The UAE’s leading amateurs made a statement on home soil as Sam Mullane and Ahmad Skaik both finished inside the top ten after the opening round of the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship on Emirates Golf Club’s iconic Majlis Course.
Mullane, making his Championship debut, led the six-strong UAE contingent with a superb five-under-par 67 that included six birdies and just one bogey, placing him in a tie for fourth. The 22-year-old’s performance came after weeks of meticulous preparation, with the UAE team practising up to three times a week at Emirates Golf Club ahead of the tournament.
Local stars shine
“There’s no reason why one of us can’t win it,” said Mullane, who had his brother Jay on the bag. “We know the course so well. We’re here to prove a point that we can play golf and we’re not just here to make the cut.”
Hot on his heels, Ahmad Skaik — playing his seventh Asia-Pacific Amateur — carded a four-under 68 to sit just one shot back. The UAE National Team star rattled off seven birdies, including four in a row from the 2nd hole, before a double bogey on his final hole denied him a share of the lead.
“I was really happy with my round, but I made a mistake on the last,” said Skaik. “It’s a learning experience, and I’ll take the positives into tomorrow.”
Birdie Start
Earlier, his younger brother Mohammad Skaik had the honour of striking the Championship’s opening tee shot, settling his nerves with a birdie on the first hole en route to a solid 73. Elsewhere, Rayan Ahmed shot level par (72), Jonathan Selvaraj carded 74, and Rashed Al Emadi posted 84.
At the top of the leaderboard, Thailand’s Fifa Laopakdee, Australia’s Billy Dowling, and Vietnam’s Khanh Hung Leshare the lead at six under after matching 66s.
Meanwhile, organisers announced that the 2026 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will be played at Te Arai Links’ South Course in New Zealand — continuing the Championship’s mission to inspire the next generation of talent across the region.
