Players to watch at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai

With the prestigious Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship fast approaching, we’ve taken a look at some of the top players to keep an eye on from the Middle East when the tournament gets under way at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club from November 3-6.

Ahmad Skaik: The Emirati youngster has been leading the way for UAE golf for a number of years and will be targeting a strong showing in his second appearance at the tournament. Skaik, who has competed on the European Tour at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Golf in Dubai Championship, missed the cut two years ago at Shanghai Sheshan Golf Club but comes into this year’s event stronger than ever with Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter by his side as a mentor.

Shergo Al Kurdi: The Jordanian star wrote his names into the history books last year after becoming the first player from the GCC and Middle East countries to earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points with a runner-up finish at the MENA Tour’s Journey to Jordan 1. Al Kurdi, who is based in England, is no stranger to elite events having played on the European Tour on eight occasions which started when he was just 14-years-old at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. Comes into the event as the MENA Tour’s No. 1 Amateur and as one of the highest ranked played from the Middle East in 305th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

Arjun Gupta: The youngster may be representing India but having been born and raised in Dubai, he is a firm favourite among the UAE golfing community. Currently in 210th position on the WAGR, Gupta has enjoyed a solid spell in the last 12 months with a win at the Abu Dhabi Amateur Championship in December the pick of a number of strong performances both in the UAE and further afield. Gupta will be hoping to go one better than his compatriot and Dubai-born prodigy, Rayhan Thomas, who finished runner-up in the 2018 edition at Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore.

Azaan Al Rumhy: Oman’s No. 1 golfer became the first player from the Sultanate to play on the European Tour after making his debut at the Oman Open in 2018 before going on to play the tournament twice more. Son of Dr. Mohammad Al Rumhy, the Sultanate’s Minister for Oil and Gas, Al Rumhy has also featured on the Asian Tour and MENA Tour and was crowned Oman’s top player when he won the NBO Omani Amateur Final during the 2017 NBO Golf Classic Grand Final, the Challenge Tour’s season-ending event.

Ali Abdulla Al Shahrani: The Qatari national team player became only the second Qatari to claim the Qatar Open. Amateur Championship in its 35-year history with a resounding six-stoke triumph earlier this year. The historic victory granted him a second successive appearance to the European Tour’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, where he failed to make the cut on both occasions. Comes into the event ranked 1614th in the WAGR.

Saleh Ali Alkaabi: Al Shahrani will be joined by fellow countrymen Ali Alkaabi, who missed the cut at the 2019 staging of the tournament. More entries are set to be confirmed in the coming weeks.