Inaugural Falcon Cup Takes Place on 3rd December at Yas Links Golf Club
The Emirates Golf Federation yesterday (29th November) announced the team which will face Scotland in the inaugural Falcon Cup at Yas Links Golf Club on 3rd December.
Held the day after UAE National Day, the 36 hole one-day competition provides the opportunity for the best players in the Emirates to take on some of the world’s best amateurs representing Scotland – ‘The Home of Golf’.
The UAE will be represented by the UAE National Champion Abdalla Al Musharrekh alongside his younger brothers Hassan Al Mushareekh and Ahmed Al Musharrekh, Khalid Yousef, Faris Al Mazrui and Sohail Al Marzuki.
The UAE team has completed a very busy summer schedule where they finished in their highest position in the Nomura Cup (14th) in Fiji. They then went on to finish a creditable third in the Pan Arab Championships in Morocco. All six players were part of the UAE Team that finished 2nd in Bahrain at the GCC Championships in February this year.
“My game is developing all the time and I’m really looking forward to the test match,” said Abdalla Al Musharrekh.
“We have made big improvements in the last few years and we are ready for the challenge. I can’t wait be on the first tee at Yas Links. It’s a fantastic course and the perfect place to play the Scottish team.”
“There’s no doubt that playing the Scottish National Team will be a test,” added Chris Vallander UAE National Coach. “We’re probably the underdogs but the squad will be well prepared and are relishing the opportunity to play some of the best amateurs in the world.”
The UAE will be competing against some of Scotland’s upcoming stars, including the ever-improving Paul Shields, who went all the way to the all-Scottish final of the South African Amateur Championship in March before losing to Walker Cup star Michael Stewart. Shields’ teammates include Scott Crichton, who capped his 2011 season with victory in the internationally renowned amateur tournament the Cameron Corbett Vase; Fraser McKenna, runner-up at the 2008 British Boys Championship; Daniel Kay, finalist of the 2011 Scottish Amateur Championship; and Brian Soutar, who is a Scotland international.
Steve Paulding, Scottish Golf Performance Manager, said: “The Test Match is an important part of this phase of our winter training programme.
“All of the players have been working on specific parts of their game and this will be their first opportunity to test these out in competition.
“We’ve been delighted to be given the opportunity to base ourselves at Yas Links, in the sunshine at this time of year, and get unrestricted access to their superb, world-class golf course and practice facilities, which are outstanding.
“This first-ever Test between Scotland and the UAE is one aspect of a hopefully long-term partnership, which both countries can benefit from going forward.”
Hosted at the spectacular Yas Links Golf Club, the Kyle Philips designed course will be especially challenging for the two sides when they meet on Saturday. The strong winds forecast will present a real links environment for the contest.
“The course is playing magnificently and will be a fantastic links golf challenge for the two teams,” said Chris White, general manager of Yas Links Golf Club.
“With the windy conditions the players will really have to think about their shot selection carefully.”
The Falcon Cup is part of ‘The Home of Golf in the UAE’ programme which is a long term partnership between ‘The Home of Golf’ – Scotland, and the Emirates Golf Federation to develop golfing ties between the two countries. The SGU squad and coaching team are based at the stunning Yas Links Golf Club and the Centro Yas Island Hotel, who together with long-standing supporter of the SGU, Aberdeen Asset Management, are sponsoring the programme.
