Joshua Grenville-Wood is hoping to capitalise on home comforts this week as the Abu Dhabi Challenge gets underway from April 17–20. The 26-year-old Dubai resident is drawing on local knowledge as he looks to build on his promising form at the second of back-to-back HotelPlanner Tour events in the UAE.
Local Knowledge Could Be Key
Having lived in Dubai for the past six years, Grenville-Wood is no stranger to golf in the region. Since 2023, he has proudly represented both the UAE and the Emirates Golf Federation, and has plenty of experience at this week’s host venue, Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club.
“I come up here quite a bit. It’s a great golf course,” he said. “The protection around here is when it gets quite windy. It is quite firm and fast, which is okay. The greens are big, and the fairways are pretty wide. There’s not too much rough but enough to make you think. There will be some long drives hit this week, and a lot of putts made.”
Confidence Building After Best Finish of the Year
Grenville-Wood heads into the Abu Dhabi Challenge fresh from his best finish of the season at last week’s UAE Challenge. He believes his game is trending in the right direction.
“I’m feeling good,” he said. “In addition I played some decent golf last week, which was nice and something good to build on and felt like there were a lot of positives out there. The courses are similar – same grass, same green speeds – so you feel comfortable transitioning from one week to another. I just want to stick to the processes I’ve been working on and keep doing what I’ve been doing well.”
Thriving in the Desert Heat
With temperatures in Al Ain expected to soar beyond 40 degrees Celsius this week, Grenville-Wood’s familiarity with the desert heat could offer a competitive edge.
“I’m used to the conditions being quite firm and warm. That definitely helps and gives me a little advantage over the rest of the field,” he said. “It was a bit of a change coming from Europe. A warm day in Europe is 25 degrees, here it’s 45. It takes a few years to really adjust and learn how to keep cool.”
“You’re guaranteed good weather, and the golf courses are second to none. There aren’t many places where you’ll find this many great golf courses in such a small area. That’s a big plus.”
Strong Field Assembles in Al Ain
Grenville-Wood will be joined by a competitive field that includes last week’s UAE Challenge winner Renato Paratore, two-time DP World Tour winner Eddie Pepperell, and current Road to Mallorca Number Four Wilco Nienaber.
Adding to the local flavour, the Emirates Golf Federation’s partnership with the European Tour group ensures 30 UAE-based players tee it up at each event, bringing fresh talent and local passion to the international stage.
Rising UAE Stars Looking to Impress
Among the local contingent is Ahmad Skaik, who made history last week as the first Emirati to make the cut in a European Tour group-sanctioned event. The 27-year-old will be looking to build on that milestone alongside several members of the UAE National Team, including his brother Mohammed, as well as Sam Mullane, Jonathan Selvaraj, Neyl Cherrat, and Rayan Ahmed, who fired a standout 66 in the opening round of last year’s Abu Dhabi Challenge.
Free Entry for Fans
The event is supported by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Arena, Al Laith, and eGolf Megastore. Entry is free for spectators, offering fans a chance to enjoy high-level competition and support homegrown talent on one of the UAE’s premier golfing stages.
