Five UAE golfers ready to make history at Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai

History beckons for UAE golf as five national players prepare to tee it up at the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) when the event returns to the Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club from October 23–26, 2025.

It will be a record-breaking five-man team making a home appearance, underlining the continued rise of Emirati golf talent on the regional and international stage. The five-player line-up surpasses the previous national record of four participants in the Championship.

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Leading the UAE challenge will be Ahmad Skaik, Rayan Ahmed, Abdulla Kalbat, Jonathan Selvaraj, and Sam Mullane, as the prestigious Championship returns to the UAE for only the second time following the 12th edition at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club in 2021.

Ahead of the tournament, four of the UAE contingent gathered at Emirates Golf Club earlier this week to speak to local media, marking what promises to be a historic week.

For Skaik, this year carries extra significance. The 28-year-old will make his sixth appearance in the event, and it will also be his final outing before turning professional.

Ready for the next step

Skaik is no stranger to elite company, having teed it up at the HERO Dubai Desert Classic and the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, while more recently competing on invitations at several HotelPlanner Tour and Asian Development Tour (ADT) events. Earlier this year, he became the first Emirati to make the cut in a European Tour group-sanctioned tournament.

“Tournaments like the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship have been pivotal in my journey as an amateur and have played a huge role in preparing me to turn professional after this event,” said Skaik.

“I’ve had plenty of fantastic memories at the Championship, including becoming only the second Emirati to make the cut when it was last staged in the UAE, as well as hitting the opening tee shot that year.”

“It feels like a fitting farewell to my amateur career to be joined by a record four participants representing the UAE at Emirates Golf Club for my final appearance in the Championship – hopefully we can all enjoy a great week. If I win, I may think about my decision to turn pro with the opportunities available to the champion,” he added with a smile.

Mullane and Selvaraj, both 22, will be looking to make an impression as they make their Championship debuts. Mullane has enjoyed a strong season with victories at the Montgomerie Golf Club Dubai Amateur Open and the 2025 Cedars Golf Championship, while Selvaraj has claimed wins at World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) events in Morocco and the UAE.

“I’m excited to tee it up for the first time in such a prestigious Championship,” said Mullane.

“We’ve heard a lot about the tournament from Ahmad, Rayan, and Abdulla, so I’m just looking forward to getting out there and playing with some of the best amateurs in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Selvaraj added, “I’ve been preparing for this for a long time; it’s always been a goal of mine to compete in this Championship. To now have the opportunity to do it in the UAE, on such an iconic course, is going to be very special.”

Promising duo return stronger

Kalbat and Ahmed complete the UAE quintet, with the pair of 18-year-olds making their second Championship appearances after debuting at last year’s tournament at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba in Japan, where Ahmad made the cut and finished tied 49th.

“To make the weekend on my first Championship start was something I had dreamed about,” said Ahmed. “To now have the chance to back that up and try to climb higher on the leaderboard at this year’s edition, here at home in the UAE, is an opportunity I’m going to grab with both hands.”

Kalbat added, “Although I missed the cut last year, I learned so much from competing with the region’s best amateur golfers. I’ve used that experience as a learning curve, and it will put me in good standing heading into this year’s edition at Emirates Golf Club.”

Championship background

Created in 2009, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was established by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A, and the Masters Tournament to further develop amateur golf in the region.

The champion earns an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament and an exemption into The 154th Open. The runner(s)-up receive a place in The Open Qualifying Series, while the top three finishers gain entry to The 131st Amateur Championship.

Notable past competitors include 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time AAC winner, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith. Over its 15-year history, the Championship has served as a springboard for many of the world’s top professionals, including Takumi Kanaya (2018) and Keita Nakajima (2021).

In addition to the UAE contingent, entries have been confirmed from players representing Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, alongside top contenders from across the Asia-Pacific.

Alumni of the Championship, including Cameron Smith, Cameron Davis, Min Woo Lee, Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim, and C.T. Pan, have collectively gone on to win 33 PGA Tour titles and more than 140 events worlde.

As part of their build-up, all four UAE players will travel to Bahrain this week to compete in the 7th Bahrain Amateur Open at the Royal Golf Club (October 9–11), a WAGR Qualifier supported by The R&A, serving as ideal preparation ahead of the AAC later this month.