Dubai golf fans are in for a historic week this October as five Emirati golfers – Ahmad Skaik, Sam Mullane, Jonathan Selvaraj, Abdulla Kalbat and Rayan Ahmed – represent the UAE at the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), hosted at Emirates Golf Club’s world-famous Majlis Course from October 23–26, 2025.
Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship Returns With Major Rewards
Launched in 2009 by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A and the Masters Tournament, the AAC is the premier amateur golf event in the region. The stakes could not be higher:
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Winner earns invitations to the 2026 Masters Tournament and The 154th Open Championship.
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Runner-up qualifies for The Open Qualifying Series.
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Top-three finishers receive exemptions into The Amateur Championship.
Ahmad Skaik Leads UAE Challenge
UAE No.1 Ahmad Skaik makes his sixth appearance at the AAC. His standout moment came in 2021 at Dubai Creek when he became only the second Emirati ever to make the cut. Joining him are Rayan Ahmed, who impressed last year in Japan with another cut-making performance, Abdulla Kalbat, who debuted in 2024, plus first-timers Sam Mullaneand Jonathan Selvaraj.
“It’s always special to play major events on home soil,” said Skaik. “The Majlis Course is incredible and I’m proud to represent the UAE at such a prestigious championship.”
Strong International Field in Dubai
The 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur will feature 116 players from 41 APGC member organisations, including top names like Harry Takis (Australia), Ziqin Zhou (China), and Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat (Thailand).
Golfers from Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will also compete, giving the Middle East its strongest ever representation.
General Abdullah Al Hashmi, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation, called it a proud moment:
“Having five Emiratis competing at Emirates Golf Club is a milestone. It’s a chance to inspire the next generation of golfers in the UAE.”
From Asia-Pacific Amateur to Major Champion
The Championship has launched the careers of global stars such as Hideki Matsuyama (2021 Masters champion), Cameron Smith (2022 Open champion), and Japan’s Takumi Kanaya. Collectively, AAC alumni have won 33 PGA Tour events and over 140 international tournaments.
Emirates Golf Club – The Perfect Stage
Opened in 1988 as the first grass course in the Middle East, the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club has hosted legends including Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els. For the first time, it will welcome the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – giving UAE golfers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to shine on home soil.
