The two Emirates Golf Federation (EGF)-backed teams – Mohamed Al Hajeri and Reema Al Heloo (UAE 2) and Rashid Al Emadi and Tara Al Marzooqi (UAE 1) – finished 34th and 38th respectively of the 38 teams representing 20 countries in the mixed gender Mitsubishi Corporation Cup tournament at Hong Kong Golf Club.

Al Hajeri and Reema Al Heloo produced the UAE highlights with scores of 78 (fourball), 82 (foursomes) and 77 and 95 respectively in the individual stroke play for a 332 aggregate. In 2016 the duo returned scores of 91-100-96-97 in Taoyuan City, Taiwan to finish on 384 — a massive 52 shot difference.

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Al Hajeri is making significant progress, highlighted by the 19 shot difference in his final round scores from Taiwan and Hong Kong.

However, the best performing UAE team still finished 52 over par for the week and a whopping 69 shots behind winners Yuki Ikeda and Yuka Yasuda (Japan No. 2) who signed for a -17 aggregate to win by seven strokes from Australia.

Al Emadi and Al Marzooqi, meanwhile, finished +115, 395 for the week, emphasising the gulf the UAE must gap at international level.  Al Marzooqi will be slightly disappointed that her individual score of 101 was two strokes worse than her effort in Taiwan 12 months earlier.

“We are happy to see improvement from our players this year and we met some of our goals,” said Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, EGF Secretary General and UAE National Team Captain.

“The more our young players play in championships like this, the more improvements we will see internationally and regionally.”

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Reema Al Heloo, Tara Al Marzooqi, Mohammed Al Hajeri and Rashid Al Emadi will represent the UAE at the 2017 Asia Pacific Junior Championship in Hong Kong from August 30.

The three-day, 54-hole U-17 tournament on the New course at Hong Kong G.C. is a unique mixed gender event where teams select one male and female to play each day in three different formats – fourball (round 1), foursomes (round 2) and individual strokeplay (round 3). Teams from the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation’s (APGC) 45 member federations are invited.

The UAE will take momentum with them to Hong Kong with Al Heloo and Al Marzooqi fresh from claiming gold at the latest GCC Ladies Golf Championship. Al Marzooqi also won the individual GCC title.

A product of the Emirates Golf Federation’s National Junior Development Program (NJDP), Al Emadi also enjoyed a memorable GCC Championship winning individual and team titles in the boys U15 division.

Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi, EGF Secretary General, and UAE non-playing captain will guide the team in Hong Kong.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

The post UAE juniors eye Asia Pacific progress in Hong Kong appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Fourteen-year-old 12-handicapper Al Heloo will be looking to repeat her win in the individual standings as the UAE set out to defend the ladies team title while 17-year-old Al Hajeri will make his senior debut in the 21^st edition of the men’s championship.

Both tournaments – the 3^rd annual ladies championship over 54 holes and the 72 hole men’s event – are being hosted by the Royal Golf Club in Riffa which has been readied for play despite suffering major flood damage last Friday.

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Mohammed Adel Al Hajeri, 17, will make his senior team debut for the UAE in Bahrain

Al Heloo, fresh from capturing the 2017 UAE Presidents Cup title at Yas Links, is joined by Hamda Al Suwaidi and Tara Al Marzooqi. Al Marzooqi was part of the winning team at the 2017 Gary Player Invitation Abu Dhabi.

Al Hajeri, meanwhile, has climbed his way through the National Golf Team Program to secure his spot in this week’s championship where he teams with Khalid Yousuf, 2017 UAE Presidents Cup champion Rashid Hamood, and rising talent Ahmed Skaik.

The UAE men claimed the bronze medal at last year’s GCC tournament behind hosts Qatar and second-placed Bahrain.

“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,” said EGF Secretary General Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi.

“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 and the National Team Program is capable of producing young talented golfers.”

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