Mohammad Skaik's brilliant 66 puts UAE in pole position at Pan Arab Youth Golf

The UAE Under-18 Boy’s Team made an impressive start to the 54-hole Pan Arab Youth Golf Championships, posting a seven under par, 135, in round one at The Residences Golf Course in Gammarth, Tunisia.

They lead by seven shots from Morocco.

Building on the momentum from the recent success of the UAE Ladies' and Girls' teams, it’s now the boys' turn to showcase their talents.

The team's strong performance positions them well for the remaining two rounds as they aim to continue their country's successful run in the championships.

Mohammad Skaik, 18, delivered an eye-catching performance during the first round iring a five-birdie 31 on the front nine with birdies on holes 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8. His momentum continued on the back nine, adding birdies on holes 14, 16, and 18, although a double bogey on the par-3 17th blemished an otherwise stellar round.

Skaik's strong showing contributed to the UAE’s leading position, complemented by Rayan Ahmed’s one-under-par 71, which featured a hot streak of three consecutive birdies from hole 11. Neyl Cherratt, the third member of the team, shot a non-counting 76.

Skaik and Ahmed have represented the UAE earlier in the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Junior Championship in the Philippines, showcasing their international experience and poise on the big stage.

The format for all the Team events is the best two scores from a team of three on each day with the course being played at 6,800 yards.

The Boys Under-18 and Boys Under-16 Divisions, are both World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) events, supported by The R&A.

Mohamed Thabet (UAE) lies in tied ninth, Abdullah Saleem (UAE) tied 11th and Abdullah Darwish (UAE) in 18th in the Under-16 Boy’s Division.

The following countries will compete in the Boy’s Divisions: Egypt, Jordan, Libya, KSA, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Tunisia and the UAE.

The second round will be played tomorrow (Saturday) with the final round on Sunday.

Round One Scores

Under-18 Boys Individual

M. Skaik (UAE) 66.

Y. El Hali (Mor) 69.

Morocco 142.