Rounds of 84-85 left the Emirati amateur qualifier at the foot of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship leaderboard on 25-over-par, 26-shots shy of making the cut and under no illusions about the standards required to compete at the highest level.

But Skaik didn’t waste the opportunity, banking plenty of insight from how some of the world’s best went about their business at Abu Dhabi Golf Club for the future. The pay-off has come within a month after Skaik finally captured the HSBC-sponsored UAE Presidents Cup at Yas Links on Saturday after a pair of near-misses in the past two editions of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) event.

Skaik also won in style, rounds of 71 and 68 setting a tournament record 139 aggregate, five under par. He won by two strokes from Khalid Yousuf who signed for rounds of 71-70 in a gritty title defence. Saif Thabet, with scores of 73-71 for an even-par 144 total, finished third.

“It feels amazing to finally win this event,” said Skaik who collected bronze individual and team medals at the 2019 GCC Golf Championship.

“I have come close in the past two years with a second and third-place finish but being able to close the door this weekend and being the UAE champion is an amazing honour.

“All weekend I was spot on off the tee, it was probably the best I’ve ever hit the driver. My driving off the tee made it easy to hit greens and roll some decent putts. I have been working hard the past few months and it shows that I learned from my mistakes and corrected them for this championship.”

Skaik and Yousuf were engaged in a ding-dong battle for the title for much of the weekend before Skaik closed the door with birdies on the 16th and 17th holes in the final round.

Thabet’s third-place finish was sealed in style too with a first ace on the challenging par-3 17th. Earlier, Yas Links member Abdulla Al Marzooqi also notched up his first hole in one on the 179-yard 8th hole.

Aliya Al Qubaisi won the ladies championship with scores of 81-71 for a 153 total and her maiden Presidents Cup victory.

A record 94 players competed in the main event while 24 players played in the Par 3 Championship. For full results, visit egfgolf.com.

The EGF will be back in action at the next National Monthly Medal on March 28 at Dubai Hills Golf Club.

The post Ahmad Skaik captures UAE Presidents Cup in record style appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Eisenhower Trophy representative carded a 12-over par 84 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Wednesday but binned a memorable putt on the 18th for bogey to sign off with a smile.

Thabet mixed seven bogeys with two doubles but enjoyed the ride, the ticket for which he punched at a qualifying tournament held at Yas Links last week.

“A bit nervous at the start, but I felt good to be honest,” said Thabet who would normally be working outside the ropes at Abu Dhabi G.C. as Senior Events Coordinator for the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

“My score doesn’t really reflect how I felt today. My driver worked well today. My putting was really good but I just let a few shots get away from me and I paid the price for that, especially in the rough.

“I was feeling really good coming up to the competition, but then golf is like that, on the day it changes. But again, no expectations, so just try to be better tomorrow.”

Thabet revealed he has been working on “little breathing techniques” to combat the inevitable nerves of teeing it up alongside some of golf’s biggest names before putting the experience into perfect context.

“I shouldn’t have to feel nervous. If anything I should be proud. But it got better throughout the course. After a couple of holes I settled in nicely.

“I had really good support, especially on the last. I sunk a long putt there, so really heard the crowd go and cheer me on. It’s really good to have that here in Abu Dhabi.

“I’m definitely looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully a better score.”

The post Emirati amateur savours dream European Tour debut despite tough day at the office appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

It transpires the UAE national team captain is known regionally as Khalid Yousuf (including in every Emirates Golf Federation media release we’ve ever received) and was listed as such for his first four appearances at the World Amateur Teams Championship.

But it turns out the +1.3 handicapper’s actual surname is Al Jasmi, the moniker by which he goes on social media and has been listed as in his past two appearances at the biennial Eisenhower championship.

Confused? So were we (apologies Khalid!). But we got there in the end and can confirm that when the 29-year-old tees it up at Carton House in Ireland tomorrow in the 31st Eisenhower Trophy, it will mark his seventh appearance at the world’s premier teams’ championship.

Smooth as silk … I wish #golf #dubai #uae

A post shared by KAJ (@khalid_al_jasmi) on May 5, 2016 at 9:51am PDT

I should have come here years ago #heavenonearth

A post shared by KAJ (@khalid_al_jasmi) on Sep 3, 2018 at 11:51am PDT

RELATED: Dubai-domiciled Rayhan Thomas ready to do India proud at Eisenhower Trophy

And that, once you finally nut it out, is mightily impressive as the UAE have only contested the Eisenhower Trophy nine times in total.

Yousuf/Al Jasmi has played 21 rounds in his six appearances (three times the event was reduced to 54 holes due to inclement weather, thus the usual number of rounds) since his debut as a 14-year-old in Puerto Rico in 2004. His best score was a 71 in his last round – in Japan in 2014 – while he boasts an average of 79.71.

