Words by Will Kent & Photography by Ahmed Nabil
One of the standout stars in the field for the UAE CUP is three-time Presidents Cup winner Ahmad Skaik. The talented UAE golfer will be looking to make a statement as he aims to claim victory in the inaugural edition of this exciting new championship, scheduled to take place at the end of October.
At just 27 years old, Skaik has demonstrated remarkable resilience as he battled back from a serious back injury in recent times. Now recovered and revitalised, he’s eager to continue competing at the highest level with new local golf season underway in the UAE. We recently caught up with him to find out more about his game as well as his goals for the new season.
WWG: First time we’ve seen you in a while. What have you been up to over the summer?
Ahmad Skaik: I’ve just been travelling and playing in events. I played in Spain on the Challenge Tour, France and the Asian Tour in Morocco, and they I stayed in Morocco for a month and a half just to escape the summer weather in the UAE.
WWG: You’re getting many chances to play in high-level events, is the experience playing in these tournaments helping your game?
Ahmad Skaik: Of course, it helps. There’s a lot of work to be done, but it just gives you an idea of how good these guys are and what you need to do to step up your game. It’s good for me to play both amateur and professional events. I can get my confidence in the amateur tournaments and then go and perform on these big stages.
WWG: How are you feeling heading into the new season?
AS: I feel like I’m more confident now than I’ve ever been. My game is in a very, very good spot. I’ve been working a lot on my game mentally, physically, in the gym, outside. I’m very excited for the new season.
WWG: What does your schedule look like for the next couple of months?
Ahmad Skaik: I have a few events. I’m travelling to the Czech Republic for the Challenge Tour event, then I’m going to Vietnam and then the UAE CUP. Following that, the Arab Championship and then we’ll see from there.
WWG: How excited are you for the UAE CUP, especially having won the Presidents Cup multiple times before?
Ahmad Skaik: As a junior I really wanted to win that one. Thankfully I won it three out of four times. Now, I hope I can win the UAE CUP as it’s much bigger with over 50 countries coming in with so many good players. It will be a very good event to win.
WWG: How important is the UAE CUP to the country as a golfing nation?
Ahmad Skaik: It’s an important one for us, but also the Arab Championship and the GCC is also important representing your country. All are important, and they all have their own value. I take each event one at a time.
WWG: The UAE CUP is set to mark another new era in the country’s growing sporting history. How do you think the country has evolved over the last 20 years in a golf capacity?
Ahmad Skaik: It’s crazy. I feel like when I was junior we barely had any events, not even that many men’s opens. Now we have 14 men’s open and four of them are WAGR. We have two Challenge Tour events, more DP World Tour events, and now the UAE CUP. We are evolving, we have so many players both junior and senior coming in, so it’s very exciting. I’m looking forward to the future of the UAE.
WWG: Do you think being surrounded by so many great players in the country has helped take your game to the next level?
Ahmad Skaik: It helps. I’m good friends with many of the guys in the UAE team, and before I used to practice alone. So, it’s good to practice and compete against them on a daily basis to help each other.
WWG: How much has your coach Faycal helped as well over recent times?
Ahmad Skaik: He’s helped a lot. He’s like a brother to me, and he’s worked with me for a year. He’s helped me a lot mentally and with my game. I feel like it’s showing and it’s going to show this season. I’ve been in my lowest of lows for the past – almost three years because of the injury – so he’s seen my highs and my lows, and he’s stuck with me. I really appreciate that, and I’m happy to keep this bond going.
WWG: You mention the lows there. How bad was it? Did you ever consider not playing golf anymore?
Ahmad Skaik: I mean, sometimes it came into my mind. Some days when I could barely walk, I had to think, ‘do I have a choice?’. But, I stuck through it and I stayed positive. I worked on what I needed to work on, and here I am.
WWG: It’s great to see, and it sounds like you’ve completely turned the corner now. Is it full steam ahead into the new season?
Ahmad Skaik: 100 percent. It opened my eyes. Now, I train way more. I stretch before and after practicing, and I practice less because I can do as much as before (the injury). I’m taking care of my body going to the physio, keeping myself in the best shape possible to perform on big stages.
