The UAE’s leading amateur, Ahmad Skaik, stands on the brink of history after a gobsmacking finish to his second round moved him to four under par at the halfway stage of the UAE Challenge. He is now set to become the first Emirati ever to make the cut in a European Tour group event.
The UAE National Team member went birdie-birdie-eagle over the final three holes to card a phenomenal five-under-par 67 on day two at Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club in Ajman, to the delight of his watching friends and teammates.
“It was a very good round,” said Skaik. “I didn’t hit the ball great in the beginning. I made birdie at the first, then bogeyed the next, birdied six, then bogeyed seven, so I was up and down. But I just stayed patient, kept trying, and on the back nine I started hitting the ball better, closer to the hole—and then the putts dropped on the last few holes.”
Fly Like An Eagle
His eagle on the par-five 18th was a thing of beauty: a solid drive down the middle of the fairway, followed by a 3-iron to around 12 feet, and an assured long putt to finish off a historic day for UAE golf.
“I told my dad yesterday, I’m going to make birdie on the last to make the cut, because I triple-bogeyed it,” he said. “So I’ll take eagle for sure! It’s very tough to make eagle, with that side slope off the green. I just thought, I don’t want to miss it right. I hit a really good three iron—and the putt dropped!”
Skaik had finished the opening round at one over par, but it was a score that belied his excellent form, which saw him complete his back nine (Al Zorah’s front nine, having started on the 10th) in just 33 strokes.
Confident
“I was very confident, even yesterday. It was just that one hole—18—that made my score look like I was playing badly,” he said.
Now, with the weekend in sight, Skaik is focused on making more history.
“I’ve never made it to the weekend in a HotelPlanner Tour or DP World Tour event, so it’s exciting. I want to go double digits under par—that’s my goal.”
Skaik’s progress is testament to the success of the Emirates Golf Federation’s (EGF) partnership with the European Tour group, which aims to develop homegrown talent and create clear pathways for UAE-based players to compete at the highest levels of the sport.
The EGF has 60 spots available for local players at this week’s event in Ajman and next week’s Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, which can also be exchanged with other federations to unlock even more playing opportunities at HotelPlanner Tour events around the world.
