Abu Dhabi: The picturesque Saadiyat Beach Golf Club will play host to a major golfing event later in the year after the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA), in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Sports Council, announced the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open yesterday.
Some of the world’s best women professional golfers will play in Abu Dhabi from November 2 to 5 and compete in the $550,000 (Dh2,021,250) prize money tournament.
The new event, held under the patronage of Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Al Nahyan, Wife of the late President Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and the women of the UAE, will be one of the high profile events in the Ladies European Tour (LET).
“It is a part of the initiative to encourage Emirati women to take up golf. We want to make sure we have at least 100 Emirati women taking to golf by 2017. A professional tournament life this can bring about that change. A full schedule of community engagement activities will make this one of the most unique golf events in the UAE calendar,” said Dr Mai Al Jaber, Board Member, FBMA.
The CEO of the Ladies European Tour, Ivan Khodabakhsh, said: “We take enormous pride to have Abu Dhabi on board. I’m sure this region can make a huge difference to the Ladies Open. Using golf as a platform we are looking to engage with the local women and create a legacy in this sport.
“We can assure our stakeholders that the tournament will showcase the venue and destination to a worldwide audience, whilst we’re equally excited by all the important social cause-related activities we can support in partnership with FBMA.”
Norwegian ace golfer Caroline Martens, who will be one of the 126 professionals competing here at the Gary Player-designed oceanfront course, said: “I have been here for the Gary Player Invitational tournament and I have really liked the course because it is so beautiful. It is quite challenging when the wind picks up pace. The facilities here are fantastic and now we have a tournament to play for and I’m sure all my fellow professionals would love the experience here. This is a fantastic place for off-season practice as well.”
The General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Aref Al Awani, said: “I’d like to thank FBMA and the LET for their commitment to bring top flight ladies professional golf to Abu Dhabi. The UAE leads the way in the advancement of the crucial role that women play in our society and this event will be a celebration of that. We support their collaborative vision of promoting the women’s game and developing future generations of UAE sporting superstars. We can’t wait to bring another world class event to Abu Dhabi.”
