Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
The UAE’s most successful amateur golfer Ahmad Skaik turned professional, joining the paid ranks at the PGA Aroeira Challenge in Lisbon this week, where the MENA Golf Tour kicks off its 2025–26 campaign with a 54-hole challenge over the next three days.
The timing of the move aligns with a broader endorsement of the regional circuit from five-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who emphasised the necessity of such platforms for emerging talent.
Speaking to Aletihad ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship earlier this month, McIlroy highlighted the significance of the tour’s relaunch in creating opportunities for golfers from the Middle East to progress.
"I think any region in the world that provides pathways for players to play and get to bigger stages is a really good thing,” McIlroy said, validating the circuit’s role in bridging the gap between regional golf and the global elite.
And now Skaik has stepped up to grab the opportunity on the Tour, which has been a breeding ground for professionals like Matt Fitzpatrick, the winner of the current season’s finale, the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai last week, Robert MacIntyre, and others.
The Emirati golfer enters the professional circuit carrying significant momentum. He recently secured a gold medal at the 2025 GCC Golf Championship and claimed a commendable 13th-place finish amongst a world-class field at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Emirates Golf Club.
It was that performance in Dubai – where he spent much of the week inside the top 10 – that convinced him the time was right to trade his amateur status for a place in a field competing for Official World Golf Ranking points and a share of the $100,000 prize fund.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I always wanted to turn pro, but I just waited for the Asian Pacific,” said Skaik. “Obviously, that performance gave me the answer that I’m ready to turn pro. I’ve had a pretty good season. I’ve had some good finishes and a good win. My game, I feel like it’s coming together. It’s good to turn pro and have this as my first event.”
The MENA Golf Tour offers a strategic launchpad with events across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe offering high-level competition to prepare golfers like Skaik for other challenges, like preparing for the Asian Tour Qualifying School final stage, where he aims to finish in the top 35 to secure his card.
Skaik faces a test in Portugal against a field that includes former Ryder Cup star Chris Wood. The Englishman, a three-time DP World Tour winner, dominated the preceding Q School at Troia with a six-stroke victory. The field also features experienced campaigners such as France’s Sébastien Gros, a two-time winner on the HotelPlanner Tour, alongside recent Q School standouts Sebastian Sandin, Will Marshall and Nicolas Calvet.
“I’ve felt it my whole life, so it’s not any added pressure,” he said when asked about representing the UAE. “I just play my game. At the end of the day, I’m just playing for myself, first of all. On the course, I just think about the next shot. Everything that comes outside is just a bonus.”
Conditions at the PGA Aroeira Golf Club are demanding. Recent rainfall has softened the fairways, lengthening a course known for its tight layout. Following his practice round, Skaik observed that the course demands accuracy off the tee and will play long due to the wet conditions, a challenge he is eager to embrace.
The PGA Aroeira Challenge is the first of 12 scheduled events, with the tour set to remain in Portugal for the Rolear Algarve Classic at Amendoeira immediately following this week’s opener.
The circuit will then move to Egypt for four events in early 2025 before heading to Morocco, offering a continuous run of competitive golf that Skaik hopes will be the foundation of a long and successful professional career.
