A host of the GCC’s top young golfers will be looking to impress next week in the curtain-raising challenge match for the 2010 Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship, in association with The Daily Telegraph. Among local representatives competing for bragging rights will be the talented Emirati Al Musharrekh brothers and Saudi Arabia’s rising star Khaled Attieh.

The challenge match, taking place 27th November at the sublime ‘ocean’ setting Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, gives young GCC-based golfers a character-building opportunity to test themselves alongside some of the world’s best junior players, who are in the UAE capital for the Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship, running 28-30th November at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Last year, the pairing of Emirati Sohail Al Marzooqi and Tom Ibbertson from the UK, notched up 42 points to win the betterball stableford competition.

Emirati star, Ahmed Al Musharrekh, is one of the youngsters widely tipped for a bright future and is a hot favourite for the Abu Dhabi event. After dominating the local junior golfing scene, the 19-year-old is already making history on the Middle East circuit. He will be joined in the challenge match by his brothers Abdullah and Hassan, both previous challengers of the Arab Golf Championship.

"I’m very much looking forward to playing against such great players from the UK and Ireland. It will definitely be a challenge in itself, and will allow me to judge how much my play has improved over the past year, but I know it will also be fun," said Ahmed. "I’ve also heard many great things about the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. I’ve never played there before, so that is definitely something I’m looking forward to.”

Also taking part will be dynamic Jeddah-based teenager, Khaled Attieh, who in 2010 became the first Arab player to earn a place in the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. Attieh first picked up a club at the age of 11 and started playing at Jeddah’s Desert Lakes Golf Club. He also took part in last year’s challenge match and has gained experience in international tournaments – something he hopes will give him the edge in Abu Dhabi.

“Last year was a great opportunity to test myself against some of the world’s best junior golfers. I learnt a lot from the experience, which helped me greatly as I have to continued to learn and improve this year. I’m really looking forward to returning to Abu Dhabi for the challenge match, and playing on the new Saadiyat Beach Golf Club,” said the young Saudi.

Another upcoming star is UAE resident Joel Neale, who in 2009 became the Middle East’s first ever participant in the Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship proper. Alongside Joel, and one of a number of girls taking part, will be the talented Sana Tufail who has already laid down her credentials with an impressive victory in the Emirates Golf Federations invitational Ladies Matchplay.

Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), title sponsor of the championship, said: “Bringing one of the world’s leading junior tournaments to Abu Dhabi provides our own aspiring sporting youth with an excellent chance to experience golf at the highest level. By playing toe-to-toe with such quality players, and on the emirate’s world-class courses, they will be encouraged to further develop and inspire a future generation of UAE golfing stars.”

For the 2010 championship, 11 boys and nine girls from the UK and Ireland will be joined by 16-year-old UAE resident, Daniel Hendry, in the battle for the Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship title. Organised since the 1960s by The Daily Telegraph, Britain’s biggest-selling broadsheet newspaper, November’s event marks the second year of ADTA’s headline sponsorship of the tournament. The partnership is another key step in establishing Abu Dhabi’s impressive credentials as a world-class event and golfing destination of distinction.

ADTA recently made history with the headline signing of HSBC, the world’s local bank, as title sponsor for its new-look European Tour-backed golf championship, running from January 20 to 23, 2011. The deal is the biggest international headline sponsorship for any Abu Dhabi-initiated sporting event and sees the prize purse for the 2011 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship rise by US$500,000 to US$2.7 million.
 

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