Team UAE poised for breakthrough week at Emirates Golf Club

The 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) returns to the United Arab Emirates next week, this time on the iconic Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club. Bringing together the region’s top amateur golfers, the championship represents the growing roster of Middle Eastern talent.

For Team UAE, the spotlight comes at a pivotal moment. Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Operations Director Kieren Pratt has seen the national team make significant strides over the past two years. “All of the boys have been putting in a lot more work,” Pratt said. “General Abdullah Al Hashmi, President of the EGF, is very keen to see them succeed, and they’ve taken that on board.

“They’re practising more and communicating closely with head coach Faycal Serghini. We’re now focusing on peaking for the right tournaments at the right time.

“They’re in a really good place right now, and where better to perform well than at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship this time next week.”

Ahmad Skaik

28-year-old team member Ahmad Skaik reflects on the team’s recent successes, “We’ve done well as a team recently—we finished second at the Pan-Arab Championship for the first time, and we won gold at the GCC Championship in Saudi Arabia.

“We feel like we’re doing our part, and now we want to perform on even bigger stages,” he said.

Rayan Ahmed

Support from the Emirates Golf Federation has been critical to that progress. Rayan Ahmad emphasises the advantages of that backing: “They allow us to travel, play a lot of events, and give us access to amazing golf courses.

“It’s a level of support that many golfers around the world don’t get, so it’s a real privilege for us all.”

The AAC is one of the most prestigious amateur tournaments globally. Past champions and competitors include Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Smith, Si Woo Kim, and Min Woo Lee, all of whom have gone on to succeed on the world’s biggest tours. The 2025 winner earns an exemption into the 2026 Masters Tournament and the 154th Open Championship, while the runner-up secures a place in Open Final Qualifying.

Emirates Golf Club – Majlis Course

Opened in 1988 as the first grass course in the region, the Majlis has since become a Middle East golfing icon. It is host to the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, with champions including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Seve Ballesteros, and Ernie Els, who still holds the course record of 61.

Pratt highlighted the scale of hosting such a tournament as the AAC. “Even from the logistics and event planning side of things, The Masters and The R&A teams have been incredibly professional with every small detail.

“I’ve been involved in large tournaments before, but they consider everything: how tablecloths are laid at the welcome reception, seating arrangements, entrances and exits, where photos are taken—they haven’t missed a single thing.

“When it comes to hosting and hospitality, they set the benchmark. It’s been exciting to learn from them from an operational perspective as well. The tournament itself is huge, but I’ve been equally impressed with how they prepare for the week.”

Jonathan Selvaraj, Rayan Ahmad, Ahmad Skaik and Sam Mullane

The 16th edition of the AAC features 21 Arab golfers from ten Middle Eastern countries, alongside a full international field. The host nation UAE, will be represented by Skaik, Ahmad, Sam Mullane, Jonathan Selvaraj, and Abdulla Kalbat. The championship tees off on October 23 for four days of tournament action, with Emirates Golf Club ready to deliver another memorable week for the Asia-Pacific region and the UAE’s rising golf stars.

RELATED: Homegrown hope at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

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