UAE golfers pair up with Britain's best juniors for a tournament

Abu Dhabi: Top junior golfers from the UAE and UK teed off in the 2008 Daily Telegraph Junior Golf Championship at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club yesterday.

The top 21 players from 1,000 qualifying events in the UK paired up with their UAE counterparts for a 'Challenge' match.

The competition was taking place ahead of the three-day Junior Golf Championship, which runs from tomorrow until Sunday.

The UAE capital is hosting the tournament for the first time this year. Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) officials said the opportunity to host some of the UK's leading junior players in this championship represented a significant coup for the emirate and for the UAE players joining them on the National Course.

Renowned

Ahmad Hussain, Deputy Director General of the ADTA, said: "The Daily Telegraph Junior Golf Championship is the world's most renowned junior tournament and provides Abu Dhabi with fantastic exposure in the UK - one of ADTA's key target markets.

"It also provides the UAE's top 21 juniors - a mix of both local Emirati and expatriate youngsters - with the chance to compare their games against the best Britain has to offer. We are set for a week of brilliant golf," added Hussain.

The Junior Golf Championship 2008 is free to the public, with the three-day event teeing-off daily at 9am and 9.30am, for girls and boys respectively.