Emirates Golf Federation EGF News | Page 8

UAE U-15 National Team Wins the Team Net Category at the 1st GCC U-15 Golf Championship

Al Balooshi Takes Home 3rd Place in Individual Net

Muscat, Oman – Ghala Valley Golf Club of Oman, hosted the first ever GCC U-15 Golf Championship on April 25-26, 2014. The United Arab of Emirates (UAE) U-15 National Team’s journey to the Sultanate of Oman was successful. By winning the Team Net Category and having a strong performance from Al Balooshi to secure third place in the Individual Net Category this team paved the way for a strong future for the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and UAE National Teams.

With four other GCC countries being represent, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and hosting country Oman, the UAE U-15 National Team had outstanding competition to face.

The first ever GCC U-15 Golf Championship was be hosted at the Ghala Valley Golf Club. The Ghala Valley Golf Club had a unique setting as the course is build into a natural wadi, a dried up river bed. To add to the scenery the course is back dropped by stunning mountains and has outstanding ocean views on particular holes. The Ghala Valley Golf Club had a handful of forgiving holes, but the tricky holes placed focus on the junior golfer’s course management skills and precision.

After having two days of practice rounds to familiarize themselves to the course and the conditions, the UAE U-15 National Team had a slow start in round one. In round one the team finished with a team net score of 144. This net score put them one shot behind Oman, who had a net score of 143 for second place and 13 shots behind Qatar, who had a team net score of 131.

With four other GCC countries being represent, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and hosting country Oman, the UAE U-15 National Team had outstanding competition to face.

Saeed Al Balooshi spent the beginning of his golfing career in the EGF Development Program where he quickly picked up the game, and grew a strong passion for success. His leadership played a vital role in this event as he shot rounds of 73-71 for a net score total of 144. Al Balooshi won third place in the Overall Individual Net Category.