RAK Championship: Ahmad Skaik pins hopes on his knowledge of Al Hamra course

Dubai:The UAE’s No.1 golfer, Ahmad Skaik is relishing the prospect of another chance to tee it up alongside some of the best players in the world when he joins the field at this week’s inaugural Ras Al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital, taking place at Al Hamra Golf Club from Thursday to Sunday (February 3-6), followed by next week’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic, set to be played over the same course.

It will be the 24-year-old’s sixth appearance in a DP World Tour event and he revealed that he’s becoming more and more comfortable under the spotlight in such a high-pressure environment.

“The first time I played a DP World Tour event, I just let the tournament get the better of me,” said Skaik of his DP World Tour debut at the 2020 Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World. “But as you start to play more, you realise that you’re hitting a golf shot, it doesn’t matter if you’re playing an event or practising, it’s the same golf shot, it’s the same golf course. I know people are watching and want me to do well but you just have to focus on the shot in hand and let the training take over.”

Last year’s AVIV Dubai Championship heralded a new era for golf in the UAE afterSkaik carded the lowest DP World Tour round by an Emirati in history on the opening day with an impressive four under-par 68 over the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. It was the second successive week the youngster had made the headlines after his heroics at the previous week’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, where he became only the second Emirati to make the cut.

Skaik went on to narrowly miss the cut at Jumeirah Golf Estates and did so again at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic last month, but he has another opportunity to become the first Emirati to play the final 36 holes at DP World Tour event when he tees it up for two weeks in Ras Al Khaimah.

Incidentally, Skaik has plenty of experience of the challenges the Al Hamrah poses - thanks to his numerous outings at Emirates Golf Federation-sanctioned tournaments as well as the Ras Al Khaimah National Matchplay Challenge, a factor which should help him in the two upcoming events.

“I like the course and I think it’s a nice setup,” he said, adding: “It was a fun experience playing the same course setup as the stars of the Challenge Tour a couple of years ago, so I kind of had a feel of how to tackle the trickier setups and the course was in pristine condition.

“Al Hamra provides a nice challenge and I’m excited to play the first ever DP World Tour event there,” Skaik added.