He’ll hope to bring his personal average down further in Ireland where the UAE are out to better their previous Eisenhower best of 50th place at the 2008 tournament in Adelaide.

“This event not only allows me but the rest of the UAE National golf program the opportunity to compete at the highest level against some the games future stars,” Yousuf/Al Jasmi said.

“This gives our team the chance to meet other golfers from around the world while making connections with other federations that we can use to help develop our program in the UAE.”

Yousuf/Al Jasmi didn’t play two years ago but lefty Ahmed Skaik and Saif Thabet are back from Mexico where the UAE finished 65th.

UAE’S TOP NATIONAL GOLFERS DUBLIN BOUND FOR THE WORLD AMATEUR TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – @IGFgolf – https://t.co/bl1zgefVjL pic.twitter.com/URHNaJI7pA

— Emirates Golf Fed. (@EGFuaegolf) September 4, 2018

Thabet, now 30 and playing off scratch, was the UAE’s best in Mexico, firing rounds of 86-78-80-78 to finish 36 over par in 174th place individually, two strokes better than now 21-year-old +2.2 handicapper Skaik.

Yousuf/Al Jasmi leads the UAE off on Wednesday on Carton House’s O’Meara layout (the 72-hole strokeplay event will also be played on the Montgomerie course) at 1.21pm local time (4.21pm UAE time). Skaik follows 11 minutes later at 4.32pm UAE time ahead of Thabet at 4.43pm UAE time.

For the record (why waste all that research) the UAE first played the Eisenhower Trophy in 2000 with Edward Hesson Jnr, Vikramjeet Singh Judge, Sung Joo Cho and Walid Al-Attar finishing 51st.

RELATED: Meet Othman Almulla who is set to represent Saudi Arabia at his third WATC

The post Khalid Yousuf’s Eisenhower Trophy longevity is impressive, once it becomes clear appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Trump Dubai member David Baldwin starred in combination with home-club player Leighton Johnson to capture the Emirates Golf Federation Summer Pairs Open title at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club.

The duo combined for an impressive 46 points in the betterball stableford format used for the first round of the 36 hole event. Baldwin then contributed 41 points and Johnson 31 in the second round, combined individual stableford for a combined total of 120 points.

Baldwin and Johnson eventually won by nine points from UAE national team member Saif Thabet and Sara Engsig. Thabet produced one of the highlights of the tournament, navigating AESGC in one over 71 in the second round for 36 points. Engsig was nearly as impressive, signing for 34 points.

David Kerr and Baz Pickles finished third on 109 points ahead of Paul Spinks and Craig Hanson (107 points) and Theuns Webb and Chris Bentley (103 points).

A total of 58 players – 29 teams – contested the two-day event sponsored by Golf Superstore.

The post Trump Dubai’s Baldwin partners Johnson to EGF Summer Pairs title at AESGC appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Thabet’s five-under, second-round loop of the Abu Dhabi links followed a wind-swept opening 73 and saw him capture the prestigious crown for the second time with a record four-under par aggregate of 140.

He beat Ahmed Skaik by eight shots after one bad back nine hole in the second round cost Skaik who signed for scores of 73-75. Hassan Al Musharrekh rounded out the podium after rounds of 73-80 for a 157 total.

“To win this event twice under the patronage of His Highness Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is a big honour,” said Thabet. “Having my name carved on the trophy and to go down in UAE golf history for firing the lowest score at this event means a lot to me. My hard work is paying off and by shooting my lowest round of my career is proof of that. I knew I was mentally and physically prepared. I think the turning point was when I got three birdies in a row during my second round on 11, 12, and 13.

Thabet is presented with the Presidents Cup by HH Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan from the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Social Development.

“Moving forward I am going to get back to the driving range and gym and continue to work on my game. I will better my game through the EGF Order of Merit in prep for national team events. I also have my eye on making a spot on the amateur Dubai Trophy Team. I look forward to continue to represent my country locally and internationally.”

Abdulla Al Musharrekh won the net title with a 144 aggregate at the HSBC sponsored event which attracted a record field of 82, plus 18 players in the new Par 3 Championship.

Reema Al Heloo clinched back-to-back ladies titles with a 167 gross score for 23-over-par. Eida Al Muhairbi’s 146, two-over par, got the job done in the ladies net category.

Obaid Al Heloo shot a championship total of 177 to claim his first ever UAE Presidents Cup victory ahead of runner-up Rashid Al Emadi in the Junior division with Khaled Al Mutawa taking the net prize with a 178 total.

Yas Links’ challenging Academy Course hosted the Par 3 championship contested by 18 members of the EGF Foundation Squad aged between 8 and 15. Rashid Al Jassmy won ahead of his brother Sultan Al Jassmy with Saad Al Zarouni third on countback.

All the UAE Presidents Cup winners.

The post Thabet fires five-under PB at Yas Links to win UAE Presidents Cup in record fashion appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.