with the UAE going through the current pandemic situation, the EGF is working closely with the UAE golf clubs and golf academies in order to provide a safe and health opportunity to continue the development of the NJDP. In every emirate across the UAE the EGF is providing Nationals with a way to practice, take lessons, and play the game of golf,” the EGF said in a statement.

The post EGF sees strength in numbers as Faaris Cheema, Carlotta Scialanga win Emirates Junior Open titles appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.