Ahmad Skaik, the UAE’s No.1 golfer, got off to a flyer in the opening day of the Aviv Dubai Championship, shooting 4-under-68 to card the lowest round by an Emirati in European Tour history.
“I don’t have words to describe how I feel, I’m very happy,” said the 24 year old. “I felt in control out there and hit the right shots at the right time.
“I’ve worked with my coach Joe Marshall, on my takeaway and tempo. I tend to to get quick sometimes but we’ve tried to keep it under control and that keeps my shot shape fairly straight.”
Skaik, who was playing alongside Portugal’s Pedro Figuerido and Julian Suri of the USA, looked calm and composed all day, as he birdied the first before chalking up a further gains on holes 3, 7, 12 and 13, with his only scorecard blemish coming courtesy of a three putt for bogey on 14.
“The Fire course sets up to my game quite nicely, but as a junior growing up in Dubai I usually played it from the forward tees so it’s quite a bit longer this week!” smiled Skaik. “I’m pretty familiar with it around the greens though so that’s a big advantage I think.”
The tournament, taking place on the Fire course Thursday 11th to Sunday 14th November, precedes the final Rolex Series event of 2021, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, bringing the curtain down on this year’s Race to Dubai on the neighbouring Earth course.
The championship marks Skaik’s third European Tour event having received an invitation to play in last year’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Golf in Dubai Championship. The amateur, playing off a handicap of +2.7, has an impressive resume including winning the 2020 UAE’s Presidents Cup and, most recently, finishing as the leading GCC player at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – a feat that led to him securing his spot alongside the stars of the European Tour this week.
“I’m keeping my feet on the ground so I’ll just go out tomorrow and try to do everything the same as today and see where that takes us,” he said. “Of course, you get a little bit nervous teeing it up alongside these guys because you’re excited to play. You only get two or three of these opportunities each year so I’m just happy to be alongside them and I think I proved to myself that I can compete with these guys in the future.”
