The Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship returns to Yas Links next week with a milestone to celebrate. This year’s event will take the number of children and young people introduced to golf by the DP World Tour and Abu Dhabi Sports Council past 10,000.
That total comes from the community programmes run around the tournament and the Team Cup. It arrives during the UAE’s Year of Family, the national initiative launched under the tagline ‘Growing in Unity’.
The work runs well beyond tournament week. Both organisations aim to open the game to young people across the emirate, from a first swing in a school hall to a career behind the scenes at a major event.
Future Falcons: where junior golf in the UAE begins
At grassroots level, the Future Falcons Programme gives children aged 4 to 16 a fun introduction to swing, chip and putt. Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Emirates Golf Federation own and run the initiative.
Sessions take place through dedicated golf hours, school visits, clinics and activations at major sporting and community events.
Once the basics are in place, young players test their skills in the Future Falcons Skills Challenges. The grand final is held during tournament week at Yas Links, where competitors also get the chance to meet some of the world’s best golfers.
Taking golf into the classroom
The tournament’s schools programme, delivered with M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Middle East, brings golf straight into classrooms. In the month before the event, the tournament team leads school assemblies that teach pupils about the sport and let them play during school hours.
Schools from across the emirate then visit the Championship itself. Pupils watch the world’s best players in action, tour Yas Links and enjoy the family-friendly activities in the Championship Village.
Viya Golf also joined forces with Aldar last year on a new schools initiative with the Emirates Golf Federation. As part of it, nine local schools came to Yas Links during tournament week for dedicated coaching in the Golf for All Zone.
Careers in Golf: opening doors beyond playing
For older students, the Careers in Golf Programme offers a window into the industry. The European Tour group launched it to promote diversity and inclusion, and it runs in partnership with the Golf Forum. It provides education and mentorship for young people from underrepresented backgrounds.
A workshop for 16 to 19-year-olds explores roles away from the fairways, from coaching and event management to course operations. Participants then gain unique access to the tournament. They meet industry leaders and see first-hand what it takes to deliver one of the biggest events in world golf.
“Reaching 10,000 young people will be a proud moment for everyone involved in both events and there is no more fitting year to reach it than the Year of Family,” said Maria Grandinetti-Milton, Director of Sustainability, DP World Tour.
“Golf is a game families can share for life and our aim has always been to make that first step as easy as possible – whether that is a child picking up a club for the first time or a student discovering a career in the sport.”
Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship field: Rai, McIlroy and Rahm lead the way
Staged by the DP World Tour and Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship opens the DP World Tour Play-Offs. The leading 70 available players on the Race to Dubai Rankings tee it up at Yas Links. After that, the top 50 head to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Defending champion and US PGA Champion Aaron Rai headlines this year’s field. He is joined by back-to-back Masters Champion Rory McIlroy, who is chasing a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title. Two-time Major Champion Jon Rahm also makes his tournament debut.
Meanwhile, the Team Cup returns in January 2027. The three-day match play contest pits Great Britain & Ireland against Continental Europe. It was previously staged at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort in 2023 and 2025.
Tickets: For more information and to book Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship tickets, click here.
