Dubai: The talented UAE junior golf team are all set to defend their title when the 18th GCC Championship gets underway on Friday at Dirab Golf Club in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Last year, the team of Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Ahmad Skaik and Ahmad Al Budoor claimed the title in style at Almouj Golf The Wave, Muscat, Oman and two members of that winning team — Quabaisi and Skaik — return this year alongside Saeed Al Beloushi to defend the title.
The impressive-looking UAE senior team of Khalid Yousuf, Sohail Al Marzouqi, Rashid Hamood and Hassan Al Musharrekh will also be hoping to emulate the victorious 2012 UAE senior team in taking the title in the hotly contested event that sees the six GCC countries of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE pitted against each other.
Jason Froggatt, EGF and national coach commented: “Both the senior and junior teams have prepared well following their structured programme. Competing in our local 36 men’s opens over the last few weeks gives them a good sense of playing competitive golf, with the Seniors looking to find the form that saw them take the 2012 title and the Juniors will be aiming for back-to-back wins”
Invitation
There is also an individual tournament running alongside the team event and for the second successive year. The National Bank of Oman have extended a sponsor’s invite for the 2014 National Bank of Oman Golf Classic to the winner and runner-up of this 18th GCC Championship.
The National Bank of Oman Golf Classic will be held once again at Almouj Golf The Wave, Muscat, from October 30-November 2 — the same venue as last year’s inaugural event when the Organising Committee of the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic 2013 (the penultimate tournament on the 2013 European Challenge Tour) extended a similar invitation to last year’s GCC Championship top two. “We are extending the invitation to the winner and runner-up of the GCC Championship to take part in the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic 2014 to encourage more Arab nationals to take part in our event,” said Salaam Al Shaksy, Chief Executive Officer of National Bank of Oman.
