ABU DHABI, 24th September, 2026 (WAM) — Emirati golfers Ahmad Skaik and Ahmed Al Musharrekh will compete alongside leading international players at the Abu Dhabi Challenge, taking place from 30th September to 3rd October at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club in Al Ain Region as part of the HotelPlanner Tour.
The tournament is staged in partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), its co-organiser and sanctioning body, and supported by Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
Skaik and Al Musharrekh will take two of the places allocated to the EGF, giving them an opportunity to compete alongside leading emerging international players on the HotelPlanner Tour.
Under the partnership, 30 places in the Abu Dhabi Challenge field have been allocated to the EGF. In addition to providing UAE players with opportunities to compete on home soil, the arrangement enables the Federation to exchange remaining places with other golf federations, creating further opportunities for UAE golfers to participate in HotelPlanner Tour events internationally.
UAE-based golfers David Horsey, Adri Arnaus and Dominic Foos will add further local interest, while Craig Howie of Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club will compete at his home course.
The field also includes former European Ryder Cup player Chris Wood and Christofer Blomstrand, the current leader of the Road to Mallorca Rankings.
The Abu Dhabi Challenge represents the final opportunity for players to secure places in the HotelPlanner Tour’s two season-ending events in China, with the top 68 players in the Road to Mallorca Rankings advancing following the conclusion of the Al Ain tournament.
Abdullah Al Hashmi, President of the Emirates Golf Federation, said developing national talent remains central to the Federation’s work, with the Abu Dhabi Challenge providing Emirati players an opportunity to test themselves at this level in front of a home crowd.
He added that exchanging places with other federations opens further opportunities for UAE players to compete internationally, noting that Skaik’s progression from the national team to professional golf demonstrates the pathway the Federation seeks to create for the next generation of Emirati golfers.
Source: Emirates News Agency