As starter on the first tee at the 12th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship for the past four days, it has been an honour and a privilege to be part of this prestigious event.
The quality on show and the depth of field has been incredible, and it is evident that the Asian nations are trending in the right direction on the golf course with many talented players out there on show.
With a coveted place at the Masters and The Open next year at stake, the focus from every player in the field has been laser sharp, and the competitive but courteous attitude shown by the entire field has been a genuine pleasure.
The players on show here may be amateur, but their attitude and preparation for golf is truly professional in every way.
It makes me especially proud, as a member of the UAE national team myself, to see local representative Ahmad Skaik make the cut and take on the best over four days of quality golf.
Ahmad put in some very strong performances over four days, especially on day one and day four, and his efforts were all the more remarkable given the injuries that have kept him off the fairway for the past three months – his preparation has been markedly different to the majority of the field who will have had an entire season to tune up.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship provides players like Ahmad with an incredible opportunity to test themselves against the very best from across the region, some who may well go on to become the best in the world in the near future, if Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Australian star Cameron Smith are anything to go by.
For any player from the UAE with ambitions to make it in the game, the AAC is a wonderful opportunity to measure progress, and an invaluable stepping stone in terms of career development.
The majority of the field will have built up a wealth of experience, representing their universities and federations nationally in tournament play. Many are backed by a huge support unit from their federations, from coaching staff and performance teams through to team mates providing advice and backing.
As hosts, the UAE will also have some important learnings to take away from the tournament.
The strength of the Asian Pacific federations and players is no surprise. Countries such as China, Korea and Australia have a large pool of talent to choose from, thanks to intensive funding and support of grass roots sport, and development programs which support players from junior through to elite level.
These quality players on show are not discovered overnight, the depth of talent comes from years of talent identification at the national and regional level, as well as structured sporting programmes embedded into the youth development system.
The EGF has made huge strides in recent times, promoting golf in schools across all seven emirates, with the help of the UAE’s Ministry of Education. With two full-time coaches now in place, the EGF can better identify talent and support the development of boys and girls from an early age across the country.
Ahmad is a perfect example of the EGF endeavors in player development, having started as a junior and progressed through the ranks to national level and now making the cut at the AAC.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is an important yardstick for the next generation of players in the UAE as it offers a glimpse of the hard work, the dedication and the talent needed if they want to compete at the highest level of the amateur game.
The volunteers, juniors and squad members who attended this week will have no doubt about the work they need to put in to succeed.
By staging this year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in the UAE, the teams behind this event - the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation - have helped take UAE golf to another level, and we are confident there is more to come from this proud nation on the golf course.
