Ahmad Skaik refused to let his head drop when it mattered most, draining an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole to make his first cut as a professional at the Roller Algarve Classic.
The UAE PGA professional, who turned pro just last week, showed remarkable resilience in securing his place in the weekend field at his second event on the relaunched MENA Golf Tour.
“I birdied the last, made an 18-footer to hopefully make the cut, which made me a bit happier,” said Skaik, smiling after his round. “I was very annoyed after the double on 17, but this is golf and these things happen, so we need to move on.”
That ability to bounce back immediately after a damaging double bogey on 17 exemplified the fighting spirit that has defined Skaik’s debut week as a professional. Despite battling physical issues and arriving with limited preparation, the young golfer never allowed frustration to derail his round.
“Just staying in the present and just keep fighting,” Skaik said when asked about his biggest learning curve. “My body hasn’t been feeling well. I didn’t do a lot of prep coming into this week. So just stay patient, didn’t give up, tried my best out there and just scrapped around.”
Skaik will tee off in the final round tomorrow at 07:50, looking to build on this breakthrough moment in his professional career.
