UAE golfers prepare for historic outing at Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

Dubai: Expectations will be high as a record five UAE golfers prepare to compete in the 16th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), set to take place from October 23—26 on the iconic Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club.

Ahmad Skaik, Rayan Ahmad, Abdulla Kalbat, Jonathan Selvaraj, and Sam Mullane will represent the UAE in what promises to be a landmark moment for golf in the country. This marks only the second time the prestigious Championship will be hosted in the Emirates, following its 2021 edition at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.

In the lead-up to the tournament, four members of the UAE team gathered at Emirates Golf Club to speak with local media, setting the stage for what could be a historic week at the Middle East’s first grass golf course. The five-player squad surpasses the UAE’s previous record of four participants in the AAC, reflecting the nation’s growing presence in the global amateur golf scene.

For Ahmad Skaik, the Championship holds particular significance. The 28-year-old will make his sixth and final appearance at the AAC before turning professional. Skaik is no stranger to elite competition, having previously teed it up at the Dubai Desert Classic and Abu Dhabi Championship, and more recently competing on invitations at several HotelPlanner Tour events. Earlier this year, he made history as the first Emirati to make the cut in a European Tour group-sanctioned event.

“Tournaments like the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship have been pivotal in my journey as an amateur and instrumental in preparing me to turn professional,” Skaik said.

“I’ve created fantastic memories at this event — becoming only the second Emirati to make the cut when it was last held in the UAE, and hitting the opening tee shot that year.

It feels like a fitting farewell to my amateur career to be joined by a record number of Emirati players for my final AAC appearance — hopefully, we can make it a week to remember.”

Championship debutants Sam Mullane and Jonathan Selvaraj will look to make an impact in their first appearances. Mullane heads into the event in fine form, having secured titles at the Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai Amateur Open and the 2025 Cedars Golf Championship. Selvaraj has also enjoyed a strong year, picking up wins at World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) events in Morocco and the UAE.

“I’m excited to tee it up for the first time in such a prestigious Championship,” said Mullane.

“We’ve heard so much about it from Ahmad, Rayan, and Abdulla, and now I’m just looking forward to the challenge of competing against the region’s best.”

Selvaraj added: “This has been a long-term goal of mine — to play in the Asia-Pacific Amateur. To have the chance to do so in the UAE, on a course as iconic as the Majlis, makes it even more special.”

Completing the UAE quintet are 18-year-olds Rayan Ahmad and Abdulla Kalbat, both making their second appearance after debuting in 2024 at Japan’s Taiheiyo Club Gotemba. Ahmad made an impressive start last year, making the cut and finishing T49.

“To make the cut on debut was a dream come true,” said Ahmad. “Now, with that experience under my belt, I’m focused on improving my performance and climbing higher on the leaderboard — especially on home soil.”

Kalbat reflected on the lessons learned from his first AAC appearance, “Even though I missed the cut, the experience of playing against the region’s top amateurs was invaluable. I’ve taken that as motivation and preparation heading into this year’s event at Emirates Golf Club.”

Established in 2009 by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A, and the Masters Tournament, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship aims to develop amateur golf across the region. The winner of the 2025 Championship will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament and an exemption into The 154th Open. The runner(s)-up will earn entry into The Open Qualifying Series, while the top three finishers will also receive exemptions into The 131st Amateur Championship.

The AAC has served as a launchpad for many of the world’s top professionals, including 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith, and fellow alumni such as Takumi Kanaya, Keita Nakajima, Cameron Davis, Min Woo Lee, Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim, and C.T. Pan. Collectively, past AAC competitors have claimed over 33 PGA Tour victories and more than 140 titles on major professional tours worldwide.